Brussels proposes €144 million in Solidarity Fund support for Spain, Romania and Cyprus after 2025 climate disasters

Brussels – The European Commission has proposed yesterday, 18 May 2026, to mobilise €144 million from the European Union Solidarity Fund to help Spain, Romania and Cyprus recover from devastating climate-related disasters that struck the three Member States in 2025.

Spain and Cyprus were hit by catastrophic wildfires during the summer of 2025, while Romania suffered severe flooding that affected several counties along the Danube basin and in Transylvania. The total damage assessment compiled by the Commission, based on national declarations submitted by the three governments, exceeds €4.8 billion in direct losses.

Distribution by Member State

The proposed allocation breaks down as follows: Spain receives approximately €81 million for wildfire damage that destroyed over 230,000 hectares of forest and farmland in Galicia, Asturias and Castilla y León; Romania receives €43 million for flood damage particularly in Mehedinți, Hunedoara and Sibiu counties; and Cyprus receives €20 million for the wildfires that struck Limassol and Paphos districts in July and August 2025.

The funds will primarily support emergency infrastructure repair, restoration of public services (water supply, electricity, road networks), and short-term housing assistance for displaced families. Long-term reconstruction and resilience measures will be financed through other instruments, including the Recovery and Resilience Facility and Cohesion Policy funds.

The Solidarity Fund mechanism

Established in 2002 in response to severe flooding in Central Europe, the EU Solidarity Fund provides financial assistance to Member States and accession countries affected by major natural disasters. The Fund operates outside the standard EU budget and can be activated when damage in a country exceeds 0.6% of its GNI or €3 billion (in 2024 prices), whichever is lower.

The proposal must now be approved by the European Parliament and the Council before disbursement can begin. Given the political urgency and the bipartisan nature of disaster relief, the process is expected to conclude before the summer recess, with funds reaching national administrations by September 2026.

Climate dimension

The 2025 disasters reinforced the scientific consensus on increasing climate-related risks in Southern and Eastern Europe. Mediterranean countries face accelerating wildfire seasons, while Central and Eastern Europe see growing flood intensity. The European Environment Agency (EEA) has projected that climate-related economic losses in the EU could exceed €170 billion annually by 2050 without aggressive adaptation measures.