Press Release: Milk: Commission temporarily allows Member States to pay farmers up to €15,000 in state aid

On 28 October 2009 the European Commission agreed to allow Member States to pay farmers a one-off payment of up to €15,000 in state aid. The move formed part of the Commission's ongoing efforts to stabilise incomes for dairy farmers, but is of course open to farmers in all sectors. The decision amended the Temporary Crisis Framework, adopted by the Commission in January 2009, which already provides for various aid possibilities to facilitate access to finance for EU undertakings. With today's Commission decision a separate compatible limited amount of aid of € 15,000 for farmers is included into the Framework. This amount can be granted once per undertaking until the end of 2010. Any de-minimis aid already received since the beginning of 2008 has to be deducted from this amount. Aid schemes put in place under this new instrument will have to be open to all primary producers and will have to complement other general crisis measures already put in place by a Member State. The idea of allowing farmers state aid of up to €15,000 formed part of the Commission's Communication on the milk sector of 22 July 2009.