While in Wroclaw, Poland, the President of the European Commission announced billions in aid for countries affected by severe flooding - saying it was "heart-breaking to see the destruction and the devastation through the floods."
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00:00The EU pledged 10 billion euros for flood recovery for central European countries as
00:07extreme weather grips the region.
00:11The announcement was made by President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen
00:15while she was visiting a flood-damaged region in southeastern Poland.
00:21While there, she met with the government heads of affected countries like Poland, Austria,
00:26the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
00:31Here we say it's 100% European money, no co-financing.
00:36These are extraordinary times and extraordinary times need extraordinary measures.
00:42At first sight, 10 billion euros are possible to mobilize from the cohesion funds for the
00:50countries that are affected.
00:52This is an emergency reaction now.
00:57EU countries usually are required to co-finance projects to access cohesion funding, meaning
01:03the decision for the EU to finance 100% is an extraordinary measure.
01:09Across Europe, homes have been destroyed, hundreds evacuated and lives lost as several
01:15countries were affected by flooding and extreme weather.