On Monday 6 November, the European Commission announced that it had authorised a French aid scheme worth €565 million to support the development of rural areas. Of this €565 million, €500 million will be financed by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD).
The background to this aid is the approval of measures in the French strategic plan for the Common Agricultural Policy 2023-2027 concerning aid to support basic services, encourage the creation of non-agricultural businesses and promote cooperation in rural areas.
The aid will be offered until 31 December 2027 in the form of direct grants and guarantees.
The scheme has been examined by the European Commission with regard to the European rules on State aid and, more specifically, the guidelines for State aid in the agriculture and forestry sector and in rural areas (2022/C 485/01) and Article 107(3)(c) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, under which Member States may be authorised to grant aid to facilitate the development of certain economic activities or of certain economic areas, subject to certain conditions. (Original version in French by Émilie Vanderhulst)