EU exceptional adjustment aid is provided by the EU Commission where the normal measures available under Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 (establishing a common organisation of the markets in agricultural products) appear to be insufficient and as per Article 219(1) thereof, “in order to react efficiently and effectively against threats of market disturbance caused by significant price rises or falls on internal or external markets or other events and circumstances significantly disturbing or threatening to disturb the market, where that situation, or its effects on the market, is likely to continue or deteriorate”. Article 227, provides that the power to adopt the delegated acts is conferred on the Commission, assisted, as per article 229, by the Committee for the Common Organisation of the Agricultural Markets.
Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1613 provided €350 million to Member States, including €11.1m to Ireland, as the milk sector was confronted with a market disturbance due to a worldwide supply-demand imbalance, as well as difficulties in other livestock sectors. Ireland made the decision to allocate this funding, along with €13.9m in national funding, towards the development of the Agriculture Cashflow Support Loan Scheme, in cooperation with the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland.