EU clears €500 million aid for flood-hit Emilia-Romagna businesses

The European Commission has decided not to object to an Italian scheme worth €500 million in direct grants for farmers and businesses in Emilia-Romagna affected by the floods and landslides that have hit the region since 17 September 2024. The decision, adopted on 20 July 2026, was published in the Official Journal of the European Union (C series) on 25 August 2026 under reference C/2026/4548.

The measure is a State aid scheme notified by Italy under Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, registered as aid case SA.122427. Because the Commission raised no objections, the scheme is considered compatible with the internal market and can be put into effect.

Scope and legal basis

The aid targets enterprises in Emilia-Romagna whose activity was damaged by the exceptional weather events that began on 17 September 2024. The scheme is grounded in the decree laying down the criteria and conditions for granting the support, adopted under Article 20-bis of decreto-legge 1 June 2023, n. 61, as amended by D.L. n. 65/2025.

The objective of the measure is to make good the damage caused by natural disasters or exceptional occurrences, and it is framed within the agriculture, forestry and rural areas policy area. The granting authority is the Ministero dell’agricoltura, della sovranità alimentare e delle foreste (Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry), based at Via XX Settembre 20, 00187 Rome.

Key figures of the scheme

• Form of aid: direct grant
• Overall budget: €500,000,000
• Aid intensity: 100%
• Duration: until 17 September 2028
• Economic sectors covered: crop and animal production, hunting and related service activities

The full aid intensity reflects the exceptional nature of the damage, allowing beneficiaries to be compensated for losses caused by the natural disasters without a co-financing requirement.

Impact for readers

The clearance unlocks a substantial public injection for one of Italy’s most productive agricultural regions, which has been grappling with repeated flooding and landslides since late 2024. For farmers and agri-food enterprises in Emilia-Romagna, the scheme provides a clear, fully funded route to repair damage and resume activity, with applications to be channelled through the national agriculture ministry. The decision also signals the Commission’s readiness to accommodate disaster-relief support within EU State aid rules.

Source: Official Journal of the European Union, C series, C/2026/4548, 25.8.2026 (official reference: C/2026/4548, State aid SA.122427).