On Saturday, 25 April 2020, Regulation (EU) 2020/560 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2020 amending Regulation (EU) no. 508/2014 and (EU) no. 1379/2013 as regards specific measures to mitigate the effects of the outbreak of COVID-19 in the fisheries and aquaculture sector amending the Regulation on the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EFPR) and the Regulation on the common organization of the markets in fishery and aquaculture products (ZOT).

 The new regulation is the result of a ministerial video conference organized by Croatia as the current presiding country of the Council of the European Union. A video conference led by Minister Marija Vučković was held on March 25, 2020, with the aim of identifying the situation as well as possible responses to the challenges in the agriculture and fisheries sector caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. We remind you that the conference was attended by EU ministers responsible for agriculture and fisheries, as well as two competent Commissioners of the European Commission, Janusz Wojciechowski for agriculture and Virginijus Sinkevičius for fisheries. Read more at: https://poljoprivreda.gov.hr/vijesti/stupio-na-snagu-paket-eu-mjera-pomoci-za-ublazavanje-posljedica-covid-19-pandemije-u-sektoru-ribarstva-i-akvakulture/3979

 Among the new measures we emphasize:

• additional flexibility in the allocation of budget funds among certain priorities and measures in the operational program;
• support for the temporary cessation of fishing activities, which also takes into account new vessels, with a maximum co-financing rate of 75% of eligible public expenditure;
• the possibility of allocating working capital and compensation to reduce production or sales and additional storage and processing costs for growers,
• reintroduction of support for producer organizations and associations of producer organizations for the storage of fishery and aquaculture products.

 Expenditure on operations receiving support under these new measures will be eligible from 1 February 2020.