# CE2004065EN.01004301.xml

| 13.3.2004 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | CE 65/43 |
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13.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

CE 65/43

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(2004/C 65 E/042)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0726/03

by Rosa Miguélez Ramos (PSE) to the Commission

(11 March 2003)

Subject:   ‘Prestige’ Solidarity Fund

Subject:

On 21 November 2002, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the ‘Prestige’ disaster off the coast of Galicia. Paragraph 8 reads:

| | Calls for fisheries workers and other local and regional businesses affected by the disaster to be fully and swiftly compensated for the economic losses they will suffer; calls, further, for assistance to be provided under other appropriate instruments (Solidarity Fund, Structural Funds) with a view to assisting the people and economic sectors affected by the oil pollution and restoring the environment of the regions concerned. |
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Calls for fisheries workers and other local and regional businesses affected by the disaster to be fully and swiftly compensated for the economic losses they will suffer; calls, further, for assistance to be provided under other appropriate instruments (Solidarity Fund, Structural Funds) with a view to assisting the people and economic sectors affected by the oil pollution and restoring the environment of the regions concerned.

On 19 December 2002 the European Parliament adopted a resolution on safety at sea and measures to alleviate the effects of the ‘Prestige’ disaster. Paragraph 12 reads:

| | Calls for the immediate adoption of measures to alleviate the damage occasioned to those affected, through the use of the Solidarity Fund. |
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Calls for the immediate adoption of measures to alleviate the damage occasioned to those affected, through the use of the Solidarity Fund.

What sums from the Solidarity Fund have been allocated to alleviating the effects of the ‘Prestige’ disaster?

What percentage of the total estimated damage and prejudice does this sum represent?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(9 April 2003)

(9 April 2003)

In January 2003, the Commission received an application from the Spanish authorities to mobilise the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) with respect to the disaster resulting from the ‘Prestige’ tanker accident and subsequent oil spill affecting the Galician coast.

The Commission has examined the request on the basis of the requirements imposed by Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 of 11 November 2002 establishing the European Union Solidarity Fund (1), hereafter the EUSF-Regulation. The Commission has established that the disaster, based on the information provided by the Spanish authorities, does not qualify as a ‘major disaster’ within the meaning of the Regulation, because the damage caused does not meet the threshold of EUR 3 billion or 0,6 % of gross national income (GNI).

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The EUSF-Regulation, however, provides that under exceptional circumstances a region could benefit from assistance from the Fund, where that region has been affected by an extraordinary disaster affecting the major part of the population with serious and lasting repercussions on living conditions and the economic stability of the region. The EUSF may intervene only exceptionally if it is demonstrated that the criteria of Article 2(2) of the EUSF-Regulation are complied with, and furthermore, it obliges the Commission to examine with utmost rigour any requests, which are submitted under this subparagraph.

The Commission can confirm that it is now examining the Spanish request and in order to carry out a proper assessment, it has requested supplementary information from the Spanish authorities, in accordance with the requirements of the EUSF-Regulation.

It is only after this assessment that the Commission may decide to propose the mobilisation of the Solidarity Fund to the Budgetary Authority.

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(1)  OJ L 311, 14.11.2002.

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