๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฆ๐๐-๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ด๐ฒ๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐ฎ๐ฎ๐ป: ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ถ๐น ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐๐๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป, ๐ฝ๐ผ๐น๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐ธ ๐บ๐ผ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ป๐ฒ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ป
Interest in the Clean and Emission-Free Agricultural Equipment (SEL) Grant Program has been overwhelming. Within two days of the program opening, applications were submitted that far exceeded the available budget.
For agricultural machinery, โฌ2.8 million is available, compared to โฌ24.9 million in applications. For tractors, including charging infrastructure, the budget is โฌ5.8 million, compared to โฌ32.6 million in applications.
These figures show that farmers, contractors, and agricultural machinery manufacturers are ready to invest in zero-emission technology. The willingness to become more sustainable is there. The sector isnโt waiting aroundโit wants to move forward.
At the same time, the oversubscription makes it clear that the available budget does not sufficiently meet market demand. This is noteworthy because a total of โฌ77 million has been set aside for the SEL program from the Climate Fund, while only โฌ8.6 million has been made available for the current call for proposals.
Especially now that geopolitical tensions and rising energy prices are once again highlighting how dependent Europe still is on fossil fuels, accelerating the energy transition is essential. Zero-emission agricultural equipment not only contributes to climate goals but also strengthens our energy independence, innovative capacity, and economic resilience.
Fedecom is therefore calling on the government to expedite the release of a larger portion of the โฌ77 million that has already been earmarked. After all, the funds have already been set aside, and there is demonstrable demand from the market.
The record oversubscription of the SEL program sends a clear signal to The Hague: the sector wants to become more sustainable and invest. Now it is up to policymakers to make that ambition a reality by deploying the available climate funds more quickly. This will prevent entrepreneurs who want to invest today from being held back by a lack of funding.