REPORT on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on mobilisation of the European Union 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 (drought and forest fires in Romania and floods in Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic).
6.11.2013 - (COM(2013)0692 – C7‑0343/2013 – 2013/2255(BUD))
Committee on Budgets
Rapporteur: José Manuel Fernandes
MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION
on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on mobilisation of the European Union 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 (drought and forest fires in Romania and floods in Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic)
(COM(2013)0692 – C7‑0343/2013 – 2013/2255(BUD))
The European Parliament,
– having regard to the Commission proposal to the European Parliament and the Council (COM(2013)0692 – C7‑0343/2013),
– having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline and sound financial management[1] , and in particular point 26 thereof,
– having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 of 11 November 2002 establishing the European Union Solidarity Fund[2],
– having regard to Joint Declaration of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission, adopted during the conciliation meeting on 17 July 2008 on the Solidarity Fund,
– having regard to the letter of the Committee on Regional Development,
– having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgets (A7-0369/2013),
1. Approves the decision annexed to this resolution;
2. 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;
3. Instructs its President to forward this resolution, including its annex, to the Council and the Commission.
ANNEX: DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL
on the mobilisation of the EU Solidarity Fund
THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline and sound financial management[1], and in particular point 26 thereof,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 of 11 November 2002 establishing the European Union Solidarity Fund[2],
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
Whereas:
(1) The European Union has created a European Union Solidarity Fund (the "Fund") to show solidarity with the population of regions struck by disasters.
(2) The Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006 allows the mobilisation of the Fund within the annual ceiling of EUR 1 billion.
(3) Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 contains the provisions whereby the Fund may be mobilised.
(4) Romania has submitted an application to mobilise the Fund, concerning drought and forest fires.
(5) Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic have submitted applications to mobilise the Fund, concerning a flooding disaster.
HAVE ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
For the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2013, the European Union Solidarity Fund shall be mobilised to provide the sum of EUR 400 519 089 in commitment and payment appropriations.
Article 2
This Decision shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Union.
Done at Brussels,
For the European Parliament For the Council
The President The President
EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
The Commission proposes to mobilise the European Solidarity Fund in favour of Romania, Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic on the basis of point 26 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006. The IIA allows the mobilisation of the Fund within the annual ceiling of EUR 1 billion. This is the second proposal to mobilise the Fund in 2013.
During the summer of 2012 major parts of Romania suffered from very low precipitation and repeated waves of extremely high temperatures, leading to drought with important crop failure, numerous forest and vegetation fires, shortage of water for the population, and resulting problems for the water supply and hydro-energy production systems. Subsequently, in November 2012, the Romanian authorities decided to submit an application for financial aid from the EU Solidarity Fund.
The Commission considers the total direct damage caused by the drought and forest fires to be EUR 806,7 million. As this amount exceeds the normal threshold for activating the Solidarity Fund the disaster qualifies as "a major natural disaster" within the meaning of Article 2(2) of Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002.
In May and June 2013 Central Europe was affected by a meteorological situation very similar to the one which lead to the 100-year-flooding-event in 2002 and subsequently to the creation of the EU Solidarity Fund. Again, Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic were affected by extreme flooding. In spite of partly higher flood levels, overall damage, while still very high, remained below that of 2002, in particular in Austria and the Czech Republic, not least because of the effectiveness of flood protection and risk control measures introduced since 2002. Subsequently, Germany submitted an application for financial assistance from the European Union Solidarity Fund under the criteria for major disasters, whereas the applications from Austria and the Czech Republic were based on the so-called "neighbouring country criterion".
The total direct damage caused by the flooding, as estimated by the German, Austrian and Czech authorities, amounts to respectively EUR 8,2 billion for Germany, EUR 866,5 million for Austria and EUR 637,1 million for the Czech Republic. As regards Germany, the disaster qualifies as a “major natural disaster” in accordance with Article 2(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002. As regards Austria and the Czech Republic the disaster does not qualify as a "major disaster". However, since the disasters in both Austria and the Czech Republic had the same origins as the flooding which led to the major disaster in Germany, the condition set out in Article 2(2) second subparagraph of Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002, whereby a country affected by the same major disaster as a neighbouring country may exceptionally benefit from Solidarity Fund aid, was found to be met by the Commission.
After verifying that the applications comply with the eligibility criteria of Council regulation (EC) N° 2012/2002 the Commission proposed to mobilise the EU solidarity Fund in favour of Romania, Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic.
On the basis of the applications for assistance from the Fund from Romania, Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic, the calculation of Solidarity Fund aid based on the estimate of total damage caused is as follows:
Figures - Solidarity Fund (EUR)
|
Disaster |
Direct damage |
Threshold(million €)
|
Total cost of eligible operations |
Amount based on 2.5% |
Amount based on 6%
|
Total amount ofaid proposed
|
|
|
Romania drought |
806 724 312 |
735.487 |
2 475 689 |
18 387 175 |
4 274 239 |
2 475 689 |
|
|
Germany flooding |
8 153 500 000 |
3 678.755 |
3 289 400 000 |
91 968 875 |
268 484 700 |
360 453 575 |
|
|
Austria flooding |
866 462 000 |
1 798.112 |
350 334 000 |
21 661 550 |
- |
21 661 550 |
|
|
Czech Republic flooding |
637 131 000 |
871.618 |
416 368 000 |
15 928 275 |
- |
15 928 275 |
|
|
TOTAL |
|
400 519 089 |
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In the light of the examination of the applications, 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 400 519 089.
In parallel to the proposal to mobilise the Solidarity Fund the Commission has presented a draft amending budget (DAB No 9/2013 of 3 October 2013) in order to enter in the 2013 budget the corresponding commitment and payment appropriations as foreseen in point 26 of the IIA. The position of the Council on DAB No 9/2013, concerning the financing of this decision, modifies the initial proposal of the Commission. The position of the Parliament will be set out when adopting its position on DAB No 9/2013.
According to point 26 of the IIA of 17 May 2006, when presenting this proposal to deploy the Fund, the Commission initiates the simplified trilogue procedure 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.
According to an internal agreement with the Committee on Regional Development Committee (REGI), this committee should be associated to the process, in order to provide constructive support and contribution to the implementation of the EU Solidarity Fund. Following the assessment of the requests, the REGI committee of the European Parliament gave their views on the mobilisation of the Fund, as expressed in the letter of opinion attached to the present report.
The Rapporteur recommends the approval of the Commission proposal for a decision annexed to this report.
ANNEX: LETTER OF THE COMMITTEE ON REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Mr Alain Lamassoure
Chairman
Committee on Budgets
ASP 13E205
Brussels
Subject: Mobilisation of the EU Solidarity Fund in favour of Romania, Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic
Dear Mr. Lamassoure,
The European Commission has informed the European Parliament in its proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mobilisation of the EU Solidarity Fund (COM(2013)0692) that, on the basis of applications to mobilise the Fund submitted by Romania in relation to a drought and forest fires in the summer of 2012, and the applications by Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic in relation to flooding in May and June 2013, it proposes the mobilisation of the EU Solidarity Fund estimating the damage caused per country as follows:
|
|
|
|
(EUR) |
||||
|
Disaster |
Direct damage |
Threshold(million €)
|
Total cost of eligible operations |
Amount based on 2.5% |
Amount based on 6%
|
Total amount ofaid proposed
|
|
|
Romaniadrought
|
806 724 312 |
735.487 |
2 475 689 |
18 387 175 |
4 274 239 |
2 475 689 |
|
|
Germanyflooding
|
8 153 500 000 |
3 678.755 |
3 289 400 000 |
91 968 875 |
268 484 700 |
360 453 575 |
|
|
Austriaflooding
|
866 462 000 |
1 798.112 |
350 334 000 |
21 661 550 |
- |
21 661 550 |
|
|
Czech Republic flooding |
637 131 000 |
871.618 |
416 368 000 |
15 928 275 |
- |
15 928 275 |
|
|
TOTAL |
|
400 519 089 |
|||||
In the light of the examination of the applications, 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 400 519 089, to be allocated under heading 3b of the financial framework.
In order to avoid undue delay in approving this measure which the Committee on Budgets intends to adopt as soon as possible, we are pleased to inform you that the Committee on Regional Development has no objection to the mobilisation of the EU Solidarity Fund to allocate the above-mentioned amounts to the Financial Framework heading concerned, as proposed by the Commission and in accordance with the rules laid down in the Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006 and in Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002.
Yours sincerely,
Danuta Hübner
RESULT OF FINAL VOTE IN COMMITTEE
|
Date adopted |
5.11.2013 |
|
|
|
|
|
Result of final vote |
+: –: 0: |
27 0 0 |
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Members present for the final vote |
Marta Andreasen, Richard Ashworth, Zuzana Brzobohatá, Göran Färm, José Manuel Fernandes, Eider Gardiazábal Rubial, Jens Geier, Ivars Godmanis, Anne E. Jensen, Ivailo Kalfin, Sergej Kozlík, Jan Kozłowski, Alain Lamassoure, Giovanni La Via, Claudio Morganti, Jan Mulder, Andrej Plenković, Alda Sousa, László Surján, Helga Trüpel, Derek Vaughan, Angelika Werthmann, Jacek Włosowicz |
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Substitute(s) present for the final vote |
Maria Da Graça Carvalho, Jan Olbrycht, Paul Rübig, Catherine Trautmann |
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