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P10_TA(2026)0244

MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

Mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund: assistance to Romania, Cyprus and Spain with regard to natural disasters in 2025

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 Romania regarding the floods at the end of May 2025, Cyprus following the wildfires in July 2025 and Spain following the wildfires in August 2025

Committee on Budgets

(COM(2026)1002 – C100119/2026 – 2026/0120(BUD))

PE789.090

European Parliament resolution of 7 July 2026 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 Romania regarding the floods at the end of May 2025, Cyprus following the wildfires in July 2025 and Spain following the wildfires in August 2025 (COM(2026)1002 – C10-0119/2026 – 2026/0120(BUD))

– having regard to the Commission proposal to the European Parliament and the Council (COM(2026)1002 – C100119/2026),

11. Stresses the urgent need to release immediate financial assistance through the EUSF to affected citizens, families, businesses and local communities as rapidly as possible to ensure that support can reach Romania, Cyprus and Spain in a timely manner; urges also the Commission to explore all possible avenues for accelerating the mobilisation of the EUSF, in particular by amending current rules and granting higher advance payments to applicant countries; stresses the importance of reducing the time between the submission of an application for EUSF assistance and the financing decision; underlines the need to simplify and accelerate internal procedures without undermining the institutional balance, in particular the rights of the European Parliament as one arm of the budgetary authority;

12. Approves the decision annexed to this resolution;

12. Calls on the Commission to work closely with the Romanian authorities to support the swift reconstruction of the Praid Salt Mine and the affected surrounding communities, recognising its unique strategic importance for regional economic resilience, employment, tourism, public health, critical infrastructure and water-management infrastructure; calls, in this regard, for the full mobilisation of all relevant Union funding instruments and for the use of the maximum available flexibility under existing Union rules, in order to accelerate recovery, restore essential services, support the local economy and strengthen the long-term resilience of the region against future flood-related risks; given the scale of the challenges and their social and economic impact, calls on the Commission to identify additional financial instruments and solidarity mechanisms to support affected workers and regions, including greater flexibility in the use of Cohesion Policy funds, the mobilisation of the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers (EGF), and any other relevant Union financial instruments;

13. 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;

13. Approves the decision annexed to this resolution;

14. Instructs its President to forwardsign thisthe resolution,decision includingwith itsthe annex,President toof the Council and arrange for its publication in the Commission.Official Journal of the European Union;

15. 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

It shall apply from [the date of its adoption]*.

Done at Brussels,

For the European Parliament For the Council

The President The President

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

The Commission proposes to mobilise the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) in accordance with Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 for an amount of EUR 144 099 756 to provide assistance to Romania following the floods at the end of May 2025, Cyprus following the wildfires in July 2025 and Spain following the wildfires in August 2025.

Romania – regional natural disaster: floods starting on 27 May 2025

Between 26 May and early June 2025, Romania experienced several days of heavy rains which led to flooding in the Centru, Sud Muntenia and Nord Est regions. The most severe damage was recorded at the Praid Salt Mine, where flood water from the Corund river dissolved part of the riverbed, severely damaging the hydrotechnical infrastructure of the area and penetrating into the mine. The flooding compromised the stability of the salt support pillars and endangered the structural integrity of the site. In other parts of the affected regions, hail and strong winds caused widespread infrastructure damage, while public services were disrupted and thousands of households were left without electricity.

The Romanian authorities estimated the total direct damage caused by the disaster at EUR 573.59 million. According to the Commission, the direct damage expressed as a percentage of the weighted regional GDP of the affected regions amounted to 1.8%, which exceeds the 1.5% threshold applicable to regional natural disasters under Article 2(3) of the EUSF Regulation. The disaster therefore qualifies as a regional natural disaster within the meaning of the Regulation.

Cyprus – major natural disaster: wildfires in July 2025

During the summer of 2025, Cyprus experienced a combination of prolonged drought, extreme heatwaves and strong winds which created the conditions for unprecedented wildfires in the Limassol and Pafos regions in July. The fires forced thousands of residents to evacuate, caused the closure or reduction of services in several schools and health establishments, destroyed close to 900 private properties and led to at least 2 fatalities. The Cypriot authorities also requested support through the Union Civil Protection Mechanism, and Greece provided a ground forest firefighting module in response.

The Commission accepted total direct damage of EUR 252.68 million as plausible. This amount exceeds the threshold applicable to Cyprus for a major natural disaster, corresponding to 0.6% of GNI, which was EUR 170.05 million in 2025. The disaster therefore qualifies as a major natural disaster under Article 2(2) of the EUSF Regulation.

Spain – major natural disaster: wildfires in August 2025

In August 2025, Spain experienced a third and most destructive wave of severe wildfires following a summer marked by prolonged drought, extreme heatwaves and multiple fire outbreaks. The fires affected 16 Autonomous Communities, caused major environmental, social and economic damage, destroyed livelihoods particularly in rural areas and led to numerous evacuations. The Spanish authorities also requested assistance through the Union Civil Protection Mechanism, with support provided by nine Member States. The wildfires caused at least 8 fatalities.

The Spanish authorities estimated the total direct damage at EUR 4 318.27 million. The Commission considered this amount to exceed the threshold applicable to Spain for a major natural disaster, namely EUR 3 958.44 million in 2025. The disaster therefore qualifies as a major natural disaster under Article 2(2) of the EUSF Regulation.

Conclusion

The methodology for calculating EUSF aid was set out in the 2002–2003 Annual Report on the EUSF and accepted by the European Parliament and the Council. The EUSF contribution may not exceed the estimated total cost of eligible operations. Applying the methodology outlined above, the Commission has evaluated the EUSF aid in response to the three applications submitted by Romania, Cyprus and Spain, and therefore proposes to the budget authority to mobilise the following amounts:

Disaster

Total direct

damage

Applied

threshold

2.5% of total direct damage [up to the threshold for major disasters]

6% of total direct damage [above the threshold for major disasters]

Proposed EUSF aid

Advance payments

Balance to be paid

(EUR)

(EUR)

(EUR)

(EUR)

(EUR)

(EUR)

(EUR)

Romania – floods

573,587,000

477,819,000

14,339,675

NA

14,339,675

not requested

14,339,675

regional disaster

Cyprus – wildfire

252,680,561

170,046,000

4,251,150

4,958,074

9,209,223

2,317,465

6,891,758

major disaster

Spain – wildfire

4,318,268,632

3,958,436,000

98,960,900

21,589,958

120,550,858

30,137,714

90,413,144

major disaster

TOTAL

144,099,756

32,455,179

111,644,577

Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 2020/2093 of 17 December 2020 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2021-2027 (hereafter ‘the MFF Regulation’), allows for the mobilisation of the EUSF in the context of the Solidarity and Emergency Aid Reserve (SEAR). Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/765 (hereafter the amended MFF Regulation’) split the SEAR in two separate instruments: the European Solidarity Reserve and the Emergency Aid Reserve.

The European Solidarity Reserve with an annual amount of EUR 1 016 million in 2018 prices (corresponding to EUR 1 190.4 million in 2026 prices) will be used for assistance to respond to emergency situations covered by the EUSF. Point 10 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 16 December 2020 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline, on cooperation on budgetary matters and on sound financial management as well as on new own resources, including a roadmap towards the introduction of new own resources, lays down the modalities for the mobilisation of the EUSF in the context of the SEAR.

In order to avoid an early depletion of the annual allocation, Article 3(7) of the EUSF Regulation and Article 9(2), second subparagraph of the amended MFF Regulation stipulate that 25% of the annual EUSF allocation must remain available on 1 October of each year (end-of-year-cushion). In 2026, this amount corresponds to EUR 297.6 million.

Moreover, according to Article 4a(4) of the EUSF Regulation, the amount of EUR 50 million has already been inscribed in the General Budget 2026 (in commitments and payments) for the payment of possible advances. Both Cyprus and Spain requested and were granted advance payments of EUR 2.32 million and EUR 30.14 million, respectively.

In accordance with Article 9(2) of the amended MFF Regulation, any portion of the annual amount not used in a given year n may be used up to year n+1. The amount of EUR 21.3 million has been carried over from 2025 to 2026, of which EUR 20.85 million are available for the payment of possible advances9.

In conclusion, the total available amount on the reserve line before 1 October is EUR 843.25 million (excluding advances and end-of-year cushion), which is sufficient to cover the proposed amount for mobilisation.

Available EUSF resources in 2026 (EUR)

Total annual allocation in 2026

1,190,405,931

Carry-over from 2025 incl. unused advances (+)

21,304,355

End-of-year cushion, available after 1 October (-)

297,601,483

Total amount currently available before 1 October, of which:

914,108,803

Amount to be used for possible advances

70,854,849

o Amount available for the current mobilisation decision

843,253,954

o Amount proposed for mobilisation, only balance to be paid

111,644,577

Remaining amount for future applications incl. advances and end-of-year cushion

1,100,065,709

The rapporteur supports the swift adoption of the Commission proposal for a decision annexed to this report and the rapid release of the corresponding financial assistance, as a sign of European solidarity with Romania, Cyprus and Spain.

The rapporteur calls on the Commission that this financial contribution should be delivered with particular urgency.

ANNEX: DECLARATION OF INPUT

The rapporteur declares under his exclusive responsibility that he did not include in his report input from interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register, or from representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies, to be listed in this Annex pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure.

INFORMATION ON ADOPTION BY THE COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

Date adopted

23.6.2026

Result of final vote

+:

–:

0:

31

0

0

FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL BY THE COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

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