Regulation (EU) 2020/461 amending Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 in order to provide financial assistance to Member States and to countries negotiating their accession to the Union that are seriously affected by a major public health emergency

Summary:

Regulation (EU) 2020/460 - formally adopted by the European Union on 30 March 2020 - amending Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 in order to provide financial assistance to Member States and to countries negotiating their accession to the Union that are seriously affected by a major public health emergency.

Further information:

The EU Solidarity Fund (EUSF) was created by Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 to support EU Member States and accession countries in situations of major disasters caused by natural events. The Fund can be mobilised upon an application from the concerned country if the disaster event has a dimension justifying intervention at European level. However, the existing rules strictly limit support to natural disasters causing physical damage.

The European Commission proposed on 13 March 2020 that the scope of the EUSF was extended to include major public health emergencies and to define specific operations eligible for financing. This proposal was adopted as part of a package responding to the economic impact of the sanitary crisis. It was processed and negotiated by the co-legislators as a matter of urgency. The European Parliament endorsed the initiative on 26 March, followed by the Council of the European Union on 30 March. The Act was published in the Official Journal on 31 March 2020.

• Primary Source

News

European Western Balkans, 18/03/2020: EC proposes Member States and negotiating countries use EU Solidarity Fund for COVID-19 crisis https://europeanwesternbalkans.com/2020/03/18/ec-proposes-member-states-and-negotiating-countries-use-eu-solidarity-fund-for-covid-19-crisis/

Politico, 26/03/2020: European Parliament greenlights coronavirus funding plan https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/26/european-parliament-greenlights-coronavirus-funding-plan-150989

EurActiv, 27/03/2020: EU Parliament votes financial assistance for countries affected by COVID-19 https://www.euractiv.com/section/coronavirus/news/eu-parliament-votes-financial-assistance-for-countries-affected-by-covid-19/

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Official

EUR-Lex: COM(2020)114: Proposal for a Regulation amending Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 in order to provide financial assistance to Member States and countries negotiating their accession to the Union seriously affected by a major public health emergency https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=COM:2020:114:FIN

European Parliament: Legislative Observatory: Procedure File for Proposal on Financial assistance to Member States and countries negotiating their accession to the Union seriously affected by a major public health emergency https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/ficheprocedure.do?lang=en&reference=2020/0044(OLP)

Council of the European Union: Press Release, 18/03/2020: COVID-19 - Council gives go-ahead to support from EU budget https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2020/03/18/covid-19-council-gives-go-ahead-to-support-from-eu-budget/

European Parliament: Press Release, 26/03/2020: COVID-19: Parliament approves crucial EU support measures https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20200325IPR75811/

Council of the European Union: Press Release, 30/03/2020: COVID-19 - Council adopts measures for immediate release of funds https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2020/03/30/covid-19-council-adopts-measures-for-immediate-release-of-funds/

European Commission: Press Release, 27/04/2020: Coronavirus: Commission receives first preliminary application for support from the EU Solidarity Fund for health emergency from Italy https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_20_753

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