EU Solidarity Fund:
supporting disaster recovery since 2002
“The EU Solidarity Fund is one of the most concrete expressions of EU solidarity. It provides longer-term financial support to Member States hit by natural disasters and brings relief to citizens and regions suffering from the consequences. It also reminds us about the importance of investing in prevention and climate mitigation, in line with the priorities of the European Green Deal.”
1. Supported countries
2. Types of disasters
2.1 Natural disasters
2.2 Health emergencies
3. Scale of the disasters
4. Applications and budget per year
5. Examples of support
2021: Volcano eruption in La Palma, Spain
2021: Deadly floods in Western Europe
2020-21: Earthquakes in Croatia
2020: Storm Alex in France
2020: Flash floods in Poland
2016-2017 earthquakes Italy - the biggest EUSF contribution
2015: Severe winter in Bulgaria
2014 : Flooding in Serbia
2012: Earthquakes in Italy
2007: Forest fires in Greece
6. Complementarity with EU investments in climate mitigation and risk prevention
The EUSF is a valuable instrument in the EU toolkit for interventions in
disaster situations. It brings the added value of the EU to the post-disaster
response in Member States and accession countries. However, it
intervenes only when the disaster has happened. Therefore, it is
important to invest in prevention and mitigation, in line with the European Green Deal. There
are significant synergies between EUSF and the funds of Cohesion Policy
(ERDF and Cohesion Fund). While EUSF addresses interventions in
specific situations of natural disasters in the short to medium term,
Cohesion Policy takes a more long-term perspective of strategic planning
and investments for civil protection, preventive infrastructure, and
preparedness, prevention and management of disaster risks.
7. More information
- EUSF Homepage
- Evaluation of the EUSF 2012-2016, May 2019, with Commission Staff Working Document and Consultants study with case 7 studies
Contact
- E-mail: EC-SOLIDARITY-FUND@ec.europa.eu
- Author: Inguna KRAMINA
- Text: February 2020 original / rev. February 2021/ rev. April 2023