14.11.2002 Official Journal of the European Communities L3113 COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 2012/2002 of 11 November 2002 establishing the European Union Solidarity Fund THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular the third paragraph of Article 159 and Article 308 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (*), Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (*), Having regard to the resolution of the Committee of the Regions (¥), Whereas: 1 1 2 () () () () In the event of major disasters, the Community should show its solidarity with the population of the regions concerned by providing financial assistance to contribute to a rapid return to normal living conditions in the disaster-stricken regions. The assistance should mainly be mobilised in case of natural disasters. Existing economic and social cohesion instruments are able to finance risk-prevention measures and the repair of damaged infrastructure. However, provision should also be made for an additional instrument, to be distinguished from existing Community instruments, which enables the Commu- nity to act swiftly and efficiently to help, as quickly as possible, in mobilising emergency services to meet people's immediate needs and contribute to the short-term restoration of damaged key infra- structure so that economic activity can resume in the disaster-stricken regions. The European Union should also show solidarity with the countries currently negotiating their accession. Extending this Regulation to cover those countries entails recourse to Article 308 of the Treaty. Community aid should be complementary to the efforts of the States concerned and be used to cover a share of the public expenditure committed to dealing with the damage caused by a major disaster. In line with the principle of subsidiarity, assistance under this instrument should be confined to major disasters with serious repercussions on living conditions, the natural environment or the econonty. A ‘major disaster’ within the meaning of this Regulation should mean any disaster, in at least one of the States concerned, resulting in important damage expressed in financial terms or as a percentage of the gross national income (GNI). In order to permit interventions in the case of disasters that, while important, do not reach the minimum scale required, assistance may also be granted under exceptional circumstances in case an eligible neighbouring country is affected by the same disaster, or whenever the major part of the population of a specific region is affected by a disaster with serious and lasting repercussions on living conditions. Community action should not relieve third parties of their responsibility who, under the ‘polluter- pays’ principle, are liable in the first instance for the damage caused by them, or discourage preven- tive measures at both Member State and Community level. This instrument should allow a rapid decision to be taken to commit specific financial resources and mobilise them as quickly as possible. Administrative procedures should be adjusted accordingly and confined to the minimum absolutely necessary. To this end, the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission have concluded on 7 November 2002 an Interinstitutional Agreement on the financing of the European Union Solidarity Fund, supplementing the Interinstitutional Agreement of 6 May 1999 on budgetary discipline and improvement of the budgetary procedure. Commission proposal of 20 September 2002 (not yet published in the Official Journal). Opinion delivered on 10 October 2002 (not yet published in the Official Journal). Opinion delivered on 24 October 2002 (not yet published in the Official Journal). %) Resolution delivered on 10 October 2002 (not yet published in the Official Journal).