Belgium, along with many other member states, will be allowed to increase state aid to farmers in times of crisis without seeking specific EU approval, the European Commission (EC) announced today.
Under the revised rules, the national state aid ceiling for farmers has jumped from €15,000 to €25,000, to help them cope with a crisis in their country. The new rules will apply as of 14 March, two months before the European elections.The @EU_Commission's proposal for new state aid rules for the agri sector reflects the value of this form of support in times of crisis. Increasing the max aid amount to farmers gives MS greater flexibility and efficiency to support vulnerable farmers ? https://t.co/LEW5sQLACY pic.twitter.com/10WSIWgwGt
— Phil Hogan (@PhilHoganEU) February 22, 2019
We have had many examples in recent years that we felt that the state aid rules were not generous enough to help member states face a crisis in their country, Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan told AFP.
Jules Johnston
The Brussels Times
