EU Approves €41 Million Aid for Greek Farmers

EU approves Greek aid for rising fertilizer costs

Greek agricultural companies will receive €41 million in support after the European Commission approved a new aid scheme to help offset rising fertilizer costs linked to the Middle East crisis. The funding will be allocated to businesses engaged in primary agricultural production through direct grants.

The aid will cover 15% of the cost of fertilizers purchased between March 15 and August 31, 2026, with support capped at €50,000 per beneficiary. The Commission approved the measure under its temporary State aid framework for the Middle East crisis, which allows EU countries to support sectors affected by rising costs. It concluded that the scheme was necessary, proportionate and in line with EU State aid rules. 

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Further reading: Commission approves €41 million Greek State aid for agricultural companies facing increased fertiliser prices

Study explores supplements for honeybees

Scientists have found that food supplements containing probiotics and the plant-based prebiotic inulin could help honeybees better cope with some climate-related temperature stress. In laboratory tests, bees given supplements alongside a sugar diet survived cold conditions for longer than those fed sugar alone. Researchers say better nutrition could strengthen bees as climate change and other environmental pressures continue to affect pollinator populations. 

The supplements did not provide the same benefit during extreme heat. Bees exposed to 40°C died within days, regardless of diet, although those given higher doses survived slightly longer. Researchers said the findings are based on caged bees and that colonies in the wild can cool their hives through collective behavior, meaning more research is needed before applying the results in real-world conditions.

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Further reading: Food supplements could help bees cope with climate crisis, research suggests

German chemical output set to fall again

Germany’s chemical and pharmaceutical industry expects production to fall by 1.5% in 2026, according to industry association VCI. The group said weak demand, rising costs, and subdued investment continue to put pressure on one of the country’s largest manufacturing sectors. Output fell 3% in the first half of the year, while sales slipped 1% to €106 billion.

VCI said recent improvements linked to the Middle East crisis are unlikely to lead to a lasting recovery. Temporary disruptions affecting Asian competitors gave some European producers a short-term advantage, but the association said this was not enough to reverse the broader slowdown. The industry supplies key materials to sectors including automotive, construction, and agriculture.

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Further reading: German chemicals lobby sees output falling again in 2026

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Google backs major U.S. solar project

Google has signed an agreement to purchase the entire initial output of the Steel River Energy Center in Arkansas, which developers say is the largest solar project of its kind to begin construction in the United States. Scheduled to start operating in 2029, the project will initially provide 1.6 gigawatts of solar capacity and 2 gigawatt-hours of battery storage, with plans to expand further in later phases.

Google’s electricity demand has increased as the company expands its AI and data center operations. It will purchase the project’s electricity through a virtual power purchase agreement, giving the developer a guaranteed buyer while increasing Google’s supply of renewable energy.

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Further reading: Google Signs Record-Breaking U.S. Solar Project Deal

Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed here by the authors are their own, not those of impakter.com —  In the Cover Photo: Aerial view of green grass field in Thines, Greece. Cover Photo Credit: Jason Mavrommatis.