The Commission will support the recovery of France, Greece and Croatia under the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) in the amount of EUR 119 million for the local population affected by natural disasters.

Cohesion and Reform Commissioner Elisa Ferreira said: The EU Solidarity Fund allows Member States to address the effects of natural and health crises. It is a true example of European solidarity for the benefit of citizens.

€ 53.3 million will help the French region of Provence-Alpes-Côtes d’Azur recover from the serious damage caused by storm Alex in October 2020. EUR 24.6 million will support Greece's recovery efforts following the September 2020 Mediterranean cyclone Ianos, the August 2020 floods in the Sterea Ellada region and the October 2020 earthquakes on the islands of Samos, Ikaria and Chios. The Commission has already paid advances in early 2021.

The Commission will grant Croatia an advance of over € 41 million following a series of devastating earthquakes that hit Sisak-Moslavina County and parts of Karlovac and Zagreb Counties in Croatia in December 2020 and January 2021. This EUSF support to Croatia builds on the redistribution of 111 million from the European Regional Development Fund in early June 2021 for the reconstruction and construction of social housing for the most vulnerable people who due to social, economic or health reasons can not find housing.