The state aid framework, as it is now implemented by the General Secretariat of Natural Disaster Recovery and State Aid of the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, also includes the support of the primary sector, covering fields that were previously covered by the State Financial Aid framework ( KOE, formerly PSEA) of the Ministry of Rural Development and Food.

Specifically regarding the primary sector, the expanded state aid framework includes two pillars:

(a) the damages to the plant means of production, i.e. the plant capital, and

(b) damages to equipment, fixed capital and other elements that were previously covered by the Regulation of the KOE (e.g. PSEA), through ELGA, but also damages that were not covered by the said Regulation, such as land capital. From the summer of 2023 onwards, both pillars of support for the primary sector have been activated following natural disasters in all regions of Greece, including Thessaly, which was affected by extreme flooding phenomena, but also by a catastrophic fire.

On Monday and Friday, two extended meetings were held under the Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, where institutional representatives of the primary sector of Thessaly participated, as well as representatives of the blocs in the region.

The Deputy Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, responsible for recovery from natural disasters and state aid, Christos Triandopoulos, participated in these meetings, along with the relevant ministers, focusing on the implementation of the state aid framework for the primary sector of the regions affected by natural disasters.

Until now, in a context of close cooperation with the Ministry of Rural Development and Food, the total state aid resources to the farmers and breeders of the regions of Greece affected by natural disasters by the General Secretariat for the Rehabilitation of Natural Disasters and State Aid amounts to 72,308 .783 euros, with this amount constantly increasing as the implementation of the support schemes continues.

In particular, 46,493,000 euros have been paid to 20,506 beneficiaries during the implementation of the first aid against the planned subsidy to agricultural holdings and livestock units affected by floods and fires, with the second cycle continuing for the areas affected by the catastrophic floods of September. The flow of the payment of the second cycle of the first aid is determined by the data submitted to the ministry by the state aid committees and levels of the Region of Thessaly and the Region of Central Greece.

At the same time, 2,314,889 euros have been paid to 510 beneficiaries during the implementation of the advance payment of 50% of the planned grant to agricultural holdings and livestock units affected by floods and fires – with several cases where the advance payment was offset against the first aid paid . The flow of advance payments continues depending on the flow of data from the State aid committees and tiers of the Regions. And then it will follow, after the submission of the relevant documents and data, the initiation and completion of the payment of the state aid grant amounting to 70% of the estimated damage, with a maximum limit of 500,000 euros.

An additional 7,835,821 euros have been paid to farmers, either by main occupation or by non-main occupation, for the restoration of their losses in plant capital and especially for the restoration of their tree crops from previous natural disasters. The scheme is implemented in a context of close cooperation with the ELGA services, as the competent organization for determining the perimeter of the scheme’s implementation, as well as the beneficiaries.

Also, after approval by the Ministry of National Economy and Finance, in the next period 15,665,072 euros will be paid, as an advance payment of 50% of the planned grant, to the beneficiary farmers for the restoration of their losses in plant capital and especially for the restoration of of their perennial crops from the 2023 summer fires.

Alongside the implementation of the state aid framework for agricultural holdings and livestock units, the decisions of the Governmental State Aid Committee for the emergency funding of local government organizations with the aim of supporting the productive activity of the primary sector should also be taken into account.

This is support in two directions in a context of close cooperation with the Ministry of the Interior. The first concerns the approval of emergency funding to local government organizations for the restoration of damage to infrastructure and irrigation networks of agricultural holdings in areas affected by natural disasters, with the total amount approved so far amounting to 5,000,000 euros. The second direction concerns the approval of emergency funding to local government organizations to support areas with livestock activity affected by natural disasters, with the total amount exceeding 6,000,000 euros.

The Deputy Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, responsible for recovery from natural disasters and state aid, Christos Triandopoulos noted that “the extension of the framework of state aid to the primary sector replaced a regime with many restrictions in terms of beneficiaries, with low levels support that was disproportionate to the needs and with implementation times that exceeded four years without any support to the beneficiaries. And we managed to form a framework, in collaboration with the Ministry of Rural Development and Food, ELGA and the Regions, with more than multiple aid compared to the past, and in times less than the regime we received. Now, from the first days, the implementation of the framework of state aid to agricultural holdings and livestock units begins and continues depending on the flow of data from all involved, while we are constantly looking for ways and methods to improve times and respond to needs of farmers. In this direction, we also collaborate with local government organizations to support rural areas and to restore the infrastructure and irrigation networks of agricultural holdings.

Thus, until now, the total amount of resources allocated to support the primary sector exceeds 83 million euros and this amount will continue to increase, as the implementation of the state aid framework and the recommendations of the State Government Committee progresses. Aid, in a context of close cooperation with everyone”.