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".