The European Parliament,

–   having regard to Article 3 of the Treaty of the EU and Articles 191 and 349 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU,

–   having regard to the Commission proposal for a Regulation establishing a European Union Solidarity Fund (COM(2005)0108) and to Parliament's position of 18 May 2006(1),

–   having regard to its resolutions of 5 September 2002 on floods in Europe(2), of 8 September 2005 on natural disasters (fires and floods) in Europe(3), of 7 September 2006 on forest fires and floods(4) and its resolutions of 18 May 2006 on natural disasters (forest fires, droughts and floods) – agricultural aspects(5), regional development aspects(6) and environmental aspects(7),

–   having regard to the White Paper ‘Adapting to climate change: Towards a European framework for action’ (COM(2009)0147) and to the Communication from the Commission on a Community approach on the prevention of natural and man made disasters (COM(2009)0082),

–   having regard to the statement by the Commission on the major natural disaster in the autonomous region of Madeira of 24 February 2010,

–   having regard to Rule 110(4) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.   whereas a major natural disaster took place on 20 February 2010 in Madeira, with excessive and unprecedented rainfall, strong winds and very high waves causing the deaths of at least 42 people in Madeira, with several people missing, hundreds of people displaced and dozens of people wounded,

B.   whereas, on 27 and 28 February 2010, a massive, highly destructive storm called Xynthia hit western France, in particular the regions of Poitou-Charentes, Pays-de-la-Loire and Brittany, causing the deaths of almost 60 people, with several people missing and thousands left homeless,

C.   whereas a number of meteorological phenomena, especially the storm ‘Xynthia’, have also hit different regions in Spain, particularly the Canary Islands and the region of Andalucía, as well as Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and Portugal, and have caused several deaths and serious material damage,

D.   whereas the disaster caused great human suffering to the families of the victims and to the affected population,

E.   whereas the disaster caused destruction on a large scale, with considerable damage to public infrastructure – including roads, harbours, water supply, electricity, sanitation and telecommunications – as well to private buildings, commercial establishments, industry and agricultural land, and also damaged the natural and cultural patrimony; whereas in particular the damage to the water supply and sanitation may become a public-health threat,

F.   whereas the disaster is currently preventing people from resuming their normal lives and is likely to have a long-term economic and social impact,

G.   whereas there is a need to clean up and reconstruct the disaster-stricken areas as well as to recover their productive potential and to compensate for the social costs inflicted by the disaster,

H.   whereas it has become clear in recent years that problems with floods, storms and other extreme weather phenomena are likely to be increasingly frequent; whereas investment in mitigating climate change is also important in order to prevent catastrophes,

I.   whereas natural disasters have damaging economic and social consequences for regional economies, productive activity, aquaculture, tourism, the environment and biodiversity,

1.  Expresses its deepest sympathy and solidarity with the affected regions, regrets the serious economic consequences of these natural disasters and sends in particular its condolences to the families of the victims;

2.  Pays tribute to the search and rescue teams that have worked uninterruptedly to save people and limit the human and material damage;

3.  Calls on the Commission and the Member States to support those affected by the economic and social consequences of the disaster;

4.  Considers that the national, regional and local authorities should focus on effective prevention policies and pay more attention to adequate legislation and practices relating to reforestation programmes, land use, water management and efficient risk management, with respect, inter alia, to urban sea-front construction and the building of dykes, and in the areas of agriculture and forestry;

5.  Calls on the Commission, as soon as the governments of the countries concerned submit their respective requests, promptly to take all the action necessary to mobilise the European Union Solidarity Fund in the most urgent and flexible way and to the greatest possible extent;

6.  Calls on the Commission to take into account the specific nature of the individual regions affected, in particular the fragility of insular and outermost regions, with the aim of helping the victims of this disaster in the best possible way;

7.  Urges the Commission, in addition to mobilising the European Union Solidarity Fund, to be available and flexible as regards negotiating with the relevant authorities a revision of the RegionalOperational Programmes Intervir + (ERDF) and Rumos (ESF) and their French equivalents, as well as the section on Madeira of the Thematic Operational Programme for Territorial Enhancement, financed by the Cohesion Fund; calls on the Commission to proceed with the revision as soon as possible and to analyse the possibility of increasing the community cofinancing rate in 2010 for specific projects within the respective Operational Programmes, in conformity with the rules and ceilings set out in the General Regulation on Structural Funds 2007-2013 (Council Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006) and without calling into question the annual financial envelope allocated to the Member States in question;

8.  Reiterates that a new EUSF Regulation, based on a Commission proposal (COM(2005)0108), is imperative in order to address the problems caused by natural disasters in a more flexible and effective way; criticises the fact that the Council has blocked the dossier, in spite of the fact that Parliament adopted its position by an overwhelming majority at first reading in May 2006; urges the Spanish Presidency and the Commission to seek a solution without delay in order to reactivate the revision of this Regulation, with a view to creating a stronger and more flexible instrument which will be able to respond effectively to the new challenges of climate change;

9.  Calls on the Member States and the regions affected to set up sustainable restoration and rehabilitation plans for the affected areas; calls upon the Member States to consider the need for long-term investment in policies to prevent such disasters and limit their damage;

10.  Calls on the Member States to adapt to the consequences of climate change by complying with existing legislation through an integrated approach in all areas concerned;

11.  Insists on the need to translate the recommendations of the White Paper on adapting to climate change into concrete measures and to take steps to ensure that adapting to climate change becomes a reality within the European Union;

12.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments of the Member States and the Government of the Autonomous Region of Madeira.

(1) OJ C 297 E, 7.12.2006, p. 331. (2) OJ C 272 E, 13.11.2003, p. 471. (3) OJ C 193 E, 17.8.2006, p. 322. (4) Texts adopted, P6_TA(2006)0349. (5) Texts adopted, P6_TA(2006)0222. (6) Texts adopted, P6_TA(2006)0223. (7) Texts adopted, P6_TA(2006)0224.