Source: European Parliament
In the context of the devastating floods in eastern Spain, Spain proactively requested the activation of the EU Copernicus satellite mapping system[1] on 29 October 2024 and over 80 satellite maps have been produced.
Spain also activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism[2] on 8 November 20 24 and s everal other Member States offered support in that framework. The Commission also deployed two liaison officers.
Spain can also apply for a financial contribution from the EU Solidarity Fund[3]. If and when adopted by co-legislators, Spain may also benefit from the flexibilities proposed under the cohesion policy framework in the framework of the recent legislative proposal on the Regional Emergency Support to Reconstruction[4].
Within the European Social Fund Plus[5], flexibilities are proposed to provide immediate support for food and basic assistance, access to healthcare and financing of short-time work schemes .
Support may be provided from other EU funding instruments, such as those under the common agricultural policy[6] including the mobilisation of the Agricultural Reserve or under the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development[7] for which the recent legislative proposal[8] also provides additional liquidity support to farmers, forest holders and small and medium-sized enterprises affected by natural disasters, still to be implemented under the Rural Development Programmes 2014 — 2022.
The recovery and resilience plan of Spain can also be modified in line with the procedures of the Recovery and Resilience Facility[9] to introduce measures covering reconstruction efforts.
It is the prerogative of the Member State concerned to decide whether and when to request EU assistance.
- [1] https://emergency.copernicus.eu/mapping/#zoom=2&lat=13.56036&lon=33.82273&layers=0BT00
- [2] https://civil-protection-humanitarian-aid.ec.europa.eu/what/civil-protection/eu-civil-protection-mechanism_en
- [3] https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/funding/solidarity-fund_en
- [4] Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council RESTORE — Regional Emergency Support to Reconstruction amending Regulation (EU) 2021/1058 and Regulation (EU) 2021/1057, COM(2024) 496 final.
- [5] https://european-social-fund-plus.ec.europa.eu/en
- [6] https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/common-agricultural-policy_en
- [7] https://commission.europa.eu/funding-tenders/find-funding/eu-funding-programmes/european-agricultural-fund-rural-development-eafrd_en
- [8] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=COM%3A2024%3A495%3AFIN
- [9] https://commission.europa.eu/business-economy-euro/economic-recovery/recovery-and-resilience-facility_en