B4-0932, 0933, 0939, 0956, 0957, 0969, 0981, 0983 and 0991/97

Resolution on the storms in Portugal and Spain

The European Parliament,

A. having regard to the severe floods which on 29 October and 6 November devastated Ribeira Quente (Azores), Alentejo, Algarve, Lisbon and the Tagus valley and large parts of the regions of Estremadura, and the flood which destroyed a large part of the city Melilla (Spain),

B. whereas the number of victims was very high, with 21 deaths and 4 persons missing in the worst hit areas of Estremadura, namely Cerro de los Reyes in Badajoz and Valverde de Leganés; whereas in Melilla, 9 persons died and many were injured; whereas in the Alentejo 10 died and 2 are missing in Sobral da Adiça, Carregueiro, Garvão, and Funcheira; and whereas 29 people were killed in Riberira Quente,

C. whereas the unusually violent rains and the flood have cut off villages, destroyed roads, access routes, and houses (as well as damaging many other homes, with the result that families have been driven out), and caused devastation and high material losses in shops, in agricultural and fishing infrastructure and in industry in addition to the destruction of numerous items of personal property,

D. whereas the as yet only partially assessed cost of the damage in both countries is colossal,

E. whereas the aid and emergency measures which have since been undertaken demand that human, technical, and financial resources be boosted swiftly in order to cope with the present situation,

F. whereas substantial investment is needed to prevent and combat flooding, which occurs frequently year after year, particularly flooding which may arise from human negligence as was the case in Melilla,

G. whereas the European institutions cannot remain indifferent in the face of a disaster of this magnitude,

The European Parliament,

1. Expresses its sympathy for the families of the victims and its solidarity with the stricken populations;

2. Welcomes the wave of solidarity which is providing effective support for the families affected by the torrential rain and by the flood in Melilla;

3. Calls on the Commission to ascertain the extent of the damage caused by the torrential rains and the flood in Melilla;

4. Calls on the Commission, in collaboration with the Spanish and Portuguese governments and the local authorities, to grant special funding to help make good the material and human losses caused by the disaster, and to encourage the coordinated use of the various Community funds and programmes, particularly through INTERREG II, in order to improve the situation of the population groups most affected and to help economic activity recover;

5. Stresses once again to the Commission and the authorities of the Member States, in keeping with positions previously adopted by Parliament, that it is a matter of urgency that global, logistical and technical measures be taken, and that the services and infrastructures designed to prevent and provide assistance in emergencies and natural disasters be endowed with the technical and human operational wherewithal to make efficient provision for these situations, and prevent them or significantly minimize their consequences;

6. Maintains that measures should be devised and implemented in such a way as to ensure that the public and their representatives are involved in strength and as actively as possible;

7. Instructs its President to forward this resolution the Council and the Commission, to the governments of Spain and Portugal and to the regional and local authorities of the areas affected.