Commission pays €846 million to Spain to support recovery following the 2024 Valencia region floods

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission.

The European Commission has approved the payment of €846 million to Spain from the EU Solidarity Fund (EUSF) to support the reconstruction efforts after the devastating floods that struck the Valencia Region in October 2024. This amount complements an emergency advance of €100 million disbursed in March 2025 to help kickstart the recovery and relief operations.

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said: “The floods in Valencia were a European tragedy. This is why we are working on a European recovery effort. The funding we have just approved will help rebuild what the disaster destroyed. It also serves as a concrete expression of EU solidarity with our Spanish friends who still carry the weight of loss and grief. To Spain, today and tomorrow: Europa está con vosotros.”

In October 2024, an extreme weather event know as ‘DANA’ (depresión aislada en niveles altos, or “high-altitude isolated depression”) struck the Valencia region with severe downpours over several days, leading to widespread devastating flooding. The disaster claimed over 230 lives, making it one of the deadliest natural catastrophes in Spain’s recent history. It also caused extensive damage to homes, schools, hospitals, businesses and critical infrastructure, leaving entire communities displaced and isolated.

Following a thorough assessment of the damage, and taking into consideration the EUSF budget, the Commission proposed in October 2025 to grant Spain a total of €945 million, which was swiftly approved by the European Parliament and the Council. This is the second largest amount ever allocated by EU’s main post-disaster relief instrument.

The EUSF support will retroactively finance emergency and recovery measures taken from the first day of the disaster, including:

• Repair of critical infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, as well as water and energy networks
• Provision of temporary accommodation for displaced people
• Strengthening of flood prevention systems, such as drainage networks, riverbanks and early warning mechanisms
• Preservation of cultural heritage sites
• Large-scale clean-up operations, including the removal of debris and environmental decontamination

Next steps

Following the Commission’s decision, the funds will be paid to Spain in the coming days in one instalment.

Background

The EUSF is the EU’s main instrument for supporting disaster recovery in both Member States and accession countries.

Emergency and recovery operations conducted by Member States may be financed retroactively by the EUSF from day one of the disasters.

Since its establishment in 2002, the EUSF has mobilised over €11 billion in assistance for 148 disasters across EU Member States and accession countries.