Proposal for a DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on the mobilisation of the EU Solidarity Fund
Date: 2010-10-13
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU action, EU aid, France, Madeira, commitment of expenditure, financial aid, fund (EU), natural disaster

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EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

Brussels, 13.10.2010 
COM(2010) 578 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, within an 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  Portugal  and  France  relating  to 
landslides  and  flooding  on  Madeira  island  (Portugal)  and  storm  Xynthia  (France)  in 
February 2010, total estimates of the damage caused are as follows: 

Direct 
damage 

Threshold 

Amount based 
on 2,5 % 

Amount based  
on 6 % 

1 080 000 000 

958 406 000 

23 960 150 

7 295 640 

1 425 430 000 

3 466 573 000 

35 635 750 

- 

Portugal – Madeira 
flooding 2010 
France - Storm 
Xynthia 2010 
Total 

(EUR) 
Total amount of
aid proposed 

31 255 790 

35 635 750 

66 891 540 

In the light of the examination of the applications3,4, 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 66 891 540,  to  be  allocated  under  heading  3b  of 
the financial framework. 

By  presenting  this  proposal  to  deploy  the  Fund,  the  Commission  initiates  the  simplified 
trilogue  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 each arm of the 
budgetary authority to inform the other arm and the Commission on its intentions. 

In  case  of  disagreement  by  either  of  the  two  arms  of  the  Budgetary  Authority,  a  formal 
trilogue meeting will be convened. 

The  Commission  will  present  a  draft  amending  budget  (DAB)  in  order  to  enter  in  the  2010 
budget  specific  commitment  and  payment  appropriations,  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(2010) 1147 on an application to mobilise the European Union 
Solidarity Fund presented by Portugal. 
Communication to the Commission SEC(2010) 1149 on an application to mobilise the European Union 
Solidarity Fund presented by France. 

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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 
management5, and in particular point 26 thereof, 

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 of 11 November 2002 establishing 
the European Union Solidarity Fund6, 

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,7 

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. 

Portugal submitted an application to mobilise the Fund, concerning a disaster caused 
by landslides and flooding on Madeira island. 

France submitted an application to mobilise the Fund, concerning a disaster caused by 
the storm Xynthia. 

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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  2010,  the  European 
Union  Solidarity  Fund  shall  be  mobilised  to  provide  the  sum  of  EUR 66 891 540  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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