Today, the European Commission approved an advancement payment of EUR 11.6 million from the EU Solidarity Fund to support the French region Hauts-de-France in addressing the severe damages caused by heavy rainfall and rivers overflows in November 2023. The flooding resulted in numerous mudslides, road closures, significant economic losses and forced thousands of residents to leave their homes.
- 06 June 2024
On 24 January 2024, the Commission received an application from France for EUSF assistance to finance emergency and recovery operations following the floods, and the request for an advance payment.
Based on the assessment, the Commission concluded that the conditions for paying an advance from the EUSF are met. Therefore, the advance will amount to 25% of the anticipated total contribution.
The Commission’s implementing decision on this advance payment was adopted today, and the payment will be made in the coming days. As a next step, the Commission will propose the mobilisation of the EUSF assistance to the Budget Authority. The final amount of the assistance will be determined based on budgetary availabilities.
Additionally, the French authorities requested international assistance through the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism, with support offered by the Netherlands.
The EUSF helps Member States and accession countries to handle the financial burden caused by major natural disasters and health emergencies. Since 2002, the Fund mobilised over €8.6 billion for 130 disasters (110 natural disasters and 20 health emergencies) in 24 Member States (plus the UK), and 4 accession countries (Albania, Montenegro, Serbia and Türkiye).
France previously received over EUR 310 million of support from the EUSF for various disasters: floods in Gard in 2002 and in Vallée du Rhône in 2003, Cyclone Gamède in la Réunion and Hurricane Dean in Martinique in 2007, Storm Klaus in 2009, Storm Xynthia in 2010, Hurricanes Irma & Maria in Saint Martin and Guadeloupe 2017, and Storm Alex Provence-Alpes-Côtes d’Azur in 2020.