Five EU countries to receive €1 billion in European aid for 2023 floods

BRUSSELS, September 23 () –

The European Parliament’s Budget Committee has given the green light to the release of just over 1 billion euros to help in the recovery of areas devastated by the 2023 floods in Italy, Slovenia, Greece, France and Austria.

The support comes from the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) and will be used to finance part of the emergency costs and recovery operations that the five Member States in question had to assume between summer and autumn of last year, for example repairing infrastructure or protecting heritage.

In their decision, MEPs pointed out the “increasing number of serious and destructive natural disasters in Europe” and warned that “the EUSF budget or its equivalent should be increased in view of the Commission’s forthcoming proposal on the new multiannual financial framework.”

Slovenia, with 428.4 million euros, is the country that will receive the most funds to cover the cost of recovering from the damage caused by the floods in August 2023; followed by Italy, with 378.8 million for the floods in Emilia Romagna in May of the same year and another 67.8 million for the damage in Tuscany between October and November. In addition, Greece will receive 101.5 million euros, France will receive 46.7 million and Austria another 5.2 million.

Following approval by the parliamentary committee with the support of 30 votes in favour, 2 against and one abstention, the aid will be definitively approved next October when it is formally adopted by the plenary session of the European Parliament.