Proposal for a DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on the mobilisation of the EU Solidarity Fund to provide for the payment of advances in the general budget of the Union for 2020
Date: 2019-06-05
Institutions: Directorate-General for Budget, European Commission
Subjects: European Union Solidarity Fund, aid to disaster victims, budget appropriation, commitment of expenditure, emergency aid, financial aid, financial year, general budget (EU), natural disaster, payment appropriation

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   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 5.6.2019 COM(2019) 252 final  Proposal for a DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on the mobilisation of the EU Solidarity Fund to provide for the payment of advances in the general budget of the Union for 2020  
 
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

Council Regulation  (EU, EURATOM) No 1311/2013  of 2 December 2013 laying down the 
multiannual  financial  framework  for  the  years  2014-20201,  and  in  particular  the  Article  10 
thereof allows for the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund, within an annual 
ceiling  of  EUR 500 000 000 (2011  prices),  over  and  above  the  relevant  headings  of  the 
financial framework. 

Point  11  of  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  management2  set  out  the  modalities  for  the 
mobilisation of the Fund. 

The  conditions  of  eligibility  to  the  Fund  are  detailed  in  the  Regulation  of  the  European 
Parliament  and  the  Council,  amending  Council  Regulation  (EC)  No  2012/20023,  which 
foresees  that  an  amount  of  up  to  a  maximum  of  EUR 50 000 000  in  both  commitment  and 
payment appropriations shall be included in the budget for the payment of advances. 

The Commission shall include these amounts in the Draft Budget 2020. 

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OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 884. 
OJ C 373, 20.12.2013, p. 1. 
OJ L 189, 27.6.2014, p. 143. 

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Proposal for a 

DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL 

on the mobilisation of the EU Solidarity Fund to provide for the payment of advances in 
the general budget of the Union for 2020 

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) N° 2012/2002 of 11 November 2002 establishing 
the European Union Solidarity Fund4, and in particular Article 4a(4) 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) 

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

The fund is not to exceed a maximum amount of EUR 500 000 000 (2011 prices) as 
laid down in Article 10 of Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) N° 1311/20136. 

Article  4a(4)  of  amended  Regulation  (EC)  N°2012/2002  provides  that,  where 
necessary in order to ensure the timely availability of budgetary resources, the Fund 
may  be  mobilised  in  an  amount  of  up  to  EUR 50 000 000  for  the  payment  of 
advances,  entering  the  corresponding  appropriations  into  the  general  budget  of  the 
Union. 

To  ensure  the  timely  availability  of  sufficient  budgetary  resources  in  the  general 
budget  of  the  Union  for  2020,  the  Fund  should  be  mobilised  in  the  amount  of 
EUR 50 000 000 for the payment of advances. 

In order to minimise the time taken to mobilise the Fund, this Decision should apply 
from the beginning of the 2020 financial year, 

HAVE ADOPTED THIS DECISION:  

Article 1 

For  the  general  budget  of  the  European  Union  for  the  financial  year  2020,  the  European 
Union  Solidarity  Fund  shall  be  mobilised  to  provide  the  amount  of  EUR 50 000 000  in 
commitment and payment appropriations for the payment of advances. 

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6 

OJ L 189, 27.6.2014, p. 143. 
OJ C 373, 20.12.2013, p. 1. 
OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p 884 

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This Decision shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official 
Journal of the European Union. 

Article 2 

It shall apply from 1 January 2020. 

Done at Brussels, 

For the European Parliament 
The President 

For the Council 
The President 

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