Proposal for a DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Romania, Italy and Austria
Date: 2019-05-22
Institutions: Directorate-General for Budget, European Commission
Subjects: Austria, European Union Solidarity Fund, Italy, Romania, aid to disaster victims, bad weather, commitment of expenditure, emergency aid, flood, general budget (EU)

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   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 22.5.2019 COM(2019) 206 final  Proposal for a DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Romania, Italy and Austria  
 
 
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

1. 

CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL 

This decision covers the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) for an 
amount  of  EUR 293 551 794  to  provide  assistance  to  Romania,  Italy  and  Austria  further  to 
disasters  that  took  place  in  these  countries  in  the  course  of  2018.  This  mobilisation  is 
accompanied  by  Draft  Amending  Budget  (DAB)  No 3/20191  that  proposes  to  enter  the 
necessary appropriations in the general budget 2019, both in commitments and payments.  

2. 

INFORMATION AND CONDITIONS 

2.1 

Romania – flooding in the North East region in summer 2018 

From  mid-June  to  early  August  2018,  the  North  East  region  of  Romania  was  affected  by 
repeated  heavy  rainfall  and  subsequent  extensive  flooding  triggering  important  damage  to 
infrastructure and households and losses in agriculture. 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

(5) 

Romania  applied  for  a  contribution  of  the  EUSF  on  7  September 2018,  within  the 
deadline of 12 weeks following the first occurrence of damage. The application was 
limited to the North East region, by far the region most affected by the floods, where 
the  first  damage  was  recorded  on  16  June.  In  their  application  letter  the  Romanian 
authorities announced that an update would soon be sent as the damage assessment 
was not yet complete due to the long duration of the flooding.  

The disaster is of natural origin. 

the  Romanian  authorities  estimated 

The  application  was  presented  on  the  basis  of  the  criteria  for  a  'regional  natural 
disaster' as laid down in Article 2(3) of the Regulation. In their initial application of 7 
September 
total  direct  damage  at 
EUR 196,8 million.  As  this  amount  represents  only  1,24 %  of  GDP  of  the  affected 
Nord  East  NUTS  2  level  region  the  initial  application  failed  to  meet  the  essential 
condition laid down in the Regulation for mobilising the EUSF and would therefore 
not have been eligible for a contribution from the Solidarity Fund. 

the 

On  9  October  2018  the  Romanian  authorities  submitted,  as  announced  earlier,  a 
revised  application  with  total  direct  damage  now  amounting  to  EUR 327,7 million. 
This  amount  represents  2,07%  of  regional  GDP  and  thus  exceeds  the  required 
threshold of 1,5% of regional GDP (i.e EUR 238 million in the case of the Nord Est 
region). 

The Commission’s analysis of Romania’s revised application still revealed a number 
of inconsistencies. The Commission therefore requested the Romanian authorities for 
clarification which was provided on 14 December 2018.  

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COM(2019)205, 22.5.2019. 

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(6) 

(7) 

(8) 

(9) 

(10) 

(11) 

(12) 

In  their  application  the  Romanian  authorities  describe  in  detail  the  impact  of  the 
disaster. Repeated waves of heavy rainfall between mid June and early August led to 
flooding  and  subsequent  damage  to  infrastructure,  in  agriculture  and  private 
households in all six counties of the North East region, in particular in Neamt, Bacau 
and Suceava. Dykes and dams on inland watercourses, over 4 000 km of roads and 
streets (national and local), bridges, water treatment and sewage systems, electricity 
and gas distribution, drinking water provision and irrigation systems, 32 schools and 
other public buildings suffered damage.  

The Romanian authorities estimated the cost of emergency and recovery operations 
eligible  under  Article 3(2)  of  the  Regulation  at  EUR 294 million  and  presented  it 
broken  down  by  type  of  operation.  The  largest  share  (over  EUR 154 million) 
concerns the costs for securing protective infrastructure (embankments), followed by 
the costs to restore the transport infrastructure of over EUR 127 million.  

Romania did not request the payment of an advance. 

The Romanian authorities confirmed that there is no insurance coverage of eligible 
costs.  

The  affected  region  is  part  of  the  ‘less  developed  regions'  under  the  European 
Structural and Investment Funds (ESI Funds) for 2014-2020. In their application the 
Romanian  authorities  did  not  signal  to  the  Commission  the  intention  to  reallocate 
funding from the ESI Funds programmes towards recovery measures. 

Romania did not activate the Union Civil Protection Mechanism.  

As  regards  the  implementation  of  Union  legislation  on  disaster  risk  prevention  and 
management, there is currently no infringement procedure on-going. 

2.2 

Italy – extreme weather events in autumn 2018 

In October and early November 2018 the majority of the Italian regions from the Alpine areas 
in the north down to Sicily suffered from repeated onslaughts of heavy rain and strong winds 
with  resulting  flooding  and  landslides,  making  this  the  most  devastating  autumn  season  in 
recent history with a great number of casualties and widespread physical damage. 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

Italy  applied for a financial contribution  from  the Solidarity  Fund on 20  December 
2018  within  the  deadline  of  12  weeks  after  the  first  damage  was  recorded  on  2 
October.  On  27  March  2019  Italy  submitted,  on  its  own  initiative,  updated 
information with higher damage estimates for three of the affected regions. 

The disaster is of natural origin. 

The  application  was  presented  on  the  basis  of  the  criteria  for  a  ‘major  natural 
disaster'  as  laid  down  in  Article  2(2)  of  the  Regulation.  The  Italian  authorities 
estimate  the  total  direct  damage  caused  by  the  disaster  at  EUR 6,6 billion  (updated 
amount).  This  amount  represents  over  192%  of  the  threshold  applicable  to  Italy  of 
EUR 3,4 billion. 

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(4) 

(5) 

(6) 

(7) 

(8) 

(9) 

(10) 

(11) 

In  their  application  the  Italian  authorities  describe  in  detail  the  nature  and  scale  of 
destruction caused by the extreme weather events which turned out  to be the worst 
autumn season in recent history. 34 people were reported dead and 1 person missing. 
The disaster affected almost all of the Italian regions from North to South including 
Friuli  Venezia  Giulia,  the  Autonomous  Provinces  of  Trento  and  Bolzano,  Liguria, 
Lombardy,  Tuscany,  Emilia  Romagna,  Lazio,  Campania,  Calabria,  Sicily,  Sardinia 
and above all the Veneto region. Valle d'Aosta and Abruzzo reported less damage.  

The  disaster  caused  in  particular  major  disruptions  to  the  road  network  at  state, 
regional,  provincial  and  municipal  level  through  landslides  and  fallen  trees,  cutting 
off  a  number  of  isolated  mountain  and  coastal  municipalities.  Disruption  of  river 
networks, slope movements, landslides and flooding occurred in most of the regions. 
The operation of schools and other public services was interrupted. Wind gusts up to 
200 km/h  caused  important  losses  in  forests  (some  8,5 million  cubic  metres  of 
timber) with serious consequences for the wood related economy and tourism (lifts, 
huts etc destroyed). In Veneto, in particular, some 130 Natura 2 000 protected sites 
suffered  damage  on  more  than  414 000  hectares  of  land.  Flooding  of  public  and 
private  buildings  was  reported  in  almost  all  regions.  Sewerage  systems  treatment 
plants were blocked. Electrical power and gas networks were interrupted. 

According  to  the  Commission’s  analysis,  the  weather  events  during  the  period 
covered  by  the  application  can  be  a  single  event  from  a  meteorological  and 
hydrological  point  of  view.  Furthermore,  the  geographical  extent  and  order  of 
magnitude of the damages claimed by the Italian authorities appear plausible, taking 
into account the impacts reported by Copernicus Rapid Mapping activations and the 
database of the European Severe Storms Laboratory. 

Italy estimated the cost of emergency and recovery operations eligible under Article 
3(2) of the Regulation  at over EUR 1 700 million and presented it broken down by 
type  of  operation.  The  largest  share  (over  EUR 810 million)  of  eligible  costs 
concerns expenditure for the securing of protective infrastructure. The second largest 
share concerns costs for the restoration of infrastructure of over EUR 478 million.  

Italy did not request the payment of an advance. 

The Italian authorities confirmed that there is no insurance coverage of eligible costs. 

Three  of  the  affected  regions  qualify  as  "less  developed  regions"  under  the  ESI 
Funds  2014-2020  (Calabria,  Campania  and  Sicily),  two  as  “regions  in  transition” 
(Abruzzo  and  Sardina)  whereas  the  other  9  regions  are  “more  developed  regions”. 
The Italian authorities did not signal to the Commission their intention to reallocate 
funding from the ESI Funds programmes towards recovery measures. 

Italy  did  not  request  the  activation  of  the  Union  Civil  Protection  Mechanism. 
However,  an  information  note  was  sent  to  the  Emergency  Response  Coordination 
Center ERCC via the Common Emergency Communication and Information System 
CECIS. 

(12) 

As  regards  the  implementation  of  Union  legislation  on  disaster  risk  prevention  and 
management, there is currently no infringement procedure on-going. 

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2.3 

Austria – extreme weather events in autumn 2018 

At  the  end  of  October  2018,  the  meteorological  phenomena  affecting  Italy  also  impacted  a 
number of the alpine/southern regions of Austria, in particular Carinthia and Eastern Tyrol. 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

(5) 

(6) 

(7) 

(8) 

Austria  applied  for  a  contribution  from  the  Solidarity  Fund  on  14  January  2019 
within the deadline of 12 weeks after the first damage was recorded on 28 October 
2018.  On  20  February  2019  Austria  submitted,  on  its  own  initiative,  updated 
information with slightly higher damage estimates for the affected regions. 

The disaster is of natural origin. 

The  Austrian  authorities  estimate  the  total  direct  damage  caused  by  the  disaster  at 
EUR 326,2 million. This amount is considerably below the major disaster threshold 
applicable to Austria in 2018 of EUR 2,1 billion. It also remains below the threshold 
for  a  so-called  regional  disaster,  i.e.  1,5%  of  regional  gross  domestic  product 
weighted  according  to  the  share  of  damage  in  the  affected  regions.  The  disaster 
therefore does neither qualify  as a  'major natural  disaster' nor as  a  'regional  natural 
disaster' under the terms of the Regulation. However, as the disaster was caused by 
the  same  meteorological  conditions  which  caused  the  major  disaster  in  Italy,  the 
Austrian  authorities  presented  their  application  under  the  so  called  'neighbouring 
country  provision' laid down in  Article 2(4) of the Regulation,  whereby  an eligible 
country affected by the same disaster qualifying as a major disaster in a neighbouring 
eligible country may also benefit from Solidarity Fund aid. 

The Austrian authorities provided a detailed description of the impact of the disaster. 
By far the largest damage was caused in the southernmost Austrian Land Carinthia 
and in the adjacent province of Eastern Tyrol, both Alpine areas bordering on Italy. 
Early flood alert system, warnings issued to the population and the rapid intervention 
of the civil protection forces prevented that people were injured or killed. A number 
of  settlements  were  evacuated  as  a  precautionary  measure.  The  severe  rainfall  and 
storm  with  wind  speeds  of  up  to  130 km/h  led,  however,  to  flooding  of  buildings, 
considerable windfall damage in forests, landslides cutting off roads and power cuts. 
Over 7 000 members of the emergency services including the army, and 5 helicopters 
were in action over several days. 

Austria  estimated  the  cost  of  emergency  and  recovery  operations  eligible  under 
Article 3(2) of the Regulation at EUR 214,5 million and presented it broken down by 
type of operation. The largest share (over EUR 85 million) of eligible costs concerns 
costs  for  the  securing  of  protective  infrastructure  (river  embankments).  The  second 
largest  share  concerns  the  measures  to  avoid  soil  erosion  amounting  to  over 
EUR 72 million.  

The Austrian authorities did not request the payment of an advance.  

The  Austrian  authorities  confirmed  that  there  is  no  insurance  coverage  of  eligible 
costs. 

The  affected  regions  are  "more  developed  regions"  under  the  ESI  Funds  (2014-
2020).  In their application the Austrian authorities indicated that they intend to  use 
monies  from  the  Austrian  Rural  Development  Programme  funded  by  the  European 
Agricultural Fund for Rural Development for the recreation of protective forests. 

(9) 

Austria did not request the activation of the Union Civil Protection Mechanism. 

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(10) 

As  regards  the  implementation  of  Union  legislation  on  disaster  risk  prevention  and 
management, there is currently no infringement procedure on-going. 

2.5 

Conclusion 

For  the  reasons  set  out  above,  the  disasters  referred  to  in  the  applications  submitted  by 
Romania,  Italy and Austria meet the conditions  set  out  in  the Regulation  for mobilising the 
EUSF. 

3. 

FINANCING FROM THE EUSF ALLOCATIONS 2019 

Council  Regulation  (EU,  EURATOM)  No  1311/2013  of  2 December 2013  laying  down  the 
multiannual financial framework for the  years 2014-20202 (hereafter "the MFF regulation"), 
and in particular Article 10 thereof allows for the mobilisation of the EUSF, within an annual 
ceiling  of  EUR 500 000 000  (2011  prices).  Point  11  of  the  Interinstitutional  Agreement  of 
2 December 2013  between  the  European  Parliament,  the  Council  and  the  Commission  on 
budgetary  discipline,  on  cooperation  on  budgetary  matters  and  on  sound  financial 
management3 (IIA) lays down the modalities for the mobilisation of the EUSF. 

As solidarity was the central justification for the creation of the EUSF, the Commission takes 
the view that aid should be progressive. That means that, according to previous practice, the 
portion  of  the  damage  exceeding  the  “major  natural  disaster”  threshold  for  mobilising  the 
EUSF  (i.e.  0,6 %  of  GNI  or  EUR 3 billion  in  2011  prices,  whichever  is  the  lower  amount) 
should give rise to higher aid intensity than damage up to the threshold. The rate applied in 
the past for defining the allocations for major disasters is 2,5 % of total direct damage under 
the threshold and 6 % for the part of the damage above. For regional disasters and disasters 
accepted under the “neighbouring country” provision the rate is 2,5 %. 

The  contribution  may  not  exceed  the  estimated  total  cost  of  eligible  operations.  The 
methodology for calculating the aid was set out in the 2002-2003 Annual Report on the EUSF 
and accepted by the Council and the European Parliament. 

On  the  basis  of  the  applications  from  Romania,  Italy  and  Austria,  the  calculation  of  the 
financial contribution from the EUSF, based on the estimate of total direct damages caused is 
as follows: 

Member 
States 

ROMANIA 

ITALY 

AUSTRIA 

Qualification 
of disaster 

Total direct 
damage 

Major disaster 
threshold 

2,5% of direct 
damage up to 
threshold 

6% of direct 
damage above 
threshold 

(EUR million) 

(EUR million) 

(EUR) 

(EUR) 

Total 
amount of 
aid 
proposed 
(EUR) 

Advances 
paid 

(EUR) 

Regional  
(Art. 2(3)) 

National 
(Art. 2(2)) 

Neighbouring 
country 
(Art. 2(4)) 

TOTAL 

327,692 

986,378 

8 192 300 

- 

8 192 300 

6 630,276 

3 446,057 

86 151 425 

191 053 170 

277 204 595 

326,196 

2 118,701 

8 154 899 

- 

8 154 899 

293 551 794 

0 

0 

0 

0 

2 
3 

OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 884. 
OJ C 373, 20.12.2013, p. 1. 

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In  accordance  with  Article  10(1)  of  the  MFF  regulation,  the  total  amount  available  for  the 
mobilisation of the EUSF at the beginning of 2019 was EUR 851 082 072, being the sum of 
the 2019 allocation of EUR 585 829 691, plus  the 2018  allocation of EUR 265 252 381 that 
remained unspent and was carried over to 2019. 

The amount that may be mobilised at this stage  of the  year 2019 is  EUR 704 624 649. This 
corresponds to the total amount available for the mobilisation of the EUSF at the beginning of 
2019 (EUR 851 082 072), minus the retained amount of EUR 146 457 423 in order to respect 
the  obligation  of  keeping  aside  25 %  of  the  2019  annual  allocation  until  1  October  2019  as 
stipulated by Article 10(1) of the MFF regulation. 

EUSF financing summary table 

2018 allocation carried forward to 2019 

2019 allocation 

Total available at the beginning of 2019 

Minus 25% of the 2019 allocation retained 

Maximum amount currently available (2018+2019 allocations) 

Total amount of aid proposed to be mobilised for Romania, Italy and Austria 

Remaining availabilities until 1 October 2019 

Amount 

EUR 

265 252 381 

585 829 691 

--------------- 

851 082 072 

-146 457 423 

---------------- 

704 624 649 

- 293 551 794 

---------------- 

411 072 855 

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Proposal for a 

DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL 

on the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to 
Romania, Italy and Austria 

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, 

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 of 11 November 2002 establishing 
the European Union Solidarity Fund4, and in particular Article 4(3) thereof, 

Having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 2 December 2013 between the European 
Parliament,  the  Council  and  the  Commission  on  budgetary  discipline,  on  cooperation  in 
budgetary matters  and on sound financial management5, and in particular point 11 thereof, 

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, 

Whereas: 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

(5) 

(6) 

(7) 

(8) 

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The  European  Union  Solidarity  Fund  ('the  Fund')  aims  to  enable  the  Union  to 
respond in a rapid, efficient and flexible manner to emergency situations in order to 
show solidarity with the population of regions struck by natural disasters.  

The  Fund  is  not  to  exceed  a  maximum  annual  amount  of  EUR 500 000 000  (2011 
prices),  as  laid  down  in  Article  10  of  Council  Regulation  (EU,  Euratom)  No 
1311/20136. 

On  7  September  2018,  Romania  submitted  an  application  to  mobilise  the  Fund, 
following extreme weather events provoking extensive floods. 

On  20  December  2018,  Italy  submitted  an  application  to  mobilise  the  Fund, 
following extreme weather events. 

On  14  January  2019,  Austria  submitted  an  application  to  mobilise  the  Fund, 
following extreme weather events. 

The applications by Romania, Italy and Austria meet the conditions for providing a 
financial  contribution  from  the  Fund,  as  laid  down  in  Article  4  of  Regulation  (EC) 
No 2012/2002. 

The Fund should therefore be mobilised in order to provide a financial contribution 
to Romania, Italy and Austria. 

In order to minimise the time taken to mobilise the Fund, this Decision should apply 
from the date of its adoption, 

OJ L 311, 14.11.2002, p. 3. 
OJ C 373, 20.12.2013, p. 1. 
Council  Regulation  (EU,  Euratom)  No  1311/2013  of  2  December  2013  laying  down  the  multiannual 
financial framework for the years 2014-2020 (OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 884). 

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HAVE ADOPTED THIS DECISION: 

Article 1 

For  the  general  budget  of  the  Union  for  the  financial  year  2019,  the  European  Union 
Solidarity Fund shall be mobilised as follows in commitment and payment appropriations: 

(a) the amount of EUR 8 192 300 shall be provided to Romania; 

(b) the amount of EUR 277 204 595 shall be provided to Italy; 

(c) the amount of EUR 8 154 899 shall be provided to Austria. 

Article 2 

This Decision shall enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the 
European Union. 
It shall apply from … [the date of its adoption]. 

Done at Brussels, 

For the European Parliament 

For the Council 

 Date to be inserted by the Parliament before the publication in OJ. 

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