Brussels (The Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The EU Commission proposed €120 million in support to farmers impacted by adverse weather circumstances in Bulgaria, Germany, Estonia, Italy and Romania.
The European Commission proposed to assign €119,7 million from the agricultural reserve to directly back farmers from Bulgaria, Germany, Estonia, Italy, and Romania who have been affected by exceptional adverse climatic circumstances in Spring and early Summer. The Commission proposed to give €10,9 million to Bulgaria, €46,5 million to Germany, €3,3 million to Estonia, €37,4 million to Italy and €21,6 million to Romania.
What are the funding details for affected farmers?
The funding will contribute to reimbursing farmers from affected countries who have lost part of their production and as a result, part of their earnings. The amounts presented are a symbol of EU solidarity with affected farmers, which can be complemented by up to 200% with national funds.
How will national authorities allocate the EU funds?
Once assumed, national authorities will have to allocate this aid by 30 April 2025 and ensure that farmers are the ultimate beneficiaries. The Member States concerned will also have to inform the Commission by 31 December 2024 about the particulars of the measures’ implementation, notably the criteria used to decide the granting of individual aid, the intended effect of the measure, the forecasts for payments broken down per month until the end of April, and the level of additional support to be delivered. The notification should also include the steps taken to avoid distortion of competition and overcompensation.
The EU Commission’s proposal will be concerned with all Member States, before they settle on its approval during a session of the Committee for the Common Organisation of Agricultural Markets on 7 October. In the second half of Summer, farmers in other Member States have been impacted by extreme weather events. The Commission will consider whether such damages also deserve EU solidarity to be provided.
The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) 2023-2027 includes an agricultural budget of at least €450 million per year to manage market disruptions or exceptional events concerning production or distribution. To start the agriculture reserve, the Member States have to transmit a report to the Commission substantiating their shares for compensation and showing their estimate of the damage incurred by the unusual weather event or sanitary measures.
In the first half of 2024, unusually warm temperatures and dry situations of unprecedented magnitude were registered in the southern mainland and islands of Italy. This concerned the production of fruit and vegetables, wine and arable crops. Bulgaria was also impacted by drought during the summer with an effect on crops sown in spring, especially maize and sunflower. In July, Romania was struck by heatwaves, drought but also fierce storms and heavy hail, impairing the production of arable crops and oilseeds.
