Source: European Parliament
The EU Solidarity Fund (EUSF) can only be activated at the request of Greece within 12 weeks as from the first damage occurred, demonstrating that the total direct damage exceeds the thresholds specified in Article 2 of Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002[1].
The EUSF may cover part of the costs for emergency and recovery operations incurred by public authorities. This includes, for example, the recovery of essential infrastructure, provision of temporary accommodation to the population, cleaning-up operations, and protection of cultural heritage. So far, Greece has not requested the EUSF assistance for this disaster.
With response remaining primarily a national competence, the Union Civil Protection Mechanism[2] is already prepositioning ground and aerial resources in forest fire-prone countries.
This summer, 240 firefighters from Bulgaria, Moldova, Malta and Romania were prepositioned in Greece from 1 July to 15 September 2024 to support the Greek response to forest fires. During the fire in Attica, 80 firefighters from Moldova, Malta and Romania have been immediately deployed as first responders.
Regarding aerial resources, the EU is financing, as of 15 June until end of October 2024, 75% stand-by costs of two Canadairs firefighting planes, two light scooping planes and one heavy helicopter located in Greece as part of the rescEU safety net response[3]. All these assets are available for a European response and primarily operate on the Greek territory.
In addition, the EU has signed a grant agreement with Greece for the purchase of two Canadairs that will complement the national response.
- [1] Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 of 11 November 2002 establishing the European Union Solidarity Fund (OJ L 311, 14.11.2002, p. 3) as amended by Regulation (EU) No 661/2014 of the European Parliament and the Council of 15 May 2014 (OJ L 189, 27.6.2014, p. 143) and by Regulation (EU) 2020/461 of the European Parliament and the Council of 30 March 2020 (OJ L 99, 31.3.2020, p. 9).
- [2] https://civil-protection-humanitarian-aid.ec.europa.eu/what/civil-protection/eu-civil-protection-mechanism_en#:~:text=In%20October%202001%2C%20the%20European%20Commission%20established%20the,to%20improve%20prevention%2C%20preparedness%2C%20and%20response%20to%20disasters
- [3] https://civil-protection-humanitarian-aid.ec.europa.eu/what/civil-protection/resceu_en