The European Commission is stepping in to support fruit and vegetable producers in Valencia, Spain, hit hard by last autumn's unprecedented weather, introducing new flexibilities and reducing red tape to help them recover.
The exceptional weather led to damaged crops and production facilities. As a result, some activities for 2025 will no longer happen as planned, and corresponding operational funds will remain unused. Some producers are also amending their programmes to include crisis-management measures to mitigate the impact.
Considering the situation, the European Commission is stepping in to reduce the administrative burden and provide flexibility, proposing two targeted derogations—one under the Strategic Plan Regulation, and the other under the Common Market Organisation (CMO) Regulation applicable to the fruit and vegetable sectors. For example, the deadline for aid applications under the CMO has been extended to give applicants more time, and the EU co-financing rate under the regulation has been increased up to 70%. These temporary measures will allow affected producer organisations and wine producers to adjust their operations without being penalised for circumstances beyond their control.
The legislative procedure for both derogations was launched recently and adopted on 26 May, with both acts entering into force the day after publication. The response highlights the EU's ability to act swiftly in the face of climate-related agricultural emergencies and comes after a similar emergency response to weather events across several member states in February.
For more information:
European Commission
Tel: +32 2 299 96 96
www.commission.europa.eu