DECISION (EU) 2021/885 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

of 20 May 2021

on the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Greece and France in relation to natural disasters and to Albania, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Spain in relation to a public health emergency

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 of 11 November 2002 establishing the European Union Solidarity Fund (1), and in particular Article 4(3) thereof,

Having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 16 December 2020 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline, on cooperation in budgetary matters and on sound financial management, as well as on new own resources, including a roadmap towards the introduction of new own resources (2), and in particular point 10 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:

(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 major public health emergency.

(2) The Fund is not to exceed the ceilings as laid down in Article 9 of Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2093 (3). In accordance with Article 9(2) and 9(4) of that Regulation, the maximum amount that can be mobilised by the Fund from the 2021 allocation until 1 September 2021 is EUR 477 543 750. In accordance with Article 4a(4) of Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002, the amount of EUR 50 000 000 has already been inscribed in the general budget for the financial year 2021 (in commitments and payments) for the payment of advances. In addition, an amount of EUR 47 981 598 of the 2020 allocation was not used until the end of that year and is carried over to 2021. Therefore, the maximum amount available under the EUSF at this point in 2021 is EUR 525 525 348, which is enough to cover the needs under this Decision.

(3) On 29 October 2020, Greece submitted an application to mobilise the Fund, following the floods in August 2020 in Sterea Ellada.

(4) On 9 December 2020, Greece submitted an application to mobilise the Fund, following the damages caused by the cyclone Ianos in September 2020 that affected the Regions of Ionia Nisia, Sterea Ellada, Ditiki Ellada, Thessalia and Peloponnisos.

(5) On 22 January 2021, Greece submitted an application to mobilise the Fund, following the earthquake in October 2020 that affected the islands of Samos, Ikaria and Chios.

(6) On 21 December 2020, France submitted an application to mobilise the Fund, following the damages caused by Storm Alex in Provence-Alpes-Côtes d’Azur region in October 2020.

(7) By 24 June 2020, Albania, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Portugal, Romania, Serbia 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.

(8) The applications by those States meet the conditions for providing a financial contribution from the Fund, as laid down in Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002.

(9) The Fund should therefore be mobilised in order to provide a financial contribution to Greece and France in relation to the natural disasters and to Albania, Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Spain in relation to the major public health emergency.

(10) In the case of Croatia, since the advance already paid exceeds the final aid amount, no further amount needs to be mobilised and the unduly paid advance will be recovered in accordance with Article 4a of Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002.

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

HAVE ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1 For the general budget of the Union for the financial year 2021, the European Union Solidarity Fund shall be mobilised as follows in commitment and payment appropriations in relation to natural disasters: (a) the amount of EUR 3 300 100 shall be provided to Greece in relation to the floods in Sterea Ellada, including the amount of EUR 330 010 as advance payment; (b) the amount of EUR 21 588 519 shall be provided to Greece in relation to cyclone Ianos, including the amount of EUR 2 158 852 as advance payment; (c) the amount of EUR 2 531 301 shall be provided to Greece in relation to the earthquake in the islands of Samos, Chios and Ikaria, including the amount of EUR 253 131 as advance payment; (d) the amount of EUR 59 325 000 shall be provided to France in relation to the storm Alex, including the amount of EUR 5 932 500 as advance payment.

Article 2 For the general budget of the Union for the financial year 2021, the European Union Solidarity Fund shall be mobilised as follows in commitment and payment appropriations in relation to a major public health emergency: (a) the amount of EUR 905 271 shall be provided to Albania; (b) the amount of EUR 31 755 580 shall be provided to Austria; (c) the amount of EUR 37 298 777 shall be provided to Belgium; (d) the amount of EUR 17 373 205 shall be provided to Czechia; (e) the amount of EUR 3 588 755 shall be provided to Estonia; (f) the amount of EUR 91 365 053 shall be provided to France; (g) the amount of EUR 13 648 386 shall be provided to Germany; (h) the amount of EUR 3 994 022 shall be provided to Greece; (i) the amount of EUR 13 136 857 shall be provided to Hungary; (j) the amount of EUR 20 480 330 shall be provided to Ireland; (k) the amount of EUR 76 271 930 shall be provided to Italy; (l) the amount of EUR 1 177 677 shall be provided to Latvia; (m) the amount of EUR 2 828 291 shall be provided to Lithuania; (n) the amount of EUR 2 857 025 shall be provided to Luxembourg; (o) the amount of EUR 199 505 shall be provided to Montenegro; (p) the amount of EUR 18 039 670 shall be provided to Portugal; (q) the amount of EUR 13 926 870 shall be provided to Romania; (r) the amount of EUR 11 968 276 shall be provided to Serbia; (s) the amount of EUR 36 639 441 shall be provided to Spain.

Article 3 This Decision shall enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

It shall apply from 20 May 2021. Done at Brussels, 20 May 2021. For the European Parliament The President D. M. SASSOLI For the Council The President A. P. ZACARIAS

(1) OJ L 311, 14.11.2002, p. 3.

(2) OJ L 433I, 22.12.2020, p. 28.

(3) Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2093 of 17 December 2020 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2021 to 2027 (OJ L 433I, 22.12.2020, p. 11).