Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1894 of 27 July 2026 providing for emergency financial support for the farmers affected by specific problems impacting on their economic viability arising from the Middle East crisis

Official Journal EN of the European Union L series 2026/1894 29.7.2026 COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION(EU) 2026/1894 of 27 July 2026 providing for emergency financial support for the farmers affected by specific problems impacting on their economic viability arising from the Middle East crisis THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 establishing a common organisation of the markets in agricultural products and repealing Council Regulations (EEC) No 922/72, (EEC) No 234/79, (EC) No 1037/2001 and (EC) No 1234/2007(1), and in particular Article 221(1) thereof, Whereas: (1) The crisis in the Middle East since 28 February 2026 and the disruptions of trade flows due to the closure of the strait of Hormuz are negatively affecting farmers producing agricultural products of the soil or stockfarming in the Union. (2) A first concern relates to the surge in fertiliser domestic prices in the Union, which represented 7,3 % of the intermediate inputs of Union farmers in 2024. (3) Even before the crisis in the Middle East, global fertiliser markets were experiencing pressures on supply and price volatility. The crisis in the Middle East has further aggravated the situation and has increased the production risks for nitrogen and phosphatic fertiliser, also due to the reduced production of liquefied natural gas, on which nitrogen fertiliser production highly depends. This has driven both global and Union domestic prices of fertilisers steeply and suddenly upward and it had an immediate and direct impact on the price of fertilisers in the Union. This sudden price increase of fertilisers affects the affordability and availability of the fertilisers needed for the 2026/27 production cycle of crops. (4) In May 2026, average nitrogen fertiliser prices increased by indicatively 30 % compared to February 2026, and were around 70 % higher than the 2024 average, while phosphatic fertiliser prices were 22 % higher than the 2024 average. (5) Increased fertiliser costs affect the economic viability of farmers and risk affecting fertiliser application and crop production in terms of quantity and quality within the Union. This fertiliser price increase occurs at a point in time when farmers are making key decisions about their 2026/27 farming operations, such as decisions in terms of area or type of crop to be sown, planned fertilisation rates, and associated agronomic practices. Increased fertiliser costs are likely to negatively affect farmers’ income in 2027, with lower output due to lower quantities produced. This might also negatively affect the availability of food in the Union in 2027. (6) A second concern relates to the rise in on-farm energy costs, and in particular fuel costs used by agricultural machinery, which accounted for 8 % of farmers’ total intermediate inputs production costs in the Union in 2024. (7) The ongoing crisis in the Middle East, and in particular the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, has significantly affected the shipping of energy products and has also disrupted their production. These circumstances have led to supply chain disruptions for key energy products, notably oil and liquefied natural gas, sourced from Gulf-producing states. As a result, global price volatility of energy products has intensified, with fuel and diesel among the energy products most severely impacted. These fluctuations are already being reflected in Union energy markets, creating further economic challenges for farmers. (1) OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 671, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2013/1308/oj. ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2026/1894/oj 1/6EN OJ L, 29.7.2026 (8) As a result, the share of fertiliser and energy costs in farm accounts will rise substantially in 2026. Farms specialised in field crops are particularly affected, due to the significant share of fertiliser and fuel costs compared to their overall input costs. However, the production process at all types of farms is affected substantially by the price increase of fertiliser and energy products. (9) Meanwhile, the prices of many agricultural products, in particular arable crops such as cereals, remain steady, which in turn worsens the ratio between input costs and the prices received by farmers for their agricultural products. (10) The increasingly high input costs due to the ongoing crisis in the Middle East and its unpredictable developments are liable to cause liquidity problems for farmers and endanger their economic viability. Even if the crisis in the Middle East were to be resolved in the near future, its effects on global input prices are likely to persist in the coming months, resulting in a continued impact on farmers. (11) While the markets need to gradually adjust to new circumstances, support for farmers is needed since input costs are rising to unsustainable levels. An emergency measure should therefore be adopted to contribute to addressing these increased input costs and to prevent the further deterioration of the economic situation of the farmers most affected by the crisis in the Middle East. (12) The difficulties mentioned constitute specific problems within the meaning of Article 221 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013. The Commission is to adopt measures under Article 221 only if it is not possible to adopt the required emergency measures in accordance with Article 219 or 220. The difficulties mentioned can indeed not be addressed by measures taken pursuant to Articles 219 or 220 of that Regulation. The situation is not specifically linked to an existing particular agricultural market disturbance or a precise threat thereof. It is not linked either to measures that would combat the spread of animal diseases or the loss of consumer confidence due to public, animal or plant health risks. (13) The amounts allocated to the Member States should be determined, taking into account their respective weight in the Union’s agricultural sector, on the basis of the net ceilings for direct payments set out in Annex V to Regulation (EU) 2021/2115 of the European Parliament and of the Council(2), and the actual costs incurred by farmers purchasing the concerned inputs, fertilisers and energy, in particular fuel, based on the average national expenditures as reported by the national authorities in their annual economic agricultural accounts. (14) The Member States should distribute the emergency financial support through the most effective channels, on the basis of objective and non-discriminatory criteria that take account of the economic difficulties faced by the farmers concerned. They should ensure that farmers are the ultimate beneficiaries of the emergency financial support and avoid any distortions of the market or of competition. (15) As the amounts allocated to Member States would address the economic difficulties faced by farmers only partially, Member States should be allowed to grant additional national support to farmers, under the conditions and within the time limits set by this Regulation. (16) In order to give Member States the flexibility to distribute the emergency financial support in accordance with the circumstances of the farmers concerned, they should be allowed to cumulate it with other support financed by the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development without overcompensating the farmers. (2) Regulation (EU) 2021/2115 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 2 December 2021 establishing rules on support for strategic plans to be drawn up by Member States under the common agricultural policy (CAP Strategic Plans) and financed by the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF) and by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and repealing Regulations (EU) No 1305/2013 and (EU) No 1307/2013 (OJ L 435, 6.12.2021, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/2115/oj). 2/6 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2026/1894/ojEN OJ L, 29.7.2026 (17) Member States have been authorised to adopt State aid measures under Union State aid rules to try to tackle the situation through the Middle East crisis Temporary State Aid Framework (‘METSAF’) adopted on 29 April 2026 and valid until 31 December 2026(3). In order to avoid overcompensation, Member States should take into account the support granted under METSAF, under other national or Union support instruments or under private schemes to respond to the economic losses concerned. (18) As the Union emergency financial support is fixed in euro, to ensure a uniform and simultaneous application, it is necessary to fix a date for the conversion of the amount allocated to Member States having not adopted the euro as their national currencies, as it is the case for Czechia, Denmark, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Sweden. Since this Regulation does not provide for a deadline for the submission of the applications for aid, it is appropriate to consider, for the purposes of Article 30(3) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/127(4), the date of entry into force of this Regulation as the operative event for the exchange rate regarding the amounts set out in this Regulation. (19) In order to ensure the effectiveness of this emergency measure, the beneficiaries should rapidly receive the emergency financial support. Additionally, a timely monitoring of the budget as well as an up-to-date follow-up and efficient use of the agricultural reserve, thereby maximising its availability and enhancing the capacity to respond promptly to emerging crises, should be ensured. Therefore, it is appropriate to define an eligibility date for Member States to pay this support to the beneficiaries. Any payments made after this date should be considered ineligible for Union financing. (20) The Union should therefore finance the expenditure incurred by Member States under this emergency measure only where such expenditure is made by a certain eligibility date. The support for this emergency measure should therefore be paid by 28 February 2027. (21) As no payments made after 28 February 2027 are to be considered eligible under any circumstances, Article 5(2) of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/127, which provides for a proportional reduction of the monthly payments effected after the deadline, is not to apply. (22) Member States should communicate to the Commission detailed information about the implementation of this Regulation, to enable the Commission to monitor the efficiency of the emergency measure introduced by this Regulation. (23) The rise of input costs for farmers has already occurred and requires immediate action to efficiently and effectively address the situation. In order to ensure that farmers receive aid as soon as possible, Member States should be enabled to implement this Regulation without delay. Therefore, this Regulation should enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. (24) The measure provided for in this Regulation is in accordance with the opinion of the Committee for the Common Organisation of the Agricultural Markets, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: Article 1 1. Union aid of a total amount of EUR 540 000 000 shall be available to Member States to provide emergency financial support to farmers in the sectors listed in Article 1(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 subject to the conditions set out in this Regulation. 2. Member States shall use the amounts available to them as set out in the Annex for measures aiming to compensate the farmers most affected by the impacts of the Middle East crisis on on-farm costs related to fertiliser prices, energy prices or both, in the most affected sectors or products, for their economic losses. (3) Communication from the Commission – Middle East Crisis Temporary State Aid Framework (OJ C, C/2026/2593, 5.5.2026, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2026/2593/oj). (4) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/127 of 7 December 2021 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2021/2116 of the European Parliament and of the Council with rules on paying agencies and other bodies, financial management, clearance of accounts, securities and use of euro (OJ L 20, 31.1.2022, p. 95, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2022/127/oj). ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2026/1894/oj 3/6EN OJ L, 29.7.2026 3. The measures referred to in paragraph 2 shall be taken on the basis of objective and non-discriminatory criteria that take account of the economic losses borne by the affected farmers caused by the Middle East crisis. The measures shall be of such a nature that the resulting payments do not cause any market or competition distortion. 4. Member States shall ensure that, when farmers are not the direct beneficiaries of the payments of the Union aid, the economic benefit of the Union aid is passed on to them in full. 5. Member States’ expenditure in relation to the payments for the measures referred to in paragraph 2 shall only be eligible for Union aid if those payments have been made by 28 February 2027. 6. For the purposes of Article 30(3) of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/127, the operative event for the exchange rate as regards the amounts set out in the Annex to this Regulation shall be the date of entry into force of this Regulation. 7. Measures under this Regulation may be cumulated with other support financed by the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. Article 2 Member States may grant additional national support for the measures taken under Article 1(2) up to a maximum of 200 % of the corresponding amount set out for each Member State in the Annex, on the basis of objective and non-discriminatory criteria, provided that the resulting payments do not cause any market or competition distortion, or overcompensation. Member States shall pay the additional support by 31 May 2027. Article 3 To avoid overcompensation, when granting Union and national support under this Regulation, Member States shall take into account the support granted under other national or Union support instruments or under private schemes to respond to the economic losses concerned. Article 4 1. Without delay and no later than 30 September 2026, Member States shall notify the Commission of the following in relation to the measures referred to in Article 1(2): (a) a description of the measures to be taken including an explanation of how the measures are consistent with Article 1(2); (b) the criteria used to determine the eligible agricultural sectors or products; (c) the criteria used to determine the beneficiaries of the aid and the related aid amounts; (d) the methods and the rationale for distributing the aid across beneficiaries; (e) the intended impact of the measures in view of compensating farmers for economic losses; (f) the actions taken to verify that the intended impact of the measures is reached; (g) the actions taken to avoid distortion of competition and overcompensation; (h) the forecast for payments of the Union expenditure broken-down per month until 28 February 2027; (i) the level of additional support granted pursuant to Article 2; (j) the actions taken to verify the eligibility of farmers and to protect the financial interests of the Union. 4/6 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2026/1894/ojEN OJ L, 29.7.2026 2. No later than 31 July 2027, Member States shall notify the Commission of: (a) the total amounts paid per measure, when applicable, broken down by Union aid and additional national aid; (b) the number and type of beneficiaries; (c) the assessment of the effectiveness of the measure and in particular quantitative and qualitative information as to how and to what extent it meets the requirements of Article 1(2). Article 5 This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. Done at Brussels, 27 July 2026. For the Commission The President Ursula VON DER LEYEN ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2026/1894/oj 5/6EN OJ L, 29.7.2026 ANNEX The amounts available to Member States referred to in Article 1(2) Member State EUR Belgium 7 032 700 Bulgaria 11 615 100 Czechia 10 874 400 Denmark 10 428 900 Germany 60 262 900 Estonia 3 144 200 Ireland 15 381 900 Greece 20 796 200 Spain 50 174 300 France 107 117 200 Croatia 4 915 100 Italy 45 599 200 Cyprus 1 501 200 Latvia 5 502 800 Lithuania 9 788 000 Luxembourg 1 424 500 Hungary 16 684 900 Malta 1 119 200 Netherlands 14 895 200 Austria 8 208 000 Poland 66 633 000 Portugal 9 455 600 Romania 29 977 500 Slovenia 2 712 200 Slovakia 6 577 200 Finland 8 782 600 Sweden 9 396 000 6/6 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2026/1894/oj