Compensation and support for victims of fires

Subject: Compensation and support for victims of fires

Up to 8 August this year, 46 000 hectares of land in Evia were devastated by wildfires, along with 8 000 hectares in Attica and 11 000 hectares in Lakonia, a total of around 65 000 hectares.

So far there have been two deaths, with many injured or suffering from respiratory problems

and thousands of lives destroyed. Homes, household effects, buildings and livestock have been lost, leaving

thousands homeless and in need of immediate assistance. Full compensation is accordingly being sought for the damage caused by the disaster for the losses sustained by producers (primary sector) and the massive psychological trauma resulting.

Many public infrastructures have also been destroyed.

Unfortunately, the payments announced by the Greek Government, ranging from EUR 600 to EUR 6 000, are merely increasing the distress felt by the victims at what they regard as the indifference being shown in the face of this tragedy, which is impacting on the present and future of the fire- damaged areas.

In view of this:

1. Can the Commission say what assistance can be disbursed from the Solidarity Fund?

2. What procedures should be followed by Greece to claim assistance for the rehabilitation of fire victims? What amounts can it claim?

3. What form of aid has the Greek Government requested so far and what additional support is the Commission able to offer to offset the damage already sustained by Greece and to prevent similar fires in the future?

Answer given by Ms Ferreira on behalf of the European Commission

(24 November 2021)

The Member State can apply to the EU Solidarity Fund (EUSF) within 12 weeks from the occurrence of a disaster (1). The EUSF covers the public costs of emergency and recovery operations. Private damage is not eligible.

The Union Civil Protection Mechanism provides tools to support Greece to prevent wildfires and to facilitate forest fire management (2). It supports transnational cooperation projects on innovative actions and good practices in disaster risk prevention and preparedness.

In the 2014-2020 period about EUR 394 million were earmarked for climate-change adaptation and risk prevention (3). For the period 2021-2027, a separate programme (4) on Civil Protection totalling EUR 713 million is set up.

Under the Greek recovery and resilience plan, EUR 1.2 billion are allocated to disaster response and mitigation to be disbursed upon fulfilment of milestones and targets set out in the Council Implementing Decision of 13 July 2021 (5). The Commission can also provide technical assistance for prevention and risk management under the Technical Support Instrument.

The European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (6) supports investments to reinforce the restoration of agricultural potential damaged by natural disasters, adverse climatic events, catastrophic events and preventive actions to reduce the consequences thereof as well as preventing and restoring forest damages caused by the fires. In the current Rural Development Programm e (7), Greece has allocated EUR 139.5 million to forest development and EUR 20 million to actions preventing damages to agricultural losses.

⋅1∙ Demonstrating that the total direct damage exceeds either 0.6% of Greek gross national income or 1.5% of the average gross domestic product of the affected regions.

⋅2∙ e.g. forest fires monitoring tools, early warning systems, advisory missions and peer review programmes

⋅3∙ Including the purchase of firefighting equipment

⋅4∙ The programme will support measures for the prevention, preparedness and response against risks and disasters, including equipment. Similar actions are planned in

the 13 regional programmes.

⋅5∙ A recovery plan for Europe — Consilium (europa.eu): https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/policies/eu-recovery-plan/

⋅6∙ Regulation (EU) 1305/2013.

⋅7∙ Greece intends to amend their RDP 2014-2020 to reinforce the prevention and restoration of agricultural potential and afforestation and creation of woodland.