Considerations on COM(2020)960 - Mobilisation of the EU Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to countries in light of natural disasters and public health emergencies

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dossier COM(2020)960 - Mobilisation of the EU Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to countries in light of natural disasters and public health ...
document COM(2020)960 EN
date November 25, 2020
 
table>(1)The European Union Solidarity Fund (‘the Fund’) aims to enable the Union to respond in a rapid, efficient and flexible manner to emergency situations in order to show solidarity with the population of regions struck by major or regional natural disasters or a major public health emergency.
(2)The Fund is not to exceed a maximum annual amount of EUR 500 000 000 (2011 prices), as laid down in Article 10 of Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1311/2013 (3).

(3)On 10 June 2020, Croatia submitted an application to mobilise the Fund, following the earthquake in March 2020 that affected the city of Zagreb and the counties of Zagreb and Krapina-Zagorje.

(4)On 24 August 2020, Poland submitted an application to mobilise the Fund, following the floods in June 2020 in Podkarpackie Voivodeship.

(5)By 24 June 2020, Croatia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Portugal and Spain submitted applications to mobilise the Fund in relation to the major public health emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020. In their applications, all seven Member States requested the payment of an advance on the anticipated contribution from the Fund.

(6)The applications by Croatia and Poland in relation to the natural disasters meet the conditions for providing a financial contribution from the Fund, as laid down in Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002.

(7)The Fund should therefore be mobilised in order to provide a financial contribution to Croatia and Poland.

(8)To ensure the availability of sufficient budgetary resources in the general budget of the Union for 2020, the Fund should be mobilised for the payment of advances to Croatia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Portugal and Spain in relation to the major public health emergency.

(9)In order to minimise the time taken to mobilise the Fund, this Decision should apply from the date of its adoption,