Commission Regulation (EC) No 1122/2000
of 22 May 2000
amending Regulation (EEC) No 2237/77 on the form of farm return to be used for the purpose of determining incomes of agricultural holdings
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Regulation No 79/65/EEC of 15 June 1965 setting up a network for the collection of accountancy data on the incomes and business operation of agricultural holdings in the European Economic Community(1), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1256/97(2), and in particular Article 7(3) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Commission Regulation (EEC) No 2237/77(3), as last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 2940/93(4), lays down the contents of the farm return to be used.
(2) The data collected for the purposes of the farm return need to take better account of the characteristics of agriculture, the evolution of common agricultural policy and the experience gained in the use of the return since it was introduced.
(3) Council Regulations (EC) No 1251/1999 of 17 May 1999 establishing a support system for producers of certain arable corps(5), as amended by Regulation (EC) No 2704/1999(6), (EC) No 1252/1999 of 17 May 1999 amending Regulation (EC) No 1868/94 establishing a quota system for the production of potato starch(7), (EC) No 1254/1999 of 17 May 1999 on the common organisation of the market in beef and veal(8), as amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 907/2000(9), and (EC) No 1255/1999 of 17 May 1999 on the common organisation of the market in milk and milk products(10), laying down the new provisions for the reform of the common agricultural policy affect farmers' receipts, in particular direct aids.
(4) The data collected by means of the farm return must correspond to the definitions given in Council Regulations (EC) No 1257/1999 of 17 May 1999, on support for rural development from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund(11), as regards less-favoured areas and areas with environmental restrictions, and (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June 1999 laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds(12), as regards areas eligible to support by Structural Funds.
(5) The farm return must include specific headings allowing the identification of holdings applying organic production methods, within the meaning of Article 6 of Council Regulations (EEC) No 2092/91 of 24 June 1991 on organic production of agricultural products and indications referring thereto on agricultural products and foodstuffs(13), as last amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 331/2000(14), and headings for detailed recording of the different categories of animals purchased and sold and information on national selection plans and weighting schemes to improve the weighting scheme used in the calculation of aggregate results.
(6) Developments in information technology should be taken into account in the presentation and transmission of data.
(7) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Community Committee for the Farm Accountancy Data Network,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
Annexes I and II to Regulation (EEC) No 2237/77 shall be amended in accordance with Annex I hereto.
Annex III to Regulation (EEC) No 2237/77 shall be replaced by Annex II hereto.
Article 2
This Regulation shall enter into force on the seventh day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities.
It shall apply with effect from the 2000 accounting year, beginning in the period between 1 January and 1 July 2000 inclusive.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 22 May 2000.