Amendment to EAFRD to provide additional assistance to Member States affected by natural disasters

Key points

The EESC:

• Supports the principle of immediate disaster relief and recognizes the urgency for communities affected by recent climate disasters to receive prompt assistance.
• Highlights the escalating frequency and severity of climate-induced events, stressing the disproportionate impact on rural areas and the need to prioritize their resilience.
• Emphasizes the need to safeguard rural development budgets, warning against repeated reallocations that risk undermining long-term rural growth and stability.
• Recommends establishing a dedicated EU climate disaster fund, inspired by the COP28 Loss and Damage Fund, to address internal climate-related disasters without compromising international commitments or existing EU funding mechanisms.
• Calls for greater investment in prevention, particularly nature-based solutions, which are cost-effective, enhance resilience, and reduce the financial and societal burden of emergency response mechanisms.
• Welcomes the proposal’s simplified procedures for disaster relief and encourages their integration into future policies to ensure more efficient responses to crises.
• Urges the development of a proactive, coordinated EU framework for disaster preparedness, incorporating preventive measures, increased funding, and long-term planning to address vulnerabilities effectively.
• Stresses the importance of long-term resilience planning, aligning with the EU’s Long-term Vision for Rural Areas and ensuring a balanced approach to proactive and reactive measures.