European Commission has adopted a draft amending budget on 2 May 2013 to cover aid package from the EU Solidarity Fund (EUSF) of over EUR 14.6 million in response to serious flooding in Slovenia in October and November 2012. Neighbouring countries Austria and Croatia also suffered lesser damages as a direct result of the floods and will benefit from the grant in order to fund their emergency operations in the aftermath of the disaster.

Intense rainfall in autumn 2012 caused the rivers in the area to burst their banks, flooding wider parts of northern Slovenia as well as on the territory of Croatia. In Austria the town of Lavamünd on the Lavant river was particularly affected. The Commission's analysis found that the flooding in all three countries was caused by a single underlying meteorological condition. This allows the EUSF to be mobilised not only for the major disaster in Slovenia, but exceptionally for the affected neighbouring countries as well.

In line with the rules of the Solidarity Fund, the Commission proposes a total of EUR 14.6m to be granted to the three countries, of which EUR 14.08m for Slovenia, EUR 286,587 for Croatia and EUR 240,000 for Austria.

More information
Draft amending budget No 5 of the European Union for the financial year 2013: Documents