EU Solidarity Fund: Aid for Germany after the floods in Bavaria now approved

In May and June 2016, the region of Niederbayern (Lower Bavaria) in Germany was affected by heavy spells of rainfall triggering rivers to burst their banks and flooding in several villages. The disaster caused damage to public infrastructure and buildings, private homes, businesses and farmland. On 14 October 2016, following an application by German authorities, the Commission proposed aid from the EU Solidarity Fund (EUSF) of €31.5 million which was intended to help restore essential infrastructure, reimburse the cost of emergency measures and cover the costs of some of the clean-up operations. Following the approval by the European Parliament and by the Council, the Commission has yesterday adopted the corresponding decision to disburse €31.5 million from the EU Solidarity Fund to Germany. The EU Solidarity Fund was set up to support EU Member States by offering financial support after natural disasters, either at national or regional level. The Fund was created in the wake of the severe floods in Central Europe in the summer of 2002. It supplements Member States' public expenditure to finance essential emergency operations undertaken by the authorities. Since the creation of the Fund in 2002, over €1 billion has been granted to Germany in EUSF assistance. More information on the EU Solidarity Fund (EUSF) and on ESI Funds in Germany is available here.