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Spain, Portugal, France and Italy successfully called on the crisis reserve of the EU agricultural fund in Brussels on Tuesday. Due to climatic disturbances, their agriculture and horticulture are struggling with severe drought and partly failed harvests. The request was submitted by Portugal and Spain, which was later supported by France and Italy.
Farmers and horticulturists in other (not yet named) EU countries who are experiencing major climatic damage may also be eligible for compensation. The latter is said to apply not only to the grape and wine industry, but also to fruit cultivation in some countries. This scheme is currently being drawn up and will be announced shortly.
Agriculture Commissioner Janus Wojciechowski showed understanding during the monthly LNV agricultural council on Tuesday for the difficult position in which these four countries have been struggling for some time in different ways. For example, the French grape industry has shortages of spray water, and extensive Spanish agricultural areas suffer not only from water shortages but also from scorching heat. According to the Spanish minister Luis Planas, not a single blade of grass grows in large parts of his country, and the cattle have to eat artificial feed (purchased) all year round.
In Italy the rivers are almost dry; the river Po contains barely forty percent of the 'normal' water supply. Due to the low humidity, hardly any snow fell in the Italian mountains last winter, which means that the meltwater is now also absent.
Wojciechwski said his agri department has been bombarded with requests for aid. He made it clear that not all claims are eligible for compensation. He said that of the annual 450 million euros in the disaster fund for this year, there is still about 250 million. Earlier this year, Brussels already agreed to pay damages to five neighboring countries of Ukraine, due to market disruptions caused by the grain corridors.
In addition, the 27 EU countries will have the option of activating existing claims settlements in the new GB (which they must pay themselves), but Brussels will also pay out a number of payments and advances more quickly.
