Proposal for a DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on the mobilisation of the EU Solidarity Fund
Date: 2011-11-21
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Region of Murcia, Veneto, aid to disaster victims, commitment of expenditure, earthquake, financial aid, flood, fund (EU)

EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

Brussels, 21.11.2011 
COM(2011) 792 final 

Proposal for a 

DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL 

on the mobilisation of the EU Solidarity Fund 

EN 

   EN 

 
 
 
 
  
 
 
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 applications for assistance from the Fund by Spain in relation to an earthquake 
in the Murcia region, and from Italy following flooding, total estimates of the damage caused 
are as follows: 

Direct damage 
accepted 

Threshold 

Amount based on 
2,5 % 

842,838 million 

3 536 million 

21 070 950 

676,357 million 

3 536 million 

16 908 925 

Spain  –  earthquake 
in Lorca 
Veneto flooding 
Total 

Amount 
based  
on 6 % 

- 

- 

(EUR) 

Total amount of
EU aid proposed 

21 070 950 

16 908 925 

37 979 875 

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 37 979 875, 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  2011 
budget  specific  commitment  and  payment  appropriations,  as  requested  in  Point  26  of  the 
Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006. 

1 
2 
3 

OJ C 139, 14.06.2006, p. 1 
OJ L 311, 14.11.2002, p. 3 
Communication to the Commission SEC(2011) 1383 on the application to mobilise the European Union 
Solidarity  Fund  presented  by  Spain,  and  Communication  to  the  Commission  SEC(2011)  1373  on  the 
application to mobilise the European Union Solidarity Fund presented by Italy. 

EN 

2 

   EN 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                 
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 proposals 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. 

Spain submitted an application to mobilise the Fund, concerning a disaster caused by 
an earthquake, and Italy submitted an application to mobilise the Fund, concerning a 
disaster caused by flooding. 

4 
5 
6 

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

EN 

3 

   EN 

 
 
 
                                                 
HAVE ADOPTED THIS DECISION: 

Article 1 

For  the  general  budget  of  the  European  Union  for  the  financial  year  2011,  the  European 
Union  Solidarity  Fund  shall  be  mobilised  to  provide  the  sum  of  EUR 37 979 875  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 

EN 

4 

   EN