The Council has approved a proposal to offer additional assistance and greater flexibility to farmers in Mayotte and other EU outermost regions affected by recent natural disasters. This decision follows the severe damage caused by cyclone Chido and tropical storm Dikeledi, which disrupted infrastructure and agricultural production across Mayotte. The aim is to provide rapid support and liquidity to the affected farming communities to help them recover and resume agricultural activities.
The approved proposal introduces updated rules that enable national authorities to implement exceptional changes to their support programmes under the POSEI scheme. POSEI, which supports the EU’s outermost regions, takes into account the challenges of remoteness and insularity. With the new adjustments, farmers whose agricultural activities have been temporarily halted due to natural disasters can continue receiving POSEI assistance. However, to qualify, they must commit to restoring their agricultural production capacity. This measure is designed to ensure that agricultural production continues in the long term, while helping ease short-term financial pressures.
In addition to the flexibility provided under POSEI, the proposal includes increased financial support for Mayotte. It lifts the 10% cap on emergency funding that was previously introduced in response to disasters in 2024. By removing this restriction, more funding can be directed to areas most in need. Another key feature is the extension of the deadline for selecting beneficiaries beyond 30 June 2025. This extension allows Mayotte to make full use of the remaining funds under its current rural development programme, ensuring that available resources are effectively deployed to aid recovery and revitalise the agricultural sector.
The proposal also reflects a broader commitment to supporting regions vulnerable to climate-related disasters. The European Union has long provided targeted assistance to its outermost regions due to their unique geographical and socio-economic conditions. These regions face specific challenges, including limited connectivity, small market sizes, and increased exposure to climate change impacts. In light of this, the updated rules seek not only to offer emergency relief but also to strengthen long-term agricultural resilience.
Mayotte’s rural development programme, co-financed through the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), received a total contribution of €83.1 million for the 2014–2022 programming period. This funding has already been used to improve infrastructure such as rural roads, modernise farming operations, and support small farms that play a critical role in ensuring local food supply and agricultural sustainability. The additional assistance now approved is expected to build upon these foundations, facilitating a more robust recovery from the latest disasters.
With the Council’s approval in place, the next step is for the chair of the Special Committee on Agriculture to inform the European Parliament of the decision. The Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development is expected to adopt the proposal using an urgent procedure, with a first-reading position anticipated during the June plenary session. Once Parliament adopts the proposal, the regulation will be formally adopted by the Council and published in the Official Journal, after which it will come into force.
These timely measures reflect a strong institutional response to natural disasters affecting vulnerable agricultural regions. They underscore the importance of flexible support frameworks that can quickly adapt to emergencies while promoting long-term recovery and agricultural sustainability in outermost regions such as Mayotte.
