Proposal for a Regulation amending Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 and Regulation (EU) No 223/2014 as regards increased pre-financing from REACT-EU resources

Summary:

Legislative initiative tabled by the European Commission on 23 March 2022, proposing an increase of the total pre-financing from the Recovery Assistance for Cohesion and the Territories of Europe (REACT-EU) in order to respond to refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine.

Further information:

Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 sets out the common principles, rules and standards for the operation of the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESI Funds) for the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2014-2020. Regulation (EU) No 223/2014 establishes the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD) for the same period.

This draft law provides for exceptional and targeted rules to the framework of those funds for the period 2014-2020, in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and subsequent impact on the European Union (EU) and its Member States. It is proposed that for all Member States there is an increase in pre-finance from 11% to 15% of the 2021 REACT-EU trance. For frontline Member States, and those receiving the highest number of arrivals from Ukraine in proportion to their national population, it is proposed that the percentage increases to 45%. This total increase in pre-financing would equal €3.4 billion to be paid to Member States following the adoption of the draft law.

The proposed Regulation was tabled by the European Commission on 23 March 2022. It aimed to complement proposed amendments to Cohesion’s Action for Refugees in Europe (CARE). It was formally endorsed by the plenary of the European Parliament on 24 March and by the Council of the European Union on 4 April.

Official

European Parliament: Legislative Observatory: Procedure File for Proposal on Amending certain Regulations as regards financial resources under the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund and the implementation period of the Home Affairs Funds for 2014-2020 (2022/0077(COD)) https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/ficheprocedure.do?reference=2022/0077(COD)

European Commission: Press Release, 23/03/2022: Ukraine: €3.4 billion REACT-EU pre-financing to Member States welcoming refugees fleeing Ukraine https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_22_1961

European Parliament: Press Release, 24/03/2022: War in Ukraine: MEPs unlock emergency funds for refugees https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20220321IPR25919/

Council of the European Union: Press Release, 04/04/2022: Ukraine: €17 billion of EU funds to help refugees https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2022/04/04/ukraine-council-unlocks-17-billion-of-eu-funds-to-help-refugees/

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