EU aid for flood-affected countries. Europe must be ready to fight back

Europe must strengthen its preparedness to respond to the effects of increasingly frequent natural disasters, including: by increasing the budget of the EU Solidarity Fund and investing in preventive measures – emphasized MEPs who, at the beginning of October, voted for over EUR 1 billion in aid for five countries affected last year. devastating floods. Poland and other countries affected by the flood in September this year can also count on extraordinary, crisis financing.

– We will not avoid natural disasters and tragedies because we have climate change, and actions only in Europe will not change that. Action is needed here from all those who pollute, global players such as the United States, India, China, Russia and Japan. Europe is trying to be the leader, but we see that, unfortunately, it only causes huge costs and social dissatisfaction. However, if we are talking about tools to fight against the elements and actions taken by the EU, we undoubtedly need a quick reaction and quick help to those who experience this type of tragedy. More funds are also needed for such activities, says Elżbieta Łukacijewska, Member of the European Parliament, to the Newseria Biznes agency.

At its first session in October, the European Parliament passed a proposal to mobilize over EUR 1 billion from the EU Solidarity Fund to support five countries in repairing the damage caused by extreme floods in 2023. The money is to go to Italy (nearly EUR 379 million for the Emilia-Romagna region due to flood damage in May last year and an additional almost EUR 68 million for the Tuscany region after the floods in October and November last year), Slovenia (428 .4 million euros to remove the effects of the floods in August last year) and Austria (5.2 million euros), as well as Greece (101.5 million euros to support remedial actions after the floods in September last year) and France ( EUR 46.7 million to repair damage caused by flooding in the Hauts-de-France region in November last year). Assistance from the EUSF will cover part of the reconstruction costs, including: carrying out clean-up activities and repairing damaged infrastructure, destroyed roads, highways, railway lines and bridges.

MEPs – who expressed solidarity with all the victims of last year’s devastating floods – also pointed to the “growing number of serious and devastating natural disasters in Europe”. They called for an increase in the EUSF budget to strengthen the EU’s preparedness to respond to the consequences of further natural disasters, and stressed the need to invest in preventive measures.

– The EU and the European Commission can adopt some framework, can prepare financial resources and response programs to what is happening, but many activities and investments are also the responsibility of the member states. What is necessary here is responsible, bold action and the awareness that climate change is already so far advanced that we cannot stop or counteract elements such as floods, storms, hailstorms or tornadoes – says Elżbieta Łukacijewska.

As indicated by the European Environment Agency, due to ongoing climate change and rapid urbanization, the frequency and severity of natural disasters in Europe is increasing. Record drought in 2022, intensified by fires, claimed 900,000 lives. ha in southern Europe – an area the size of Corsica. In 2023, fires consumed another 500,000. ha, especially in Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal. In turn, floods in Europe over the last 30 years have affected a total of 5.5 million people in the EU and caused the death of 3,000. and over EUR 170 billion in economic losses. As a result of floods in Germany and Belgium in 2021, economic losses of EUR 44 million and over 200 deaths were recorded. In 2023, damage in Slovenia was estimated at 16%. national GDP, and the financial losses caused by Hurricane Daniel in Greece were estimated at billions of euros.

In September this year, devastating floods also hit Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia and Poland. European Commission cabinet member Ursula von der Leyen announced that – in addition to funds from the EU Solidarity Fund – an additional EUR 10 billion from the Cohesion Fund will be allocated to support them. As she indicated, the funds are to be transferred “with maximum flexibility and speed”, and half of them – EUR 5 billion, or approximately PLN 20 billion – is to go to Poland. EU support will be in the form of pre-financing, which in practice means that the countries affected by the flood will quickly receive money that they can use for investments carried out without their own contribution and in a simplified procedure.

– The European Union should support member countries and regions affected by the natural disasters. We see what is happening today in Poland, Romania and other countries affected by the flood, and cohesion policy and solidarity funds are absolute priorities at the moment. If we are a community, then – especially in difficult situations such as natural disasters or disasters – we should be together and there should be money for it. And the head of the European Commission has already announced this money from the Cohesion Fund, it is EUR 10 billion – including over 5 billion for Poland, because Poland was most affected by the flood – says Marta Wcisło, Member of the European Parliament.

The European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) helps EU countries cope with the effects of natural disasters. Since its creation in 2002, the EUSF has already mobilized over EUR 8.6 billion to respond to 130 natural disasters (110 natural disasters and 20 emergencies) in 24 Member States (plus the UK) and four accession countries (Albania, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey). Funds from the EU cohesion policy are an instrument for long-term recovery and reconstruction, aimed at, among others, to rebuild infrastructure and improve preparedness for future disasters.