The European Commission has approved a €3 million Portuguese state aid scheme to support agricultural companies in the Azores facing higher fuel and fertiliser costs linked to the Middle East crisis.
The scheme will run until 31 December 2026 and is open to companies involved in the primary production of agricultural products in the Azores, the Commission explained in a release on Friday.
Support will be paid as direct grants, with a maximum of €50,000 per company.
The measure was approved under the Middle East Crisis Temporary State Aid Framework, a set of EU rules adopted on 29 April 2026 that allows member states to grant limited support under defined conditions.
How the scheme was cleared under EU rules
The Commission said it assessed the scheme under EU State aid rules, including Article 107(3)(c) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, which permits certain types of state support if specific conditions are met.
The decision will be published in the Commission’s State aid register under case number SA.125094 once any confidentiality issues have been resolved.
