Brussels: The European Commission proposed financial support of 119.7 million euros (US$141.4 million) for farmers in Bulgaria, Germany, Estonia, Italy and Romania impacted by severe weather this spring and summer.
Germany will receive the largest share of the funding, totalling 46.5 million euros, followed by Italy with 37.4 million, Romania with 21.6 million, Bulgaria with 10.9 million and Estonia with 3.3 million, the Commission said in a statement on Monday.
“This proposal… represents a strong statement of EU solidarity with farmers in need. …Our farmers do not stand alone in the fight against climate change,” said Janusz Wojciechowski, European agriculture commissioner.
The funds will be drawn from the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) 2023-27, which includes an agricultural reserve of at least 450 million euros annually to address market disruptions and exceptional circumstances, Xinhua news agency reported.
National authorities are expected to distribute the aid to farmers by the end of April 2025 and may supplement the allocated amount with national funds by up to 200 per cent.
Severe weather in the first half of the year included hot and dry conditions in Italy, frost in Estonia and Germany, and heatwaves, drought and storms in Bulgaria. In July, the Commission also allocated 77 million euros from the CAP for farmers in Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland and Portugal affected by adverse climate conditions.
Climate change continues to impact Europe, leading to extreme weather conditions, including floods in central Europe earlier this month.
–IANS