Text · Report parliamentary committee draft
On the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Romania regarding the floods at the end of May 2025, Cyprus following the wildfires in July 2025 and Spain following the wildfires in August 2025
Full title
On the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Romania regarding the floods at the end of May 2025, Cyprus following the wildfires in July 2025 and Spain following the wildfires in August 2025
Document BUDG-PR-789090 · COM(2026)1002 – C100119/2026 – 2026/0120(BUD)
- Kind
- Report parliamentary committee draft BUDG-PR-789090
- Date
- 1 June 2026
- Committee
- Committee on Budgets
- Rapporteur
- Bogdan Rzońca
- Dossier
- 2026/0120(BUD)
More facts (3)
- Formats
- Official page PDF Word
- Subject matter
- FIN, PREG
- Reference
- COM(2026)1002 – C100119/2026 – 2026/0120(BUD)
In short
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This draft report concerns the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund to assist Romania, Cyprus and Spain after natural disasters. It approves the Commission's proposal and calls for swift assistance and preventive measures.
Position. The rapporteur proposes that Parliament approve the Commission's proposal for a decision on mobilising the European Union Solidarity Fund for Romania, Cyprus and Spain.
Key points
- Expresses solidarity with victims and authorities in Romania, Cyprus and Spain affected by floods and wildfires.
- Welcomes the decision as a tangible form of Union solidarity and stresses the importance of communicating its benefits.
- Calls on Member States and the Commission to invest in adaptation measures and take necessary actions to meet Paris Agreement commitments.
- Underlines the need for preventive measures and flexibility between programmes to address climate risks.
- Recalls that RESTORE and EAFRD measures provide additional assistance and urges Member States to use these opportunities.
- Calls for synergies with other EU funds and for the Commission to assess requests to reallocate funds within National Recovery and Resilience plans.
- Stresses that EUSF assistance should not reduce other EU funding and recalls State aid rules for agricultural businesses.
- Calls for rapid damage assessment and reduced time for advanced payments, and urges the Commission to accelerate EUSF mobilisation.
- Stresses the urgent need for immediate financial assistance to reach Romania, Cyprus and Spain.
- Approves the decision annexed to the resolution.
Who is affected
- Victims and authorities in Romania, Cyprus and Spain affected by floods and wildfires.
- Member States and the Commission are called to invest in adaptation and prevention measures.
- Agricultural businesses in affected member states may receive State aid under Union rules.
Figures and deadlines
- EUR 573,59 million: estimated direct damage from floods in Romania.
- EUR 252,68 million: estimated direct damage from wildfires in Cyprus.
- EUR 4,32 billion: estimated direct damage from wildfires in Spain.
Legal basis. Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 establishing the European Union Solidarity Fund, and Article 9 of Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2093 laying down the multiannual financial framework.
Text
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Motion for a european parliament resolution
–having regard to the Commission proposal to the European Parliament and the Council (COM(2026)1002 – C100119/2026),
–having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 of 11 November 2002 establishing the European Union Solidarity Fund,
–having regard to Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2093 of 17 December 2020 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2021 to 2027, and in particular Article 9 thereof,
–having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 16 December 2020 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline, on cooperation in budgetary matters and on sound financial management, as well as on new own resources, including a roadmap towards the introduction of new own resources, and in particular point 10 thereof,
–having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/1058 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2021 on the European Regional Development Fund and on the Cohesion Fund,
–having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/1057 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2021 establishing the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+),
–having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/2115 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 2 December 2021 establishing rules on support for strategic plans to be drawn up by Member States under the common agricultural policy (CAP Strategic Plans) and financed by the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF) and by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and repealing Regulations (EU) No 1305/2013 and (EU) No 1307/2013,
–having regard to its resolution of 17 December 2024 on RESTORE – Regional Emergency Support to Reconstruction amending Regulation (EU) 2021/1058 and Regulation (EU) 2021/1057, and in particular the budgetary assessment attached to it,
A. whereas, between 26 May and early June 2025, Romania was struck by heavy rains that caused severe flooding in the Centru, Sud Muntenia and Nord Est regions of Romania, resulting in total direct damage estimated by the Commission at EUR 573,59 million and affecting critical infrastructure, public services and thousands of households; whereas the floods caused extensive damage to the Praid Salt Mine and related hydrotechnical infrastructure;
B. whereas, in July 2025, Cyprus was hit by unprecedented wildfires in the Limassol and Pafos regions following prolonged drought, extreme heatwaves and strong winds, resulting in total direct damage estimated by the Commission at EUR 252,68 million; whereas the wildfires affected thousands of residents, destroyed close to 900 private properties and caused at least 2 fatalities;
C. whereas, in August 2025, Spain suffered a third wave of severe wildfires, with total direct damage estimated by the Commission at EUR 4,32 billion; whereas the fires affected 16 Autonomous Communities, caused major environmental, social and economic damage, and resulted in at least 8 fatalities;
1. Expresses its deepest solidarity with all the victims, their families and all the individuals affected by the floods in Romania in late May and early June 2025, as well as by the wildfires in Cyprus in July 2025 and in Spain in August 2025, and with the national, regional and local authorities involved in the relief efforts;
2. Welcomes the decision as a tangible and visible form of the Union’s solidarity with the citizens and regions affected by the floods and wildfires in Romania, Cyprus and Spain;
3. Reiterates the importance of communicating to the public the tangible benefits brought about by the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF), also to further increase citizens’ awareness of Union tools and programmes;
4. Highlights the increasing number of severe, destructive and deadly natural disasters in Europe and calls on Member States and the Commission to invest in adaptation measures to avoid human and economic losses;
5. Stresses that the EUSF is only a curative instrument and that the Union should also continue to address climate change adaptation and mitigation by supporting European and national policies to prevent natural disasters; underlines that EEA Report No 1/2024 ‘European Climate Risk Assessment’ stresses the need for action to avoid the climate risks identified reaching critical levels; calls on Member States and the Commission to take the necessary measures to bring the Union to achieve the commitments made in the Paris Agreement; stresses also the need for preventive measures, not only to mitigate future damage but also to prevent the exacerbation of risk conditions following catastrophic events, such as floods, wildfires, landslides or the drying up of lakes and rivers; underlines the importance of adequate flexibility between the different programmes;
6. Recalls that RESTORE and the specific measures under the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) provide additional assistance to Member States affected by natural disasters through further flexibilities in the use of the funds; stresses that Member States should make use of these opportunities;
7. Recalls the need for effective synergies with other Union policies and programmes and underlines that Member States should make best use of funding opportunities in particular, of the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund+ and the rural development programmes; calls on the Commission to assess with due urgency any reasoned requests by Member States to reallocate funds within the National Recovery and Resilience plans to natural disaster assistance, in accordance with the rules laid down in Regulation (EU) 2021/241 of the European Parliament and of the Council;
8. Underscores that assistance provided under the EUSF should not be to the detriment of Union funding received by Member States under other Union policies or programmes; recalls that Member States can grant State aid, in accordance with the applicable Union rules, notably for agricultural businesses that have suffered damages due to natural disasters;
9. Recalls the importance of rapid and solid damage assessment that takes due account of the economic repercussions and calls for increased operational efforts to be made in order to reduce the average time for the release of advanced payments, while ensuring the Union budget is protected; urges also the Commission to explore all possible avenues for accelerating the mobilisation of the EUSF;
10. Stresses the urgent need to release immediate financial assistance through the EUSF to ensure that support can reach Romania, Cyprus and Spain in a timely manner;
12. Instructs its President to sign the decision with the President of the Council and arrange for its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union;
Back matter, 1
Parts that accompany the text rather than belong to it: explanatory statement, annexes, opinions appended by other committees. Collapsed.
Annex: decision of the european parliament and of the council 51 blocks
on the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Romania regarding the floods at the end of May 2025, Cyprus following the wildfires in July 2025 and Spain following the wildfires in August 2025
Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 of 11 November 2002 establishing the European Union Solidarity Fund and in particular Article 4(3) thereof,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2093 of 17 December 2020 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2021 to 2027, and in particular Article 9 thereof,
Having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 16 December 2020 between the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission on budgetary discipline, on cooperation in budgetary matters and on sound financial management as well as on new own resources, including a roadmap towards the introduction of new own resources, and in particular point 10 thereof,
(1)The European Union Solidarity Fund ('the Fund') aims to enable the Union to respond in a rapid, efficient and flexible manner to emergency situations in order to show solidarity with the population of regions struck by major or regional natural disasters or major public health emergency.
(2)The Fund is not to exceed the ceilings laid down in Article 9 of Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2093, as amended by Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/765.
(3)On 14 August 2025, Romania submitted an application to mobilise the Fund following the floods at the end of May and the beginning of June 2025.
(4)On 14 October 2025, Cyprus submitted an application to mobilise the Fund following the wildfires in July 2025.
(5)On 30 October 2025, Spain submitted an application to mobilise the Fund following the wildfires in August 2025.
(6)Those applications meet the conditions for providing a financial contribution from the Fund, as laid down in Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002.
(7)The Fund should therefore be mobilised in order to provide a financial contribution to Romania, Cyprus and Spain.
(8)In order to ensure that the Union financial assistance can be made available as rapidly as possible to the Member States affected and to avoid any delay in the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund, this Decision should enter into force as a matter of urgency on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union and should apply from the date of its adoption,
For the general budget of the Union for the financial year 2026, the European Union Solidarity Fund shall be mobilised as follows in commitment and payment appropriations in relation to natural disasters:
(a)the amount of EUR 14 339 675 shall be provided to Romania following the floods at the end of May and the beginning of June 2025;
This Decision shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
The Commission proposes to mobilise the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) in accordance with Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 for an amount of EUR 144 099 756 to provide assistance to Romania following the floods at the end of May 2025, Cyprus following the wildfires in July 2025 and Spain following the wildfires in August 2025.
Between 26 May and early June 2025, Romania experienced several days of heavy rains which led to flooding in the Centru, Sud Muntenia and Nord Est regions. The most severe damage was recorded at the Praid Salt Mine, where flood water from the Corund river dissolved part of the riverbed, severely damaging the hydrotechnical infrastructure of the area and penetrating into the mine. The flooding compromised the stability of the salt support pillars and endangered the structural integrity of the site. In other parts of the affected regions, hail and strong winds caused widespread infrastructure damage, while public services were disrupted and thousands of households were left without electricity.
The Romanian authorities estimated the total direct damage caused by the disaster at EUR 573.59 million. According to the Commission, the direct damage expressed as a percentage of the weighted regional GDP of the affected regions amounted to 1.8%, which exceeds the 1.5% threshold applicable to regional natural disasters under Article 2(3) of the EUSF Regulation. The disaster therefore qualifies as a regional natural disaster within the meaning of the Regulation.
During the summer of 2025, Cyprus experienced a combination of prolonged drought, extreme heatwaves and strong winds which created the conditions for unprecedented wildfires in the Limassol and Pafos regions in July. The fires forced thousands of residents to evacuate, caused the closure or reduction of services in several schools and health establishments, destroyed close to 900 private properties and led to at least 2 fatalities. The Cypriot authorities also requested support through the Union Civil Protection Mechanism, and Greece provided a ground forest firefighting module in response.
The Commission accepted total direct damage of EUR 252.68 million as plausible. This amount exceeds the threshold applicable to Cyprus for a major natural disaster, corresponding to 0.6% of GNI, which was EUR 170.05 million in 2025. The disaster therefore qualifies as a major natural disaster under Article 2(2) of the EUSF Regulation.
In August 2025, Spain experienced a third and most destructive wave of severe wildfires following a summer marked by prolonged drought, extreme heatwaves and multiple fire outbreaks. The fires affected 16 Autonomous Communities, caused major environmental, social and economic damage, destroyed livelihoods particularly in rural areas and led to numerous evacuations. The Spanish authorities also requested assistance through the Union Civil Protection Mechanism, with support provided by nine Member States. The wildfires caused at least 8 fatalities.
The Spanish authorities estimated the total direct damage at EUR 4 318.27 million. The Commission considered this amount to exceed the threshold applicable to Spain for a major natural disaster, namely EUR 3 958.44 million in 2025. The disaster therefore qualifies as a major natural disaster under Article 2(2) of the EUSF Regulation.
The methodology for calculating EUSF aid was set out in the 2002–2003 Annual Report on the EUSF and accepted by the European Parliament and the Council. The EUSF contribution may not exceed the estimated total cost of eligible operations. Applying the methodology outlined above, the Commission has evaluated the EUSF aid in response to the three applications submitted by Romania, Cyprus and Spain, and therefore proposes to the budget authority to mobilise the following amounts:
| Disaster | Total direct damage | Applied threshold | 2.5% of total direct damage [up to the threshold for major disasters] | 6% of total direct damage [above the threshold for major disasters] | Proposed EUSF aid | Advance payments | Balance to be paid |
| (EUR) | (EUR) | (EUR) | (EUR) | (EUR) | (EUR) | (EUR) | |
| Romania – floods | 573,587,000 | 477,819,000 | 14,339,675 | NA | 14,339,675 | not requested | 14,339,675 |
| regional disaster | |||||||
| Cyprus – wildfire | 252,680,561 | 170,046,000 | 4,251,150 | 4,958,074 | 9,209,223 | 2,317,465 | 6,891,758 |
| major disaster | |||||||
| Spain – wildfire | 4,318,268,632 | 3,958,436,000 | 98,960,900 | 21,589,958 | 120,550,858 | 30,137,714 | 90,413,144 |
| major disaster | |||||||
| TOTAL | 144,099,756 | 32,455,179 | 111,644,577 |
Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 2020/2093 of 17 December 2020 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2021-2027 (hereafter ‘the MFF Regulation’), allows for the mobilisation of the EUSF in the context of the Solidarity and Emergency Aid Reserve (SEAR). Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/765 (hereafter the amended MFF Regulation’) split the SEAR in two separate instruments: the European Solidarity Reserve and the Emergency Aid Reserve.
The European Solidarity Reserve with an annual amount of EUR 1 016 million in 2018 prices (corresponding to EUR 1 190.4 million in 2026 prices) will be used for assistance to respond to emergency situations covered by the EUSF. Point 10 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 16 December 2020 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline, on cooperation on budgetary matters and on sound financial management as well as on new own resources, including a roadmap towards the introduction of new own resources, lays down the modalities for the mobilisation of the EUSF in the context of the SEAR.
In order to avoid an early depletion of the annual allocation, Article 3(7) of the EUSF Regulation and Article 9(2), second subparagraph of the amended MFF Regulation stipulate that 25% of the annual EUSF allocation must remain available on 1 October of each year (end-of-year-cushion). In 2026, this amount corresponds to EUR 297.6 million.
Moreover, according to Article 4a(4) of the EUSF Regulation, the amount of EUR 50 million has already been inscribed in the General Budget 2026 (in commitments and payments) for the payment of possible advances. Both Cyprus and Spain requested and were granted advance payments of EUR 2.32 million and EUR 30.14 million, respectively.
In accordance with Article 9(2) of the amended MFF Regulation, any portion of the annual amount not used in a given year n may be used up to year n+1. The amount of EUR 21.3 million has been carried over from 2025 to 2026, of which EUR 20.85 million are available for the payment of possible advances9.
In conclusion, the total available amount on the reserve line before 1 October is EUR 843.25 million (excluding advances and end-of-year cushion), which is sufficient to cover the proposed amount for mobilisation.
| Available EUSF resources in 2026 (EUR) | |
| Total annual allocation in 2026 | 1,190,405,931 |
| Carry-over from 2025 incl. unused advances (+) | 21,304,355 |
| End-of-year cushion, available after 1 October (-) | 297,601,483 |
| Total amount currently available before 1 October, of which: | 914,108,803 |
| Amount to be used for possible advances | 70,854,849 |
| o Amount available for the current mobilisation decision | 843,253,954 |
| o Amount proposed for mobilisation, only balance to be paid | 111,644,577 |
| Remaining amount for future applications incl. advances and end-of-year cushion | 1,100,065,709 |
The rapporteur supports the swift adoption of the Commission proposal for a decision annexed to this report and the rapid release of the corresponding financial assistance, as a sign of European solidarity with Romania, Cyprus and Spain.
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Sources & citation
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Cite as
European Parliament (2026). “DRAFT REPORT on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Romania regarding the floods at the end of May 2025, Cyprus following the wildfires in July 2025 and Spain following the wildfires in August 2025”. Text, 1 June 2026. docId BUDG-PR-789090. EU Parl Watch Research. https://news.eu-parl.st-solutions.dev/texts/BUDG-PR-789090 (retrieved 25 September 2026). Data: EP Open Data API: document record, https://data.europarl.europa.eu/api/v2/documents/BUDG-PR-789090 (CC BY 4.0).
BibTeX
@misc{epw-text-budg-pr-789090,
author = {{European Parliament}},
title = {{DRAFT REPORT on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Romania regarding the floods at the end of May 2025, Cyprus following the wildfires in July 2025 and Spain following the wildfires in August 2025}},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-06-01},
howpublished = {\url{https://news.eu-parl.st-solutions.dev/texts/BUDG-PR-789090}},
url = {https://news.eu-parl.st-solutions.dev/texts/BUDG-PR-789090},
urldate = {2026-09-25},
publisher = {EU Parl Watch Research},
note = {Text. docId BUDG-PR-789090. Data: EP Open Data API: document record (CC BY 4.0)}
}