On Thursday, 11th March 2021, the EU Commisssion proposed the activation of the additional financial support under the EU Solidarity Fund in the fight against the Corona pandemic. It is concerning a package of almost 530 million Euros meant for 17 member states and three accession countries , among others Belgium, Estonia, Lithuania, Croatia, Portugal, Romania and Albania, Montenegro and Serbia.
Austria will receive almost 31,8 million Euros. With this amount the public expenditure for personal and medical protective equipment , emergeny support and measures of prevention, monitoring and control of spread of the disease should be covered.
The EU Solidarity Fund was created in the summer of 2002 to assist eligible countries in the emergency and recovery operations following natural deseases. From its start it has mobilised a total of 6,5 billion Euros for interventions in 96 disasters in 23 member states and 1 accession country. Since Aprl 2020 the scope of the Fund was extended to cover major public health emergencies in the reaction to the Corona pandemic.
