Evaluation study of the instruments applicable to State aid in the agricultural and forestry sectors and in rural areas

A new framework for State aid rules for the agricultural and forestry sectors and for rural areas for the period 2014 to 2020 (in short, the agricultural State aid framework) has been adopted by the Commission in 2014. The agricultural State aid framework for the period 2014 to 2020 encompasses the following: (i) the Agricultural Block Exemption Regulation (ABER) declaring certain categories of aid in the concerned sectors compatible with the internal market; (ii) the agricultural State aid guidelines, laying down criteria to be used by the Commission when assessing MS’ aid notifications; and (iii) the agricultural de minimis Regulation. The objective of this evaluation study was to carry out an assessment of the rules of the State aid framework in the agricultural and forestry sector and in rural areas (2014-2020) (with the exception of the agricultural de minimis Regulation) regarding eight aid measures among more than thirty. The eight aid measures concern: • Five agricultural risk management measures, namely four compensatory measures related to (i) adverse climatic events, (ii) animal diseases and plant pests, (iii) fallen stock, and (iv) protected animals, along with payments for insurance premiums. For these measures, State aid rules apply to aid financed exclusively from national resources (“pure State aid”). • two forestry measures, namely (i) prevention and restoration of damage to forests and (ii) investment in forest technologies and in processing and marketing of forestry products ; and • aid for investments in processing agricultural products in to non-agricultural products (known as “non-Annex I products”). Eleven evaluation questions (EQ) relating to relevance, coherence, effectiveness (in particular regarding the prevention of potential distortive effects on competition and trade within the internal market), efficiency and EU added value are answered. The geographical coverage is EU-28 with case studies in eight Member States (Check Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Poland,). The study covers State aid exempted under ABER or authorised by the Commission between 1 July 2014 and the end of 2016 (the examination period). The situation in the previous programming period (1 January 2007 to 30 June 2014) is taken as a reference period.


Project Details
Country EUROPEAN UNION
Start date 2017.12.18
End date 2018.11.17
Client EC DG AGRI
Sector RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Sub-sector Agrucultural Policies - Rural Dev.
Ref. ADE A580