Decision (EU) 2017/340 on the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Germany

What it is

to mobilise the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) to provide assistance to Germany following a series of intense floods. PROPOSED ACT: ACT: Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council. CONTENT: Council Regulation (EU, EURATOM) No 1311/2013 lays down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2014-20201, and in particular the Article 10 thereof allows for the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund, within an annual ceiling of EUR 500 million (2011 prices), over and above the relevant headings of the financial framework. Germany : on 19 August 2016, Germany submitted an application to mobilise the Fund, following a series of extremely intense, short-lived cases of floods that affected the region of Niederbayern in May and June 2016. The Committee on Budgets adopted the report by Monika HOHLMEIER (EPP, DE) on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Germany. Members called on the Parliament to approve the decision annexed to the draft resolution. The proposal seeks to mobilise the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) to provide EUR 31 475 125 to Germany following the floods, affecting Lower Bavaria, especially the district of Rottal-Inn, in May and June 2016. The proposed mobilisation requires an amendment to the 2016 budget and a draft amending budget (N°6/2016), aiming at increasing budget article 13 06 01 'Assistance to Member States in the event of a major natural disaster with serious repercussions on living conditions, the natural environment or the economy' by EUR 31 475 125 both in commitment and in payment appropriations. The European Parliament adopted by 592 votes to 9, with 43 abstentions, a resolution on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Germany. NON-LEGISLATIVE ACT: Decision (EU) 2017/340 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Germany. The European Union Solidarity Fund aims to enable the Union to respond in a rapid, efficient and flexible manner to emergency situations in order to show solidarity with the population of regions struck by natural disasters. On 19 August 2016, Germany submitted an application to mobilise the Fund, following a series of extremely intense, short-lived cases of floods that affected the region of Niederbayern in May and June 2016. The application by Germany meets the conditions for providing a financial contribution from the Fund, as laid down in Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002. Therefore, the European Parliament and the Council decided to mobilise EUR 31 475 125 in commitment and payment appropriations, under the framework of the general budget of the Union for the financial year 2016, in order to assist Germany. ENTRY INTO FORCE: 28.2.2017. The Decision shall apply from 14.12.2016.

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