The European Commission said Thursday it was extending to the end of this year a temporary exemption for EU countries' state aid in their farming and fisheries sectors.

The targeted six-month exemption to the EU's State aid Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework (TCTF) follows months of farmers' protests over lower income and concerns over imports into the bloc from Ukraine.

The TCTF was introduced in March 2022 to respond to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the fall-out of which caused the price of energy and fertiliser to soar in Europe.

Commission Vice President Margrethe Vestager said the extension would give more time to the sectors to "face specific challenges due to market disturbances caused by Russia's war in Ukraine". She noted that the TCTF would be phased out as planned for other sectors.