BUDG approves EU solidarity package for Portugal, Spain, Italy, Austria

02-06-2020 - 10:48

Sign blocking off a flooded road in a wooded area — EU solidarity after extreme weather events in the Member States

BUDG Members adopted by means of a remote vote, on 27 May 2020, on a European Commission proposal to mobilise the EU Solidarity Fund for Portugal, Spain, Italy and Austria for a total amount of EUR 279 million. The EU assistance is to reimburse Member State authorities partially for costs incurred in the emergency and recovery operations addressing the damages caused by extreme weather events that all took place in autumn of 2019.

The Azores were hit by hurricane Lorenzo in October 2019 (EUR 8 million);
A rare meteorological phenomenon described as "isolated high altitude depression" affected four regions in the south east of Spain in September 2019, leading to flooding (EUR 57 million);
Most of the Italian territory was affected, between October and November 2019, by a series of connected extreme weather events, leading to severe damage and culminating in the disastrous flooding of Venice (EUR 212 million);
In November 2019, the south-west of Austria suffered from severe flooding, particularly in Carinthia and Eastern Tyrol, both Alpine areas bordering on Italy (EUR 2 million).

The rapporteur, José Manuel Fernandes (PT, EPP), recommends the rapid mobilisation of these amounts as proposed by the Commission and the swift delivery of the EU assistance, as a sign of European solidarity with the four Member States concerned.
The plenary will vote on the file in June.