State aid: Commission consults stakeholders on prolongation of EU State aid rules applicable to the agriculture, forestry, fishery and aquaculture sectors

The European Commission is inviting comments on a draft regulation prolonging by one year the validity of the existing EU State aid rules applicable to the agriculture, forestry, fishery and aquaculture sectors. These rules include the Block Exemption Regulations applicable to State aid in the areas of agriculture, forestry, fishery and aquaculture as well as the regulation on de minimis aid for fishery and aquaculture. The Commission is also inviting comments on a draft Commission notice prolonging the EU Guidelines on State aid for agriculture, forestry and rural areas by one year.Existing State aid rules for agriculture, forestry, fishery and aquaculture are due to expire on 31 December 2020. These rules are currently being reviewed by the Commission (see here and here). The design of the future rules will largely depends on the outcome of the ongoing reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Given that the future legal frameworks of the CAP and the CFP are still in the process of adoption, the Commission considers it necessary to extend the validity of the current State aid rules beyond 31 January 2020. This will allow the Commission to complete its review of the rules after the adoption of the new CAP and CFP legal frameworks. The consultation documents are available on the Commission’s website. Responses to the consultation can be submitted until 20 February 2020.