Support package of 100 million euros for farmers in frontline countries

During the meeting of the Committee on the Future of the World. According to a report by the European Commission’s Directorate General for the Common Organization of Agricultural Markets, EU member states gave a majority positive opinion to the European Commission’s draft regulation to grant Poland, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Romania and Hungary a second tranche of €100 million in aid. A support package of nearly €40 million is to come to our country.

The €100 million support package, drawn from the 2023 agricultural reserve, will be targeted at grain and oilseed farmers. The support will help member states bordering Ukraine partially compensate for problems related to the consequences of importing certain agri-food products from that country.

Support package for five frontline states

The distribution of funds among the countries is to be:

• 9.77 million euros for Bulgaria;
• 15.93 million euros for Hungary;
• 39.33 million euros for Poland;
• 29.73 million euros for Romania;
• 5.24 million euros for Slovakia.

The countries can supplement EU support up to 200% with national funds, which would amount to a total of €300 million in financial assistance for affected farmers. The distribution of funds took into account the situation of each country in the EU agricultural sector, the amount of CAP direct payments, as well as the relative growth of Ukrainian imports of cereals and oilseeds to these member states.

The adopted support package is the result of the one reached on April 28, 2023. European Commission agreements with Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia on Ukrainian agri-food products. European Commission May 2, 2023. announced the adoption of temporary preventive measures on imports of wheat, corn, rapeseed and sunflower from Ukraine, which were initially in effect until June 5 and were eventually extended until September 15, 2023. With the adoption of the support package, the EU is taking steps to facilitate the transit of grain through solidarity corridors to the regions that need it most. The planned measures aim to reduce overall logistics costs, better coordinate transit and improve infrastructure at ports.