Germany Von der Leyen promises EU aid for flood areas

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen promises EU aid for regions affected by storms. Resources from existing EU funds are to be used for this purpose. It should initially be possible to make ten billion euros available from so-called cohesion funds, said the German during a visit to Wroclaw.

These are one of the largest items in the EU's common budget. Cohesion funds are actually used to help economically underdeveloped regions to grow in order to balance out economic and social differences.

Exception for flood funds

Normally, EU states have to contribute money if they want to benefit from the funds. However, there is now to be an exception so that states affected by the floods do not have to provide their own money for the aid. "These are extraordinary times, and extraordinary times require extraordinary measures," said von der Leyen.

In Poland, she met with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, his Slovakian counterpart Robert Fico and Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer, among others. The countries have been hit by severe storms and several people have died.

Tusk thanked von der Leyen for her quick and unbureaucratic help. "It took us exactly 45 minutes to agree on our expectations and get satisfactory explanations from the EU Commission." Each of the heads of government is now responsible for the reconstruction plans in their own country following the floods.

SDA