European Parliament addresses the DANA crisis this week, one year after the tragedy

Eduardo González The European Parliament will debate this Wednesday, October 22, on improving the EU's preparedness and response capacity to emergencies and natural disasters, coinciding with the first anniversary of the DANA crisis, which caused more than 230 fatalities in Spain. According to the European Parliament, the debate will address the strengthening of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, the main European instrument for emergency response, and the role of regional and local authorities in the face of adverse weather events, which are becoming increasingly frequent in Europe due to climate change. On October 29, 2024, an Isolated Upper-Level Depression (ILD) caused unprecedented flooding, particularly in the province of Valencia, which claimed the lives of more than 230 people and caused €18 billion in damage. Following the tragedy, local authorities requested the intervention of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism for emergency response, and the Spanish government requested the activation of the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) to mitigate the consequences. In response to these requests, on October 3, the European Commission proposed to the European Parliament and the Council the approval of €946 million in aid from the EUSF, in addition to a reallocation of €645 million from Spain's cohesion policy funds through the RESTORE mechanism, to complement EUSF aid and boost European support for recovery efforts. The proposed EUSF aid to Spain represents the second largest allocation since the Fund's creation in 2002, after the €1.2 billion granted to Italy following the 2015-2016 earthquakes. The Commission already paid an advance of €100 million to Spain in April 2025 to help launch recovery operations. Once the European Parliament and the Council approve the Commission's proposal on the mobilization of the EUSF, the remaining balance (the total allocation less the pre-financing already paid) will be disbursed in a single payment. As for the RESTORE funds, payments will be made progressively based on expenditure.

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