EU eases rules for small amounts of state aid to farmers

Farmers in the European Union will be able to get more state aid without regulatory oversight under new rules approved on Tuesday, the European Commission said.

The new rules amend existing regulations that exempt small amounts of support in the agricultural sector from state aid control, since they are deemed to have no impact on competition and trade, the commission said.

National caps for aid without these controls have been increased to two per cent from 1.5 per cent of farming output, with a longer reference period to reflect the increased value of production in recent years.

The maximum amount a company can receive without having to notify the EU has been doubled to 50,000 euros (C$74,510) over three years.

The new rules will apply until the end of 2032.

— Reporting by Bart Meijer