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MEPs called on the EU to quickly help countries affected by the floods

by AI | 19.Sep 2024 | Europe in brief AI

MEPs call in the resolution for more flexible provision of finances from the EU Solidarity Fund, which flood-affected states can apply for.

MEP Danuše Nerudová at the plenary session of the European Parliament. Photo EP/ Laurie Dieffembacq

Strasbourg – The European Union should quickly provide financial aid to Central European countries, including the Czech Republic, which have been hit by devastating floods. This was agreed upon today by the Members of the European Parliament in a resolution, also calling for long-term investments in flood prevention and other extreme climatic events. The MEPs in the resolution call for more flexible provision of funds from the Union’s solidarity fund, which can be requested by countries affected by floods.

“From past cases, it is more than clear that the EU has enormous difficulty in providing the requested financial resources quickly. And it is true: he who gives quickly, gives twice,” said the Czech member of the largest conservative faction in the EP Danuše Nerudová (STAN), who contributed to the preparation of the resolution.

The EU created the fund in 2002 in response to the catastrophic floods that hit Central Europe at that time. Since then, member and partner states have used it on more than 130 occasions and received more than 8.2 billion euros (205 billion crowns) in total from it. However, MPs are bothered by the long administrative process, which can take several months, during which the affected areas have to wait for their money. Therefore, the Parliament called on the European Commission to find ways to accelerate the release of funds from the fund and to be flexible in processing state requests.

MPs also want more money to be allocated to prevention of extreme events associated with climate change, especially for the most affected regions, within the regional funds in the next multi-year EU budget. They called on the commission to promptly present concrete proposals from the long-term plan to adapt the EU to climate change, which EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has identified as one of the priorities for the upcoming five-year term. (September 19)