José Blanco claims EC aid to offset losses caused by potato blight

The Socialist MEP, José Blanco, has called on the European Commission, through a parliamentary question, to enable the necessary aid to compensate for the economic impact suffered by farmers affected by the potato pest. The Commission itself acknowledged in its parliamentary response that “in the affected areas, under Regulation (EU) No 652/2014, subsidies could be granted in certain circumstances in order to assist the national competent authorities to adopt eradication measures and to compensate owners for the value of spoiled vegetables”.

In its response to the MEP’s question on the measures available to deal with the losses caused by this pest, the Commission also recalls that “the Rural Development Regulation, through the risk management measure, could provide financing to farmers for losses caused by plant diseases, should the measure be introduced at the national or regional level”.

The Commission also points out that, with regard to names registered under quality schemes such as the IGP Pataca de Galicia, “the Commission favors duly reasoned requests to carry out temporary changes to the specifications necessary for the urgency “.

As the Commission implies in its reply in September 2015, the competent Spanish authorities notified the first finding of Tecia solanivora in its territory. “Consequently, the Spanish authorities are obliged to take the necessary measures to eradicate the outbreak or, if eradication is no longer possible, to contain it, as provided for in Directive 2000/29 / EC”.