The European Parliament,

–  having regard to the Commission proposal to the European Parliament and the Council (COM(2019)0206 – C9‑0005/2019),

–  having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 of 11 November 2002 establishing the European Union Solidarity Fund(1),

–  having regard to Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1311/2013 of 2 December 2013 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2014-2020(2), and in particular Article 10 thereof,

–  having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 2 December 2013 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline, on cooperation in budgetary matters and on sound financial management(3), and in particular point 11 thereof,

–  having regard to the letter from the Committee on Regional Development,

–  having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgets (A9-0002/2019),

1.  Welcomes the decision as a sign of the Union’s solidarity with the Union citizens and regions hit by the natural disasters;

2.  Stresses the urgent need to release financial assistance through the European Union Solidarity Fund (the ‘Fund’) to the regions affected by natural disasters in the Union in 2018;

3.  Welcomes the Commission proposal(4) of 7 March 2019 to amend the Union Civil Protection Mechanism as a key tool for strengthening the Union’s disaster risk management capacities, with a financial envelope for the 2021-2027 financing period that matches the level of ambition set in Decision (EU) 2019/420 of the European Parliament and of the Council(5) and in line with the European Parliament resolution of 14 November 2018 on the Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027(6); is convinced that the Fund and the Union Civil Protection Mechanism should go hand in hand in preventing, preparing for and responding to natural disasters in the Member States;

4.  Approves the decision annexed to this resolution;

5.  Instructs its President to sign the decision with the President of the Council and arrange for its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union;

6.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution, including its annex, to the Council and the Commission.

(1) OJ L 311, 14.11.2002, p. 3. (2) OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 884. (3) OJ C 373, 20.12.2013, p. 1. (4) COM(2019)0125. (5) Decision (EU) 2019/420 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 March 2019 amending Decision No 1313/2013/EU on a Union Civil Protection Mechanism (OJ L 77 I, 20.3.2019, p. 1). (6) Texts adopted, P8_TA(2018)0449.

DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

on the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Austria, Italy and Romania

(The text of this annex is not reproduced here since it corresponds to the final act, Decision (EU) 2019/1817).