Russia’s war in Ukraine, EU approves 150 million aid increase for Friuli Venezia Giulia

Brussels – European Commission gives green light to change Italian aid plan for Friuli Venezia Giulia in the context of mitigating the consequences of the war between Russia and Ukraine. The EU executive approved requests for an update to the existing €100 million Italian scheme, which translates into a €150 million budget increase—bringing the total of the measure to €250 million—to support enterprises in the agriculture, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture sectors in the region. 

The scheme change was approved under the Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework on State Aid, adopted by the Commission on March 9, 2023, and amended on November 20, 2023, to support measures in key sectors to accelerate the green transition and reduce dependence on fossil fuels.

Italy notified Brussels of measures to support Friuli Venezia Giulia in early 2022, with the EU executive giving its approval on April 22, 2022. Under the support scheme, aid takes the form of direct grants and subsidized loans for enterprises active in agriculture (including primary production, processing, and marketing of agricultural products), forestry, fisheries, and aquaculture.

Following Italian requests not only to extend the scheme but also to increase it in scope, the European Commission concluded that the amended scheme “remains necessary, appropriate, and proportionate to remedy a serious disturbance in the economy of a member state” due to the consequences produced by the war between Russia and Ukraine. In addition, the rules are compatible with EU rules.