Parliament approves 9.5 million in volcano aid for La Palma

The European Parliament on Wednesday backed aid from the Solidarity Fund to mitigate natural damage in several Member States, including the eruption of the La Palma volcano.

In total, MEPs backed the use of ¤718.5 million from the EU Solidarity Fund, of which ¤9.45 million will go to Spain to deal with the consequences of the eruption in September 2021 on the Canary island. The initiative was approved with 555 votes in favour, seven against and four abstentions.

Spain, which already received an advance payment of EUR 5.39 million in May, estimated total damages of more than EUR 1 billion (equivalent to 2.19% of the Canary Islands’ GDP) as a result of the eruption. According to the national authorities, 1,452 buildings were destroyed (of which 1,177 were residential), and a large number of plantations (banana, vineyards, avocado and citrus trees) and livestock farms were also affected.

You can read more details in the Commission’s proposal and Parliament’s report.

Seven countries to receive nearly €720 million in EU aid after natural disasters in 2021

The Solidarity Fund

Established following the floods in Central Europe in the summer of 2002, the Solidarity Fund aims to assist countries in emergency and recovery efforts following natural disasters. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, its scope was extended in April 2020 to cover major public health emergencies.

Since its inception, it has been used for around 100 disasters of many different types, including floods, forest fires, earthquakes, storms and droughts. Twenty-eight European countries have received more than ¤7 billion.

Spain has received aid for the Prestige accident, forest fires and the Lorca earthquake in 2011, among other disasters. You can consult here all the interventions for natural disasters and public health emergencies.

Source: Press release- European Parliament