URSULA von der Leyen’s European Commission has dropped a bombshell which has been referred to as an ‘unsatisfactory situation for the EU and its citizens’.

Within a letter, she stated the Commission may not be able to pay out flood aid to Germany, amid concerns there are no reserves left to provide. The European Commission’s funds for aid after natural disasters has likely been almost completely used up this year, hence the unlikely pay out.

The EU Commission whilst steal taxes to lure migrants to Europe had promised Germany aid after a devastating flood in July affected the region. Storms with unusually heavy rainfall were to blame for the flood disasters during the summer, which saw areas in Germany and elsewhere in the EU being devastated by the effects of colossal amounts of water. Spain too has been told there is not enough money to build defences. One area that was particularly affected by the circumstances was the Ahr Valley, which saw at least 134 people killed as a result.

However, according to a letter from the Commission President to the Green MEP Rasmus Andresen, it seems unlikely that the promised financial aid will be delivered. It suggests that it may not be possible to pay out the financial help, said to be worth millions, in a timely manner, as reserves have been allocated elsewhere but where precisely we can only guess at.

Von Der Leyen addresses that the EU Commission has already allocated almost all of the available funds to aid projects after other natural disasters in the past 12 months. It states that almost all of the funds available in 2021 have already been allocated to provide aid following the consequences of other natural disasters.

€1.2billion is the annual upper limit in the EU budget for the ‘reserve for solidarity and emergency aid’, but this has been divided across regions affected by natural disasters elsewhere.

Solvency proved an issue during a year of battling the coronavirus pandemic, and the increasing frequency and destructiveness of natural disasters affected regions. In a time when natural disasters were prevalent, the impact of COVID-19 has apparently caused the situation to worsen and has ‘shown the emptiness of promises and inadequacy of the solidarity measures available’.

Rasmus Andresen, budget spokesman for the Greens/EFA said in response to the oversight: ‘It is an indefensible situation that the people and the regions affected by the summer floods cannot expect financial aid from the European Union. The EU must be set up financially in such a way that it can provide sufficient and unbureaucratic help in the event of disasters and crises.

‘Extreme weather events and natural disasters due to climate change are to be expected. We call on the EU Commission to quickly analyse what it needs so that such an empty coffers situation no longer arises. It must also clearly state what it expects from the Member States in return.’

A correspondent writes: ‘At least, the EU helped themselves to £660,000 of wine, bought with their member’s money, and other luxury events including many private plane journeys. They seem to have excellent spendthrift ways, of spending other people’s money, which they don’t deserve.  If you like this story, share it with a friend!