PURPOSE: to mobilise the EU Solidarity Fund with respect to Martinique and Guadeloupe following the hurricane "Dean" in August 2007.

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Decision 2008/879/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council 2008 on the mobilisation of the EU Solidarity Fund in accordance with point 26 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline and sound financial management.

CONTENT: this Decision provides that the European Union Solidarity Fund will be mobilised to provide the sum of EUR 12 780 000 in commitment and payment appropriations for the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2008. France submitted an application to mobilise the Fund, concerning a disaster caused by hurricane ‘Dean’ which affected Martinique and Guadeloupe in August 2007. This will be allocated under heading 3b of the financial framework.

The Commission will present an amending budget (AB) in order to enter in the 2008 budget the specific commitment and payment appropriations, as requested in Point 26 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006 (see BUD/2008/2252 ).

The European Union has created the EU Solidarity Fund to show solidarity with the population of regions struck by disasters. The Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006 allows the mobilisation of the Fund within the annual ceiling of EUR 1 billion.

The European Parliament adopted, by 647 votes to 17 with 16 abstentions, a resolution approving a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mobilisation of the EU Solidarity Fund with respect to Martinique and Guadeloupe following the hurricane "Dean" in August 2007.

The report had been tabled for consideration by Reimer BÖGE (EPP-ED, DE) on behalf of the Committee on Budgets.

An amount of EUR 12 780 000 in commitment and payment appropriations shall be mobilised through an amending budget adopted in parallel (see BUD/2008/2252 ).

The Committee on Budgets adopted the report by Reimer BÖGE (EPP-ED, DE) and approved the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mobilisation of the EU Solidarity Fund with respect to Martinique and Guadeloupe following the hurricane "Dean" in August 2007.

The proposal aims to mobilise the European Solidarity Fund for an amount of EUR 12 780 000 in commitment and payment appropriations through an amending budget adopted in parallel (see BUD/2008/2252 ).

PURPOSE: to mobilise the EU Solidarity Fund with respect to Martinique and Guadeloupe following the hurricane "Dean" in August 2007.

PROPOSED ACT: Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council.

CONTENT: the Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006 ( ACI/2004/2099 ) allows for the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund through a flexibility mechanism, within the annual ceiling of EUR 1 billion, over and above the relevant headings of the financial framework.

The conditions of eligibility to the Fund are detailed in Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 (please refer to CNS/2002/0228 ).

On the basis of application for assistance from the Fund by France following the hurricane "Dean" which affected Martinique and Guadeloupe in August 2007, total estimates of the damage caused are as follows:

Direct damage: EUR 511 200 000; Aid proposed: EUR 12 780 000.

In the light of the examination of the application, and considering the maximum possible grant from the Fund as well as the scope for reallocating appropriations under the heading requiring additional expenditure, the Commission proposes to mobilise the European Union Solidarity Fund for a total amount of EUR 12 780 000 , to be allocated under heading 3b of the financial framework.

By presenting this proposal to deploy the Fund, the Commission initiates the simplified trialogue procedure, as required by Point 26 of the Inter-institutional Agreement of 17 May 2006, in view of securing the agreement of the two arms of the budgetary authority on the need to use the Fund and the amount required. The Commission invites the first of the two arms of the Budgetary Authority that reaches agreement on the draft mobilisation proposal, at appropriate political level, to inform the other arm and the Commission of its intentions.

In case of disagreement by either of the two arms of the budgetary authority, a formal trialogue meeting will be convened.

The Commission will present a preliminary draft amending budget (PDAB) in order to enter in the 2008 budget specific commitment and payment appropriations, broken down by beneficiary country, as requested in Point 26 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006 (see BUD/2008/2252 ).

PURPOSE: to mobilise the EU Solidarity Fund with respect to Martinique and Guadeloupe following the hurricane "Dean" in August 2007.

PROPOSED ACT: Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council.

CONTENT: the Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006 ( ACI/2004/2099 ) allows for the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund through a flexibility mechanism, within the annual ceiling of EUR 1 billion, over and above the relevant headings of the financial framework.

The conditions of eligibility to the Fund are detailed in Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 (please refer to CNS/2002/0228 ).

On the basis of application for assistance from the Fund by France following the hurricane "Dean" which affected Martinique and Guadeloupe in August 2007, total estimates of the damage caused are as follows:

Direct damage: EUR 511 200 000; Aid proposed: EUR 12 780 000.

In the light of the examination of the application, and considering the maximum possible grant from the Fund as well as the scope for reallocating appropriations under the heading requiring additional expenditure, the Commission proposes to mobilise the European Union Solidarity Fund for a total amount of EUR 12 780 000 , to be allocated under heading 3b of the financial framework.

By presenting this proposal to deploy the Fund, the Commission initiates the simplified trialogue procedure, as required by Point 26 of the Inter-institutional Agreement of 17 May 2006, in view of securing the agreement of the two arms of the budgetary authority on the need to use the Fund and the amount required. The Commission invites the first of the two arms of the Budgetary Authority that reaches agreement on the draft mobilisation proposal, at appropriate political level, to inform the other arm and the Commission of its intentions.

In case of disagreement by either of the two arms of the budgetary authority, a formal trialogue meeting will be convened.

The Commission will present a preliminary draft amending budget (PDAB) in order to enter in the 2008 budget specific commitment and payment appropriations, broken down by beneficiary country, as requested in Point 26 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006 (see BUD/2008/2252 ).