*Sweden, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are set to receive millions of euros in EU aid following storms that battered large parts of northern Europe in January this year. Four grants totalling nearly €93 million from the EU's Solidarity Fund will be used to reimburse the cost of emergency measures activated in the aftermath of the storm. After months of assessments and verification, Brussels announced on Monday that Sweden will receive €81.73 million, Latvia, €9.49 million, Estonia €1.29 million and Lithuania €0.37 million. The EU's so-called .......
...... Solidarity fund, created in 2002, grants emergency aid to national governments in the event of natural disasters.
Access to the funds - worth €1 billion per year - is regulated according to strict criteria and a precise estimate of damage and emergency needs.
Northern Europe was ravaged by severe storms on 8-9 January 2005. Southern Sweden was hardest hit with damage estimated at €2.3 billion.
Nine people died and 75 million cubic metres of timber was felled - affecting electricity and communications.
In Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania, officials estimate that damage to agriculture, forestry and infrastructure networks at €192 million in Latvia, €48 million in Estonia, €15 million in Lithuania.
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