Sittings · Document

Draft report (2025/0318(BUD)) 2025-10-17

Mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Spain regarding the floods in the Valencia Region of Spain in October 2024 and France following the damages caused by cyclone Chido in Mayotte in December 2024 and cyclone Garance in Réunion in February 2025

Committee on Budgets

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Amendment 1

Angéline Furet, Julien Sanchez

Motion for a resolution

Citation 4

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

– having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 16 December 2020 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline, on cooperation in budgetary matters and on sound financial management, as well as on new own resources, including a roadmap towards the introduction of new own resources3 , and in particular point 10 thereof,

deleted

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3 OJ L 433 I, 22.12.2020, p. 28, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_interinstit/2020/1222/oj.

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Amendment 2

Nicolae Ștefănuță, Vicent Marzà Ibáñez

Motion for a resolution

Citation 11 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

– having regard to the Scientific advice for amending the European Climate Law prepared by the European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change,

Or. en

Amendment 3

Nicolae Ștefănuță, Vicent Marzà Ibáñez

Motion for a resolution

Citation 11 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

– having regard to the report by the Special Adviser to the President of the European Commission Sauli Niinistö - Safer Together - Strengthening Europe’s Civilian and Military Preparedness and Readiness,

Or. en

Amendment 4

Isabel Benjumea Benjumea

Motion for a resolution

Recital A a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

A a. whereas the estimation of the enormous impact of the storms and floods on the regions’ economy is of EUR 18 billion, affecting 63 industrial areas, 64,000 companies (99,6 % of which are SMEs), 250 000 workers, and 243 388 compensation claims, as stipulated by the studies presented by the regional government of Valencia and the Valencian Business Confederation;

Or. en

Amendment 5

Angéline Furet, André Rougé, Julien Sanchez, Rody Tolassy, Marie-Luce Brasier-Clain

Motion for a resolution

Recital B

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

B. whereas on 14 December 2024, the eye of a cyclone called Chido hit the island of Mayotte, France, and led to wind guests exceeding 180 kilometre per hour and heavy rainfall combined with high wave heights resulting in total direct damages estimated by the Commission at EUR 3,6 billion; whereas the cyclone affected 337 000 people and caused at least 39 fatalities; whereas 200 people are still missing;

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Amendment 6

Nicolae Ștefănuță, Vicent Marzà Ibáñez

Motion for a resolution

Recital C a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

C a. whereas mentioned above occurrences caused by severe natural disasters as a result of global climate change; whereas the European State of the Climate 2024 confirms that 2024 was the warmest year ever recorded in Europe;

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Amendment 7

Nicolae Ștefănuță, Vicent Marzà Ibáñez

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 2

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

2. Welcomes the decision as a tangible and visible form of the Union’s solidarity with its citizens and the regions in the affected areas;

2. Welcomes the decision as a tangible and visible form of the Union’s solidarity with its citizens and the regions in the affected areas, whilst these cannot replace the direct responsibility of local, regional and national authorities in preventing and managing climate-related natural disasters;

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Amendment 8

Isabel Benjumea Benjumea

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 3 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

3 a. Recalls that the EU Solidarity Fund (EUSF) has a limited budget and cannot be regarded as the sole instrument for addressing major natural disasters; calls therefore for an assessment of the Union budget’s financial capacity and for consideration of a possible increase in its resources; stresses the need of acceleration and simplification of all its procedures to ensure that aid reaches the affected areas as swiftly as possible;

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Amendment 9

Jean-Marc Germain

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

4. Highlights the increasing number of severe, destructive and deadly 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; calls on Member States to take into consideration that climate risks disproportionately affect vulnerable populations due to socio-economic factors; considers that the budget of the EUSF or its equivalent should be expanded in view of the Commission proposal on the new Multiannual Financial Framework and subsequent inter-institutional negotiations and that the EUSF or its equivalent must provide assistance commensurate to the magnitude of such disasters to citizens; notes that substantially increasing the EUSF would allow Member States to respond more effectively and quickly to disasters while other instruments, particularly cohesion funds whose primary purpose is not disaster response, could be preserved;

4. Highlights the increasing number of severe, destructive and deadly 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; calls on Member States to take into consideration that climate risks disproportionately affect vulnerable populations due to socio-economic factors as well as vulnerable territories such as outermost regions; considers it is essential to ensure a high level of democratic scrutiny by the budgetary authority of the European Solidarity Fund; notes that the proposed governance of the post-2027 successor of the European Solidarity Fund is not in line with the European Parliament’s position expressed in the INI report “A revamped long-term budget for the Union in a changing world"; considers that the EUSF successor should provide assistance commensurate to the magnitude of such disasters to citizens; notes that substantially increasing the EUSF would allow Member States to respond more effectively and quickly to disasters while other instruments, particularly cohesion funds whose primary purpose is not disaster response, could be preserved;

Or. en

Amendment 10

Angéline Furet, Julien Sanchez

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

4. Highlights the increasing number of severe, destructive and deadly natural disasters in Europe and calls on Member States and the Commission to invest in natural disaster prevention to avoid human and economic losses; calls on Member States to take into consideration that climate risks disproportionately affect vulnerable populations due to socio-economic factors; considers that the budget of the EUSF or its equivalent should be expanded in view of the Commission proposal on the new Multiannual Financial Framework and subsequent inter-institutional negotiations and that the EUSF or its equivalent must provide assistance commensurate to the magnitude of such disasters to citizens; notes that substantially increasing the EUSF would allow Member States to respond more effectively and quickly to disasters while other instruments, particularly cohesion funds whose primary purpose is not disaster response, could be preserved;

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Amendment 11

Nicolae Ștefănuță, Vicent Marzà Ibáñez

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

4. Underscores that the European continent is warming faster than the rest of the world and that the risks posed by climate change will grow more intricate and challenging to address over time; highlights the increasing number of severe, destructive and deadly natural disasters in Europe linked to climate change and its worsening effects; deplores that despite warnings expressed in the EEA Report No 1/2024 - European Climate Risk Assessment and Niinistö reports, the Union still lacks decisive action to prevent and mitigate harm from climate change; calls on Member States and the Commission to urgently increase investments in climate mitigation and adaptation as well as emergency preparedness measures to avoid human and economic losses; calls on Member States to take into consideration that climate risks disproportionately affect vulnerable populations due to socio-economic factors; considers that the budget of the EUSF or its equivalent should be expanded in view of the Commission proposal on the new Multiannual Financial Framework and subsequent inter-institutional negotiations and that the EUSF or its equivalent must provide assistance commensurate to the magnitude of such disasters to citizens; notes that substantially increasing the EUSF would allow Member States to respond more effectively and quickly to disasters while other instruments, particularly cohesion funds whose primary purpose is not disaster response, could be preserved;

Or. en

Amendment 12

Isabel Benjumea Benjumea

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

4. Highlights the increasing number of severe, destructive and deadly natural disasters in Europe and calls on Member States and the Commission to invest in climate mitigation, prevention, public infrastructures and adaptation measures to avoid human and economic losses; calls on Member States to take into consideration that climate risks and other natural disasters disproportionately affect vulnerable populations and small and medium enterprises due to socio-economic factors; considers that the budget of the EUSF or its equivalent should be expanded in view of the Commission proposal on the new Multiannual Financial Framework and subsequent inter-institutional negotiations and that the EUSF or its equivalent must provide assistance commensurate to the magnitude of such disasters to citizens; notes that substantially increasing the EUSF would allow Member States to respond more effectively and quickly to disasters while other instruments, particularly cohesion funds whose primary purpose is not disaster response, could be preserved; calls for effort to be made to ensure that EUSF aid reaches its final recipients promptly, including businesses, SMEs, families, and affected citizens, as well as infrastructure reconstruction and material damage repair, all with the corresponding impact assessment and appropriate control mechanisms;

Or. en

Amendment 13

Julien Sanchez, Angéline Furet

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

4 a. Notes that in the cases of La Réunion and Mayotte, the disasters identified by the Union as “regional disasters” gave rise to European aid under the Solidarity Fund (EUSF) amounting to 2,5 % of the total direct damage, and that in the case of Valencia, the disaster identified as a “major disaster” gave rise to 5,23 % of the total direct damage; observes that these aid rates are negligible given the scale of the challenges, as the total EUSF assistance for these three disasters barely exceeds EUR 1 billion, while the direct damages amount to over EUR 22 billion; points out that the weakness of these aid amounts is striking, especially considering the ease with which the Union simultaneously finds resources to assist non-member countries under the Neighbourhood Instrument, humanitarian aid, or other tailor-made special instruments, thereby giving citizens of the Union the absurd impression that the Union prefers to help others before helping its own, despite an already constrained budgetary context;

Or. en

Amendment 14

Angéline Furet, André Rougé, Julien Sanchez, Rody Tolassy, Marie-Luce Brasier-Clain

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

4 a. Recalls the structural problem of access to water that has existed in Mayotte for several years, exacerbated by the passage of cyclones Chido and Dikeledi, and whose resolution requires increased financial and infrastructural support from the Union; points out, moreover, that this problem concerns access to running water and, even more so, access to drinking water, and that the people of Mayotte have been subject to almost daily water rationing since 2023;

Or. en

Amendment 15

Jean-Marc Germain, Nora Mebarek

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

4 a. Stresses the specificity of a cyclone such as Chido given the unprecedented damage caused amid an already highly deteriorated and volatile economic and social situation; notes that the methodology for calculating the total amount of the aid could better take into account the ratio between the total direct damage and the GNI of the territory affected;

Or. en

Amendment 16

Angéline Furet, Julien Sanchez

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 5

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

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; underlines that EEA Report No 1/2024 ‘European Climate Risk Assessment’ warned that the Union is unprepared for the effects of climate change and stresses the need for action to avoid the climate risks identified reaching critical levels; calls on Member States and the Commission to take the necessary measures to bring the Union to achieve the commitments made in the Paris Agreement; 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+ and the rural development programmes; calls on the Commission to assess with due urgency any reasoned requests by Member States to reallocate funds within the National Recovery and Resilience plans to natural disaster assistance, in accordance with the rules laid down in Regulation (EU) 2021/241 of the European Parliament and of the Council10 ; 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 floods, 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 Union funding received by Member States under other Union policies or programmes; recalls that Member States can grant State aid, in accordance with the applicable Union rules, notably for agricultural businesses that have suffered damages due to natural disasters;

5. Stresses that the EUSF is only a curative instrument and that the Union should also support European and national policies to prevent natural disasters; 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+ and the rural development programmes; calls on the Commission to assess with due urgency any reasoned requests by Member States to reallocate funds within the National Recovery and Resilience plans to natural disaster assistance, in accordance with the rules laid down in Regulation (EU) 2021/241 of the European Parliament and of the Council10 ; 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 floods, 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 Union funding received by Member States under other Union policies or programmes; recalls that Member States can grant State aid, in accordance with the applicable Union rules, notably for agricultural businesses that have suffered damages due to natural disasters;

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10 Regulation (EU) 2021/241 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 February 2021 establishing the Recovery and Resilience Facility (OJ L 57, 18.2.2021, p. 17, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/241/oj).

Or. en

Amendment 17

Isabel Benjumea Benjumea

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 5

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

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; underlines that EEA Report No 1/2024 ‘European Climate Risk Assessment’ warned that the Union is unprepared for the effects of climate change and stresses the need for action to avoid the climate risks identified reaching critical levels; 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+ and the rural development programmes; calls on the Commission to assess with due urgency any reasoned requests by Member States to reallocate funds within the National Recovery and Resilience plans to natural disaster assistance, in accordance with the rules laid down in Regulation (EU) 2021/241 of the European Parliament and of the Council10 ; especially, when taking into account the high percentage of resources from this mechanism that are still unspent; considers for this reason, that Spain could request the reallocation of additional resources, beyond those already requested and approved, to support the reconstruction of the territories affected, just as France could also do so for the regions of Mayotte and Reunion; 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 floods, wildfires, landslides or the drying up of lakes and rivers; encourages the use of innovative digital tools, satellite data (e.g. Copernicus), and early-warning systems to enhance disaster preparedness; underlines the importance of adequate flexibility between the different programmes; underscores that assistance provided under the EUSF should not be to the detriment of Union funding received by Member States under other Union policies or programmes; recalls that Member States can grant State aid, in accordance with the applicable Union rules, notably for agricultural businesses that have suffered damages due to natural disasters;

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Or. en

Amendment 18

Nicolae Ștefănuță, Vicent Marzà Ibáñez

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 5

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

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 and sub-national policies to prevent natural disasters as well as underpinning the “build back better” principle in all its actions; highlights that tackling climate change requires an action worldwide; therefore urges the Union and Member States to put better efforts in promoting external climate action; underlines that EEA Report No 1/2024 ‘European Climate Risk Assessment’ warned that the Union is unprepared for the effects of climate change, even if the world manages to keep global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius, and stresses the need for action to avoid the climate risks identified reaching critical levels; calls on Member States and the Commission to take the necessary measures to bring the Union to achieve the commitments made in the Paris Agreement, including through intermediate 2040 targets recommended by the European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change in Scientific advice for amending the European Climate Law; 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+ and the rural development programmes; calls on the Commission to assess with due urgency any reasoned requests by Member States to reallocate funds within the National Recovery and Resilience plans to natural disaster assistance, in accordance with the rules laid down in Regulation (EU) 2021/241 of the European Parliament and of the Council10 ; 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 floods, wildfires, landslides or the drying up of lakes and rivers; further stresses the risks that climate change and extreme events such as heatwaves possess for the public health across Europe and calls on the Commissions to consider this aspect in their climate mitigation and adaptation policies; underlines the importance of adequate flexibility between the different programmes; underscores that assistance provided under the EUSF should not be to the detriment of Union funding received by Member States under other Union policies or programmes; recalls that Member States can grant State aid, in accordance with the applicable Union rules, notably for agricultural businesses that have suffered damages due to natural disasters;

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Or. en

Amendment 19

Nicolae Ștefănuță, Vicent Marzà Ibáñez

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 7

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

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 Member States to take into consideration that climate risks disproportionately affect vulnerable populations due to socio-economic, gender and age factors further hampering the ability of vulnerable groups to recover from disasters;

Or. en

Amendment 20

Angéline Furet, André Rougé, Julien Sanchez, Rody Tolassy, Marie-Luce Brasier-Clain

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 7

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

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, in order to ensure rapid and appropriate assistance to the affected populations, particularly the most vulnerable, while ensuring the Union budget is protected;

Or. en

Amendment 21

Jean-Marc Germain

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 7

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

7. Regrets that it takes an average of one year for the full amount of an EUSF grant to reach a beneficiary; 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;

Or. en

Amendment 22

Isabel Benjumea Benjumea

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 8

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

8. Stresses the urgent need to release immediate financial assistance through the EUSF to ensure that support can reach the affected regions in a timely manner;

8. Stresses the urgent need to release immediate financial assistance through the EUSF to ensure that support can reach the affected regions in a timely manner; 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 budgetary authority;

Or. en

Amendment 23

Jean-Marc Germain

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 8

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

8. Stresses the urgent need to release immediate financial assistance through the EUSF to ensure that support can reach the affected regions in a timely manner;

8. Stresses the urgent need to release immediate financial assistance through the EUSF to ensure that support can reach the affected regions in a timely manner to ensure a quick and long-lasting recovery;

Or. en

Amendment 24

Angéline Furet, Julien Sanchez

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 8

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

8. Stresses the urgent need to release immediate financial assistance through the EUSF to ensure that support can reach the affected regions in a timely manner;

8. Stresses the urgent need to release immediate financial assistance through the EUSF to ensure that support can reach the affected regions in a timely manner and to quickly rebuild all infrastructure;

Or. en