Agricultural Crises – Selected Legal Aspects of Drought

The specific nature of agriculture, and in particular its natural conditions, imply the occurrence of specific risks leading increasingly to crisis situations. These result in agricultural producers being unable to cope on their own with worsening production and consequently living conditions, and in extreme cases abandoning agricultural activity. A recurrent negative phenomenon in recent years that causes many losses is drought. Its occurrence is a certain challenge for the legislator, who, by eans of specific legal norms, at least to a limited extent, can shape the existence of agricultural producers and protect them from abandoning agricultural activity. The aim of this article is to assess the legal norms adopted at EU and national level which affect agricultural producers in the context of the occurrence of drought. Furthermore, it aims to answer the question of whether and to what extent the legislator protects their livelihoods. The approach of the national and EU legislator with regard to the forms of support provided should be assessed positively. The national legislator, on the basis of the dispositions contained in the EU law, supports agricultural producers in the face of the occurrence of crisis situations, however, it should take into account the necessity of adopting additional, special solutions in this respect strengthening the livelihood of producers.