Source: European Parliament
Priority question for written answer P-002401/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Antonella Sberna (ECR), Chiara Gemma (ECR), Marco Squarta (ECR), Ruggero Razza (ECR), Francesco Ventola (ECR), Alberico Gambino (ECR), Nicola Procaccini (ECR), Mariateresa Vivaldini (ECR), Michele Picaro (ECR)
On 4 June 2025, a fire broke out at the University of Tuscia’s Viterbo campus, destroying part of the Department of Agriculture and Forest Sciences (DAFNE)’s main building. One of Italy’s centres of excellence, DAFNE is looking at a bill in the region of EUR 25 million for the structural damage alone. It will also have to replace all the scientific equipment lost in the blaze and cover the indirect costs resulting from the suspension of all research activities and lectures and from extraordinary staff-related expenses.
Though it has an important role to play in the realms of education and science, Tuscia is also vital to the socio-economic development of northern Lazio, as it is the only public university in the area.
In view of the above:
- 1.Can EU structural funds – particularly the ERDF and ESF + – be used in a flexible manner to finance the rebuilding of infrastructure, including by means of derogations from the regional programmes’ original funding priorities?
- 2.Could the aforementioned funds be mobilised to cover the cost of rapidly kickstarting teaching and research activities, as well as to support the students and young researchers affected?
- 3.What kind of technical support could the Commission provide to assist local authorities in identifying fund reprogramming and flexibility mechanisms?
Supporters[1]
Submitted: 13.6.2025
- [1] This question is supported by Members other than the authors: Elena Donazzan (ECR), Sergio Berlato (ECR), Carlo Fidanza (ECR)