Regional Emergency Support - RESTORE

Key points

The EESC:

• expresses its clear solidarity and support to the people who were severely affected by the recent natural disasters in Central, Eastern and Southern Europe. When climate disasters hit EU regions, Europe is stronger when it stands together and united.

• acknowledges that the consequences of climate change and resource scarcity are sadly already making themselves known. While the EU is rightly committed to avoiding a worsening of the situation, we are unprepared for unforeseen climate emergencies, energy crises and natural disasters.

• stresses that there is a need for systemic change to how our economy works and that it is crucial that governments commit to systemic solutions instead of just addressing the symptoms of the problem.

• believes that immediate, simple and effective measures will be needed to alleviate the social, territorial and economic consequences of such natural disasters. The EU regions will need extensive reconstruction works to recover from these disasters.

• welcomes the proposed flexibilities in the Commission’s proposal to support affected countries, given the severe and lasting impact that natural disasters have on the social and economic fabric of EU regions.

• express its support for cohesion policy as a long-term EU investment tool, while acknowledging that extreme natural disasters can jeopardise its long-term development.

• stresses that the fundamental principle of cohesion policy, according to which no one and no region should be left behind, remains sound and valid, and that civil society partners are ready to continue working towards it by means of a solid EU investment policy.

• loudly and clearly refers to a cohesion policy that is the EU’s most important long-term investment policy for reducing regional, economic and territorial disparities.

• is of the view that the EU needs a new, stable and solid funding mechanism which must be adaptive, flexible and ready to respond to new and emerging crises in the years and decades to come. It is crucial that the functioning of this mechanism, with its greater focus on swift and urgent responses, be coherent with the EU’s overarching climate, environmental and energy policies.

• urges the European Commission to work closely with the Member States, local authorities and civil society organisations to make the most effective and rapid use of the possibilities to support the regions affected. Civil society organisations, workers, SMEs and NGOs have been severely hurt by the natural disasters and a substantial share of the funds must be directed to them.

• calls on the Council and the European Parliament to swiftly approve the regulation so that it can be adopted as soon as possible.