(1)

During the spring of 2025, Bulgaria experienced adverse climatic events of unprecedented magnitude. At the beginning of February, the warmer weather led to premature vegetation development and early flowering of fruit species. This was followed by cold weather in March and April with periods of cold and freezing temperatures, causing damages in production, affecting mainly the fruit and nuts sectors and, in particular almonds, apples, apricots, cherries and sour cherries, peaches, pears, prunes and walnuts.

(2)

During the spring and the summer of 2025, Latvia experienced adverse climatic events with both spring frost and prolonged rainfall. Due to a warmer month of April with higher than usual temperatures, the frost was specifically devastating as it led to significant damages to flowering fruit trees and berries. Subsequently, the prolonged rainfall with higher than usual precipitation in June and July caused excessively wet soils. Due to these adverse climatic events, the fruit and vegetables sector and certain seeds productions were impacted, in particular apples, berries, currants, cherries and sour cherries, peas, pumpkins, flax oil seeds, winter vetch for seed production and mustard seeds.

(3)

Lithuania was affected by adverse climatic events in the spring of 2025. The higher than usual temperatures in March and the first half of April caused early advancement of crops. These were severely impacted by the frost events in the second half of April and in May, with lower than usual temperatures. This caused severe damages in the fruit sector, in particular to apples, currants, berries, cherries, pears and plums.

(4)

During the months of April of and May 2025, Hungary was affected by severe frost, impacting almost the entire territory. During this period the low temperatures caused significant damage in the fruit sector, in particular to apples, apricots, cherries and sour cherries, peaches, pears and quinces.

(5)

During the spring of 2025, Poland experienced occurrences of long-lasting frost events in April and May, which affected several voivodeships. Furthermore, severe hailstorms caused further damages to the crops already impacted by frost, with damages in the fruit and vegetables sector, in particular to berries, currants, sour cherries and cucumbers.

(6)

During the spring of 2025, more specifically in April and May, adverse weather events occurred in Romania and affected various sectors. The successive episodes of late spring frost, with freezing temperatures, caused severe damages to crops by freezing flowers, buds and shoots. This resulted in a major crop failure and major production losses in fruit sector, in particular to apricots and cherry plums, cherries and sour cherries, peaches and nectarines.

(7)

While there are indications that similar adverse climatic events occur throughout the Union in an overall context of increasing climate-change related risks to agriculture, the intensity of the events in Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland and Romania has been extraordinary, affecting a significant area and share of certain productions.

(8)

The significant damages caused by these adverse climatic events to agricultural producers and the resulting loss of income for the affected producers in Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland and Romania endanger the economic viability of agricultural holdings.

(9)

An exceptional measure should therefore be adopted to contribute to addressing the specific problems in the wake of these adverse climatic events in Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland and Romania.

(10)

The significant damages and economic losses suffered by agricultural producers due to adverse climatic events 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. 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.

(11)

The amounts made available to Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland and Romania should be determined, taking into account, in particular, the respective weight of those Member States 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 in those Member States.

(12)

Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland and Romania should distribute the aid through the most effective channels on the basis of objective and non-discriminatory criteria that take account of the extent of the difficulties and actual economic damages faced by the farmers affected. They should ensure that farmers are the ultimate beneficiaries of the aid and avoid any distortions of the market or of competition.

(13)

As the amounts allocated to Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland and Romania would address the economic difficulties faced by farmers only partially, these Member States should be allowed to grant additional national support to affected farmers, under the conditions set by this Regulation.

(14)

In order to give Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland and Romania the flexibility to distribute the aid as the circumstances of the farmers concerned require, it should be allowed to cumulate that aid with other support financed by the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development without overcompensating the farmers.

(15)

In order to avoid overcompensation, Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland and Romania should take into account the support granted under other national or Union support instruments or private schemes to respond to the economic losses suffered.

(16)

As the Union aid is fixed in euro, it is necessary, to ensure a uniform and simultaneous application, to fix a date for the conversion of the amount allocated to Member States not having adopted the euro as their national currencies, as it is the case for Hungary, Poland and Romania. 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 (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.

(17)

Bulgaria will adopt the euro on 1 January 2026. Therefore, it is appropriate to consider, for the purposes of Article 30(3) of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/127, the date of adoption of the euro by Bulgaria as operative event for the exchange rate, which is set out in Council Regulation (EU) 2025/1409 (4).

(18)

In order to ensure the effectiveness of this exceptional measure, 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.

(19)

The Union should therefore finance the expenditure incurred by Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland and Romania under this exceptional measure only where such expenditure is made by a certain eligibility date. The support for this exceptional measure should therefore be paid by 30 April 2026.

(20)

As no payments made after 30 April 2026 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.

(21)

Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland and Romania should communicate to the Commission detailed information about the implementation of this Regulation, to enable the Union to monitor the efficiency of the measure introduced by this Regulation.

(22)

In order to ensure that farmers receive aid as soon as possible, Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland and Romania 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.

(23)

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee for the Common Organisation of the Agricultural Markets,