Brussels, 18 December 2024
The Council today adopted a set of two regulations aimed at helping member states affected by natural disasters. The measures are a direct response to the devastating floods and wildfires that ravaged Central, Eastern and Southern Europe this autumn.
The regulation on Regional Emergency Support to Reconstruction (RESTORE) will ensure that EU cohesion policy funds can rapidly and flexibly be mobilised to assist the affected member states in post-disaster recovery and rebuilding efforts.
The amendments to the regulation governing the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) will give member states more flexibility to provide emergency support and targeted liquidity to farmers, forest holders, and related businesses affected by natural disasters.
Both regulations were adopted by the Council by written procedure.
Main elements
RESTORE regulation
The RESTORE regulation amends the regulation governing the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Cohesion Fund, and the regulation establishing the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) for the 2021-2027 programming period, to enable member states to reprogramme funds for RESTORE priorities. It offers additional assistance for member states affected by natural disasters occurring in 2024 and 2025, covering measures such as repairing damaged infrastructure and equipment, and providing food and basic material assistance and social and healthcare support.
Such measures will benefit from an increased maximum co-financing rate of 95%, along with an additional pre-financing rate of 25% to help ease the budgetary pressure on the impacted member states.
The overall resources available for reprogramming under RESTORE are capped at 10% of the initial total national allocation for the ERDF and ESF+.
European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development
The regulation concerning the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development will enable member states to reallocate unused 2014-2020 funds via a modification of their rural development programmes.
This will permit them to swiftly provide emergency assistance to farmers, forest holders, and small and medium-sized enterprises in those sectors that have been affected by climate-related disasters that have occurred since 1 January 2024.
The assistance can be 100% financed through unused EU funds from the 2014-2020 EAFRD, coming in the form of lump sums of up to €42 000 per beneficiary.
Moreover, member states will have the flexibility to introduce and reinforce measures to restore the production potential of affected farms and forests.
The measures do not modify existing budgetary commitments, and thus will not have an impact on the EU budget.
Next steps
Today’s adoption marks the final step in the legislative process. The RESTORE regulation will enter into force on the day following the date of its publication in the Official Journal, while the amendments to the regulation governing the EAFRD will enter into force on the date of its publication in the Official Journal.
Once the regulations have entered into force, the member states concerned will be able to remobilise funding to deal with recent disasters, based on their specific needs. They will then be required to submit programme amendments to the Commission for review and adoption.
Background
The Commission published its proposals for the regulations on 21 October 2024.
The Council and the Parliament have fast-tracked their work and consultations, in order to finalise the EU support measures for the affected member states as soon as possible, and to enable member states to swiftly support affected citizens.
The European Parliament approved the regulations as agreed with the Council yesterday.
- RESTORE regulation
- Amendments to the regulation governing the EAFRD
- Assistance to member states affected by natural disasters: Council agrees its position on the RESTORE proposal (press release, 27 November 2024)
- Assistance to member states affected by natural disasters: Council gives go-ahead to proposal (press release, 12 November 2024)
Source – EU Council