Statement by EESC President Mario Sepi following the disaster in Italy’s Abruzzo region

Now is the time for the European Union to mobilise its Solidarity Fund for Natural Catastrophes, applying the rapid response approach demanded by the European Economic and Social Committee when the fund was first set up.

The earthquake that hit the Italian region of Abruzzo yesterday, 6 April, is a tragedy of enormous proportions. In addition to claiming a great many lives it has also caused extremely serious damage to local communities. There is a sense of profound grief throughout the country, as borne out by the Italian Council of Ministers' declaration of a state of national emergency in the areas affected.

In Europe too there is great emotion and a desire to show solidarity. For this reason, as President of the European Economic and Social Committee, I am calling for the resources available in the EU solidarity fund, set up in 2002 as part of the Structural Funds, to be mobilised as quickly as possible and used to their full potential.

More specifically, and in keeping with the spirit of constant affirmation of the principle of social and civil solidarity that the Committee has always embodied, I call on the EU to apply the criteria of "emergency" and "capacity for rapid response in situations of crisis", as argued by the Committee in its 2005 opinion on the need to review the European Union Solidarity Fund.

To this end, and at precisely these times, Europe must send out a clear political message and show that it knows how to "provide an immediate solution to urgent needs, both to help the affected communities and to provide material assistance" as underlined by the EESC in its opinion back in 2005.

It is my belief that the EU Solidarity Fund is extremely important and could provide critical assistance when it comes to restoring order and normality to infrastructure and the economic and social lives of the people affected by catastrophes like the one that has hit this Italian region.