Recent floods in Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina

9.7.2014

Question for oral answer O-000058/2014
to the Commission
Rule 128
Andor Deli, Tamás Deutsch, Lambert van Nistelrooij, Iuliu Winkler, Marian-Jean Marinescu, Ildikó Gáll-Pelcz, on behalf of the PPE Group

In recent weeks a number of European countries have been affected by a major natural disaster. Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina are struggling with the consequences of overwhelming floods which have resulted in numerous deaths and injuries and have necessitated the evacuation of thousands of people. This flooding has been among the most severe in the past two decades. As a gesture of solidarity, the majority of Member States provided immediate support and help, coordinated by the Commission. The EU is mobilising support for recovery and reconstruction from the EU Solidarity Fund, which is already available for Member States and also for candidate countries, and further assistance is being provided through the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA).

1. Is the newly amended EUSF Regulation applicable to disasters which occurred before 28 June 2014 regardless of whether applications have been submitted or not, or only to those which occurred after its entry into force?

2. Is the total currently available under the EUSF and the IPA sufficient for dealing with the problems of the affected European countries, and especially those which are candidate countries, considering the vast costs of reconstructing the flood prevention structures?

3. Does the Commission consider it necessary to designate a special policy area under the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance II for natural disasters and man-made disasters in order to avoid drawing away funds from other thematic priorities earmarked for the Union’s pre-accession assistance?