On 8 October 2024, the European Parliament approved the release of nearly €1.2 billion from the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) to help Italy, Slovenia, Austria, Greece and France deal with the consequences of six natural disasters that occurred in 2023.
The European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) is a financial instrument created to provide emergency assistance to Member States and candidate countries hit by major natural disasters. In 2023, several regions of Europe were affected by floods, storms and earthquakes. The affected countries requested financial aid to fund relief operations, reconstruction and a return to normality.
The European Parliament voted in favour of the European Commission's proposal to mobilise the EUSF for a total amount of €1,195,575,770. This sum is distributed as follows:
These funds will be used to finance actions such as restoring essential infrastructure (roads, bridges, water and electricity networks), cleaning up disaster areas, and protecting cultural heritage.
The decision was adopted by 632 votes in favour, 7 against and 3 abstentions, in an electronic roll-call vote. This large majority shows the support of MEPs for solidarity between Member States in the face of natural disasters.
Concretely, this financial aid will allow affected regions to rebuild more quickly and reduce the impact on local populations. The funds can be used to compensate individuals and businesses, repair public infrastructure and strengthen risk prevention. Citizens of beneficiary countries can therefore expect an acceleration of reconstruction work and direct or indirect financial support. For citizens of other Member States, this decision illustrates European solidarity: everyone contributes to the EUSF via the EU budget, and can benefit from it in case of need.
Approximate match via declared fields of interest. This does not prove influence on this vote.
