Strasbourg – The European Union ought to shortly present monetary help to Central European nations, together with the Czech Republic, which have been hit by devastating floods. This was agreed upon at the moment by the Members of the European Parliament in a decision, additionally calling for long-term investments in flood prevention and different excessive climatic occasions. The MEPs within the decision name for extra versatile provision of funds from the Union’s solidarity fund, which will be requested by nations affected by floods.
“From previous instances, it’s greater than clear that the EU has huge problem in offering the requested monetary assets shortly. And it’s true: he who provides shortly, provides twice,” mentioned the Czech member of the biggest conservative faction within the EP Danuše Nerudová (STAN), who contributed to the preparation of the decision.
The EU created the fund in 2002 in response to the catastrophic floods that hit Central Europe at the moment. Since then, member and companion states have used it on greater than 130 events and obtained greater than 8.2 billion euros (205 billion crowns) in complete from it. Nevertheless, MPs are bothered by the lengthy administrative course of, which might take a number of months, throughout which the affected areas have to attend for his or her cash. Subsequently, the Parliament referred to as on the European Fee to seek out methods to speed up the discharge of funds from the fund and to be versatile in processing state requests.
MPs additionally need extra money to be allotted to prevention of maximum occasions related to local weather change, particularly for essentially the most affected areas, throughout the regional funds within the subsequent multi-year EU price range. They referred to as on the fee to promptly current concrete proposals from the long-term plan to adapt the EU to local weather change, which EU Fee President Ursula von der Leyen has recognized as one of many priorities for the upcoming five-year time period. (September 19)