On Monday 10 July, the Common Market Organisation (CMO) Committee gave the go-ahead for €330 million in aid for European farmers affected by adverse weather conditions, high input costs and various market and trade-related problems.
The new package of support measures, financed using all the money left over from the reserve for agricultural crises, will be for the benefit 22 Member States, i.e. those that did not receive the previous €100 million aid for farmers in Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. Countries can supplement this EU aid by up to 200% with national funds (see EUROPE 13217/6).
Spain will be the biggest beneficiary (€81 million), followed by Italy (€60.5 million), France (€53.1 million) and Germany (€35.7 million). Countries will have to inform the Commission of the measures envisaged by 30 September 2023 at the latest. Payments must be made by 31 January 2024.
The national authorities will distribute the aid directly to farmers, to compensate them for economic losses resulting from market disruption, high input prices, the rapid fall in prices of agricultural products and damage caused by recent climatic events. The aid may be used to finance the distillation of wine, in order to prevent a further deterioration in the market. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)