Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/160 of 21 January 2026 on temporary emergency measures for Hungary derogating from a provision of Regulation (EU) 2021/2115 of the European Parliament and of the Council, to resolve specific problems in the fruit and vegetables sector caused by severe adverse meteorological events

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/2115 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 2 December 2021 establishing rules on support for strategic plans to be drawn up by Member States under the common agricultural policy (CAP Strategic Plans) and financed by the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF) and by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and repealing Regulations (EU) No 1305/2013 and (EU) No 1307/2013 (1), and in particular Article 148(1) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Due to severe adverse meteorological events relating to frost that took place in Hungary in April and May 2025, the production of fruit has been drastically damaged, resulting in losses for the 2025 fruit harvest, particularly affecting cherries, apples, apricots, walnuts, plums, pears, peaches and strawberries. The estimated losses amount to EUR 29,2 million. An estimated 57 % of the producer members of recognised producer organisations in the fruit and vegetables sector were impacted. The drop in the yield of different fruit sorts for the year 2025 is estimated to be 41 %. Even production techniques, such as air mixing machines, heat production or antifreeze irrigation were ineffective. The damage has heavily impacted the fruit production in Hungary in the year 2025.

(2) Many of the fruit producers that were heavily impacted by the severe adverse meteorological events of April and May 2025 are members of recognised producer organisations that implement operational programmes related to fruits or fruits and vegetables. Since April and May 2025, these producer organisations and their producer members have been facing difficulties in fulfilling their outstanding commitments for the operational programmes in the year 2025. As a consequence, some of the approved interventions may not be implemented and therefore part of the operational funds would not be spent, while measures taken by the producer organisations to manage the crisis situation need financial support. Against this background, it is necessary to take urgent action to address the situation by allowing some flexibility in the implementation of operational programmes, which would enable producer organisations to spend the resources of the operational funds on precise targeted interventions and to efficiently redirect the Union financing within these funds by derogating to the extent that is strictly necessary from a provision of Regulation (EU) 2021/2115 laying down rules for the interventions in the fruit and vegetables sector.

(3) Recognised producer organisations implementing operational programmes related to fruits or fruits and vegetables need to be able to redirect funds, including Union financial assistance within their corresponding operational fund, to the interventions that are necessary to address the consequences of the severe adverse meteorological events of April and May 2025. To ensure that recognised producer organisations are able to do this, it is necessary, without prejudice to Article 51 of Regulation (EU) 2021/2115, to increase the limit of Union financial assistance laid down in Article 52(1) of that Regulation for the year 2025 from 50 % to 70 % of the actual expenditure incurred.

(4) In order to avoid overcompensation, Hungary should consider any support granted under other national or Union support instruments or private schemes to respond to the economic losses following the severe adverse meteorological events of April and May 2025.

(5) In view of the necessity to take immediate action and urgently adopt measures to alleviate the severe negative effects of the severe adverse meteorological events of April and May 2025 on producer organisations in the fruit and vegetables sector in Hungary, this Regulation should enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. Since Article 148(3) of Regulation (EU) 2021/2115 provides that the measures are to remain in force for a period not exceeding 12 months, this Regulation should apply for 12 months from its date of entry into force.

(6) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Common Agricultural Policy Committee,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Temporary derogation from Regulation (EU) 2021/2115 with regard to the fruit and vegetables sector

By way of derogation from Article 52(1) of Regulation (EU) 2021/2115, the limit laid down in that Article shall be 70 % of the actual expenditure incurred in the year 2025 for operational programmes implemented by producer organisations identified by Hungary as affected by the severe adverse meteorological events of April and May 2025.

When granting support in accordance with the first paragraph, Hungary shall avoid overcompensation by considering support granted under other national or Union support instruments or private schemes to respond to the economic losses following the severe adverse meteorological events of April and May 2025.

Article 2

Entry into force and application

This Regulation shall enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

It shall apply until 22 January 2027.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels, 21 January 2026.

For the Commission The President Ursula VON DER LEYEN

(1) OJ L 435, 6.12.2021, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/2115/oj.