Amendments to Regulation (EU) 2021/1058

Regulation (EU) 2021/1058 is amended as follows:

Article 3 is amended as follows:

in paragraph 1, point (b), the following point is added:

supporting investments aimed at reconstruction in response to a natural disaster that occurs between 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2025.’

the following paragraph is inserted:

‘1b. For the purposes of paragraph 1, point (b)(x), of this Article, a natural disaster shall be understood to be a major natural disaster or a regional natural disaster as defined, respectively, in Article 2(2) and (3) of Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 ( *2 ) . This may include a natural disaster resulting in direct damage below the thresholds set in Article 2(2) and (3) of that Regulation, provided that it was recognised as a natural disaster by a competent public authority of the Member State.

Where the natural disaster resulting in direct damage below the thresholds set in Article 2(2) and (3) of Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 occurs after 24 December 2024, it shall be understood to be a natural disaster provided that it is recognised as such by a competent public authority of the relevant Member State within 12 weeks of the date of the first occurrence of damage as a consequence of that natural disaster.

The resources allocated under the specific objective referred to in paragraph 1, point (b)(x), of this Article shall be programmed under dedicated priorities of programmes under the Investment for jobs and growth goal corresponding to the respective policy objective. For the entire programming period, the resources allocated under that specific objective and the dedicated priorities established pursuant to Article 12b(2) of Regulation (EU) 2021/1057 shall be limited to a maximum of 10 % of the initial total national allocation of the ESF+ and the ERDF. The programme amendment concerned shall be submitted within six months of the date on which the damage as a consequence of the natural disaster first occurred or, where the natural disaster occurred before 24 December 2024, by 25 June 2025.

The Commission shall pay 25 % of the allocation to the priorities referred to in the third subparagraph of this paragraph in accordance with the decision approving the programme amendment as exceptional pre-financing in addition to the yearly pre-financing for the programme provided for in Article 90(1) and (2) of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060. That exceptional pre-financing shall be paid within 60 days of the adoption of the Commission decision approving the programme amendment, subject to the availability of funds. Where the allocation to those priorities is subsequently increased, an additional pre-financing amount shall be paid, corresponding to 25 % of the increase.

In accordance with Article 90(5), first subparagraph, of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060, the amount paid as exceptional pre-financing shall be cleared from the Commission accounts no later than with the final accounting year.

In accordance with Article 90(6) of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060, any interest generated by the exceptional pre-financing shall be used for the programme concerned in the same way as the ERDF or the Cohesion Fund and shall be included in the accounts for the final accounting year.

In accordance with Article 97(1) of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060, the exceptional pre-financing shall not be suspended.

In accordance with Article 105(1) of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060, the pre-financing to be taken into account for the purposes of calculating amounts to be de-committed shall include the exceptional pre-financing paid.

By way of derogation from Article 112(3) of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060, the maximum co-financing rate for a dedicated priority established to support the specific objective referred to in paragraph 1, point (b)(x), of this Article shall be 95 %.

Member States shall ensure that support from another Union instrument, from a national instrument or from a private insurance scheme received for operations selected under the specific objective referred to in paragraph 1, point (b)(x), of this Article is deducted from the expenditure included in the payment application submitted to the Commission.

By way of derogation from Article 63(6) of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060, the managing authority concerned may select for support, under a dedicated priority, operations that have been physically completed or fully implemented before the submission of the application for funding to the managing authority, provided that the operation provides a response to a natural disaster which occurs between 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2025.

( *2 ) Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 of 11 November 2002 establishing the European Union Solidarity Fund ( OJ L 311, 14.11.2002, p. 3 , ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2002/2012/oj).’;"

paragraph 3 is replaced by the following:

‘3. The Cohesion Fund shall support PO 2 and 3, including the specific objective set out in paragraph 1, point (b)(x), insofar as it is in line with the scope of support as set out in Article 6.’

in Table 1 of Annex I, the following row is added under policy objective 2:

supporting investments aimed at reconstruction in response to a natural disaster that occurs between 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2025.

Any RCO listed for specific objectives under POs 1 to 4

Any RCR listed for specific objectives under POs 1 to 4

REGULATION (EU) 2024/3236 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 19 December 2024 amending Regulations (EU) 2021/1057 and (EU) 2021/1058 as regards Regional Emergency Support to Reconstruction (RESTORE)