The European Parliament is working on changes to the EU’s cohesion policy that will enable countries affected by natural disasters to access rapid and flexible funding for recovery efforts. Lawmakers are also reviewing a proposal to allocate unused funds from rural development programs to compensate for losses in the agricultural sector caused by natural disasters. In both cases, recovery efforts could be financed up to 100% by the EU, without requiring co-financing from member states. The European Commission’s proposals also include measures to streamline the disbursement of advances for these projects.
According to the European Commission, the natural disasters experienced this year demonstrated that Europe must be capable of quickly providing additional support to member states, regions, local authorities, and individuals significantly impacted by such events. On October 21, the Commission proposed supplementing resources from the EU Solidarity Fund with funds from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+).
“This amendment to the regulation on the management of EU funds introduces a mechanism for flexibility. It allows EU countries affected by recent disasters to activate special funds that have already been allocated to them—these are not new funds—to support local governments and flood victims,” explained Andrzej Buła, a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from the Civic Platform, in an interview with Newseria.
RESTORE Proposal for More Flexible Recovery Funding
The RESTORE proposal, co-rapporteur of which is MEP Andrzej Buła, aims to allow EU countries to use the ERDF more flexibly for post-disaster reconstruction. As a result, the ERDF could fully finance recovery projects without requiring member states to contribute their own funds. Additionally, to ensure quick financial liquidity, up to 30% of the project costs could be made available as pre-financing. RESTORE would also enable greater flexibility in using ESF+ resources to finance short-term employment programs, healthcare access, basic needs, food assistance, and material aid.
Up to 10% of existing 2021–2027 funds could be reallocated across various funds (ERDF, ESF+, and the Cohesion Fund), with changes expected to mobilize an additional €3 billion by 2025 through focused payments between 2025 and 2027.
“This regulation also covers potential disasters that may occur in 2025. This demonstrates that the mechanisms are well-prepared and ensure safety within cohesion policy. It does not deplete all available funds, and if governments effectively request additional support from the Solidarity Fund, the resources will be sufficient,” emphasized Buła.
To accelerate the implementation of these measures, the European Parliament agreed to consider the RESTORE proposal as an urgent matter.
Speed and Coordination
“We acted quickly—within the first month after the floods in Poland, the European Commission proposed this direction. By the end of the third month, we already have votes in Parliament. This is a good pace. Since our regional departments and ministries were already working on this topic, implementation will start immediately after the New Year. Another crucial aspect is that we worked in agreement across all political groups,” added the MEP.
He stressed that governments and regions now have six months to prepare a dedicated priority axis for flood victims. “This will be coordinated by regional marshals, who head managing institutions. They are already in dialogue with the Ministry of Development, as the funds will focus on supporting businesses, volunteer fire brigades, and local governments in rebuilding infrastructure, such as provincial roads and bridges. Loan mechanisms for businesses will likely be included to help them restart their operations,” Buła explained.
Supporting Rural Development and Disaster Recovery
The second proposal under review concerns amendments to the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD). It will allow countries affected by natural disasters to utilize unused funds from rural development programs to compensate for losses in the agriculture and forestry sectors and restore agricultural activities during post-disaster recovery. These interventions would also be 100% funded by the EU.
“Next year, implementation will occur at both the regional and national levels. The regulations activate three funds: the ERDF, ESF+, and the Rural Development Program. The Directorate-Generals REGIO and Employment in the European Commission will oversee their implementation. This is crucial because if this solution does not prove effective, it will be much harder to advocate for such flexibility in the future—it wasn’t easy to achieve,” Buła noted.
Adapting to Climate Change
According to Buła, these mechanisms are a vital part of the EU’s broader efforts to adapt to climate change and mitigate the impact of natural disasters. This includes enhancing the forecasting of natural disasters through support for programs like Copernicus and improving the response capabilities of services during emergencies to deliver urgent aid.
The proposed measures will ensure that member states can respond quickly to natural disasters, securing funds for recovery and rebuilding efforts while maintaining financial stability across EU cohesion policies.
