EU Approves €113 Million for France, Slovakia Disasters
The European Commission released funds from the EU Solidarity Fund for recovery after cyclones in Mayotte and La Réunion and floods in Slovakia.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Emergency Response
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The European Commission approved €113 million from the EU Solidarity Fund for France and Slovakia. France will receive €89.6 million for Mayotte after Cyclone Chido and €21.2 million after Cyclone Garance struck La Réunion, while Slovakia will receive €2.1 million after severe floods in September 2024.
Why it matters
The funds will pay for emergency response and recovery work, including repairing infrastructure, temporary accommodation, clean-up, and restoring natural areas. The payments follow approval of the Commission's proposals by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union.
The Commission's approval covers €113 million in total, with €89.6 million for Mayotte, €21.2 million for La Réunion and €2.1 million for Slovakia. Cyclone Chido killed at least 39 people in Mayotte and Cyclone Garance caused at least five deaths, while the timing of final payments beyond the earlier advances remains unspecified.
The players
European Commission
The executive arm of the European Union responsible for proposing legislation and administering EU funds, including the EU Solidarity Fund.
EU Solidarity Fund
A fund established in 2002 to provide financial aid to European countries hit by major natural disasters, having supported more than 150 disasters.
European Parliament
The directly elected legislative body of the European Union, which must approve the Commission's proposals for Solidarity Fund payments.
Council of the European Union
The institution representing member state governments that, together with Parliament, approves Solidarity Fund payment proposals.
The details
Cyclone Chido hit Mayotte in December 2024, destroying homes and disrupting water and electricity networks, while Cyclone Garance struck La Réunion in February 2025. Severe floods in Slovakia in September 2024 damaged transport links and critical infrastructure, including flooding of the Danube and Morava rivers and breached levees in Bratislava.
Timeline
September 2024: Severe floods hit Slovakia, including Bratislava.
December 2024: Cyclone Chido hit Mayotte.
February 2025: Cyclone Garance struck La Réunion.
May 2025: A €24 million advance payment was made for Mayotte recovery.
August 2025: A €5.3 million advance payment was made for La Réunion recovery.
Seasonal Patterns
The approval extends the EU Solidarity Fund's record since its 2002 establishment, which has provided more than €11 billion for 150 disasters across Europe. This latest tranche for two overseas territories and a Central European flood adds to that cumulative record.
Residents of Mayotte, La Réunion and Slovakia affected by these disasters should follow official local guidance for recovery assistance and infrastructure repair. The funds are intended to cover emergency response, temporary accommodation and clean-up work as communities rebuild.
The takeaway
The EU Solidarity Fund has provided more than €11 billion for 150 disasters since 2002, and this approval shows how recovery funding can follow a disaster by roughly a year. Local governments and residents in affected regions can use such funds to speed repairs to water, electricity and transport networks.
Further reading
For more on how disaster relief is organized, see the Emergency Response section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Brusselstimes.
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