European Union Approves $850M in Earthquake Aid for Italy

The European Union has approved $850 million to help Italy’s Emilia Romagna region recover from this year’s back-to-back earthquakes, despite its disagreement on other budgetary issues.

Tuesday’s approval by the 27 member states came after pressure from the European Parliament, which had called foot-dragging on the issue shameful.

The earthquake aid was part of the protracted 2012-2013 EU budget negotiations, which hit a stalemate last week.

An attempt to rescue the talks failed Tuesday, but in a show of goodwill toward Italy, the meeting of budget ministers let the earthquake aid pass.

Twenty-four people died in two temblors that struck the agricultural and industrial region in May.