The European Union Solidarity Fund
It was following the devastating floods which hit Central Europe in August 2002 that, following a European Commission proposal, a new European financial instrument was created, distinct from the structural instruments: the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF). The 2003 heatwave, with its particularly dramatic consequences for Mediterranean regions ravaged by forest fires and drought, left no doubt about the importance of effectively organising European solidarity in response to major disasters.
Emergency financial aid
The Member States and countries negotiating accession can request aid from this Fund in the event of a major natural disaster.
It is important to stress that the EUSF was not set up with the aim of meeting all the costs linked to natural disasters. The EUSF does not compensate for private losses, for example. Also, long-term action – lasting reconstruction, economic redevelopment, prevention – can qualify for aid under other instruments, most notably the Structural Funds. The EUSF is rather designed to provide fast, effective and flexible emergency financial aid for measures such as providing temporary accommodation or the provisional repair of vital infrastructures permitting the resumption of everyday life. Previously, there had been no European fund able to play this role in a field – civil protection – in which competence remains with the Member States. The EUSF therefore meets a need.
Paving the way for solidarity
As of the end of October 2003, the EUSF has supported eight actions in seven countries for a total amount of EUR 833 million, all resulting from very prompt decision-making. The first four actions were a response to the 2002 floods in Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic and France. The other four were in response to the "Prestige" oil spill in Spain, the Molise and Pouilles earthquakes on mainland Italy and the eruption of Mount Etna on Sicily, and the unprecedented forest fires that hit Portugal in the summer of 2003.
Where to now? Two key words: coordination and prevention
In addition to providing emergency aid, there is also a need to be able to respond to the likely repetition of disasters linked in part to the negative effects of human activities on the environment, in particular the accelerating pace of climate change. There is a need to consolidate European solidarity to meet these challenges.
The Member States and the Commission will therefore have to further develop their initiatives in this field. The two key words here are coordination and prevention. A better coordination of European solidarity, among the Fifteen and soon among the Twenty-Five, is essential to effective action. Prevention is also better than repair, especially as a disaster can reduce to nothing the considerable investment in a region's development. The importance of prevention must be taken into account at the time of the mid-term review of the Structural Fund programmes for the 2000-06 period.
For post-2006, Michel Barnier expressed his desire for "each Structural Fund programme to include a specific budget for the 'prevention of natural risks'". He also called for a genuine European civil protection force, coordinated at intergovernmental level. The Committee of the Regions has also proposed that a new Community instrument should be set up to provide not just emergency aid but also long-term measures within a clear and dependable political and regulatory framework.
In what cases does the EUSF assist?
• In the event of major natural disaster, considered as such if the estimated cost of the direct damage is over EUR 3 billion (2002 prices) or 0.6% of the gross domestic product of the State in question.
By way of exception, a neighbouring Member State or accession country that is affected by the same disaster can also receive aid, even if the amount of damage does not reach the threshold.
• Exceptionally, in the event of an extraordinary regional disaster that affects the majority of the population of a region and has serious and lasting effects on its economic stability and living conditions. Special attention is given to outlying or isolated regions.
With what budget?
• The EUSF has an annual budget of EUR 1 billion. One quarter of this amount must remain available on 1 October of every year to meet possible needs through to the end of the year. In exceptional cases and if the resources remaining for the rest of the year are insufficient, the shortfall may be met out of the next year's budget.
• The amount available annually for extraordinary regional disasters is 7.5% of the EUSF's annual budget (or EUR 75 million).
For what actions?
The EUSF supplements public expenditure by the individual Member States for the following emergency aid, limited in principle to non-insurable damage:
• Immediate restoration to working order of infrastructure and plant in the fields of energy, drinking water, waste water, transport, telecommunications, health and education;
• Providing temporary accommodation and emergency services to meet the immediate needs of the population;
• Immediate securing of prevention infrastructures and measures to protect the cultural heritage;
• Cleaning up of disaster-stricken areas, including natural zones.
According to what procedures?
• No later than 10 weeks after the first damage, the national authorities in the State affected should submit an application to the Commission providing all possible information on the damage and its impact on the population and the economy, the cost of assistance and details of any other sources of national, Community or international funding.
• On the basis of this information, the Commission will decide as quickly as possible the amount of any aid and propose its mobilisation to the budgetary authority (European Parliament and Council). Once the funds become available, the aid is paid immediately and in a single instalment after the signing of an agreement between the Commission and the beneficiary State.
• The beneficiary State is responsible for using the grant and any coordination between the EUSF and other sources of funding. The Commission must be reimbursed any sums not used after one year. The beneficiary State should endeavour to obtain compensation from third parties and also reimburse the corresponding amount.
Aid under other instruments
In addition to immediate financial aid from the EUSF, there are a number of other levels at which action can be organised to combat disasters (the list below is not exhaustive):
• The regional development programmes co-financed by the Structural Funds. Member States can change programme priorities and budget allocations during implementation. New measures can be adopted to rebuild infrastructures and support productive investments, training and jobs. Portugal, for example, is planning to reallocated EUR 182 million following the 2003 forest fires.
• The rural development programmes. These include measures to prevent forest fires, replant areas of forestry and restore agricultural potential. These measures can be strengthened.
• The Common Agricultural Policy. Various exceptions are possible, such as authorisation to use fallow land to feed animals.
• The European Commission's Control and Information Centre for Civil Protection. Since January 2002 this has operated a round-the-clock warning service, activated at the request of a disaster-stricken country to facilitate assistance from other Member States (dispatch of water bombers, for example).
• State aid. This can be granted to compensate for material damage as well as any clearly identified indirect effects of disasters.
• Geographical information. This is a key element in risk prevention and management. In the field of forestry, for example, the Commission has set up the EFFIS - European Forest Fire Information System - which plays a day-to-day role in supporting forestry services and civil protection in the Member States.
Documents
European Union Solidarity Fund Annual report 2006 
The European Union Solidarity Fund Annual report 2004
( COM - 2005 - N°0709)
Proposal for a regulation establishing the European Union Solidarity Fund - Brussels, 6.4.2005 - COM(2005) 108 final
Impact Assesment SEC(2005) 447 - Annex to the Proposal for a Regulation COM(2005) 108 final
European Union Solidarity Fund Annual report 2002-2003 and Report on the experience gained after one year of applying the new instrument
EUR-LEX ( COM - 2004 - n°397 )
Communication from the Commission (COM(2002) 481 final of 28 August 2002).
Regulation setting up the EUSF (Regulation (EC) n° 2012/2002 of the Council, OJ L 311 of 11 November 2002).
Decision of the European Parliament and Council on mobilising the EUSF (Decision (2002/1010/EC) of 21 November 2002).
Application
Summary Application form to mobilise the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) 
Summary Guidelines for EUSF Applications
Press releases
Commission press releases:
10/09/2008 : EU Solidarity Fund, Hurricane Dean: Commission proposes aid worth €12.8 million for Martinique, Guadeloupe
12/09/2007 : La Commission adopte une nouvelle communication consacrée aux régions ultrapériphériques (RUP)
11/09/2007 : EU Solidarity Fund to provide aid for storm damage in Germany (€ 166.9 m) and La Réunion (€ 5.29 m)
31/08/2007 Danuta Hübner in Greece: "In view of the huge damage caused by the fires, the intervention of the European Solidarity Fund can help citizens and local economies"
20/02/2007: Commission proposes € 9.3 million of aid following flood disaster in Greece
20/04/2006: Commission to pay nearly € 1.3 million to support Estonia in dealing with storm disaster in 2005
11/04/2006 : Commission to pay nearly € 9.5 million to support Latvia in dealing with storm disaster in 2005
22/03/2006 : Commission to pay nearly € 82 million to support Sweden in dealing with storm disaster in 2005
17/03/2006 : Commission to pay € 379 thousand to support Lithuania in dealing with storm disaster in 2005
12/01/2006: EU Solidarity Fund: Commission proposes € 20.35 million of aid following flood disasters in Bulgaria
08/11/2005: More than € 49 million to help Romania repair rail and roads damaged by floods
17/10/2005: €5.67 million to pay for emergency aid for storm damages
26/08/2005: Commission stands ready to provide financial assistance to help Members States cope with the consequences of this summer’s natural disasters
22/08/2005: EU Solidarity Fund: Commission proposes € 93 million of aid following storm disaster in Northern Europe
06/06/2005: Slovak storms – new aid on the table
11/5/2004: Solidarity Fund: 19.625 million euros of aid for France
08/03/2004: Solidarity Fund: Commission proposes EUR 21.9 million for measures related to natural disasters in Malta, France and Spain
05/09/2003: Effects of the hot summer
27/08/2003: Solidarity Fund: Commission proposes EUR 31.6 million for Portugal
16/07/2003: EU Solidarity Fund: Commission proposes EUR 47.6 million for Italian regions hit by natural disasters
16/07/2003: EU Solidarity Fund: Commission proposes EUR 8.6 million for Spanish regions hit by "Prestige" disaster
13/12/2002: Solidarity Fund: France receives EUR 21 million for floods in the Gard region
13/12/2002: Solidarity Fund: EUR 444 million for German regions hit by flooding
13/12/2002: Solidarity Fund: EUR 134 million for Austrian regions devastated by floods
09/12/2002: The European Commission and Kingdom of Spain in continuous contact on possibility of Community support
15/11/2002: Solidarity Fund: Council and Parliament support the Commission's proposal to allocate EUR 728 million to the German, Austrian, Czech and French regions hit by flooding
13/11/2002: Solidarity Fund: Commission proposes EUR 728 million for the German, Austrian, Czech and French regions hit by flooding
03/09/2002: Floods: Michel Barnier presents the Commission's response to the European Parliament
28/08/2002: European Commission's response to the flooding in Germany, Austria and certain candidate countries
15/08/2002: European Commission supports flood victims