CHAPTER 3SPECIAL INSTRUMENTS
SECTION 1Thematic special instruments
Article 9Solidarity and Emergency Aid Reserve
1
The Solidarity and Emergency Aid Reserve may be used to finance:
a
assistance to respond to emergency situations resulting from major disasters that are covered by the European Union Solidarity Fund, the objectives and scope of which are set out in Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/20026; and
b
rapid responses to specific emergency needs within the Union or in third countries following events which could not be foreseen when the budget was established, in particular for emergency responses and support operations following natural disasters not covered by point (a), man-made disasters, humanitarian crises in cases of large-scale public health, veterinary or phytosanitary threats, as well as in situations of particular pressure at the Union’s external borders resulting from migratory flows, where circumstances so require.
2
The Solidarity and Emergency Aid Reserve shall not exceed a maximum annual amount of EUR 1 200 million (in 2018 prices). Any portion of the annual amount not used in year n may be used up to year n+1. The portion of the annual amount stemming from the previous year shall be drawn on first. Any portion of the annual amount from year n which is not used in year n+1 shall lapse.
3
The appropriations for the Solidarity and Emergency Aid Reserve shall be entered in the general budget of the Union as a provision.
4
On 1 October of each year, at least one quarter of the annual amount referred to in paragraph 2 shall remain available in order to cover needs arising until the end of that year.
Without prejudice to the first subparagraph, the following maximum percentages of the overall amount available until 1 September of each year may be mobilised:
50 % for assistance under point (a) of paragraph 1; the amount resulting from that calculation shall be reduced by any amount mobilised in the previous year in application of paragraph 5,
35 % for assistance to third countries under point (b) of paragraph 1,
15 % for assistance within the Union under point (b) of paragraph 1.
Without prejudice to the first subparagraph, as of 1 September of each year, the remaining part of the amount available may be used for any assistance referred to in the second subparagraph to cover needs arising until the end of that year.
5
In exceptional cases and if the remaining financial resources available in the Solidarity and Emergency Aid Reserve are not sufficient to cover the amounts considered necessary for assistance under point (a) of paragraph 1 in the year of occurrence of a disaster as referred to in that point, the Commission may propose that the difference be financed through the annual amounts available for the Solidarity and Emergency Aid Reserve in the following year, up to a maximum amount of EUR 400 million (in 2018 prices).