A No Deal Brexit could get a similar classification to volcanoes and floods if senior EU officials move to upgrade its status.
Under the proposal, the worst-hit EU countries will be able to request cash from the bloc’s Solidarity Fund to deal with the no deal fallout.
Countries suffering from “heavy financial burdens” if Britain leaves the EU without an agreement will be able to submit requests to the bloc for emergency aid.
The funds are usually reserved for assisting member states recover from natural disasters, such as volcanic eruptions, forest fires, drought and floods.
Since been set up in the aftermath of the devastating flood in central Europe in 2002 the EU has spent more than five billion euros in response to around 80 ‘catastrophic events’.
In 2009, Italy was handed nearly €500 million from the solidarity fund after the Abruzzo earthquake, during which 308 people were killed.
In 2013 Germany received around €360 million to help respond to “serious flooding” in 2013.
Boris Johnson’s administration has upped the ante on no deal preparations today.
It has launched the British government’s biggest ever public information campaign as part of efforts to prepare the country for a no-deal Brexit.
Michael Gove’s £140million “Get Ready For Brexit” PR push coincides with a “step-by-step” tool on gov.uk to help people “identify quickly what we may need to do to get ready”.
Related: Chaos of no-deal Brexit endangers NHS says BMA as medical professionals issue chilling warning
