Croatian MEP Marko Vešligaj (S&D) has asked the European Commission whether it intends to oblige Member States to make use of the national financing option under the fertiliser action plan, citing past failures where governments did not commit their share of funds.
The question, submitted on 30 June 2026, targets a key weakness in the plan's design: while the EU budget provides EUR 300 million for 2026, which Member States can top up by up to 200%, previous opt-in schemes—such as the wine package to combat flavescence dorée—have seen countries like Croatia fail to act, leaving vineyards devastated. Vešligaj's question implies that voluntary national co-financing risks rendering the plan ineffective, and he presses the Commission to consider mandatory participation. The Commission is expected to reply within approximately six weeks; its answer will signal whether it is willing to shift from incentivising to requiring Member State co-funding, a move that would strengthen EU-level enforcement but encroach on national budgetary sovereignty. Stakeholders most affected include EU farmers reliant on fertiliser support, national agriculture ministries facing potential mandatory spending, and the Commission itself, which must balance effectiveness with subsidiarity.