Brussels, 29/06/2001 (Agence Europe) - Michel Barnier, European Commissioner for Regional Policy, went of Thursday to the French department of the Somme, ravaged last spring by major floods of a size until then unknown in the region. On this occasion, he confirmed that the European Commission would apply all the measures available in the field of regional, agricultural and rural development polices and the policy of State aid to allow for the reconstruction of the disaster areas and the reconstitution of the productive activity. Mr Barnier recalled that a significant part of the disaster area in the Somme is eligible under Objective 2 of the structural funds. The programme for the Picardie region, provided with the Community contribution of FF 1.7 billion for the 2000-2006 period includes foresees actions to tackle natural disasters. The Commission expects from the French authorities proposals in order to reallocate a share of these credits to the rehabilitation of the affected areas and works aimed at preventing further damage due to the disaster.
Michel Barnier noted that the issue of a special emergency aid in favour of the disaster area is often raised. The reestablishment of the budget (…) to do this was raised once more in a recent resolution in the European Parliament concerning the Somme. This is a question, which should be asked as the Union should be capable of responding more quickly (…) to crisis situations.