On Wednesday 9 October, the European Commission authorised Italy to pay €1 billion in aid to support farmers affected by flooding and landslides in May 2023 in the regions of Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany and Marche.
This aid is designed to support investment aimed at restoring the agricultural production potential damaged by these disasters and to compensate companies involved in primary agricultural production, processing and marketing of agricultural products for the damages suffered.
This support scheme is open to companies of all sizes and applies until 1 May 2027. The aid will be granted in the form of direct grants: up to 100% of the eligible investment costs incurred in restoring agricultural production potential to the level existing before the natural disasters; and up to 100% of the damages suffered by businesses as a direct result of the natural disasters.
The Commission noted that the floods and landslides had been classified as natural disasters and that the aid scheme only served to compensate for the damages actually caused by these natural disasters. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)