The European Commission has approved a €110 million Austrian scheme to support primary agricultural producers in the context of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The scheme was approved under the State aid Temporary Crisis Framework, adopted by the Commission on 23 March 2022 and amended on 20 July 2022, based on Article 107(3)(b) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (‘TFEU’), recognizing that the EU economy is experiencing a serious disturbance.
“The agricultural sector has been hit particularly hard by the price increase of energy and other input costs caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the related sanctions,” Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager, in charge of competition policy, said. “This €110 million scheme approved today will enable Austria to support farmers affected by the current geopolitical crisis. We continue to stand with Ukraine and its people. At the same time, we continue working closely with Member States to ensure that national support measures can be put in place in a timely, coordinated, and effective way while protecting the level playing field in the Single Market.”
The Austrian Measure
Austria notified the Commission under the Temporary Crisis Framework of a €110 million scheme to support the primary agricultural production sector in the context of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The measure will be open to companies of all sizes active in the primary agricultural production sector, which have been affected by the price increase of energy, fertilizers, and other raw materials, caused by the current geopolitical crisis and the related sanctions.
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