Decision (EU) 2022/49 on the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Croatia in relation to the series of earthquakes starting from 28 December 2020

Summary:

Decision (EU) 2021/75 - adopted by the co-legislators on 15 December 2021 - concerning the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) to provide assistance to Croatia due to a series of earthquakes starting from 28 December 2020.

Further information:

The European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) was set up to respond to major natural disasters and express European solidarity to disaster-stricken regions within the European Union (EU).

On 28 December 2020 a strong earthquake hit Croatia's Petrinja area. It was the foreshock of another earthquake that took place the day after, which caused casualties and significant damage. The most affected areas were the towns of Sisak, Petrinja and Glina with the surrounding villages. On 30 December 2020, several strong aftershocks were also recorded. After the initial shocks, a series of aftershocks affected the epicentre area, with more than 4,000 aftershocks recorded in the first few months.

In March 2021, the Croatian authorities applied for financial assistance from the EUSF related to the series of earthquakes that occurred between December 2020 and February 2021.  Following an assessment of this application, the European Commission concluded that the conditions for awarding a financial contribution from the EUSF had been met. It therefore tabled on 29 October 2021 a proposal for a Decision to allocate a financial contribution of around €139 million in respect of the application submitted by Croatia. However, €41 million had already been paid as an advance in August 2021.

The proposed Decision was signed off by the co-legislators on 15 December 2021 and published in the Official Journal on 14 January 2022.

• Primary Source

News

N1 Info, 03/01/2022: Croatia receives remaining €277.8m from EU Solidarity Fund https://hr.n1info.com/english/news/croatia-receives-remaining-e277-8m-from-eu-solidarity-fund/

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Official

EUR-LEX: COM(2021)963: Proposal for a Decision on the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Croatia in relation to the series of earthquakes starting from 28 December 2020 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=COM:2021:0963:FIN

European Parliament: Legislative Observatory: Procedure File for Proposal on Mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund: assistance to Croatia (2021/0359(BUD)) https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/ficheprocedure.do?lang=en&reference=2021/0359(BUD)

European Commission: Press Release, 03/01/2022: Commission supports Croatia with €319 million for the series of earthquakes in Sisak-Moslavina, Karlovac and Zagreb Counties https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_22_21

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