The European Commission has approved an advance payment of €931,014 to Malta from the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) to support recovery efforts following the damage caused by Storm Harry earlier this year, while a final decision on the country's overall funding allocation is still pending, the Commission said on Thursday.

The European Commission has approved advance payments totalling €103.6 million to Malta, Portugal and Spain under the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) to help ease the financial burden of reconstruction efforts following the devastating storms that struck the three countries in January and February 2026, the statement said.

The advance payments follow applications for EUSF support submitted by Malta, Portugal and Spain, and the Commission's positive technical assessment confirming that the eligibility criteria for access to the fund had been met, the statement said.

Malta was hit by Storm Harry between 19 and 21 January 2026. The storm caused flooding, coastal damage and transport disruption, significantly affecting public infrastructure, ports, fisheries, aquaculture, agricultural assets and local communities, the statement said.

Malta will receive an advance payment of €931,014.

Portugal was affected between 22 January and 15 February 2026 by a series of exceptionally intense storms.

The storms brought strong winds, coastal surges and heavy rainfall, leading to flooding and landslides that resulted in 18 fatalities, extensive material damage and disruptions to essential services. Portugal will receive an advance payment of €65.37 million, the statement said.

Spain was struck by the same storms between 22 January and 14 February 2026. The severe weather caused prolonged electricity, water and telecommunications outages affecting thousands of residents.

Many people also suffered significant material losses, while numerous homes were destroyed or rendered uninhabitable. Spain will receive an advance payment of €37.26 million, the statement said.

The Commission said it will now submit a proposal to the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union covering the four applications.

If approved, the final payments will follow at a later stage and will depend on the availability of budgetary resources, the statement said.

Since its establishment in 2002, the EU Solidarity Fund has provided more than €11 billion in assistance for 148 disaster events, including 128 natural disasters and 20 public health emergencies, across 25 EU Member States and six accession countries, the statement said.