The European Commission has approved a €15 million French State aid scheme to support agricultural and aquaculture companies facing higher fuel prices linked to the Middle East crisis.
France notified the scheme to Brussels to help businesses involved in primary production — such as farms and fish farms — with the rising cost of non-road diesel fuel, known in France as "gazole non routier" (GNR), the Commission reported on Thursday.
Support will be provided as direct grants calculated on the volume of GNR purchased between 1 and 30 April 2026, with companies eligible for €0.0386 per litre.
The Commission said the measure is designed to cover up to 70% of the additional costs resulting from the Middle East crisis, based on the fuel bought during that April period.
Average GNR prices rose from €0.70 to €1.22 per litre between February and April 2026, excluding tax — an increase of 74%.
Aid rules and timeframe
The scheme was approved under the Middle East Crisis Temporary State Aid Framework (METSAF), a temporary set of EU rules adopted on 29 April 2026 that allows governments to support parts of the economy most exposed to the crisis, the Commission said.
The French measure will run until 31 December 2026, and the METSAF is also due to remain in place until that date.
