On Wednesday 4 October, the European Commission announced that it had authorised an Italian scheme worth €910 million, made available in part through the ‘Recovery and Resilience Facility’, to support the development of the agro-industrial sector.
Funding will be available to a maximum of 500 companies proposing investment projects in the processing and marketing of agricultural products. The projects must help the sector to adapt more effectively to market needs, become more competitive and increase research, technology and digitalisation.
The aid will reach beneficiaries in the form of direct grants and subsidised financing. The amount of aid per beneficiary will not exceed 60% of eligible costs. This percentage may be higher for small businesses and projects implemented in disadvantaged regions, known as ‘a’ areas, eligible for aid under Article 107(3)(a) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
The Commission has examined the measure in the light of the European rules on state aid, in particular the 2022 guidelines for state aid in the agriculture and forestry sectors and in rural areas, and in the light of Article 107(3)(c) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, which allows, under certain conditions, support for the development of certain economic activities or of certain economic areas. (Original version in French by Émilie Vanderhulst)