(*) The amount includes the payment of carried-over payment credits from 2022 – the EUSF assistance awarded to Belgium and Germany. However, the amount does not include advances paid in 2023.
Budget for 2021-2027
[notranslate]EUSFWeb:budg_01:pie[/notranslate]
Rationale and design of the programme
The European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF), created in 2002, is activated at the request of an eligible state when major national or regional natural disasters occur (such as earthquakes, floods, droughts, forest fires or storms) or in the case of a major public health emergency.
The EUSF brings EU added value to Member States and accession countries, notably because of its readiness to intervene with additional financial resources. Its financial contribution to post-disaster efforts to assist the affected population and help with reconstruction is greatly appreciated. Despite its limited size, the fund is widely recognised as a particularly tangible expression of EU solidarity and support. It is also highly visible and raises a great deal of interest among politicians and the media.
Solidarity is one of the fundamental values of the EU and a guiding principle of the European integration process. The EUSF turns solidarity into tangible aid for Member States and countries negotiating their accession to the EU if they are affected by a major national or regional natural disaster or a major public health emergency.
Climate change is causing more frequent and extreme weather events in Europe and around the world. The increasing number and scale of natural disasters in the past few years and the inclusion of health emergencies within the scope of the EUSF have created unprecedented demand and considerable budgetary pressure on the limited resources allocated to the EUSF in accordance with the 2021-2027 multiannual financial framework regulation. This, together with greater uncertainty about the available budget for the EUSF under the new Solidarity and Emergency Aid Reserve budgetary mechanism, has put a strain on the Fund, making it challenging to fully satisfy demand.
The available amount for the EUSF in 2023 was lower in absolute and relative terms than at the time of the Fund’s inception in 2002. When the EUSF was created, it had a maximum annual allocation of EUR 1 billion in current prices, which was maintained from 2002 to 2013.
In February 2023, two very large earthquakes caused EUR 78.8 billion of direct physical damage in Türkiye. This was the largest damage caused by a disaster following which a Member State or accession country applied for EUSF assistance in the history of the Fund. EUR 400 million from the 2023 EUSF budget was allocated to support Türkiye following this disaster.
The EUSF is designed to contribute to post-disaster relief in Member States and countries negotiating their accession to the EU that are confronted with devastating natural disasters or major public health emergencies.
The EUSF’s objective is to grant financial assistance to eligible states in the event of a major or regional natural disaster or a major public health emergency with serious repercussions on living conditions, the natural environment, or the economy. The fund’s resources can be used to finance emergency and recovery operations undertaken by public authorities in support of the affected population.
Support from the EUSF is used to cover part of public expenditure incurred in response to the disaster. The fund is designed in such a way that the amount of support is related to the size of the disaster. It also takes into account the country’s capacity to cope on its own with the financial burden triggered by the disaster.
The EUSF can (re-)finance public emergency and recovery operations from the very onset of the disaster or health emergency. In the case of a natural disaster, it can provide financing for restoring to working order infrastructure and plant in the fields of energy, water and waste water, telecommunications, transport, health and education; provide temporary accommodation; fund rescue services to help the affected population; and secure preventive infrastructure and cleaning-up operations. In the case of a health emergency, it can finance rapid assistance, including medical aid to the population, and protect the population from the risk of being affected, including by preventing, monitoring and controlling the spread of diseases, combating severe risks to public health or mitigating the impact on public health.
The EUSF is a targeted, flexible instrument aimed at assisting eligible States affected by major natural disasters and public health emergencies. As such EU-wide solidarity cannot be achieved by Member States alone on an ad hoc basis, a systemic, regular, and equitable method of granting assistance was developed at the EU level. Financial assistance from the EUSF is mobilised from appropriations raised by the European Parliament and the Council over and above the normal EU budget appropriations.
Eligibility is determined by total direct damage exceeding a threshold specific to each Member State or country negotiating their accession to the EU. It is set at the national level (major disasters) or at the regional level (regional disasters). The number and size of eligible disasters determine the amount of aid each year.
The total annual budgetary allocation to the fund laid down in the multiannual financial framework is a ceiling rather than a spending target. Disbursements from the fund are therefore not programmable, as they entirely depend on the unpredictable occurrence, nature, and magnitude of these disasters.
The Commission may not activate the EUSF on its own initiative. Financial assistance from the EUSF is mobilised from appropriations raised by the European Parliament and the European Council over and above the normal EU budget appropriations. This ensures that, in each case, the aid comes as an expression of solidarity with the full backing of Member States and the Parliament, not just as an administrative act by the Commission.
Once the appropriations become available in the EU budget, the Commission adopts a decision awarding aid to the affected state, which receives it immediately and in a single instalment. Once paid out, the affected state is responsible for the implementation, including the selection of operations and their audit and control. Emergency and recovery operations may be financed retroactively from day one of the disaster.
The Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy is the lead DG for EUSF implementation. EUSF assistance is implemented through shared management (indirect management for countries negotiating their accession to the EU). However, to minimise the administrative burden on countries struggling with a serious disaster and to maximise the budgetary effect, there are no programming or national co-financing requirements
Figure 1. Concise EUSF process
Figure 2. Graphic overview of the EUSF implementation structure and actors
The EUSF is a special instrument outside the normal EU budget. Its mobilisation requires the approval of the European Parliament and the Council. In the 2021-2027 multiannual financial framework, the EUSF will be financed through the Solidarity and Emergency Aid Reserve. The maximum annual amount of the reserve is EUR 1.2 billion (in 2018 prices).
According to Council Regulation 2024/765 of 29 February 2024 amending the multiannual financial framework (MFF) the annual allocation for the Solidarity and Emergency Aid Reserve (SEAR) was increased for the years 2024-2027. The SEAR shall be constituted of two instruments, the European Solidarity Reserve and the Emergency Aid Reserve (EAR) with a specific maximum annual allocation per instrument. The European Solidarity Reserve will provide assistance to respond to emergency situations resulting from disasters that are covered by the EUSF.
The maximum annual allocation of the European Solidarity Reserve between 2024-2027 is EUR 1 016 million (in 2018 prices).
In 2024 prices, the annual allocation for the EUSF is EUR 1 144.1 million.
- EUR 50 million is reserved for advance payments;
- The EUSF Regulation stipulates that 25% of the annual allocation (i.e. EUR 286 million for 2024) can be used only after 1 October.
Programme website:
Impact assessment:
- no impact assessment was carried out for the EUSF, however an ex post evaluation was completed in 2019 (https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/information-sources/publications/evaluations/2019/ex-post-evaluation-of-the-european-union-solidarity-fund-2002-2016_en).
Relevant regulation:
- Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 establishing the EUSF: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex%3A32014R0661;
- 2020 amendment (Regulation (EU) 2020/461): https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex%3A32020R0461.
Budget
Budget programming (million EUR):
[notranslate]EUSFWeb:budg_02:table[/notranslate]
As part of the Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative, the EUSF regulation was amended to include major public health emergencies. Regulation (EU) 2020/461 increased the percentage of the advance payments from 10% to a maximum of 25% of the anticipated financial contribution from the EUSF, limited to EUR 100 million (increased from the previous EUR 30 million).
In accordance with Article 9(3) of the multiannual financial framework regulation, the appropriations from the SEAR are entered in the general budget of the EU as a provision. Therefore, whenever there is a need to mobilise the EUSF, a transfer from the reserve line of the SEAR to the operational line of the EUSF is proposed to the budgetary authority (Article 31 of the financial regulation).
In addition, Article 4a(4) of the EUSF regulation requires an amount of EUR 50 million out of the total available amount to be inscribed in the general budget of a given financial year (in commitments and payments) for the payment of advances.
According to Council Regulation 2024/765 of 29 February 2024 amending the MFF the annual allocation for the Solidarity and Emergency Aid Reserve (SEAR) was increased for the years 2024-2027 and the EUSF and the Emergency Aid Reserve (EAR) were split with a guaranteed amount per instrument.
As a result, the annual budget of the EUSF and the EAR between 2024-2027 is:
- The European Solidarity Reserve (this is the budget line from which the EUSF is funded) will have an amount of EUR 1 016 million per year in total (in 2018 prices), i.e. the EUSF received an increase of EUR 216 million per year (in 2018 prices).
- The EAR will have an amount of EUR 400 million per year increased by EUR 108 million per year (in 2018 prices); i.e. EUR 508 million per year (in 2018 prices).
In 2024 prices, the annual allocation for the EUSF is EUR 1 144.1 million.
EUR 50 million is reserved for advance payments;
The EUSF Regulation stipulates that 25% of the annual allocation (i.e. EUR 286 million for 2024) can be used only after 1 October.
Budget performance – implementation
Annual voted budget implementation (million EUR) (1):
[notranslate]EUSFWeb:budg_04:table[/notranslate]
In 2023, the Commission finalised the assessment of four applications relating to natural disasters that occurred in 2022 and 2023: the ‘major natural disaster’ application from Romania relating to the drought in 2022; the ‘regional natural disaster’ from Italy regarding the flood in the Marche region in September 2022; the ‘major natural disaster’ application of Türkiye regarding the earthquakes of February 2023 and the ‘major natural disaster’ application of Italy regarding the floods in the Emilia Romagna region in May 2023. The Commission made a proposal based on the first three of these applications; while Italy (Emilia Romagna floods) will be treated in 2024.
As a result, based on the Commission’s proposal, over EUR 454 million of EUSF was awarded in 2023 to Romania, Italy (Marche flood) and Türkiye.
In terms of payments, over EUR 755 million was paid out in 2023 to four Member States: Germany (floods in 2021), Belgium (floods in 2021), Romania (drought in 2022) and Italy (Marche flood 2022). Belgium and Germany were awarded EUR 87 million and EUR 612 million, respectively, based on the budget authority’s mobilisation of the funds in December 2022. Accordingly, the payments were made in March and April 2023. Meanwhile, the payment of close to EUR 21 million to Italy (Marche flood) and close to EUR 34 million to Romania were made in December 2023. Türkiye received the EUR 400 million of EUSF assistance in April 2024.
In total, the Commission received five natural disaster applications in 2023:
- a ‘major natural disaster’ application from Türkiye relating to the earthquakes in February 2023;
- a ‘major natural disaster’ application from Italy following the floods in the Emilia Romagna region in May 2023;
- a ‘major natural disaster’ application from Slovenia regarding the floods in August 2023;
- a ‘neighbouring country disaster’ application from Austria for the same flooding event that hit Slovenia;
- and a ‘major natural disaster’ application from Greece related to the floods in September 2023.
The assessment of the Turkish and Italian applications were finalised, while the Slovenian, Austrian and Greek applications started at the end of 2023 and will continue in 2024.
Contribution to horizontal priorities
Green budgeting
Contribution to green budgeting priorities (million EUR):
[notranslate]EUSFWeb:budg_05:table[/notranslate]
- Due to its nature, the EUSF has no significant bearing on climate, clean air or biodiversity.
Gender
Contribution to gender equality (million EUR) (*):
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| Gender disaggregated information: |
|---|
| N/A |
Due to its nature, the EUSF has no specific bearing on gender equality.
Digital
Contribution to digital transition (million EUR):
[notranslate]EUSFWeb:budg_07:table[/notranslate]
- Due to its nature, the EUSF has no significant bearing on the digital transition.
Budget performance – outcomes
[notranslate]EUSFWeb:budg_09:table[/notranslate]
Link to file with complete set of EU core performance indicators
In 2023, the Commission mobilised assistance for the natural-disaster applications received in 2022.
- Applications from Romania (drought) and Italy (Marche region flood) in 2022. Neither Member State requested an advance payment. The Commission mobilised over EUR 54 million in total. Romania received over EUR 34 million, while Italy received over EUR 21 million.
- Over EUR 87 million for Belgium and over EUR 612 million for Germany (floods) was paid out at the beginning of 2023.
The Commission also granted Türkiye (earthquakes) EUR 400 million, paid in April 2024. The Commission granted Italy (Emilia Romagna region floods) and Slovenia (floods) advance payments of close to EUR 95 million and EUR 100 million, respectively. The payments were made in December 2023. The balance payment will be mobilised in 2024.
Sustainable development goals
Contribution to the sustainable development goals
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
| SDGs the programme contributes to | Example |
|---|---|
| SDG3 Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages | As part of the Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative, Regulation (EU) 2020/461 of the European Parliament and of the Council of March 2020 amended the EUSF regulation by including major public health emergencies within the scope of the EUSF. Since April 2020, EU Member States and accession countries have also been able to apply for support from the EUSF for public health emergency reasons, to alleviate the burden from the first-response measures |
| SDG10 Reduce inequalities within and among countries | Solidarity is one of the core values of the European Union and a guiding principle of the European integration process. The EUSF is an instrument designed to provide financial means expressing EU solidarity by contributing to post-disaster relief in Member States and accession countries confronted with devastating natural disasters and major public health emergencies. |
| SDG13 Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable | The EUSF contributes to post-disaster emergency relief in Member States and accession countries confronted with devastating natural disasters, which often can be seen as manifestations of climate change. |