EU TO ALLOCATE 120 MLN EUROS TO FARMERS AFFECTED BY ADVERSE WEATHER

BRUSSELS, Sept 24 (Bernama-Xinhua) -- The European Commission on Monday proposed financial assistance of 119.7 million euros (US$141.4 million) to support farmers in Bulgaria, Germany, Estonia, Italy, and Romania who were hit by severe weather conditions during the spring and summer, reported Xinhua.

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, according to the Commission's statement.

"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 Commissioner for Agriculture.

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.

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.

--BERNAMA-XINHUA