EU ministers agree to more than a billion euro disaster relief aid for 5 EU countries
The Council of the European Union agreed on September 23 to mobilise the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Italy, Slovenia, Austria, Greece and France, relating to six natural disasters that occurred in 2023, a statement by the Council of the EU said.
The assistance will come from the EU’s 2024 budget.
The European Union Solidarity Fund will be mobilised for a total amount of 1028.54 million euro in commitment and payment appropriations, including the amount of 231.78 million euro as advance payments.
This includes 446.64 million euro to provide assistance to Italy further to floods caused by extremely intense rainfall in the Emilia-Romagna region in May 2023 (378.83 million euro), including the amount of 94.71 million euro as advance payment, and the Tuscany region in October and November 2023 (67.81 million euro).
It also includes 428.41 million euro to provide assistance to Slovenia further to floods caused by heavy rainfall across the country in August 2023, including the amount of 100 million euro as advance payment.
There is 5.20 million euro to provide assistance to Austria further to floods caused by heavy rainfall in its southern regions in August 2023.
Also included is 101.53 million euro to provide assistance to Greece further to floods caused by the Mediterranean storm Daniel in multiple locations in central Greece, particularly in the Thessaly region, in September 2023, including the amount of 25.38 million euro as advance payment.
A total of 46.76 million euro is to provide assistance to France further to floods caused by heavy rainfall in the former Nord-Pas-de-Calais region in November 2023, including the amount of 11.69 million euro as advance payment.
In practice, once the decision has entered into force, the EU will transfer money from the solidarity and emergency aid reserve in its 2024 budget to the so-called EU Solidarity Fund operational budget line, from where it can be paid to the countries that have applied for financial assistance from this fund after being struck by natural disasters, the Council of the EU said.
(Photo: Filippo Vicarelli)
