Dear Fertilisers, EU gives the go-ahead for aid to farmers

The European Commission today approved a package of measures to help farms cope with the rising cost of fertilisers. These include drawing on the Common Agricultural Policy’s crisis reserve, with the option for Member States to co-finance the aid up to 200 per cent, the option to bring forward CAP aid at increased rates before 16 October, and a number of measures under rural development plans. This aid may also be co-financed by Member States up to 65 per cent.

Further flexibility is also envisaged within the national strategic plans for the CAP. These new measures follow on from the 540 million aid package announced as part of the European Action Plan on Fertilisers and adopted on 27 July.

“The green light announced today by the European Commission on fertilisers is another step by Europe to support farmers, and it comes thanks to the work that Italia has been carrying out for months in Brussels,” commented Minister Francesco Lollobrigida . Since January, when the crisis had not yet fully unfolded, we have been raising the issue of high fertiliser prices at the Brussels negotiating table. Today we have received confirmation of what we were asking for: the strengthening and use of the CAP crisis reserve and, above all, the possibility of advancing direct payments before 16 October, a measure of great significance for farmers. SWe have already taken action on direct payments by disbursing 1.67 billion; as regards the use of the crisis reserve, we will make the maximum possible use of the 46 million earmarked for Italia.”
“We will continue along these lines,” the minister emphasised. “Production, protection and promotion: these are the three cornerstones of the strategy that Italia is pursuing in Europe for the agri-food sector. Defending farmers’ incomes means defending citizens’ food security.”