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(1) The European Union Solidarity Fund (‘the Fund’) aims to enable the Union to respond in a rapid, efficient and flexible manner to emergency situations in order to show solidarity with the population of regions struck by natural disasters.

(2) The Fund is not to exceed a maximum annual amount of EUR 500 000 000 (2011 prices), as laid down in Article 10 of Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1311/2013 .

(3) On 5 February 2016, Greece submitted an application to mobilise the Fund, following an earthquake that affected the Ionian Islands in November 2015.

(4) The application by Greece meets the conditions for providing a financial contribution from the Fund, as laid down in Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002.

(5) The Fund should therefore be mobilised in order to provide a financial contribution to Greece.

(6) By Decision (EU) 2016/252 of the European Parliament and of the Council the European Union Solidarity Fund was mobilised to provide the sum of EUR 50 million in commitment and payment appropriations for the payment of advances for the financial year 2016. Those appropriations have only been used to a very limited extent. Consequently, there is scope for financing the full amount for the present mobilisation through the reallocation of appropriations available for the payment of advances in the general budget of the Union for the financial year 2016.

(7) In order to minimise the time taken to mobilise the Fund, this Decision should apply from the date of its adoption,