The present report presents the activities of the Fund in 2009 covering, as in previous reports, the treatment of pending and new applications and the assessment of implementation reports with a view to preparing these for closure.
In terms of the number of applications 2009 was one of the "quieter" years for the EU Solidarity Fund (EUSF). In all, only six applications for EUSF aid were made in the course of the year while in some previous years up to 19 applications had been presented. Four of the 2009 applications – relating to forest fires in the Attica region of Greece, to storms in Cyprus, to floods on the Greek island of Evia, and to mudslides in Sicily – were presented during the months of November and December so that their assessment could only be completed during 2010. These disasters were relatively small and assessed as not to be meeting the criteria for activating the Fund.