EU solidarity fund
The EU Solidarity Fund (EUSF) , also known as the European Union's Solidarity Fund , was set up by the European Commission in 2002 to help member states of the European Union (EU) and their candidate countries after major natural disasters (possibly also nuclear disasters or the like). ) to quickly provide financial support. The occasion was the so-called flood of the century in Central Europe .
Since then, the fund has been used in 52 disaster cases in 23 countries with a total volume of around 3.2 billion euros. According to EU data, Germany received a total of around 611 million euros, 444 million euros alone in the course of the 2002 flood (flood of the century) . Austria received 170.6 million euros from the fund up to 2014, compared to payments of 84.3 million euros.
purpose
The EUSF was not set up to cover all damage caused by natural disasters. In principle, it is designed to limit uninsurable public losses and therefore does not cover private losses, for example. However, medium to long-term measures such as reconstruction, economic support and prevention may May be eligible for funding under other instruments. The EU Structural Funds and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development come into question here .
Annual budget
There is no “fixed pot” for EUSF funds. The money, which is financed in addition to the regular EU budget , depends on the respective needs. The annual upper limit is currently one billion euros. For 2013 there are contradicting statements as to whether this limit has already been reached, but since the countries affected by the floods in 2013 will submit corresponding applications, the financial framework for 2013 will certainly be exhausted. Countries such as Germany can, however, hope to mobilize funds in the following years if they apply in good time.
Application process
Application requirements
Only EU member states and states in EU accession negotiations can submit an auxiliary application if the damage from a natural disaster (possibly also a nuclear disaster, etc.)
- 0.6 percent of gross national income or
- around 3.7 billion euros (three billion euros at 2002 prices).
Application / decision
The governments of the affected EU member states must apply for support from the EUSF to the European Commission within ten weeks of the occurrence of the disaster, which will decide on the application and in turn submit an application for mobilization to the responsible EU budgetary authority.
In June 2016, on the occasion of the flooding of the Seine (Paris), the ORF reported that the states had 12 weeks from the time of the disaster to submit an application. The EU procedure would then take 6 weeks. Since 2001, the fund would have been used in over 70 natural disasters.
Approval
In order for funds to be disbursed in the end, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union must approve the mobilization, as they jointly constitute the budgetary authority. Although the approval is by no means compulsory, none of the institutions has refused a corresponding application for mobilization in the years since it was in existence.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Regulation (EC) No. 2012/2002 of the Council of 11 November 2002 on the establishment of the European Union Solidarity Fund (PDF)
- ↑ a b c Budget exhausted - Germany has to wait for EU aid www.handelsblatt.com, last accessed on June 16, 2013
- ↑ a b Help for flood victims: Background to the EU Solidarity Fund European Commission Website # 1, last accessed on June 16, 2013
- ↑ Austria benefited from the EU solidarity fund on ORF from July 26, 2014, accessed on July 26, 2014
- ↑ a b European Union Solidarity Fund European Commission Website # 2, last accessed on June 16, 2013
- ↑ http://orf.at/stories/2343118/2343119/ The decline will take "a certain amount of time", orf.at, June 4, 2016, accessed June 5, 2016.