Plenary Session: Exceptional temporary support under EAFRD in response to the COVID-19 outbreak (amendment of Regulation)

Exceptional temporary support under EAFRD in response to the COVID-19 outbreak (amendment of Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013) (C9-0128/2020 - Norbert Lins)

I agree with the urgent need to support farmers and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and, therefore, I voted in favour of the Commission's proposal - the final vote.

However, I believe that the first and most important efforts must be made across the market, using the existing crisis reserve - which was designed for a crisis, as the name implies.

In this sense, I abstained in the first proposal, which proposed to increase financial support for farmers from the EAFRD (from 1% to 2%). This lump sum distribution sadly reduces EAFRD funds available to farmers (leaving environmental and animal protection back in the background), while other more appropriate alternatives to the crisis are available for adoption (inexplicably not triggered due to reticence on the part of the Council).

I also regret the missed opportunity to associate certain conditions with these lump sums that will be distributed to farmers (for example in terms of verifying workers' job security during the pandemic) - especially if SMEs receive up to € 50,000.

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