91999E2392

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2392/99

by Jean-Claude Martinez (TDI) to the Commission

(16 December 1999)

Subject: Lethal flooding in the south of France

In November 1999, torrential rain, floods, landslides and broken material swept through four southern French départements, Aude, Hérault, Tarn and the Pyrénées Orientales, causing widespread devastation and more than 30 deaths, destroying roads, railway lines and all public electricity,

water and telephone networks. Is the Commission prepared immediately to set in motion the budgetary procedure aimed at getting emergency financial aid to the victims of natural disasters? Does it intend to draw this aid from the 1999 budget so as to enable the first of these payments to be made before the end of the year, as was the case with Turkey which received 180 million euros (or more than one billion francs) for the financial year 1999 following the earthquake on 17 August?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(11 January 2000)

The Commission immediately expressed its great concern about the floods in the south of France in November 1999.

It would, however, remind the Honourable Member that for several years there has been no special heading in the Community budget to provide emergency aid for natural disasters in the Member States.

The Commission informed the French authorities that, under the next programming period for regional and cohesion policy (2000-2006), it could contribute to repairs to infrastructure and eligible equipment in the disaster areas, provided those areas were eligible under the Structural Funds (new Objective 2 or transitional arrangements for Objectives 2 or 5(b)). Further assistance for agricultural structures could also be provided from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund.