EU Council Approves €1.8m Aid to Luxembourg for July 2021 Floods

On Tuesday 8 November 2022, the Council of the European Union agreed to release financial aid of up to €1.8 million in favour of Luxembourg, in order to contribute to the financing of the repair of damage caused by the historic floods that the Grand Duchy suffered in July 2021.

The financial aid will be paid once the European Parliament has given its agreement and it follows the request made by Luxembourg, in parallel with the other European Union (EU) Member States affected by the same disaster (Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and Austria), in October 2021.

Financial assistance for Luxembourg will be disbursed under the "EU Solidarity Fund", an instrument of the EU budget which was set up in 2002 to support Member States in their response to major natural disasters. Since its establishment, some 80 natural disasters, such as floods, fires or storms suffered in 24 European countries, have led to the granting of financial aid through this European fund.

Luxembourg's Finance Minister, Yuriko Backes, commented: “I welcome yesterday's decision to grant financial assistance to Luxembourg through the EU Solidarity Fund. The consequences of the historic floods of July 2021 were devastating in many ways and the financial contribution that will be made through the European budget represents a greatly appreciated gesture that demonstrates European solidarity towards our country following an unprecedented natural disaster.”