The European Commission will mobilise €540 million from the EU agricultural reserve to support farmers facing surging fertiliser and energy costs linked to the Middle East crisis, after Member States gave the go-ahead on Friday 17 July (see EUROPE 13909/26).
This support is intended to compensate for the economic losses suffered by the most affected farmers, prioritising the sectors and products most impacted by rising input prices. Member States will have to define objective, non-discriminatory allocation criteria in order to avoid any competition distortions or overcompensation.
France will receive the largest overall budget, with €107.1 million, followed by Poland (€66.6 million), Germany (€60.3 million), Spain (€50.2 million), and Italy (€45.6 million).
Member States can complement this European financial support with up to 200% of the allocated European amount in national funds. However, the Commission requests payments be made swiftly, with support to be distributed by 28 February 2027 at the latest.
This measure is one of the first concrete actions under the Fertiliser Action Plan, presented by the Commission on 19 May. It aims to provide emergency support to farmers facing liquidity challenges ahead of the next production cycle. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)