Ladies and Gentlemen, To begin with, I would like to express my sincere thanks to the individuals and institutions that have made it possible for me to stand at this podium today and present this report. Above all, I thank my co-rapporteur, the shadow rapporteurs, the European Commission, and the Member States.
The topic we are talking about is extremely important to me, also for personal reasons. I come from and live in a region that was one of the hardest hit by the September floods.
Natural disasters strike suddenly and unexpectedly, and their consequences do not end when the waters recede or the fires are extinguished.
I continue to visit these towns and villages, witnessing the sorrow and helplessness of the people there. It was with them in mind – and in a spirit of solidarity – that we worked on the RESTORE regulation.
We agreed to use an exceptional “fast-track” procedure, refraining from tabling amendments to the Commission’s proposal, in order to accelerate the regulation’s adoption as much as possible and ensure that aid reaches those affected without delay. I also believe we should adopt the minor amendments proposed by the Council in its position. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my co-rapporteur and all the political groups for their agreement and cooperation on this matter. This demonstrates that the European Parliament can be highly effective when dealing with urgent and important issues, and is capable of rising above internal political divisions. It also sends a powerful message of support to the affected communities.
The changes we are set to adopt tomorrow concern three funds: the European Regional Development Fund, the Cohesion Fund, and the European Social Fund Plus. It is important to note that we are not talking about a new budget here, but merely the possibility of reallocating 10% of currently allocated operational programme funds. In the case of my region, Opole, this amounts to 96 million euros.
Another important point is the financing at the level of 95% from European funds. This is a significant amount, yet it is safeguarded by an overpayment control mechanism.
In addition, we plan to provide advance payments of 25%, which meets the needs of local governments.
I also agree with my colleagues that this aid must be one-off and its time limitation is justified.
Ladies and gentlemen, we will conclude the legislative process in Parliament tomorrow. However, in the affected regions this work is still ongoing. Within six months, Member States will need to establish a new specific objective regarding RESTORE and subsequently develop investment projects.
I am convinced that by adopting the proposed solutions, we will demonstrate that the European Union can respond quickly, flexibly and provide real assistance to those for whom we are here – our citizens. I therefore urge you all to support the amendment and the report in tomorrow’s vote