Aid to address the consequences of the extraordinary heatwave in Spain

Subject: Aid to address the consequences of the extraordinary heatwave in Spain

Europe is sweltering under an extraordinary heatwave that has caused some very serious fires in a number of Spain’s autonomous communities. Two people have died as a result, with another 15 injured. More than 72 000 hectares have been burnt, with homes evacuated and ruined, cattle and crops lost, nature sites destroyed and train services between various regions cut.

In light of this:

1. Has the Commission triggered any of the mechanisms that would help mitigate the impact these serious fires, caused by the extraordinary heatwave, have had in many of Spain’s autonomous communities?

2. Has the Spanish Government requested support from the Commission, through the European Union Solidarity Fund, in triggering financial assistance to mitigate the damage caused by the recent fires, and help prevent forest fires in the future and plan ways of managing forests that would preserve natural areas and promote the rural way of life?

3. Does the Commission permit Member States to earmark part of the NextGenerationEU funds to mountain conservation work that would prevent serious fires? If so, has the Spanish Government announced that it intends to do this?

Answer given by Ms Ferreira on behalf of the European Commission

(16 September 2022)

1. While the EU coordinates, supports and complements national actions related to risk prevention, preparedness for, and response to disasters, Member States have the primary responsibility for bringing immediate responses and for taking appropriate preventive measures in relation to such disasters. When an emergency overwhelms a country’s national response capacities, the government may request assistance from the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) (1). So far, Spain has not requested the activation of the UCPM for the fires. The EU’s emergency Copernicus satellite can also assist the Member States and had provided Spain with images of damage assessment maps of affected areas to Spain.

2. The EU Solidarity Fund (EUSF) (2) is not a rapid response instrument. It can be activated only at the request of the affected country within 12 weeks of the first damage occurred, when the total direct damage exceeds EUR 3 billion in 2011 prices or 1.5% of the gross domestic product of the affected regions. So far, Spain has not requested EUSF assistance.

3. Cohesion policy is a main EU funding source for risk prevention and climate change adaptation. In Spain, including additional resources from REACT-EU, EUR 148 million are earmarked in 2014-2020 for climate change adaptation and mitigation measures, which include prevention and management of forest fires. In 2021-2027, cohesion policy will continue supporting Member States’ and regions’ adaptive capacity (3). Under the Recovery and Resilience Facility, Spain foresees measures on fire prevention and emergency response (4). The LIFE programme and the European agricultural fund for rural development (EARFD) can also support adaptation, prevention activities and protective infrastructure against fires.

⋅1∙ https://civil-protection-humanitarian-aid.ec.europa.eu/what/civil-protection/eu-civil-protection-mechanism_en

⋅2∙ Regulation (EC) n. 2012/2002 of the Council of 11.11.2002, Art.3(2) — Consolidated TEXT: 32002R2012 — EN — 01.04.2020 (europa.eu)

⋅3∙ To strengthen their resilience and reduce their vulnerability.

⋅4∙ Within component 4 ‘ Conservation and restoration of marine terrestrial ecosystems and their biodiversity’.