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 Croatia and Poland in relation to a natural disaster and to provide for the payment of advances to Croatia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Portugal and Spain in relation to a public health emergency
Date: 2020-10-09
Institutions: Directorate-General for Budget, European Commission
Subjects: EU Member State, European Union Solidarity Fund, aid to disaster victims, budget appropriation, commitment of expenditure, coronavirus disease, emergency aid, financial aid, general budget (EU), natural disaster

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   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 9.10.2020  COM(2020) 960 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 Croatia and Poland in relation to a natural disaster and to provide for the payment of advances to Croatia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Portugal and Spain in relation to a public health emergency  
 
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

1. 

CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL 

This  decision  covers  the  mobilisation  of  the  European  Union  Solidarity  Fund  (hereinafter 
referred  to  as  ‘the  EUSF’)  in  accordance  with  Council  Regulation  (EC)  No  2012/20021 
(hereinafter  referred  to  as  ‘the  Regulation’)  for  an  amount  of  EUR 823 548 633  to  provide 
assistance to Croatia and Poland further to natural disasters that took place in these countries 
in  the  course  of  2020,  as  well  as  for  advances  to  seven  Member  States  (Croatia,  Germany, 
Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Portugal, Spain) in response to the major public health emergency 
caused by the Covid-19 pandemic in early 2020. This mobilisation is accompanied by Draft 
Amending Budget  (DAB)  No 9/20202 that proposes  to enter the necessary appropriations in 
the general budget 2020, both in commitments and payments.  

2. 

2.1 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

(5) 

(6) 

INFORMATION AND CONDITIONS 

Croatia  –  earthquake  affecting  the  city  of  Zagreb  and  the  counties  of  Zagreb 
and Krapina-Zagorje in March 2020 

On  10  June  2020  the  Republic  of  Croatia  (hereinafter  referred  to  as  ‘Croatia’) 
submitted an application for a contribution from the EUSF to finance emergency and 
recovery operations following the earthquake of 22 March 2020 affecting the city of 
Zagreb and the counties of Zagreb and Krapina-Zagorje. 

The  application  was  submitted  within  the  twelve-week  period  after  the  first 
occurrence  of  damage  caused  by  the  disaster  and  contains  all  the  information 
required under Article 4 of the Regulation. 

The earthquake is of natural origin and therefore falls within the field of application 
of the EUSF. 

The  Croatian  authorities  estimate  the  total  direct  damage  at  EUR 11 572 586 387. 
This  amount  represents  22,9 %  of  Croatia's  Gross  National  Income  (GNI),  and  it 
exceeds the ‘major disaster’ threshold for mobilising the EUSF of EUR 303,3 million 
(0,6 %  of  Croatia’s  GNI  in  2020).  Therefore,  the  disaster  qualifies  as  a  “major 
natural disaster” and thus falls within the field of application of the Regulation. 

The total direct damage is the basis for the calculation of the amount of the financial 
contribution  from  the  EUSF.  The  financial  contribution  may  only  be  used  for 
essential emergency operations as defined in Article 3 of the Regulation. 

The Commission services have carried out a thorough examination of the application 
in accordance with the Regulation, in particular with Articles 2, 3 and 4 thereof. On 
17  July  2020,  the  Commission  requested  to  Croatia  a  complement  of  information 
concerning  the  methodology  used  to  estimate  the  cost  of  repair  of  residential 
buildings  and  educational  facilities.  This  information  have  been  duly  provided  by 
Croatia  on  the  28  and  31  July  2020  allowing  the  Commission  to  finalise  its 
assessment.  

1 
2 

OJ L 311, 14.11.2002, p. 3. 
COM(2020)961, 9.10.2020. 

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(8) 

(9) 

(10) 

(11) 

(12) 

(13) 

In their application, the Croatian authorities describe in detail the event and the entity 
of the damage. The most affected area include the City of Zagreb and the counties of 
Zagreb  and  Krapina-Zagorje,  which  count  1,23 million  inhabitants  of  which 
1,18 million live in municipalities and cities where the state of natural disaster was 
declared. The earthquake, with a magnitude of 5,5 Richter scale, was the strongest to 
hit Zagreb since 1880. 27 people were injured and one died because of the injuries. 

The  earthquake  caused  large  structural  damages  to  the  building  stock,  in  particular 
residential  and  public  buildings  (i.e.  educational  facilities,  hospitals,  institutions’ 
building). Croatian authorities estimated that 26 000 buildings were damaged (about 
5 % heavily, 20 % moderately and 74 % lightly). 30 000 people are estimated to be 
displaced; to them the Croatian government provided subsidies for renting temporary 
accommodations. 

The  earthquake  has  caused  great  damage  to  the  majority  of  buildings  within  the 
historic  urban  complex  of  the  City  of  Zagreb  as  well  as  individual  immovable 
cultural  property,  mainly  churches,  located  in  the  wider  city  area  and  the 
neighbouring counties. One of the two spires of the cathedral, Zagreb’s most iconic 
cultural site, collapsed. More than 80 % of hospital buildings were directly impacted 
by the earthquake and 17 % were assessed as temporarily or permanently unusable. 
The  earthquake  caused  damage  to  many  educational  facilities.  According  to  the 
initial  assessment,  106  buildings  intended  for  preschool,  214  school  buildings  and 
centres for education, and 12 pupils’ dorms were damaged. Moreover, 36 constituent 
units  of  the  University  of  Zagreb  reported  damage  to  142  buildings.  The  buildings 
housing 29 scientific institutes were also affected. Detailed information regarding the 
overall damage, the related cost, as well as the socio-economic impact of the disaster 
is  available  in  the  Report  “Croatia  Earthquake.  Rapid  Damage  and  Needs 
Assessment  2020”,  prepared  by  the  Croatian  Government,  with  the  support  of  the 
World Bank.  

The independent assessment carried out by the Commission services has confirmed 
the affected area as well as the overall number of the exposed population declared in 
the application. A dedicated analysis of the damages in public assets and residential 
buildings confirmed the spatial distribution of the damages and the specific numbers 
concerning  the  damage  to  educational  facilities.  Upon  the  Commission  services’ 
request,  the  complement  of  information  provided  by  Croatia  allowed  a  better 
understanding of the origin of the overall costs provided in the request. By applying 
this cost in the Commission’s cost estimation methodology, elaborated by the Joint 
Research Centre, the resulting total direct damage is within the order of magnitude of 
the one estimated by the Croatian authorities. 

Croatia  estimated  the  cost  of  emergency  and  recovery  operations  eligible  under 
Article 3(2) of the Regulation at EUR 2 270,1 million and presented it broken down 
by type of operation. The largest share concerns the costs for restoration to working 
order  of  infrastructure,  in  particular  educational  and  health,  and  temporary 
accommodation.  

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

In its application of 10 June 2020, Croatia requested the payment of an advance as 
laid  down  in  Article  4a  of  the  Regulation.  On  10  August  2020,  the  Commission 
adopted Implementing Decision C(2020) 5575 awarding an advance from the EUSF 
amounting to EUR 88 951 877 and subsequently paid it out to Croatia. 

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(15) 

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

Article 47a of the Amendments to the Croatian Construction Act, which entered into 
force on 28 December 2019, prescribes the obligation to adopt a long-term strategy 
for the renovation of the national fund of buildings, including policies and measures 
that  contribute  to  increasing  protection  against  risks  related  to  earthquakes  which 
affect the life of buildings. 

2.2 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

(5) 

(6) 

(7) 

Poland- floods in Podkarpackie Voivodeship in June 2020 

On  24  August  2020  the  Republic  of  Poland  (hereinafter  referred  to  as  ‘Poland’) 
submitted an application for a contribution from the EUSF relating to the floods in 
Podkarpackie Voivodeship in June 2020. 

The  application  was  submitted  within  the  twelve-week  period  after  the  first 
occurrence  of  damage  caused  by  the  disaster  and  contains  all  the  information 
required under Article 4 of the Regulation. 

The  pluvial  floods  are  of  natural  origin  and  therefore  fall  within  the  field  of 
application of the EUSF. 

The  application  presented  the  event  as  a  ‘regional  natural  disaster’  as  laid  down  in 
Article  2(3)  of  the  Regulation,  which  is  any  natural  disaster  in  a  region  at  NUTS 
level 2 of an eligible State resulting in direct damage exceeding 1,5 % of that region's 
gross  domestic  product  (GDP).  The  Polish  authorities  estimate  the  total  direct 
damage at EUR 282 851 202. The damage caused represents 1,56 % of the GDP of 
the concerned NUTS 2 level region Podkarpackie and thus exceeds the threshold of 
EUR 270 961 950 (1,5 % of regional GDP). The application from Poland is therefore 
eligible for a contribution from the EUSF. 

The total direct damage is the basis for the calculation of the amount of the financial 
contribution  from  the  EUSF.  The  financial  contribution  may  only  be  used  for 
essential emergency operations as defined in Article 3 of the Regulation. 

Poland did not request the payment of an advance. 

The Commission services have carried out a thorough examination of the application 
in accordance with the Regulation, in particular with Articles 2, 3 and 4 thereof. On 3 
September  2020,  the  Commission  requested  to  Poland  supplementary  information 
concerning  more  detailed  breakdown  regarding  the  types  of  damage  (sub-items) 
included under damages to businesses, agriculture and forestry. Poland duly provided 
this  information  on  7  September  2020  allowing  the  Commission  to  finalise  its 
assessment.  

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(8) 

(9) 

(10) 

(11) 

(12) 

2.3 

the  southern,  south-western,  south-eastern  and  central  part  of 

The  application  describes  in  detail  the  event  and  the  entity  of  the  damage.  The 
sequence  of  meteorological  events,  in  a  form  of  violent  storm  fronts  with  gusting 
wind  and  heavy  rainfall,  appeared  across  the  entire  Podkarpackie  Voivodeship 
between 7 June  2020 and 29 June  2020. The resulting  flash pluvial floods  affected 
mainly 
the 
Voivodeship. Due to heavy rainfall, small streams and tributaries of the main rivers 
experienced  rapid  rising  and  emerged  from  the  shores,  leading  to  flash  flooding  of 
more than 2 000 residential, farming and public utility buildings. During this period 
the State Fire Service and Volunteer Fire Service units responded to a total of 4 569 
events  related  to  reinforcing  and  raising  the  crown  of  river  flood  embankments, 
evacuation of people (more than 400 people were evacuated) and property, pumping 
out water from buildings, reaming out road drainage culverts, removing fallen trees 
and branches. In total, about 4 300 people temporarily lost access to electricity. 

Because of the floods, about 251 km of regulated and unregulated watercourse were 
destroyed or damaged. Floods caused damages to network infrastructure, as well as, 
to  businesses  operating  in  the  affected  area;  many  production  sites,  storage  halls, 
machinery and equipment were destroyed or carried away. Over 2 000 farmers also 
suffered important damages, with an affected crop area of about 9 000 hectares and 
many farm buildings and machinery damaged.  

Poland  estimated  the  cost  of  emergency  and  recovery  operations  eligible  under 
Article 3(2) of the Regulation at EUR 216 180 849 and presented it broken down by 
type  of  operation.  The  largest  share  concerns  the  costs  for  restoration  to  working 
order of transport infrastructure, securing of preventive infrastructure and immediate 
restoration of affected natural zones to avoid immediate effects from soil erosion.  

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

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

Croatia,  Germany,  Greece,  Hungary,  Ireland,  Portugal  and  Spain  -  major 
public health emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 

In December 2019, a pneumonia epidemic of unknown origin was reported to the WHO from 
Wuhan,  China.  Later  it  was  identified  as  a  new  strain  of  coronavirus  that  has  not  been 
previously known in humans - Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑ 19) - an infectious disease 
caused  by  severe  acute  respiratory  syndrome  coronavirus  2  (SARS-CoV-2).  The  population 
has no immunity against the newly emerged virus. The virus spreads from person to person 
through  droplet  infection,  and  it  causes  a  large  number  of  cases  involving  primarily 
respiratory  symptoms  relatively  fast.  On  30  January  2020  the  WHO  declared  an  epidemic 
emergency of international scale due to the new coronavirus epidemic.  

In 2020 as part of the Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative (CRII), the Regulation was 
amended in order to allow for comprehensive Union action in response to major public health 
emergencies  by  including  major  public  health  emergencies  within  the  scope  of  the  EU 
solidarity principle.3  

Subsequently, by the deadline of 24 June 2020 the Commission has received 22 applications 
for  a  financial  contribution  from  the  Fund  relating  to  the  major  public  health  emergency 
caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020.  

3 

Regulation (EU) 2020/461 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 March 2020. 

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(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

(5) 

(6) 

(7) 

(8) 

(9) 

Overall, 19 EU Member States (Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, France, 
Germany,  Greece,  Hungary,  Ireland,  Italy,  Latvia,  Lithuania,  Luxembourg,  Poland, 
Portugal,  Romania,  Slovenia  and  Spain)  and  three  accession  countries  (Albania, 
Montenegro and Serbia) have requested assistance.  

Seven EU Member States in their applications requested the payment of an advance 
on the anticipated contribution from the EUSF (Croatia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, 
Ireland,  Portugal  and  Spain).  The  Regulation  envisages  the  possibility  to  ask  for 
advance payments under the EUSF only for Member States. 

The  Covid-19  pandemic  is  a  major  public  health  emergency  and  therefore  falls 
within the field of application of the EUSF. 

The  Commission  services  have  made  a  preliminary  assessment  of  the  applications 
received  from  the  seven  member  states  mentioned  above  and  concluded  that  the 
conditions for paying an advance from the EUSF are met for all seven applications. 

Article 4a, paragraph 4 of the Regulation establishes that an advance not exceeding 
25% of the amount of the financial contribution anticipated and in no case exceeding 
EUR 100 million  can  be  paid.  As  the  appropriations  for  EUSF  advance  payments 
initially  available  in  the  budget  2020  are  already  fully  consumed,  the  Commission 
proposes  the  mobilisation  of  the  necessary  additional  resources,  within  the  annual 
ceiling set out for the EUSF. 

On the basis of the preliminary assessment the Commission services established the 
total  expenditure  provisionally  accepted  for  Croatia,  Germany,  Greece,  Hungary, 
Ireland, Portugal and Spain for the sole purpose of determining the advance payment. 
In  case  of  some  of  the  expenditure  was  identified  as  ineligible,  the  amount  was 
deducted from the total. The payment of the advance does not prejudge the results of 
the full assessment that will be performed by the Commission services. 

The amount of the advance should be taken into account prior to paying the balance 
of the contribution to the beneficiary State. 

The Commission should recover unduly paid advances. 

The  beneficiary  State  is  responsible  for  selecting  individual  operations  and 
implementing  the  advance  on  the  contribution  from  the  EUSF  in  accordance  with 
Articles 3, 5(3) and 6 of the Regulation. 

In conclusion, the conditions for paying an advance to Croatia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, 
Ireland, Portugal and Spain are met for all seven applications for a financial contribution from 
the EUSF relating to the major public health emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic 
in early 2020. 

2.4 

Conclusion 

For the reasons set out above, the disasters referred to in the applications submitted by Croatia 
and Poland, as well as the seven applications in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic meet the 
conditions set out in the Regulation. 

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3. 

FINANCING FROM THE EUSF ALLOCATIONS 2020 

Council  Regulation  (EU,  EURATOM)  No  1311/2013  of  2 December 2013  laying  down  the 
multiannual financial framework for the years 2014-20204 (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 
management5 (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  Croatia  and  Poland,  the  calculation  of  the  financial 
contribution  from  the  EUSF,  based  on  the  estimate  of  total  direct  damages  caused  is  as 
follows: 

Qualification 
of disaster 

Major 
(Art. 2(2)) 
Regional 
(Art. 2(3)) 

Member 
States 

CROATIA 

POLAND 

TOTAL 

Total 
direct 
damage 

(EUR 
million) 

Applied 
regional 
disaster 
threshold 
[1.5% of GDP/ 
1% of GDP for 
outermost 
regions]  

(million EUR) 

Major 
disaster 
threshold 

2,5% of direct 
damage up to 
threshold 

6% of direct 
damage above 
threshold 

Total amount 
of aid 
proposed 
(EUR) 

Advances 
paid 

(EUR) 

(EUR) 

(EUR) 

(EUR 
million) 

11 572,586 

- 

303,276 

7 581 900 

676 158 623 

683 740 523 

88 951 877 

282,851 

270,962 

- 

7 071 280 

- 

7 071 280 

690 811 803  

In the case of major public health emergencies, the Commission will apply the same method 
for determining aid amounts as for natural disasters. Accordingly, a country receives 2,5 % of 
the total amount of eligible public response spending up to the country specific threshold for 
major  health  emergencies,  plus  6 %  of  the  part  of  the  public  expenditure  exceeding  the 
threshold.  Should  this  calculation  lead  to  a  total  amount  for  all  countries  exceeding  the 
available budget appropriations, the amounts per country will be reduced on a pro rata basis. 

4 
5 

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

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Based on a preliminary assessment of the applications from the seven countries that requested 
an advance payment, the Commission established the total expenditure provisionally accepted 
for  Croatia,  Germany,  Greece,  Hungary,  Ireland,  Portugal  and  Spain  relating  to  Covid-19 
health emergency for the sole purpose of determining the advance payment as follows: 

Applicant 
country 

Total claimed 
public direct 
expenditure  
(EUR) 

Total 
expenditure 
provisionally 
accepted by 
the EC 
(EUR) 

Applied 
major 
health 
emergency 
threshold 
(million 
EUR) 

2,5% of 
total direct 
damage up 
to the  
major 
public 
health 
emergency 
threshold  
(EUR) 

6% of direct 
damage 
above the 
major 
public 
health 
emergency 
threshold 
(EUR) 

Possible aid 
amount 

25% advance 
payment 

(EUR) 

(EUR) 

Croatia  

Germany  

Greece  

Hungary  

Ireland  

Portugal  

Spain  

658 771 839 

652 607 470  

151,638 

3 790 950 

30 058 168 

33 849 118 

8 462 280 

2 079 000 000 

2 079 000 000 

1 792,639 

44 815 975 

17 181 660 

61 997 635 

15 499 409 

623 925 000 

623 925 000 

551,220 

13 780 500 

4 362 300 

18 142 800 

4 535 700 

1 997 208 000 

1 997 208 000 

385,263 

9 631 575 

93 944 140 

106 348 275 

26 587 069 

1 997 000 000 

1 997 000 000 

762,921 

19 073 025 

74 044 740 

93 117 765 

23 279 441 

3 470 870 000 

2 850 870 000 

598,233 

14 955 825 

103 198 020   150 114 045 

37 528 511 

15 750 543 061 

2 168 667 388 

1 792,639 

44 815 975 

22 561 703 

67 377 678 

16 844 420 

TOTAL 

132 736 830 

to 

in  2020 

The  annual  allocation  available 
is  EUR 597 546 284  (i.e. 
the  EUSF 
EUR 500 million  in  2011  prices).  In  addition,  an  amount  of  EUR 552 977 761  of  the  2019 
allocation was not used by the end of that year and carried over to 2020. 
In accordance with Article 10(1) of the MFF Regulation6, 25% of the original 2020 allocation 
(EUR 149 386 571)  needs  to  be  retained  until  1  October  2020,  but  becomes  available  as  of 
that  date.  Therefore,  the  maximum  amount  available  under  the  Solidarity  Fund  for  the  full 
year 2020 is EUR 1 150 524 045. 
Following  an  earlier  Mobilisation  Decision  in  2020,  the  EUSF  has  already  been  mobilised7 
for the following four applications, reducing the overall availabilities for the remaining year: 

6 

7 

Council  Regulation  (EU,  Euratom)  No  1311/2013  of  2  December  2013  laying  down  the  multiannual 
financial framework for the years 2014-2020. 
Decision  (EU)  2020/1076  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  18  June  2020  on  the 
mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Portugal, Spain, Italy and 
Austria,  for which  the final consequences were  included in  Amending  Budget 4/2020  adopted on  the 
same day. 

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Disaster 

Total amount of aid proposed 
(EUR) 

PORTUGAL – hurricane Lorenzo 2019 (regional disaster) 

SPAIN – extreme weather DANA 2019 (regional disaster) 

ITALY – severe weather 2019 (major disaster) 

AUSTRIA – severe weather 2019 (neighbouring disaster) 

TOTAL 

8 212 697 

56 743 358 

211 707 982 

2 329 777 

278 993 814  

Therefore,  the  maximum  amount  available  under  the  EUSF  at  this  point  in  2020  is 
EUR 871 530 231,  which  is  enough  to  cover  the  needs  under  this  Mobilisation  Decision  as 
outlined  above  (EUR 823 548 633,  of  which  EUR 683 740 523  related  to  the  earthquake  in 
Croatia,  EUR 7 071 280  related  to  the  floods  in  Poland  and  EUR 132 736 830  for  advance 
payments related to COVID-19 applications)8. 

Amount currently available under the Solidarity Fund: 

Annual allocation of 2020   

Plus unspent amount of 2019 allocation carried over to 2020 

[25% of 2020 allocation to be retained until 1 October 2020] 

Minus total amount of aid proposed for PT (Hurricane Lorenzo), ES 
(extreme weather DANA 2019), IT (severe weather 2019) and AT 
(severe weather 2019) 

Amount available from January - September 2020  

Maximum amount currently available  

Total amount proposed to be mobilised for Croatia, Poland and Covid-19 
advances 

Remaining availabilities until 31/12/2020 

  EUR 597 546 284 

+EUR 552 977 761 

[EUR 149 386 571] 

-EUR 278 993 814 

EUR 722 143 660 

EUR 871 530 231 

-EUR 823 548 633 

EUR 47 981 598 

8 

The  remaining  amount  of  EUR 47 981 598  will  not  be  used  in  2020  and  the  related  commitment 
appropriations will be carried over to 2021. 

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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 
Croatia and Poland in relation to a natural disaster and to provide for the payment of 
advances to Croatia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Portugal and Spain in 
relation to a public health emergency 

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 Fund9, 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 management10, 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 in order to 
show  solidarity  with  the  population  of  regions  struck  by  major  or  regional  natural 
disasters or major public health emergency. 

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 
1311/201311. 

On 10 June 2020, Croatia submitted an application to mobilise the Fund, following 
the  earthquake  in  March  2020  that  affected  the  city  of  Zagreb  and  the  counties  of 
Zagreb and Krapina-Zagorje. 

On 24 August 2020, Poland submitted an application to mobilise the Fund, following 
the floods in June 2020 in Podkarpackie Voivodeship. 

By 24 June 2020, Croatia, Germany, Greece, Hungary,  Ireland, Portugal and Spain 
submitted  applications  to  mobilise  the  Fund  in  relation    to  the  major  public  health 
emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020. In their applications, 
all  seven  Member  States  requested  the  payment  of  an  advance  on  the  anticipated 
contribution from the Fund.  

9 
10 
11 

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). 

EN 

10 

  EN 

                                                 
(6) 

(7) 

(8) 

(9) 

The applications by Croatia and Poland in relation to the natural disasters 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 Croatia and Poland. 

To ensure the availability of sufficient budgetary resources in the general budget of 
the  Union  for  2020,  the  Fund  should  be  mobilised  for  the  payment  of  advances  to 
Croatia,  Germany,  Greece,  Hungary,  Ireland,  Portugal  and  Spain  in  relation  to  the 
major public health emergency.  

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

HAVE ADOPTED THIS DECISION: 

Article 1 

For  the  general  budget  of  the  Union  for  the  financial  year  2020,  the  European  Union 
Solidarity Fund shall be mobilised as follows in commitment and payment appropriations in 
relation to natural disasters: 

(a)  

(b)  

the amount of EUR 683 740 523 shall be provided to Croatia; 

the amount of EUR 7 071 280 shall be provided to Poland. 

For  the  general  budget  of  the  Union  for  the  financial  year  2020,  the  European  Union 
Solidarity Fund shall be mobilised as follows in commitment and payment appropriations for 
the payment of advances in relation to a major public health emergency: 

Article 2 

(a)  

(b)  

(c)  

(d)  

(e)  

(f)  

(g)  

the amount of EUR 8 462 280 shall be provided to Croatia; 

the amount of EUR 15 499 409 shall be provided to Germany; 

the amount of EUR 4 535 700 shall be provided to Greece; 

the amount of EUR 26 587 069 shall be provided to Hungary; 

the amount of EUR 23 279 441 shall be provided to Ireland; 

the amount of EUR 37 528 511 shall be provided to Portugal; 

the amount of EUR 16 844 420 shall be provided to Spain. 

Article 3 

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. 

EN 

11 

  EN