13 Amendments of Tonino PICULA related to 2016/2045(INI)
Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) was set up in 2002 in reaction to that summer’s serious flooding in Central Europe, to respond to seriousmajor natural disasters and to extraordinary regional disasters, to demonstrate solidarity with the European regions affected; whereas it funds only emergency operations carried out by governments following natural disasters;
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas since being established it has been mobilised in connection with 70 disasters within 24 Member States and Accession countries, and linked to a wide range of phenomena, such as flooding, forest fires, earthquakes, storms and, more recently, drought;
Amendment 21 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the instrument was comprehensively overhauled in 2014 with a view to ensuring asmore rapid a response as possiblewithin 6 month following the application and thus improving the effectiveness of relief funding;
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas there were special circumstances surrounding the EUSF qualification process in 2014, in that applications received prior to June 2014 (when the revised regulation entered into force) were assessed under the original regulation, whilst applications received afterwards were assessed under the revised regulation;
Amendment 37 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Emphasises that, since the time Fund was established natural disasters in the European Union have increased significantly in number, severity and intensity as a consequence of climate change; stresses, therefore the added value of a sound and flexible instrument as a means of showing solidarity and providing proper, rapid assistance for people affected by major natural disasters;
Amendment 52 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Emphasises, however, that, in spite of the introduction of an advance payment mechanism upstream of the standard procedure, beneficiaries still face problems as a result of the length of the overall process, which culminates in payment of the final contribution; emphasises, in this context, the need to speed upincrease the advance payment mechanism threshold, shorten the deadlines for the processing of applications and ensure that as many as possible are dealt with by the deadline set is respected;
Amendment 63 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Welcomes the clarification of the rules on the eligibility of regional natural disasters by the Commission, but points out that the final agreement between the Parliament and the Council maintains the eligibility threshold at 1.5 % of regional GDP, in line with the Commission proposal, in spite of Parliament’s efforts to reduce it to 1 %; believnotes that the vulnerability of the outermost regions has been taken into account, with the threshold being reduced to 1 % in their case;
Amendment 77 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Points out, in that connection, the importance of developing synergies between the various Union funds and policies with a view to forestallingprevent, as far as possible, the impact of natural disasters and, in cases where the EUSF is activated, to guaranteeing the consolidation and the long-term sustainable development of reconstruction projects;
Amendment 82 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Notes that 13 new applications were received in 2014, and draws attention to the special circumstances obtaining in that year, in which six of these applications, submitted prior to June 2014 (when the revised regulation entered into force), were assessed under the old regulation, while the remaining seven applicationst were assessed under the revised regulation;
Amendment 87 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Emphasises that, followingRegrets the Commission’s rejection of two applications for recognition as extraordinary regional disasters in 2014, on the grounds that the disasters in question could not be deemed ‘extraordinary’, in spite of the fact that they caused serious damage and had direct repercussions for the economic and social development of the regions concerned,; Emphasizes that a realistic eligibility threshold should be set for regional natural disasters;
Amendment 94 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Reiterates its call, therefore, that in the near future that the eligibility threshold for regional natural disasters should be set at 1 % of regional GDP, in particular for the regions worst affected by the economic crisis and the refugee crisis;
Amendment 101 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Welcomes the fact that the seven applications for assistance received after June 2014 (when the new regulation entered into force)within the new regulation were accepted by the Commission, and notes that more detailed information will be received for four of them in the 2015 Annual Report, the payments having been made in March and April 2015; awaits the publication of this report, which will hopefully provide a clear picture of the impact the revised provisions have had on the mobilisation of the Fund;
Amendment 109 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and, the Commission, Member States and regional authorities.