---
title: "Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1698 of 10 July 2026 providing for emergency financial support for the agricultural sectors affected by adverse climatic events and natural disasters in Croatia, Cyprus, Portugal, Romania and Slovenia in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council"
id: 16b312d6-f396-4d72-8053-6e490027fdad
authority: eu
place: "European Union"
applies_also_from: []
kind: regulation
in_force: true
publisher_url: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX:32026R1698
attribution: "© European Union, https://eur-lex.europa.eu"
solon_url: https://solon.orangecat.ch/law/16b312d6-f396-4d72-8053-6e490027fdad
language: en
in_force_from: 2026-07-14
date_basis: publisher
status: consolidated
source_url: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32026R1698
read_on: 2026-11-09
sha256: 51da743b28bbd848ff27dd5aa8bc73e7bb1a38b56310314cfa0ff1d970ca58fd
provisions: 4
---

# Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1698 of 10 July 2026 providing for emergency financial support for the agricultural sectors affected by adverse climatic events and natural disasters in Croatia, Cyprus, Portugal, Romania and Slovenia in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council

## Preamble {#pbl_1}

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) During the spring and summer of 2025, Croatia was impacted by several adverse climatic events. The growing season started with two cold spells, in mid-March and beginning of April, with frost. In the same period, there was also excess precipitation and drought that affected the yields of certain crops. The combined effect of these adversities caused significant damage to the production of plums, hazelnuts, vineyards, alfalfa and sugar beets.
(2) During the summer months of 2025, Cyprus was impacted by severe drought, caused by lack of precipitation and extreme heat. The rainfall deficit was already noticeable from May. The extended drought caused irreversible impacts on several agriculture sectors and crops, leading to a significant reduction in the production of citrus fruits, bananas, figs, pomegranates, prickly pears, vineyards, olive oil and table olives, cereals, fodders and apiculture products. It also caused a significant increase in feed costs for bovine, sheep and goats.
(3) During January and February 2026, Portugal was impacted by the storm Kristin. Very heavy rainfall, strong winds and high waves have caused floods and severe weather-related incidents that destroyed agricultural land and infrastructure. The storm caused considerable losses of agricultural production. The widespread impacts where the storm occurred affected the agricultural production of arable crops, olive oil and table olives, fruit and vegetables, the wine sector and the livestock sector.
(4) During the summer months of 2025, Romania was impacted by severe adverse climatic events. Romania suffered from extreme drought, starting in June and continuing well into August, with repeated heatwaves. This very hot and dry weather occurred in the period of full development of the crops, causing significant damage to maize and sunflower.
(5) During the spring of 2025, Slovenia was impacted by two cold spells in March and April, with temperatures below freezing level in several locations. The combined effect of these two frosts in the beginning of the growing period caused significant damage to the production of apples.
(6) The significant damage caused by the adverse climatic events and natural disasters to agriculture and the resulting loss of income for the affected producers in Croatia, Cyprus, Portugal, Romania and Slovenia endanger the economic viability of agricultural holdings in those Member States.
(7) An exceptional measure should therefore be adopted to address the specific problems resulting from the adverse climatic events and natural disasters in Croatia, Cyprus, Portugal, Romania and Slovenia.
(8) The significant damage and economic losses suffered by agricultural producers due to adverse climatic events and natural disasters constitute a specific problem within the meaning of Article 221 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 that cannot be readily addressed by measures taken pursuant to Articles 219 or 220 of that Regulation. The situation is not specifically linked to an identified unique market disturbance or a precise threat thereof. In addition, it is not a situation which requires measures to combat the spread of animal diseases or the loss of consumer confidence due to public, animal or plant health risks.
(9) The amount to be made available to Croatia, Cyprus, Portugal, Romania and Slovenia should be determined by taking into account, in particular, the respective weight of the Member State 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), as well as the impact of the adverse climatic events and natural disasters in Croatia, Cyprus, Portugal, Romania and Slovenia.
(10) Croatia, Cyprus, Portugal, Romania and Slovenia should distribute the emergency financial support through the most effective channels on the basis of objective, fair, and non-discriminatory criteria that take account of the extent of the difficulties and actual economic damage faced by the affected farmers, such as for example a minimum percentage of production losses in the eligible sector or crops. They should ensure that the affected farmers are the ultimate beneficiaries of the emergency financial support and should avoid any distortions of the market or of competition.
(11) As the amount to be allocated to Croatia, Cyprus, Portugal, Romania and Slovenia would only partially address the economic difficulties faced by the affected farmers, Croatia, Cyprus, Portugal, Romania and Slovenia should be allowed to grant additional national support to those farmers, under the conditions set by this Regulation.
(12) In order to give Croatia, Cyprus, Portugal, Romania and Slovenia the flexibility to distribute the Union emergency financial support as the circumstances of the affected farmers require, it should be allowed to cumulate that emergency financial support with other support financed by the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, without overcompensating the affected farmers.
(13) In order to avoid overcompensation, Croatia, Cyprus, Portugal, Romania and Slovenia should take into account the support granted under other national or Union support instruments or private insurance schemes to respond to the economic losses suffered.
(14) 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 into national currency of the amount allocated to a Member State that has not adopted the euro as its national currency, as is the case for Romania. Since this Regulation does not provide for a deadline for the submission of the applications for emergency financial support, it is appropriate to consider, for the purposes of Article 30(3) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/127 (3), 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.
(15) In order to ensure the effectiveness of this exceptional measure, beneficiaries should rapidly receive the emergency financial support. Additionally, a timely monitoring of the Union 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 that support to the beneficiaries. Any payments made after that date should be considered ineligible for Union financing.
(16) The Union should therefore finance the expenditure incurred by Croatia, Cyprus, Portugal, Romania and Slovenia under this exceptional measure only where such expenditure is made by a certain eligibility date. The Union emergency financial support should therefore be paid by 28 February 2027.
(17) As no payments made after 28 February 2027 are to be considered eligible, 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.
(18) Croatia, Cyprus, Portugal, Romania and Slovenia should communicate to the Commission detailed information about the implementation of this Regulation, in particular a description of the measures, the criteria used to determine the eligible agricultural sectors and crops, and the geographical areas affected, to enable the Commission to monitor the efficiency of the measure introduced by this Regulation.
(19) In order to ensure that farmers receive emergency financial support as soon as possible, Croatia, Cyprus, Portugal, Romania and Slovenia should 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.
(20) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee for the Common Organisation of the Agricultural Markets,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

## Article 1 {#art_1}

1.   Union emergency financial support of a total amount of EUR 56 600 000 shall be available to Croatia, Cyprus, Portugal, Romania and Slovenia as an exceptional support to farmers subject to the conditions set out in this Regulation.
2.   The Union expenditure incurred in accordance with this Regulation shall not exceed a total amount of:
(a) EUR 4 400 000 for Croatia;
(b) EUR 4 600 000 for Cyprus;
(c) EUR 30 000 000 for Portugal;
(d) EUR 14 800 000 for Romania;
(e) EUR 2 800 000 for Slovenia.
3.   Croatia, Cyprus, Portugal, Romania and Slovenia shall use the amounts referred to in paragraph 2 for measures aiming to compensate the most affected farmers for their economic losses resulting from adverse climatic events and natural disasters in 2025 and 2026 and impacting the viability of their farms.
The following agricultural crops or sectors are eligible for the Union emergency financial support:
(a) in Croatia: plums, hazelnut, vineyards, alfalfa and sugar beet;
(b) in Cyprus: citrus fruits, bananas, figs, pomegranates, prickly pears, vineyards, olive oil and table olives, cereals, fodder crops, apiculture, bovines, sheep and goats;
(c) in Portugal: arable crops, olive oil and table olives, fruit and vegetables, wine sector and livestock sector;
(d) in Romania: sunflower and maize;
(e) in Slovenia: apples.
4.   The measures referred to in paragraph 3 shall be implemented on the basis of objective, fair and non-discriminatory criteria that take account of the actual economic losses borne by the affected farmers. The measures shall be of such a nature that the resulting payments do not cause any market or competition distortion.
5.   The emergency financial support provided under this Regulation shall be limited to compensating farmers for income losses directly resulting from damage to the eligible sectors and to the production of crops. No other economic losses shall be eligible for support under this Regulation.
6.   Croatia, Cyprus, Portugal, Romania and Slovenia shall ensure that, where farmers are not the direct beneficiaries of the Union emergency financial support, the economic benefit of that support is passed on to the farmers in full.
7.   The expenditure borne by Croatia, Cyprus, Portugal, Romania and Slovenia referred to in paragraph 2 in relation to the payments for the measures referred to in paragraph 3 shall only be eligible for Union emergency financial support if those payments are made by 28 February 2027.
8.   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 Article 1(2), point (d), of this Regulation shall be the date of entry into force of this Regulation.
9.   The Union emergency financial support under this Regulation may be cumulated with other support financed by the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.
10.   Croatia, Cyprus, Portugal, Romania and Slovenia may grant additional national support for the measures taken under paragraph 3 up to a maximum of 200 % of the amounts set out in paragraph 2, on the basis of the same objective and non-discriminatory criteria, provided that the resulting payments do not cause any market or competition distortion, or overcompensation. The agricultural crops and sectors eligible for additional national support shall be the same as those eligible for the Union emergency financial support. Croatia, Cyprus, Portugal, Romania and Slovenia shall pay the additional national support by 30 April 2027.
11.   In order to avoid overcompensation, when granting financial support under this Regulation, Croatia, Cyprus, Portugal, Romania and Slovenia shall take into account the support granted under other national or Union support instruments or private schemes to respond to the economic losses concerned.

## Article 2 {#art_2}

1.   Without delay, and no later than 31 October 2026, Croatia, Cyprus, Portugal. Romania and Slovenia shall notify the Commission of the following, in relation to the measures referred to in Article 1(3):
(a) a description of the measures to be taken;
(b) the criteria used to determine the eligible agricultural sectors and crops and the affected geographical areas;
(c) the criteria used to determine the eligible farmers of the emergency financial support and the related amounts;
(d) the methods and process used for distributing the Union emergency financial support to farmers;
(e) the intended impact of the measures in view of compensating farmers for economic losses resulting from lost production;
(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 national support granted pursuant to Article 1(9);
(j) the actions to be taken to control the eligibility of farmers and to protect the financial interests of the Union.
2.   No later than 31 July 2027, Croatia, Cyprus, Portugal, Romania and Slovenia shall notify the Commission of the total amounts paid per measure, where applicable, broken down by Union emergency financial support and additional national support, the number and type of beneficiaries and an assessment of the effectiveness of the measure.

## Article 3 {#art_3}

This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.