27.6.2014 Official Journal of the European Union L 189/143 REGULATION (EU) No 661/2014 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 15 May 2014 amending Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 establishing the European Union Solidarity Fund THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular the third paragraph of Article 175 and Article 212(2) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, After transmission of the draft legislative act to the national parliaments, Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee (1), Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions (2), Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure (3), Whereas: (1) The European Union Solidarity Fund (‘the Fund’) was established by Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 (*. (2) It is important for the Union to have at its disposal a sound and flexible instrument to allow it to show solidarity, send a clear political signal and provide genuine assistance to citizens affected by major natural disasters that have serious repercussions on economic and social development. (3)  The Union’s declared intention to assist candidate countries on the path towards stability and sustainable economic and political development through a clear European perspective should not be set back by the adverse effects of major natural disasters. The Union should, therefore, continue to show solidarity with the third countries that are involved in accession negotiations with it, and with which an intergovernmental accession conference has been opened. The inclusion of those countries in the scope of this Regulation entails, as a consequence, recourse to Article 212 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) as an additional legal basis. (4 The Commission should be in a position to take a rapid decision to commit specific financial resources and to mobilise them as quickly as possible. Administrative procedures should be adjusted accordingly and limited to the minimum necessary. To that end, the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission concluded the Interinstitutional Agreement of 2 December 2013 on budgetary discipline, on cooperation in budgetary matters and on sound financial management (°). () Opinion of 10 December 2013 (not yet published in the Official Journal). (3) Opinion of 28 November 2013 (not yet published in the Official Journal). (%) Position of the European Parliament of 16 April 2014 (not yet published in the Official Journal) and decision of the Council of 6 May 2014. (*) Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 of 11 November 2002 establishing the European Union Solidarity Fund (O] L 311, 14.11.2002, p. 3). (°) Interinstitutional Agreement between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission of 2 December 2013 on budgetary discipline, on cooperation in budgetary matters and on sound financial management (O] C 373, 20.12.2013, p. 1).