On Tuesday 28 June, the Council of the EU adopted the regulation on exceptional aid under the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) to support EU farmers in difficulty due to the effects of the war in Ukraine triggered by Russia.
The regulation must now be published in the Official Journal of the EU (see EUROPE 12957/12).
It gives states the possibility to use unspent EAFRD funds (up to 5% of the 2021-2022 budget) to support farmers affected by the consequences of the war in Ukraine. This was already in place at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to the text, the aid provided by Member States shall contribute to food security or to the correction of market imbalances and shall support farmers or SMEs involved in one or more of the following activities pursuing these objectives: - circular economy; - nutrient management; - rational use of resources; - production methods that respect the environment and the climate.
The aid shall take the form of a flat-rate payment to be paid by 15 October 2023 at the latest on the basis of aid applications approved by the competent authority by 31 March 2023 at the latest.
The maximum amount of support shall not exceed €15 000 per farmer and €100 000 per SME.
Link to the regulation: https://aeur.eu/f/2dx (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)