Proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mobilisation of the EU solidarity fund
Date: 2008-09-15
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU aid, France, French West Indies, commitment of expenditure, cyclone, financial aid, fund (EU), natural disaster

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COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 15.9.2008 
COM(2008) 557 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  application  for  assistance  from  the  Fund  by  France  following  the  hurricane 
"Dean"  which  affected  Martinique  and  Guadeloupe  in  August  2007,  total  estimates  of  the 
damage caused are as follows: 

Direct 
damage 

Threshold 

Amount based 
on 2.5% 

Amount based 
on 6% 

Total amount of 
aid proposed 

(EUR) 

511 200 000 

3 266 629 000 

12 780 000 

0 

12 780 000 

12 780 000

France/Guadeloupe 
and Martinique, 
hurricane Dean 
Total 

In  the  light  of  the  examination  of  the  application3,  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 12 780 000,  to  be  allocated  under  heading  3b  of 
the financial framework. 

By  presenting  this  proposal  to  deploy  the  Fund,  the  Commission  initiates  the  simplified 
trialogue  procedure,  as  required  by  Point  26  of  the  Inter-institutional  Agreement  of 
17 May 2006, in view of securing the agreement of the two arms of the budgetary authority 
on the need to use the Fund and the amount required. The Commission invites the first of the 
two  arms  of  the  Budgetary  Authority  that  reaches  agreement  on  the  draft  mobilisation 
proposal,  at  appropriate  political  level,  to  inform  the  other  arm  and  the  Commission  of  its 
intentions. 

In  case  of  disagreement  by  either  of  the  two  arms  of  the  budgetary  authority,  a  formal 
trialogue meeting will be convened.  

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)2406 on an application to mobilise the European Union 
Solidarity  Fund  presented  by  France,  following  the  hurricane  "Dean"  that  affected  Martinique  and 
Guadeloupe in August 2007. 

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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) 

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. 

France submitted an application to mobilise the Fund, concerning a disaster caused by 
the hurricane "Dean" in August 2007. 

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 12 780 000  in 
commitment and payment appropriations. 

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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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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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