On May 27, the European Commission requested €280 million in financial support from the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) to support the recovery of several EU and non-EU states from devastating floods in the fall of 2024,
The proposed financial assistance is distributed as follows: €42.8 million for Austria, €114 million for the Czech Republic, €76 million for Poland, €2.1 million for Slovakia, €45.7 million for Bosnia and Herzegovina and €195,200 for Moldova.
As the EU’s main instrument for disaster relief, the EUSF will finance various aspects of post-disaster recovery, including repairing damaged infrastructure, protecting affected populations, such as temporary shelter, and improving preventive infrastructure. It will also support the protection of cultural heritage sites.
The Central Europe 2024 floods triggered by Hurricane Boris brought unprecedented amounts of rainfall, leading to widespread flooding that began in Austria and the Czech Republic in September and then spread to Poland and other regions of Central Europe. These were followed in early October by flash floods and severe landslides in central Bosnia and Herzegovina, causing significant damage and loss of life.
The proposal must be approved by both the European Parliament and the Council, after which the Commission will finalize the decisions needed to provide financial assistance in a single tranche.
