Regulation (EU) 2020/461

PROPOSED ACT: Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council. ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the European Parliament decides in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure on an equal footing with the Council. BACKGROUND: since the first cases of the COVID-19 contagion, the EU has been working tirelessly to support the Member States and their citizens in addressing the crisis. The ARGUS crisis coordination mechanism of the Commission has been activated and a coordinating response team at political level has been established, composed of the five commissioners responsible for the most affected policies. The Commission considers it essential that the Union and its Member States act collectively to contain the spread of the virus and help patients, but also to counter the economic fallout. As part of this joint coordinated response, the EU Solidarity Fund ( EUSF ) can play an important role in showing EU solidarity to Member States in dealing with the emergency situation. The European Parliament adopted by 671 votes to 3, with 14 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 in order to provide financial assistance to Member States and to countries negotiating their accession to the Union that are seriously affected by a major public health emergency. The European Parliament adopted its position at first reading in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure. As an agreement was reached between Parliament and Council, Parliament's position corresponds to the final legislative act. The proposal aims at extending the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) to major public health emergencies. The EUSF was created to show solidarity with Member States facing a serious crisis caused by a major natural disaster which is deemed to exceed the budgetary response capacities of the affected Member States. Under the amending regulation, operations eligible under the Fund would be extended to include support in the event of a major public health emergency, including medical assistance, and measures to prevent, monitor or control the spread of diseases. Union assistance shall be complementary to the efforts of the States concerned and be used to cover a share of the public expenditure committed to dealing with the most essential emergency operations resulting from the emergency situation. For major public health emergencies, it is foreseen to set the threshold for access to the Fund at a minimum level of public expenditure related to the public financial burden imposed on the eligible State by the emergency measures of 0.3 % of GNI or EUR 1.5 billion (whichever is the lower), in 2011 prices, i.e. half of the threshold applicable to natural disasters. The measures shall unlock up to EUR 800 million for European countries in 2020. PURPOSE: to extend the scope of the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) to major public health emergencies in order to immediately tackle the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. LEGISLATIVE ACT: Regulation (EU) 2020/461 of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Regulation…

Official title: Regulation (EU) 2020/461 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 March 2020 amending Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 in order to provide financial assistance to Member States and to countries negotiating their accession to the Union that are seriously affected by a major public health emergency

Summary extracted from the European Parliament's own per-stage procedure record. Data © European Union (Decision 2011/833/EU). Methodology.