“We urge the European Commission to remove or increase the individual limit to EUR 560,000 per enterprise in primary agricultural production under the Temporary Framework for Crisis and Transitional State Aid”. This stated the Minister of Agriculture and Food, Dr. Georgi Tahov, at the meeting of the EU Council on Agriculture and Fisheries, which took place in Luxembourg, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food announced. He pointed out that the request is a joint one of Bulgaria and Romania, supported by Poland. Minister Takhov explained that due to the limits of support, a significant number of farm animals, areas with permanent and vegetable crops, as well as greenhouse production are excluded. In this way, they do not have the opportunity to receive funds to cover the increase in the costs of producing agricultural products. Within the framework of the Council, the point was supported by four more countries.
Again, at the suggestion of our country, the request to extend by 12 months the payment period for the projects from the PRDP 2014-2020 was discussed. “Farmers cannot complete their projects on time due to difficulties in the supply chains”, pointed out Georgi Tahov and added that in recent years, a number of unfavorable events that have led to great uncertainty has beset the sector in Europe. The proposal is supported by the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Greece, Lithuania and 9 other countries.
The delegation of Croatia informed the Council about significant damage to agricultural areas due to adverse weather conditions. Minister Tahov added that the situation in Bulgaria is similar, with enormous amounts of damage reported every year. "All possibilities and tools should be considered to mitigate the harmful effects of such events on the agricultural sector," he added. According to him, the conditions for providing support from the EU Solidarity Fund should be reviewed.
The topic of sustainable fishing in the EU was also discussed during the Council. In his speech, Minister Tahov welcomed the EC's efforts to achieve the goals in the Black Sea fisheries. He pointed out that our country considers the lack of an adequate assessment of the ongoing negative impact that the war in Ukraine has on the fisheries of Bulgaria and Romania in the Black Sea. “The conflict generates a continuous risk to the safety of navigation in this water basin, as well as narrowed fishing grounds, which, combined with the small-scale nature of the Bulgarian fishing fleet, amplifies the negative impacts and limits its opportunities for better economic performance,” noted Dr. Georgi Tahov. He also stated that Bulgaria would insist that the fishing opportunities for 2025 in the Black Sea reflect the decisions that would be adopted by the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM).