Deputies will discuss in the first reading changes to the Law on Assistance to Agricultural Producers.

The amendments are the first item on the parliament's agenda for today's plenary session.

Plamen Abrovski of "There is such a people", chairman of the Committee on Agriculture, Food and Forestry in the National Assembly, introduced the bill. 

The changes are related to the implementation of the special measure of emergency temporary support from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) in response to the consequences of the war in Ukraine. 

The measure enables Member States to use funds available under existing rural development programmes, up to 5% of the total EAFRD contribution for 2021-2022, to support crisis-affected farmers and small and medium-sized enterprises.

Support should target the most affected beneficiaries, with Member States being able to set eligibility conditions and, where appropriate, objective and non-discriminatory selection criteria.

The support is in the form of a lump sum payable by 15 October 2023 based on support applications which must be approved by 31 March 2023. The maximum amount of support cannot exceed EUR 15,000 per farmer and 100,000 euros to small and medium-sized enterprises.

In this regard, the draft law creates a legal basis for issuing an ordinance for the implementation of the new measure and regulates its implementation through the Integrated Administration and Control System.

The amendments to the Law on Assistance to Agricultural Producers, introduced by Plamen Abrovski, were approved unanimously yesterday at an extraordinary meeting of the Committee on Agriculture, Food and Forestry