COVID-19: EU support to agriculture and fisheries
Main objectives:
• ensuring food availability for EU citizens
• supporting the vital role of farmers and fishers
• adopting a coordinated EU response
• using the resources of the Common Agricultural Policy and European Maritime Fisheries Fund
Key principles:
• flexibility in existing programmes
• direct financial support
• building resilience, including towards other challenges (such as environmental ones)
To facilitate food supply across Europe:
• green lanes to allow flow of food
• seasonal workers recognised as critical workers
For farmers:
• higher advances of direct payments (from 50% to 70%) some rural development payments (from 75% to 85%)
• extension of 1 month for payment applications
• aid for private storage for temporary withdrawal of products for up to 6 months
• loans or guarantees at favourable conditions to cover operational costs of up to €200 000
• state aid up to €800 000 for food processing and marketing companies up to €120 000 per farm
• emergency assistance from rural development funds of up to €7 000 per farmer of up to €50 000 per small business
Other measures for the sector:
• simplified administration and fewer on-the-spot checks
• temporary derogations from certain EU competition rules
• flexibility in market support programmes for some products
• reorientation of funding priorities under existing programmes
For fishers and aquaculture producers:
• support for temporary suspension of fishing activities (maximum co-financing rate of 75%, including for fishers on foot and for new vessels)
• support for temporary cessation or reduction of aquaculture production and sales
• aid for storage of products and better conditions to benefit from storage mechanism
• more flexibility in the use of funds
• further simplification of procedures for operational programmes
• possible compensation by member states of economic losses in outermost regions