On Thursday 30 May, the European Commission adopted a communication clarifying the use of force majeure and exceptional circumstances in the EU agricultural sector in case of unforeseeable and extreme weather events.
The concept of force majeure means that farmers who have been unable to meet all the requirements of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) due to exceptional and unforeseeable events beyond their control (such as severe drought or flooding) do not lose CAP support (see EUROPE 13417/10).
The communication specifies that cases of force majeure may apply to all farmers working in a delimited area affected by natural disasters or serious and unforeseeable weather events. This means that farmers in the affected area will not need to fill in individual requests or provide evidence that the force majeure conditions have been met.
By clarifying the legal interpretation of this concept, the Commission aims to provide certainty for affected farmers with regard to their CAP payments, while ensuring uniform application throughout the Union by national administrations.
This communication is part of a series of actions taken by the Commission to reduce the administrative burden on EU farmers.
Link to the communication: https://aeur.eu/f/cfe (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)