The European Commission has today (Wednesday, October 6) adopted “exceptional measures” to support “risk management tools” in the fruit and vegetable sectors, as well as in the wine sector.
Supports for the fruit and vegetable sector will entail funding for producer organisations – which is usually calculated based on production value – being compensated to not lower than 85% of last year’s level.
Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Janusz Wojciechowski said today: “From the spring frosts, floods to heatwaves, the extreme weather conditions have been particularly challenging for the wine, fruit and vegetable sectors this year.
“This comes after an already complicated 2020 due to the Covid-19 crisis. These much needed support measures will relieve producers across the EU during these difficult times, on top of the ones already put forward in 2020 and extended into 2021.”
For the fruit and vegetable sectors, the compensation paid to producer organisations will be offered when the reduction of production is linked to natural disasters, climatic events, plant diseases or pest infestations outside of the producer organisation’s control; and at least 35% lower compared to the previous year.
In addition, if producers prove that they took preventive measures against the cause for production reduction, the production value used for support will be the same as last year, the commission announced.
This is the second package of supports for these sectors, following a similar arrangement made in May of last year in response to the pandemic.
Within the package, a set of measures was adopted today as implemented acts. As for the delegated acts, they will have to go through a two-month scrutiny period in the European Parliament and the European Council.
For Europe’s wine sector, the measures adopted today include increasing support for risk management tools such as harvest insurance and mutual funds, and extending the flexibility measures already in place until October 15, 2022.