Council Directive
of 20 July 1981
concerning the Community list of less-favoured farming areas within the meaning of Directive 75/268/EEC (Greece)
(81/645/EEC)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community,
Having regard to Council Directive 75/268/EEC of 28 April 1975 on mountain and hill farming and farming in certain less-favoured areas [1], as last amended by Directive 80/666/EEC [2], and in particular Article 2 (2) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament [3],
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee [4],
Whereas the Government of the Hellenic Republic has communicated to the Commission, in accordance with Article 2 (1) of Directive 75/268/EEC, the names of 102 areas suitable for inclusion in the Community list of less-favoured farming areas, together with information concerning the characteristics of those areas;
Whereas the criterion used to define very difficult climatic conditions, as referred to in the first indent of Article 3 (3) of Directive 75/268/EEC, is a minimum altitude of 800 metres;
Whereas the steep slopes, as referred to in the second indent of Article 3 (3) of Directive 75/268/EEC are defined as being at least 20 %;
Whereas, in the case of combinations of the two aforementioned factors within the meaning of the third indent of Article 3 (3) of Directive 75/268/EEC, the criteria used are a minimum altitude of 600 metres and a slope of at least 16 %;
Whereas, as a rule, at least 80 % of the area of a commune should satisfy at least one of these criteria; whereas this percentage may be lowered to a minimum of 50 % in exceptional cases where communes are located in the same mountain formation with identical climatic and topographic conditions and with relatively low yields and incomes;
Whereas the characteristics adopted to define infertile land, as referred to in Article 3 (4) (a) of Directive 75/268/EEC, include a yield not exceeding 80 % of the national average and, in addition, rough grazing occupying at least 30 % of the utilizable agricultural area;
Whereas the economic results which are appreciably lower than the mean, as referred to in Article 3 (4) (b) of Directive 75/268/EEC, are characterized by a farm income per labour unit not exceeding 80 % of the national average;
Whereas the criteria used to define a low or dwindling population, as referred to in Article 3 (4) (c) of Directive 75/268/EEC, are a population density not exceeding 30 inhabitants per km2 (the national average population density is 72 inhabitants per km2) or an annual decrease in the population of at least 2 %; whereas, in addition, the percentage of the total working population engaged in agriculture must be at least 50 %;
Whereas the criteria used to define the areas with specific handicaps which could be treated as less-favoured areas, as referred to in Article 3 (5) of Directive 75/268/EEC, are the existence of naturally unfavourable conditions reflected in low yields and incomes and the existence of constraints resulting from the fact that such areas are located near frontiers or on islands; whereas, moreover, the sum of all these areas does not exceed 2 · 5 % of the area of Greece;
Whereas the nature and the level of the abovementioned criteria used by the Government of the Hellenic Republic to define the types of area notified to the Commission correspond respectively to the characteristics of the mountain areas, the less-favoured areas and the areas affected by specific handicaps referred to in Article 3 (3), (4) and (5) of Directive 75/268/EEC;
Whereas the communication of the Hellenic Republic concerned fails to indicate the present situation in these areas from the point of view of the infrastructure referred to in Article 3 (2) of Directive 75/268/EEC; whereas it seems that the infrastructure is not always adequate; whereas the absence of information on current or proposed programmes makes it impossible to estimate the time which will be taken to achieve a substantial improvement in this situation; whereas it nevertheless seems expedient to include the areas in question in the Community list of less-favoured farming areas, on the understanding that the Government of the Hellenic Republic will shortly submit to the Commission a detailed communication on this subject,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:
Article 1
The areas situated in the Hellenic Republic which appear in the Annex shall form part of the Community list of less-favoured farming areas within the meaning of Article 3 (3), (4) and (5) of Directive 75/268/EEC.
Article 2
The Hellenic Republic shall forward to the Commission, within one year of the adoption of this Directive, a detailed communication indicating the time within which measures for the substantial improvement of the infrastructure will be effective in the areas referred to in Article 1.
Article 3
This Directive is addressed to the Hellenic Republic.
Done at Brussels, 20 July 1981.