Regulation (EU) 2022/562 amending Regulations (EU) No 1303/2013 and (EU) No 223/2014 as regards Cohesion’s Action for Refugees in Europe (CARE)

Summary:

Regulation (EU) 2022/562 - formally signed off by the co-legislators on 6 April 2022 - introducing amendments to Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 and Regulation (EU) No 223/2014 as regards Cohesion's Action for Refugees in Europe (CARE).

Further information:

Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 sets out the common principles, rules and standards for the operation of the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESI Funds) for the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2014-2020. Regulation (EU) No 223/2014 establishes the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD) for the same period.

This draft law provided for exceptional and targeted changes to this legal framework in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the impact on the European Union (EU) and several of its eastern regions, and also to the impact of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic on the EU as a whole. In order to alleviate the burden on national budgets, it became necessary to extend to the accounting year 2021-2022 the temporary possibility of 100% co-financing from the EU budget for the implementation of cohesion policy programmes and programmes supported by the FEAD. Resources from the ESI Funds become available for any type of measure to support people fleeing Ukraine. Reporting and programme modifications are simplified.

The proposed Regulation was tabled by the European Commission on 8 March 2022. The Council of the European Union endorsed it on 16 March, followed by the plenary of the European Parliament on 24 March via urgent procedure. The Act was formally signed by the co-legislators on 6 April 2022 and published in the Official Journal on 8 April 2022.

• Primary Source

Official

EUR-LEX: COM(2022)109: Proposal for a Regulation amending Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 and Regulation (EU) No 223/2014 as regards Cohesion’s Action for Refugees in Europe (CARE) https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=COM:2022:109:FIN

European Parliament: Legislative Observatory: Procedure File for Proposal on Cohesion's Action for Refugees in Europe (CARE) (2022/0075(COD)) https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/ficheprocedure.do?reference=2022/0075(COD)

European Commission: Press Release, 08/03/2022: Ukraine: Cohesion funding to support people fleeing Russia's invasion of Ukraine https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_22_1607

Council of the European Union: Press Release, 16/03/2022: Ukraine: Council approves swift release of cohesion resources to help refugees https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2022/03/16/ukraine-council-approves-swift-release-of-cohesion-resources-for-ukrainian-refugees/

European Parliament: Press Release, 24/03/2022: War in Ukraine: MEPs unlock emergency funds for refugees https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20220321IPR25919/

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