Commission proposes to mobilise almost €530 million to support emergency measures against the coronavirus pandemic

On March 11 the European Commission put forward a package of almost €530 million in additional financial support under the EU Solidarity Fund (EUSF). It will contribute to the efforts deployed by 17 Member States and 3 accession countries (Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Albania, Montenegro, and Serbia) to safeguard public health in fighting the coronavirus. This funding will support part of their public expenditure on medical and personal protective equipment, emergency support to the population, and measures of prevention, monitoring, and control of the spread of the disease.

Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira said: “The EU Solidarity Fund is a concrete demonstration of European solidarity in action. Since its creation, it has delivered effective assistance and relief to millions of people during difficult times. Last year, we extended its scope to cover major health emergencies. Now we are proposing to mobilize much-needed coronavirus-related financial assistance. The EUSF is once again accomplishing its core mission.”

The aid package proposed also includes the €132.7 million advance payments already received by Germany, Ireland, Greece, Spain, Croatia, Hungary, and Portugal. The mobilization of the EUSF final payments to the 17 Member States is based on a thorough assessment of the applications submitted, ensuring consistency in the approach and equal treatment.

Next steps

The financial contribution proposed by the Commission has now to be approved by the European Parliament and the Council. The financial aid will then be disbursed to the applicant countries.

Background

The EUSF was created after the severe floods in Central Europe in the summer of 2002, primarily to assist eligible countries in the emergency and recovery operations following natural disasters. Between 2002 and 2020, the EUSF has mobilized a total of over €6.5 billion for interventions in 96 disaster events in 23 Member States and 1 accession country. The EUSF is a special instrument of solidarity and is mobilized upon applications and the assessment of their eligibility. In the forthcoming programming period 2021-2027, it will be part of the newly established Solidarity and Emergency Aid Reserve. Since April 2020, in the framework of the EU efforts to fight the coronavirus pandemic, the scope of the EUSF was extended to cover major public health emergencies.

In 2020, the EUSF provided €683.7 million to Croatia following the devastating effects of the earthquake in Zagreb and its surroundings and €7 million to Poland to assist in its reconstruction efforts following the floods in the Podkarpackie Voivodeship province. In 2021, the Commission has already authorized advance payments to France and Greece following regional disasters affecting their respective territories.