Ministers shelve Solidarity Fund reform

摘要

It has been three years since the EU Council of Ministers blocked a proposal for the revision of the EU Solidarity Fund. This fund was created in 2002 to give financial aid to member states affected by major natural disasters, such as floods or forest fires. And the situation is not likely to change. Conclusions adopted on 22 July by the General Affairs Council clearly state that ministers do not sec the need, at this stage, to revise the legislation in force. Regulation 2012/2002, which the European Commission would like to see replaced with a new text, therefore seems to have a long life ahead of it. The Council's conclusions are based on a special report by the EU Court of Auditors, which is particularly praise-ful of the Solidarity Fund's functioning (Special Report 3/2008).