Proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mobilisation of the EU solidarity fund
Date: 2008-04-14
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU aid, Greece, Slovenia, commitment of expenditure, financial aid, fire, flood, fund (EU)

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COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 14.4.2008 
COM(2008) 200 final 

Proposal for a 

DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL 

on the mobilisation of the EU Solidarity Fund 

(presented by the Commission) 

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EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

The  Interinstitutional  Agreement  of  17  May  20061  allows  for  the  mobilisation  of  the 
European Union Solidarity Fund through a flexibility mechanism, within the annual ceiling of 
EUR 1 billion,  over  and  above  the  relevant  headings  of  the  financial  framework.  The 
conditions of eligibility to the Fund are detailed in Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/20022. 

On the basis of applications for assistance from the Fund by Greece and Slovenia which were 
respectively  affected  by  forest  fires  in  August  2007  and  floods  in  September  2007,  total 
estimates of the damage caused are as follows: 

Direct damage 

2 118 273 411

233 395 389

Greece forest fires 

Slovenia flooding 

Total 

(EUR)

Total amount of 
aid proposed 

89 769 009

8 254 203

98 023 212

In  the  light  of  the  examination  of  the  applications3,  and  considering  the  maximum  possible 
grant  from  the  Fund  as  well  as  the  scope  for  reallocating  appropriations  under  the  heading 
requiring  additional  expenditure,  the  Commission  proposes  to  mobilise  the  European  Union 
Solidarity  Fund  for  a  total  amount  of  EUR 98 023 212,  to  be  allocated  under  heading  3b  of 
the financial framework. 

The Commission will present a preliminary draft amending budget (PDAB) in order to enter 
in  the  2008  budget  specific  commitment  and  payment  appropriations,  broken  down  by 
beneficiary  country,  as  requested  in  Point  26  of  the  Interinstitutional  Agreement  of  17  May 
2006. 

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OJ C 139, 14.06.2006, p. 1 
OJ L 311, 14.11.2002, p. 3 
Communication to the Commission SEC(2008)428 on an application to mobilise the European Union 
Solidarity Fund introduced by Greece in the case of forest fires in August 2007 and Communication to 
the  Commission  SEC(2008)277  on  an  application  to  mobilise  the  European  Union  Solidarity  Fund 
introduced  by  Slovenia  in  the  case  of  floods  in  September  2007,  setting  out  the  analysis  of  the 
Commission of the requests. 

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Proposal for a 

DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL 

on the mobilisation of the EU Solidarity Fund 

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having  regard  to  the  Interinstitutional  Agreement  of  17  May  2006  between  the  European 
Parliament,  the  Council  and  the  Commission  on  budgetary  discipline  and  sound  financial 
management4, and in particular point 26 thereof, 

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 of 11 November 2002 establishing 
the European Union Solidarity Fund5, 

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,6

Whereas: 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

(5) 

The  European  Union  has  created  a  European  Union  Solidarity  Fund  (the  "Fund")  to 
show solidarity with the population of regions struck by disasters. 

The Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006 allows the mobilisation of the Fund 
within the annual ceiling of EUR 1 billion. 

Regulation  (EC)  No  2012/2002  contains  the  provisions  whereby  the  Fund  may  be 
mobilised. 

Greece submitted an application to mobilise the Fund, concerning a disaster caused by 
forest fires in August 2007 

Slovenia submitted an application to mobilise the Fund, concerning a disaster caused 
by flooding in September 2007. 

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5 
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OJ C 139, 14.06.2006, p. 1. 
OJ L 311, 14.11.2002, p. 3. 
OJ C […], […], p. […] 

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HAVE DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: 

Article 1 

For  the  general  budget  of  the  European  Union  for  the  financial  year  2008,  the  European 
Union  Solidarity  Fund  shall  be  mobilised  to  provide  the  sum  of  EUR 98 023 212  in 
commitment and payment appropriations. 

Article 2 

This Decision shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Union. 

Done at Brussels,  

For the European Parliament 
The President 

For the Council 
The President 

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