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(1) The European Union Solidarity Fund (‘the Fund’) aims to enable the Union to respond in a rapid, efficient and flexible manner to emergency situations in order to show solidarity with the population of regions struck by natural disasters.

(2) The Fund is not to exceed a maximum annual amount of EUR 500 000 000 (2011 prices), as laid down in Article 10 of Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1311/2013 .

(3) On 8 November 2019, Portugal submitted an application to mobilise the Fund, following extreme weather events in Azores.

(4) On 28 November 2019, Spain submitted an application to mobilise the Fund, following extreme rainfall resulting in flooding in the regions of Valencia, Murcia, Castilla-La Mancha and Andalusia.

(5) On 10 January 2020, Italy submitted an application to mobilise the Fund, following extreme weather events in 17 regions in the autumn of 2019.

(6) On 29 January 2020, Austria submitted application to mobilise the Fund, following extreme weather events in November 2019.

(7) The applications by Portugal, Spain, Italy and Austria meet the conditions for providing a financial contribution from the Fund, as laid down in Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002.

(8) The Fund should therefore be mobilised in order to provide a financial contribution to Portugal, Spain, Italy and Austria.

(9) In order to minimise the time taken to mobilise the Fund, this Decision should apply from the date of its adoption,