Specific measures for additional assistance to Member States affected by natural disasters

PURPOSE: to provide regions hit by earthquakes, floods or other natural disasters with increased EU support.

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Regulation (EU) 2017/1199 of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 as regards specific measures to provide additional assistance to Member States affected by natural disasters.

CONTENT: in order to provide additional assistance to Member States affected by natural disasters, this Regulation amends Regulation (EU) 1303/2013 by introducing a separate priority strand within an operational programme, with a co-financing rate of up to 95 % to cover the European Regional Development Fund

(ERDF) investment priorities.

Operations benefitting from this measure should fulfil all of the following conditions:

·         they should be selected by managing authorities in response to major or regional natural disasters as defined in Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 establishing the European Union Solidarity Fund;

·         they should be aimed at reconstruction in response to the natural disaster; and

·         they should be supported under an ERDF investment priority.

Expenditure for operations under this priority axis shall be eligible from the date when the natural disaster occurred.

The amount allocated to the operations referred to in the first subparagraph shall not exceed 5% of the total ERDF allocation in a Member State for the 2014-2020 programming period.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 27.7.2017.

APPLICATION: from 1.1.2014.