The Committee on Budgets adopted the report by Inese VAIDERE (EPP, LV) 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 for the payment of advances in the general budget of the Union for 2018.
The European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) was set up to enable the Union to respond to emergency situations caused by major natural disasters and to express European solidarity to disaster-stricken regions within Europe.
As a reminder, Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 provides that, where necessary in order to ensure the timely availability of budgetary resources, the Fund may be mobilised in an amount of up to EUR 50 million for the payment of advances, entering the corresponding appropriations into the general budget of the Union.
This proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council is not linked to a specific disaster.
Instead, it aims at entering into the general budget of the Union for 2018 the amount of EUR 50 million in commitment and payment appropriations for the payment of advances in a timely and efficient way in the event of a disaster occurring next year.
An advance can be granted at the request of a Member State and following a preliminary assessment of the respective EUSF application by the Commission. The amount of the advance should not exceed 10% of the financial contribution anticipated and not exceed EUR 30 million.
In order to minimise the time taken to mobilise the Fund, it is proposed that this Decision apply from the beginning of the 2018 financial year.
The committee recommended the mobilisation of EUR 50 million in commitment and payment appropriations for the payment of advances.