Brussels, 20/03/2014 (Agence Europe) - The EP's regional development committee (REGI) unanimously backs a simpler and more rapid EU solidarity fund (EUSF). Members approved the agreement reached in the trialogue on revised rules for using the fund to help European regions affected by natural disasters, by providing financial aid to cover the costs of the damages suffered. On Wednesday 19 March, they gave their unanimous backing to the report by Rosa Estaras Ferragut (EPP, Spain).
The MEP pointed out that this European instrument had a “visible impact and satisfactory result” with regard to the citizens and regions affected and that it was necessary to speed up fund procedures so that assistance could be provided in time.
After a member state that has been affected by a natural disaster requests aid, the European Commission will have to say whether the request is valid within a six-week time frame and if it is valid, how much assistance will be earmarked. Member states will have twelve weeks and not the previous ten weeks, to prepare and submit an application.
EUSF eligibility depends on whether a member state has suffered losses of more than 0.6% of its GDP. Contributions for disaster regions will be released if the 1.5% threshold of regional GDP is reached (1% exceptionally for very remote areas).
Money paid by the European Commission will have to be used by the national and regional authorities within a period of a year and a half and not within a year, as is currently the case.
Under the next financial programming period for 2014-2020, €500 million is planned for the EUSF. The EP will adopt new rules during the April plenary and the Council will formalise its approval afterwards.
The European Commissioner for Regional Development, Johannes Hahn, proposed this reform last summer and was delighted with the unanimous support from the REGI committee. He hopes that the plenary will confirm this so that “we can deliver a clearer faster system under the Solidarity Fund for helping countries and regions deal with the public costs of responding to natural disasters”. (MD)