The European Parliament adopted by 680 votes to 7, with 1 abstention, a resolution approving the Council position on Draft amending budget No 4/2020 of the European Union for the financial year 2020 accompanying the proposal to mobilise the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Portugal, Spain, Italy and Austria following natural disasters that took place in 2019.

Draft amending budget No 4/2020 covers the proposed mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Portugal, Spain, Italy and Austria following natural disasters that took place in those Member States in the course of 2019.

The Commission consequently proposes to amend the 2020 budget and to increase budget line 13 06 01 ‘Assistance to Member States in the event of a major natural disaster with serious repercussions on living conditions, the natural environment or the economy’ by EUR 272 498 208, both in commitment and payment appropriations.

The Council adopted its position on draft amending budget No 4 to the general budget 2020 accompanying the proposal to mobilise the EU solidarity fund to assist Portugal, Spain, Italy and Austria.

On 30 April 2020, the Commission submitted to the Council draft amending budget (DAB) No 4 to the general budget for 2020 regarding the mobilisation of the EU Solidarity Fund for a total amount of EUR 278.99 million in commitment and payment appropriations.

The objective of this proposal is to finance the mobilisation of the EU Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Portugal, Spain, Italy and Austria following natural disasters that took place in these Member States in the course of 2019.

The corresponding appropriations are to be recorded under Article 13 06 01 (EU Solidarity Fund - Assistance to Member States in the event of a major natural disaster with serious repercussions on living conditions, the natural environment or the economy), after having deducted the advances already paid out to Portugal and Spain (EUR 6.50 million).

As regards article 13 06 01 of the 2020 budget, the new amount amounts to EUR 322 498 208 in commitment and payment appropriations.

It is recalled that this article is intended to record appropriations resulting from the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund in the event of major or regional disasters in the Member States. Assistance

should be provided in connection with natural disasters to the Member States concerned, with a deadline being laid down for use of the financial assistance awarded and provision being made for beneficiary Member States to substantiate the use made of the assistance they receive.

Assistance received which is subsequently offset by third-party payments or received in excess of the final valuation of damage should be recovered.

The Council adopted its position on draft amending budget No 4 to the general budget 2020 accompanying the proposal to mobilise the EU solidarity fund to assist Portugal, Spain, Italy and Austria.

On 30 April 2020, the Commission submitted to the Council draft amending budget (DAB) No 4 to the general budget for 2020 regarding the mobilisation of the EU Solidarity Fund for a total amount of EUR 278.99 million in commitment and payment appropriations.

The objective of this proposal is to finance the mobilisation of the EU Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Portugal, Spain, Italy and Austria following natural disasters that took place in these Member States in the course of 2019.

The corresponding appropriations are to be recorded under Article 13 06 01 (EU Solidarity Fund - Assistance to Member States in the event of a major natural disaster with serious repercussions on living conditions, the natural environment or the economy), after having deducted the advances already paid out to Portugal and Spain (EUR 6.50 million).

As regards article 13 06 01 of the 2020 budget, the new amount amounts to EUR 322 498 208 in commitment and payment appropriations.

It is recalled that this article is intended to record appropriations resulting from the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund in the event of major or regional disasters in the Member States. Assistance

should be provided in connection with natural disasters to the Member States concerned, with a deadline being laid down for use of the financial assistance awarded and provision being made for beneficiary Member States to substantiate the use made of the assistance they receive.

Assistance received which is subsequently offset by third-party payments or received in excess of the final valuation of damage should be recovered.

PURPOSE: to present draft amending budget 4/2020 which accompanies the proposal to mobilise the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Portugal, Spain, Italy and Austria.

CONTENT: the aim of this draft Amending Budget (DAB) No 4 for the year 2020, which accompanies the proposal to mobilise the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) for an amount of EUR 278 993 814, is to provide assistance to Portugal, Spain, Italy and Austria following natural disasters that took place in these Member States in the course of 2019:

Portugal : damage resulting from the hurricane Lorenzo in the Azores in October 2019; Spain : flooding in the regions of Valencia, Murcia, Castilla-La Mancha and Andalucia in September 2019; Italy and Austria : extreme weather events resulting in flooding and landslides that affected most of the Italian territory (culminating in Venice flooding) as well as Carynthia and Eastern Tyrol in Austria in the autumn of 2019.

DAB No 4/2020 proposes to enter the necessary appropriations in the general budget 2020, both in commitments and payments, after having deducted the advances already paid out to Portugal and Spain (EUR 6 495 606).

Financing

In accordance Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1311/2013 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2014-2020 (the MFF regulation), the total amount available for the mobilisation of the EUSF at the beginning of 2020 was EUR 1 150 524 045, being the sum of the 2020 allocation of EUR 597 546 284, plus the 2019 allocation of EUR 552 977 761 that remained unspent and was carried over to 2020.

The amount that may be mobilised at this stage of the year 2020 is EUR 1 001 137 474. This corresponds to the total amount available for the mobilisation of the EUSF at the beginning of 2020 (EUR 1 150 524 045), minus the retained amount of EUR 149 386 571 in order to respect the obligation of keeping aside 25 % of the 2020 annual allocation until 1 October 2020 as stipulated by Article 10(1) of the MFF regulation.

Appropriations requested in the 2020 budget

On the basis of the applications from Portugal, Spain, Italy and Austria, the calculation of the financial contribution from the EUSF, based on the estimate of total direct damages, is set at EUR 278 993 814.

Considering the amount of EUR 6 495 606 that was already paid for these EUSF cases as advance, the Commission proposes to amend the budget 2020 by increasing budget line 13 06 01 (Assistance to Member States in the event of a major natural disaster with serious repercussions on living conditions, the natural environment or the economy) by EUR 272 498 208 both in commitment and payment appropriations.