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Factsheet for case HR-2020-14/514 – Updated – measures in Croatia

Assisting small dairies with operating problems caused by COVID-19 disease

Odluka o provedbi privremene izvanredne mjere pomoći malim mljekarama s problemima u poslovanju uzrokovanih epidemijom bolesti COVID-19

Country Croatia , applies nationwide
Time period Open ended, started on 02 April 2020
Type Legislations or other statutory regulations
Category Reorientation of business activities
– Matching / networking
Author Predrag Bejalovic (IJF) and Eurofound
Case created 12 April 2020 (updated 17 July 2020)

Background information

Many small-scale dairy producers have serious business problems caused by the COVID-19 epidemic because nobody can withdraw and buy their daily production of milk. At the same time, some institutions of social welfare and hospitals do not have enough quantities of milk. Therefore, there was a need for government action to aid them and to save milk production. The Ministry of Agriculture will determine the list of small dairies that are eligible for the support from this Decision.

Content of measure

This Decision establishes a provisional emergency measure to assist small-scale dairies with business problems caused by the COVID-19 epidemic. The activity consists of withdrawing and buying dairy production of dairies which have an annual production up to 14 million liters of raw milk. The withdrawal and purchase of surpluses from small dairies also ensures the smooth continued production and supply of milk. Recipients are obliged to ensure that all necessary measures are considered during withdraw and distribution of dairy products, in accordance with the instructions and decisions of the Civil Protection Authorities of the Republic of Croatia and local civil protection headquarters.

Updates

The following updates to this measure have been made after it came into effect.

03 July 2020

Producers of milk and dairy products found themselves in a bad situation after the ban on working in farmers’ markets. By timely response and implementation of a temporary emergency assistance measure, the Ministry of Agriculture facilitated the reorganization of production and adaptation to the new situation. Eight dairies used the extraordinary help of the Croatian Government to small dairies in the corona crisis. It was agreed to buy 176,000 kilograms of products, worth HRK 2.5 million (€333,000). The measure was implemented by buying dairy products and further free distribution to people in need, and included small dairies that in 2019 bought and processed less than 14 million liters of milk from milk producers in Croatia. So far, 159,735 kilograms of products have been distributed to 60 registered intermediaries in food donation.

Use of measure

In addition to assisting small dairies and ensuring the smooth production of milk on farms, this Decision provides for quantities of dairy products intended for free of charge distribution. The recipients of the dairy products referred to in this Decision will be intermediaries in the food donation chain, registered in the Register of Food Donors, maintained by the Ministry of Agriculture. Furthermore, recipients will be also hospitals, social welfare centers and social welfare institutions managed or recognized by the competent authorities.

Target groups

Workers Businesses Citizens
Does not apply to workers Sector specific set of companies
Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors Funding
National government
National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

Trade unions Employers' organisations
Role No involvement as case not in social partner domain No involvement
Form Not applicable Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

  • No involvement
  • Main level of involvement: Unknown

Involvement

No involvement.

Views and reactions

Due to the nature of the measure, social partners were not involved.

Sectors and occupations

    • Economic area Sector (NACE level 2)
      A - Agriculture, Forestry And Fishing A1 Crop and animal production, hunting and related service activities

This case is not occupation-specific.

Sources

  • 02 April 2020: Odluka o provedbi privremene izvanredne mjere pomoći malim mljekarama s problemima u poslovanju uzrokovanih epidemijom bolesti COVID-19 (narodne-novine.nn.hr)

Citation

Eurofound (2020), Assisting small dairies with operating problems caused by COVID-19 disease, case HR-2020-14/514 (measures in Croatia), COVID-19 EU PolicyWatch, Dublin, http://eurofound.link/covid19eupolicywatch

Disclaimer: This information has not been subject to the full Eurofound evaluation, editorial and publication process. All information is preliminary and subject to change.