EU solidarity in action: €56.7 million to Spain to repair the damages of the extreme weather DANA in autumn 2019

The European Commission granted aid worth €56.7 million from the EU Solidarity Fund (EUSF) to Spain following the extreme weather conditions DANA (Depresión Aislada en Niveles Altos) resulting in floods in the regions of Valencia, Murcia, Castilla-La Mancha and Andalucia in September 2019. The financial assistance aims to partially cover the emergency costs of recovery operations and assistance to the local population, including repair and restoration of key water and transport infrastructure along with support to health and education. This is part of an aid package of a total of €279 million addressed to Portugal, Spain, Italy and Austria hit by natural disasters in 2019. Spain had already received €5.6 million in an advanced payment. Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira, commented: “Whether it is a natural disaster or a major health emergency, the EU Solidarity Fund is always there to provide relief to those who suffer. This is the essence of the European solidarity.” The EU Solidarity Fund is one of the main EU instruments for disaster recovery and, as part of the EU coordinated response to the coronavirus emergency, its scope has been recently extended to cover major health emergencies. So far, Spain has received support from the EUSF for five natural disasters, totalling more than €90 million. More information on the EUSF is available on the data story.