German Minister Özdemir on frost aid: The EU Commission must end unequal treatment

This week, the Commission had promised crisis aid from the agricultural reserve amounting to 62 million euros for Austria, the Czech Republic and Poland following frost and hail damage to fruit, vegetable and wine-growing businesses - without including Germany in the aid measure. The BMEL has therefore refused to approve the plan. In eastern and southern Germany in particular, the late frost caused considerable damage to fruit and wine growing. According to current estimates by the affected federal states, the frost damage in Germany amounts to at least 210 to 254 million euros. The Federal Minister for Food and Agriculture, Cem Özdemir, explains: "As is well known, a cold weather front does not stop at the border crossing. Poland, Austria, the Czech Republic and Germany were affected by the same extreme weather. Some of the German businesses affected operate directly on the border. Brussels' approach simply makes no sense and destroys trust. I expect the EU Commission to quickly ...