What changed

A. whereas between 1 and 17 May 2023, the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy experienced extremely intense rainfall which led to flooding resulting in total direct damages estimated by the Italian authorities at EUR 8.5 billion;

B.A. whereas between 31 and 617 AugustMay 2023, Sloveniathe wasEmilia-Romagna impactedregion byof heavyItaly experienced extremely intense rainfall which led to floods across the countryflooding resulting in total direct damages ofestimated EURby 7.3the billionItalian accordingauthorities toat theEUR Commission;8,5 billion;

B. whereas between 3 and 6 August 2023, Slovenia was impacted by heavy rainfall which led to floods across the country and was its worst natural disaster to date, resulting in total direct damages of EUR 7,3 billion according to the Commission;

4. Highlights the increasing number of severe and destructive natural disasters in Europe and calls on Member States and the Commission to invest in climate mitigation and adaptation measures to avoid human and economic losses; considers that the budget of the EUSF or its equivalent should be expanded;expanded in view of the upcoming Commission proposal on the new Multiannual Financial Framework and subsequent inter-institutional negotiations; urges the Commission to increase the budget of the European Solidarity Reserve and Emergencyto Aidmake Reservesure (SEAR);that the overall amount of funding and the allocation modalities ensure the optimal effectiveness of the EUSF;

5. Stresses that the EUSF is only a curative instrument and that the Union should also continue to address climate change adaptation and mitigation by supporting European and national policies to prevent natural disasters; recalls in this regard the need for effective synergies with other Union policies and programmes and underlines that Member States should make best use of funding opportunities of the European Regional Development Fund; underscores however that assistance provided under the EUSF should not be to the detriment of European funding received by Member States under other Union programmes or policies;

5. Stresses that, due to climate change, islands and coastal regions are particularly vulnerable to natural calamities; acknowledges that phenomena such as earthquakes, floods, volcanic eruptions, and droughts - which also affect lakes and rivers - represent an increasing threat to many European regions, particularly those in the Mediterranean; questions whether the EUSF is adequately aligned with the emergency needs related to climate adaptation in these particularly fragile territories; therefore, believes that islands and coastal regions should receive adequate funding within the framework of the EUSF to address their specific vulnerabilities;

6. Recalls the importance of rapid and solid damage assessment that takes due account of the economic repercussions and calls for increased operational efforts to be made in order to reduce the average time for the release of advanced payments, while ensuring the Union budget is protected;

6. Stresses that the EUSF is only a curative instrument and that the Union should also continue to address climate change adaptation and mitigation by supporting European and national policies to prevent natural disasters; underlines that the EEA Report No 1/2024 ‘European Climate Risk Assessment’ warned that the bloc is unprepared for the effects of climate change and stresses the need for action to avoid that the climate risks identified reach critical levels; calls on the Member States and the Commission to deliver their contribution to achieve the objectives agreed at the Paris Climate Summit; recalls the need for effective synergies with other Union policies and programmes and underlines that Member States should make best use of funding opportunities in particular, of the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund +, the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund, the Cohesion Fund and the Rural development programmes; stresses also the need for preventive measures, not only to mitigate future damage but also to prevent the exacerbation of risk conditions following catastrophic events, such as wildfires, landslides or the drying up of lakes and rivers; underlines the importance of adequate flexibility between the different programmes; underscores that assistance provided under the EUSF should not be to the detriment of European funding received by Member States under other Union programmes or policies; recalls that Member States can grant state aid, in accordance with applicable Union rules, notably for agricultural businesses that have suffered damages due to natural disasters;

7. Recalls the importance of rapid and solid damage assessment that takes due account of the economic repercussions and calls for increased operational efforts to be made in order to reduce the average time for the release of advanced payments, while ensuring the Union budget is protected; calls on the Commission to further streamline the procedure and shorten the time required for the processing of the applications for the mobilisation of the EUSF, to accelerate response times and ensure that funds reach the affected regions promptly as natural disasters inflict significant damage that disrupts daily life and local economies; stresses the need for reasonable flexibility when recipient countries face justifiable delays and challenges in applying for and utilizing allocated funding; calls on Member States to take into consideration that vulnerable populations are particularly affected by natural disasters due to socio-economic factors further hampering their ability to recover;