COUNCIL DIRECTIVE of 14 July 1986 concerning the Community list of less-favoured farming areas within the meaning of Directive 75/268/EEC (Portugal)
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 Regulation (EEC) No 797/85 (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),
Whereas the Government of the Republic of Portugal has communicated to the Commission, pursuant to Article 2 (1) of Directive 75/268/EEC, areas suitable for inclusion in the Community list of less-favoured farming areas as well as information relating to the characteristics of these areas;
Whereas the following criteria were used to define mountain areas according to Article 3 (3) of Directive 75/268/EEC: in the area north of the Tagus a minimum altitude of 700 metres, in the area south of the Tagus a minimum altitude of 800 metres; or where slope is concerned a slope of greater than 25 %; whereas where there is a combination of the factors altitude and slope, mountain areas within the meaning of Article 3 (3) of Directive 75/268/EEC may be defined by: between 400 and 700 metres altitude and a slope of at least 20 % in the area north of the Tagus, and by between 600 and 800 metres of altitude with a slope of at least 15 % in the area south of the Tagus;
Whereas the presence of infertile land as referred to in Article 3 (4) (a) of Directive 75/268/EEC has been characterized by the existence of soil with accentuated limitations occupying at least 50 % of the utilized agricultural area of the Concelho;
Whereas the economic results of farming appreciably lower than the mean, as referred to in Article 3 (4) (b) of Directive 75/268/EEC are calculated using indices relating to a livestock density below 0,2 livestock unit per hectare forage area in the Concelho or in the region;
Whereas the following indices have been utilized in respect of low or dwindling population as predominantly dependent on agricultural activity within the meaning of Article 3 (4) (c) of Directive 75/268/EEC: population density of less than 56 persons per square kilometre (national average 111) or an annual regression in the population of more than 0,5 %, and at least 30 % of the working population engaged in agriculture;
Whereas, concerning the delimitation of areas affected by specific handicaps which can be considered as less-favoured areas within the meaning of Article 3 (5) of Directive 75/268/EEC, the following criteria have been used: isolation giving rise to heavy transport costs both from the mainland and between individual islands and lack of unity in the small local markets; in the Azores more than 50 % of the islands above 300 metres, and fragmented relief, strong winds, high humidity but lack of water retention; in Porto Santo, soil salinity, very low rainfall (less than 380 mm per year), lack of water reserves which together with the broken relief leads to soil erosion problems; on the mainland calcareous soils associated with very rocky outcrops; whereas moreover their combined area does not exceed 4,0 % of the area of this Member State (3,91 %);
Whereas the nature and level of the abovementioned indices used by the Government of the Portuguese Republic to define the three types of areas communicated 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 Government of the Portuguese Republic has provided information on the public infrastructure available in these areas; whereas in general this infrastructure is deficient; whereas the Community is helping to tackle the priority problems under Regulation (EEC) No 3828/85 of 20 December 1985 on a specific programme for the development of Portuguese agriculture (4) and it therefore seems expedient to include the areas in question in the Community list of less-favoured farming areas,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:
Article 1
The areas of Portugal listed in the Annex hereto shall be included in the Community list of less-favoured agricultural areas within the meaning of Article 3 (3), (4) and (5) of Directive 75/268/EEC.
Article 2
This Directive is addressed to the Portuguese Republic.
Done at Brussels, 14 July 1986.