EU approves almost €1 million advance payment for Storm Harry recovery
Malta among three countries to receive Solidarity Fund support following severe storms earlier this year
The European Commission has approved an advance payment of almost €1 million to help Malta recover from the damage caused by Storm Harry after the government estimated the storm caused €128 million in damage.
On Thursday, the European Commission approved more than €103 million in advance payments under the EU Solidarity Fund to help Malta, Portugal and Spain recover from storms and ease the financial burden of reconstruction.
Malta will receive an advance payment of €931,014.
The storm, which hit Malta between January 19 and 21, caused widespread flooding, coastal damage and transport disruption, with significant impacts on public infrastructure, ports, fisheries, aquaculture, agricultural assets and local communities.
In April, Malta submitted an application for assistance from the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) after calculating damage caused by Storm Harry amounted to €128 million.
Portugal was affected by a series of exceptionally severe storms between January 22 and February 15 which resulted in 18 fatalities, extensive material damage and disruptions to essential services. The European Commission will grant an advance payment of €65.37 million to Portugal.
Spain, which was hit by the same storms between January 22 and February 14, will receive an advance payment of €37.26 million.
The Commission will now submit a proposal to the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union covering the applications. If approved, the final payments will be made at a later stage, subject to the availability of budgetary resources.
Since its creation in 2002, the EU Solidarity Fund has provided more than €11 billion in assistance for 148 disasters, including 128 natural disasters and 20 public health emergencies, across 25 EU Member States and six accession countries.