Regulation 2024/3236 - Amendment of Regulations (EU) 2021/1057 and (EU) 2021/1058 as regards Regional Emergency Support to Reconstruction (RESTORE) - Main contents

Official Journal

of the European Union

EN

L series

2024/3236

23.12.2024

The recent floods and wildfires in Central, Eastern and Southern Europe have had a devastating effect on the populations living in these regions. Extensive reconstruction works will be required in many cities, towns and villages to repair damaged infrastructure and equipment. Immediate measures are needed to alleviate the social and economic consequences of those natural disasters. In addition, people are in immediate need of basic material assistance. Moreover, support for job maintenance is needed to help employees and self-employed people to retain their jobs for a limited period of time where they are not able to access their usual place of employment due to the occurrence of a natural disaster. In order to tackle the devastating effect of natural disasters on people’s health, access to healthcare including for people who are not in imminent socio-economic vulnerability should also be possible. Evidence suggests that the occurrence of natural disasters is likely to increase in the future. Therefore, it is appropriate to create a temporary framework that provides for flexibility and financial support while preserving the long-term strategic nature of cohesion policy investments.

In order to quickly alleviate the burden on the budgets of the Member States concerned and mitigate the risk of new territorial disparities, effective support from the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) established by Regulation (EU) 2021/1057 of the European Parliament and of the Council (4), as well as from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Cohesion Fund regulated by Regulation (EU) 2021/1058 of the European Parliament and of the Council (5), should be provided to Member States, regions, local authorities and people severely affected by such natural disasters, in addition to the resources available from the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) established by Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 (6).

In order to provide additional flexibility to Member States affected by natural disasters, a new specific objective under the Investment for jobs and growth goal should be provided to channel the financial support of the ERDF and the Cohesion Fund for reconstruction in response to such disasters.

Policy objective 2, which promotes a greener, low-carbon transitioning towards a net zero carbon economy and resilient Europe by promoting clean and fair energy transition, green and blue investment, the circular economy, climate change mitigation and adaptation, risk prevention and management, and sustainable urban mobility, as referred to in Article 5(1), point (b), of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 of the European Parliament and of the Council (7), under which the new specific objective should be introduced, directly supports the objectives of the European Green Deal. The Commission Communication of 24 February 2021 entitled ‘Forging a climate-resilient Europe - the new EU Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change’ aims to develop...