Additional assistance and further flexibility to outermost regions affected by severe natural disasters: cyclone Chido devastating Mayotte

The European Parliament adopted, by 653 votes to 7, with 3 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) No 228/2013 as regards additional assistance and further flexibility to outermost regions affected by severe natural disasters and in the context of cyclone Chido devastating Mayotte.

Parliament adopted its position at first reading following the ordinary legislative procedure, taking over the Commission's proposal.

The proposed amending regulation aims to address natural disasters and mitigate their effects on the agri-food and forestry sectors in the outermost regions by providing additional flexibilities after exceptional natural disasters or severe weather events, and in particular after Cyclone Chido in Mayotte.

In the event of an exceptional natural disaster or severe meteorological event which totally or partially destroys the agricultural production capacity in an outermost region, a Member State may, while applying the principle of force majeure or exceptional circumstances, submit to the Commission a proposal for amendments to the programme of options specifically relating to remoteness and insularity (POSEI) in order to allow the beneficiaries concerned to continue to receive POSEI programme support throughout the restoration period in the form of measures to assist local agricultural production.

Where the programme, beneficiaries affected by the exceptional natural disaster or severe meteorological event may continue to benefit from support in the form of measures to support production, processing or sale provided throughout the restoration period, irrespective of the level of their activity, provided that they give a formal commitment to restore their agricultural production capacity.

With regard to the Mayotte Rural Development Programme, the proposed regulation aims (i) to remove the limit of 10% of the 2021 and 2022 budgetary allocations concerning temporary support provided in response to the consequences of natural disasters, to be financed under the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), and (ii) allow the selection of beneficiaries beyond the deadline of 30 June 2025.