National financial assistance

1.   In regions of the Member States in which the degree of organisation of producers in the fruit and vegetables sector is significantly below the Union average, Member States may grant producer organisations recognised under Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 national financial assistance equal to a maximum of 80 % of the financial contributions referred to in Article 51(1), point (a), of this Regulation and up to 10 % of the value of the marketed production of any such producer organisation. The national financial assistance shall be additional to the operational fund.
2.   The degree of organisation of producers in a region of a Member State shall be considered to be significantly below the Union average where the average degree of organisation has been less than 20 % for three consecutive years preceding the implementation of the operational programme. The degree of organisation shall be calculated as the value of fruit and vegetable production that was obtained in the region concerned and marketed by producer organisations and associations of producer organisations recognised under Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013, divided by the total value of the fruit and vegetable production that was obtained in that region.
3.   Member States that grant national financial assistance in accordance with paragraph 1 shall inform the Commission of the regions that meet the criteria referred to in paragraph 2 and of the national financial assistance granted to producer organisations in those regions.