European Commission takes action to ensure food security and support for farmers

The European Commission has unveiled a range of short- and medium-term measures to improve global food security and support EU farmers and consumers in the face of rising food prices and input costs such as energy and fertilizer. Rising global commodity prices, further accelerated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, re-emphasizes the need to create more resilient and resilient EU agricultural and food supply chains in line with the Farm to Fork strategy.

So far, food availability in the EU is not under threat, as the continent is largely self-sufficient in many agricultural products. However, the European agricultural sector is a net importer of certain products. This vulnerability, combined with the high cost of inputs such as fertilizers and fossil fuels, creates production problems for farmers and can drive up food prices.

Measures to support the agricultural industry

Exceptional support measures of €500 million to provide direct assistance to farmers most affected by rising production costs and the closure of EXPORT markets. Member States may, on an exceptional basis, supplement this EU support by 200% from national funds.
To address the cash flow problems faced by farmers, EU countries will be able to pay higher levels of direct CAP payments up front.

Measures will be taken to support the pork market in light of the particularly difficult situation in which this sector finds itself. An exceptional and temporary derogation is granted in order to allow crop production on dependent lands, while maintaining the full amount of payments for landscaping for farmers.