02013R1305 — EN — 05.02.2018 — 006.001

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Amended by:





Corrected by:









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REGULATION (EU) No 1305/2013 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

of 17 December 2013

on support for rural development by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005







TITLE I

OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGY







CHAPTER I

Subject matter and Definitions

Article 1

Subject matter

1. This Regulation lays down general rules governing Union support for rural development, financed by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development ("the EAFRD") and established by Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013. It sets out the objectives to which rural development policy is to contribute and the relevant Union priorities for rural development. It outlines the strategic context for rural development policy and defines the measures to be adopted in order to implement rural development policy. In addition, it lays down rules on programming, networking, management, monitoring and evaluation on the basis of responsibilities shared between the Member States and the Commission and rules to ensure coordination of the EAFRD with other Union instruments.

2. This Regulation complements the provisions of Part Two of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 of the European Parliament and the Council ( 1 ).

Article 2

Definitions

1. For the purposes of this Regulation, the definitions of "programme", "operation", "beneficiary", "community-led local development strategy", "public expenditure", "SMEs", "completed operation" and "financial instruments" as laid down or referred to in Article 2 and of "less developed regions" and "transition regions" as laid down in points (a) and (b) in Article 90(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 apply.

In addition, the following definitions shall apply:

(a) "programming": means the process of organisation, decision making and allocation of financial resources in several stages, with the involvement of partners, intended to implement, on a multi-annual basis, joint action by the Union and the Member States to achieve the Union priorities for rural development.

(b) "region" means a territorial unit corresponding to level 1 or 2 of the Nomenclature of territorial units for statistics (NUTS level 1 and 2) within the meaning of Regulation (EC) No 1059/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council ( 2 );

(c) "measure" means a set of operations contributing to one or more of the Union priorities for rural development;

(d) "support rate" means the rate of public contribution to an operation;

(e) "transaction cost" means an additional cost linked to fulfilling a commitment, but not directly attributable to its implementation or not included in the costs or income foregone that are compensated directly; and which can be calculated on a standard cost basis;

(f) "agricultural area" means any area taken up by arable land, permanent grassland and permanent pasture or permanent crops as defined in Article 4 of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013;

(g) "economic losses" means any additional cost incurred by a farmer as a result of exceptional measures taken by the farmer with the objective of reducing supply on the market concerned or any substantial loss of production;

(h) "adverse climatic event" means weather conditions, such as frost, storms and hail, ice, heavy rain or severe drought, which can be assimilated to a natural disaster;

(i) "animal diseases" means diseases mentioned in the list of animal diseases established by the World Organisation for Animal Health or in the Annex to Council Decision 2009/470/EC ( 3 );

(j) "environmental incident" means a specific occurrence of pollution, contamination or degradation in the quality of the environment which is related to a specific event and is of limited geographical scope; but does not cover general environmental risks not connected with a specific event, such as climate change or atmospheric pollution;

(k) "natural disaster": means a naturally occurring event of a biotic or abiotic nature that leads to important disturbances in agricultural production systems or forest structures, eventually causing important economic damage to the farming or forestry sectors;

(l) "catastrophic event": means an unforeseen event of a biotic or abiotic nature caused by human action that leads to important disturbances in agricultural production systems or forest structures, eventually causing important economic damage to the farming or forestry sectors;

(m) "short supply chain": means a supply chain involving a limited number of economic operators, committed to co-operation, local economic development, and close geographical and social relations between producers, processors and consumers;

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(n) "young farmer" means a person who is no more than 40 years of age at the moment of submitting the application, possesses adequate occupational skills and competence and is setting up for the first time in an agricultural holding as head of that holding; the setting up may be done solely or jointly with other farmers, irrespective of its legal form;

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(o) "thematic objectives": means the thematic objectives defined in Article 9 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013;

(p) "Common Strategic Framework" ("CSF")": means the Common Strategic Framework referred to in Article 10 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013;

(q) "cluster" means a grouping of independent undertakings, including start-ups, small, medium and large undertakings as well as advisory bodies and/or research organisations - designed to stimulate economic/ innovative activity by promoting intensive interactions, the sharing of facilities and the exchange of knowledge and expertise, as well as contributing effectively to knowledge transfer, networking and information dissemination among the undertakings in the cluster;

(r) "forest" means an area of land spanning more than 0,5 hectares with trees higher than 5 meters and a canopy cover of more than 10 percent, or trees able to reach these thresholds in situ; and does not include land that is predominantly under agricultural or urban land use, subject to paragraph 2;

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(s) "date of setting up" means the date when the applicant performs or completes (an) action(s) related to the setting up referred to in point (n).

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2. A Member State or region may choose to apply a forest definition, other than the one in point (r) of paragraph 1, based on existing national law or inventory system. The Member States or regions shall provide such definition in the rural development programme;

3. In order to ensure a coherent approach in the treatment of beneficiaries and to take into account the need for an adaptation period, as regards the definition of young farmer laid down in paragraph 1(n), the Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 83 concerning the conditions under which a legal person may be considered to be a 'young farmer', and the setting of a grace period for the acquisition of occupational skills.







CHAPTER II

Mission, objectives and priorities

Article 3

Mission

The EAFRD shall contribute to the Europe 2020 Strategy by promoting sustainable rural development throughout the Union in a manner that complements the other instruments of the CAP, the cohesion policy and the common fisheries policy. It shall contribute to the development of a Union agricultural sector that is more territorially and environmentally balanced, climate-friendly and resilient and competitive and innovative. It shall also contribute to the development of rural territories.

Article 4

Objectives

Within the overall framework of the CAP, support for rural development, including for activities in the food and non-food sector and in forestry, shall contribute to achieving the following objectives:

(a) fostering the competitiveness of agriculture;

(b) ensuring the sustainable management of natural resources, and climate action;

(c) achieving a balanced territorial development of rural economies and communities including the creation and maintenance of employment.

Article 5

Union priorities for rural development

The achievement of the objectives of rural development, which contribute to the Europe 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, shall be pursued through the following six Union priorities for rural development, which reflect the relevant Thematic Objectives of the CSF:

(1) fostering knowledge transfer and innovation in agriculture, forestry, and rural areas with a focus on the following areas:

(a) fostering innovation, cooperation, and the development of the knowledge base in rural areas;

(b) strengthening the links between agriculture, food production and forestry and research and innovation, including for the purpose of improved environmental management and performance;

(c) fostering lifelong learning and vocational training in the agricultural and forestry sectors.

(2) enhancing farm viability and competitiveness of all types of agriculture in all regions and promoting innovative farm technologies and the sustainable management of forests, with a focus on the following areas:

(a) improving the economic performance of all farms and facilitating farm restructuring and modernisation, notably with a view to increasing market participation and orientation as well as agricultural diversification;

(b) facilitating the entry of adequately skilled farmers into the agricultural sector and, in particular, generational renewal.

(3) promoting food chain organisation, including processing and marketing of agricultural products, animal welfare and risk management in agriculture, with a focus on the following areas:

(a) improving competitiveness of primary producers by better integrating them into the agri-food chain through quality schemes, adding value to agricultural products, promotion in local markets and short supply circuits, producer groups and organisations and inter-branch organisations;

(b) supporting farm risk prevention and management.

(4) restoring, preserving and enhancing ecosystems related to agriculture and forestry, with a focus on the following areas:

(a) restoring, preserving and enhancing biodiversity, including in Natura 2000 areas, and in areas facing natural or other specific constraints, and high nature value farming, as well as the state of European landscapes;

(b) improving water management, including fertiliser and pesticide management;

(c) preventing soil erosion and improving soil management.

(5) promoting resource efficiency and supporting the shift towards a low carbon and climate resilient economy in agriculture, food and forestry sectors, with a focus on the following areas:

(a) increasing efficiency in water use by agriculture;

(b) increasing efficiency in energy use in agriculture and food processing;

(c) facilitating the supply and use of renewable sources of energy, of by-products, wastes and residues and of other non food raw material, for the purposes of the bio-economy;

(d) reducing green house gas and ammonia emissions from agriculture;

(e) fostering carbon conservation and sequestration in agriculture and forestry;

(6) promoting social inclusion, poverty reduction and economic development in rural areas, with a focus on the following areas:

(a) facilitating diversification, creation and development of small enterprises, as well as job creation;

(b) fostering local development in rural areas;

(c) enhancing the accessibility, use and quality of information and communication technologies (ICT) in rural areas.

All those priorities shall contribute to the cross-cutting objectives of innovation, environment and climate change mitigation and adaptation. Programmes may address fewer than six priorities if justified on the basis of the analysis of the situation in terms of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats ("the SWOT") and the ex ante evaluation. At least four priorities shall be addressed by each programme. When a Member State submits a national programme and a set of regional programmes, the national programme may address fewer than four priorities.

Other focus areas may be included in programmes in order to pursue one of the priorities if justified and measurable.







TITLE II

PROGRAMMING







CHAPTER I

Programming content

Article 6

Rural development programmes

1. The EAFRD shall act in the Member States through rural development programmes. Those programmes shall implement a strategy to meet the Union priorities for rural development through a set of measures as defined in Title III. Support from the EAFRD shall be sought for the achievement of the objectives of rural development pursued through Union priorities.

2. A Member State may submit either a single programme for its entire territory or a set of regional programmes. Alternatively, in duly justified cases, it may submit a national programme and a set of regional programmes. If a Member State submits a national programme and a set of regional programmes, measures and/or types of operations shall be programmed either at national level or at regional level, and coherence between the strategies of the national and regional programmes shall be ensured.

3. Member States with regional programmes may also submit, for approval in accordance with Article 10(2), a national framework containing common elements for these programmes without a separate budgetary allocation.

National frameworks of Member States with regional programmes may also contain a table summarising, by region and by year, the total EAFRD contribution to the Member State concerned for the whole programming period.

Article 7

Thematic sub-programmes

1. With the aim of contributing to the achievement of the Union priorities for rural development, Member States may include within their rural development programmes thematic sub-programmes that address specific needs. Such thematic sub-programmes may, inter alia, relate to:

(a) young farmers;

(b) small farms as referred to in the third subparagraph of Article 19(2);

(c) mountain areas as referred to in Article 32(2);

(d) short supply chains;

(e) women in rural areas;

(f) climate change mitigation and adaptation and biodiversity.

An indicative list of measures and types of operations of particular relevance to each thematic sub-programme is set out in Annex IV.

2. Thematic sub-programmes may also address specific needs relating to the restructuring of agricultural sectors with a significant impact on the development of a specific rural area.

3. The support rates laid down in Annex II may be increased by 10 additional percentage points for operations supported in the framework of thematic sub-programmes concerning small farms and short supply chains, climate change mitigation and adaptation and biodiversity. In the case of young farmers and mountain areas, the maximum support rates may be increased in accordance with Annex II. However, the maximum combined support rate shall not exceed 90 %.

Article 8

Content of rural development programmes

1. In addition to the elements referred to in Article 27 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013, each rural development programme shall include:

(a) the ex ante evaluation referred to in Article 55 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013;

(b) a SWOT analysis of the situation and an identification of the needs that have to be addressed in the geographical area covered by the programme.

The analysis shall be structured around the Union priorities for rural development. Specific needs concerning the environment, climate change mitigation and adaptation and innovation shall be assessed across Union priorities for rural development, in order to identify relevant responses in these three areas at the level of each priority;

(c) a description of the strategy which demonstrates that:

(i) appropriate targets are set for each of the focus areas of the Union priorities for rural development included in the programme, based on the common indicators referred to in Article 69 and, where necessary, on programme specific indicators;

(ii) relevant combinations of measures are selected in relation to each of the focus areas of the Union priorities for rural development included in the programme, based on a sound intervention logic supported by the ex ante evaluation referred to in point (a) and the analysis referred to in point (b);

(iii) the allocation of financial resources to the measures of the programme is justified and adequate to achieve the targets set;

(iv) specific needs linked with specific conditions at regional or sub-regional level are taken into account and concretely addressed through adequately designed combinations of measures or thematic sub-programmes;

(v) an appropriate approach towards innovation with a view to achieving the Union priorities for rural development, including the EIP for agricultural productivity and sustainability, towards the environment, including the specific needs of Natura 2000 areas, and towards climate change mitigation and adaptation is integrated into the programme;

(vi) measures have been taken to ensure the availability of sufficient advisory capacity on the regulatory requirements and on actions related to innovation;

(d) for each ex ante conditionality, established in accordance with Article 19, and part II of Annex XI to Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 for the general ex ante conditionalities, and in accordance with Annex V to this Regulation, an assessment of which of the ex ante conditionalities are applicable to the programme and which of them are fulfilled at the date of submission of the Partnership Agreement and the programme. Where the applicable ex ante conditionalities are not fulfilled, the programme shall contain a description of the actions to be taken, the bodies responsible and a timetable for such actions in accordance with the summary submitted in the Partnership Agreement.

(e) a description of the performance framework established for the purpose of Article 21 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013;

(f) a description of each of the measures selected;

(g) the evaluation plan referred to in Article 56 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013. The Member States shall provide sufficient resources to address the needs which have been identified and to ensure proper monitoring and evaluation;

(h) a financing plan comprising:

(i) a table setting out, in accordance with Article 58(4), the total EAFRD contribution planned for each year. When applicable this table shall indicate separately within the total EAFRD contribution the appropriations provided for the less developed regions and the funds transferred to the EAFRD in application of Article 7(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013. The planned annual EAFRD contribution shall be compatible with the Multi-annual Financial Framework;

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(ii) a table setting out, for each measure, for each type of operation with a specific EAFRD contribution rate, for the type of operation referred to in Article 37(1) and Article 39a and for technical assistance, the total Union contribution planned and the applicable EAFRD contribution rate. Where applicable, this table shall indicate separately the EAFRD contribution rate for less developed regions and for other regions;

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(i) an indicator plan, broken down into focus areas, comprising the targets referred to in point (i) of Article 8(1)(c) and the planned outputs and planned expenditure of each rural development measure selected in relation to a corresponding focus area;

(j) where applicable, a table on additional national financing per measure in accordance with Article 82;

(k) where applicable, the list of aid schemes falling under Article 81(1) to be used for the implementation of the programmes;

(l) information on the complementarity with measures financed by the other common agricultural policy instruments, and by the European Structural and Investment Funds ("ESI");

(m) programme implementing arrangements including:

(i) the designation by the Member State of all authorities referred to in Article 65(2) and, for information, a summary description of the management and control structure;

(ii) a description of the monitoring and evaluation procedures, as well as the composition of the Monitoring Committee;

(iii) the provisions to ensure that the programme is publicised, including through the national rural network referred to in Article 54;

(iv) a description of the approach laying down principles with regard to the establishment of selection criteria for operations and local development strategies that takes into account relevant targets; in this context Member States may provide for priority to be given to SMEs linked to the agriculture and forestry sector.

(v) in relation to local development, where applicable, a description of the mechanisms to ensure coherence between activities envisaged under the local development strategies, the "Cooperation" measure referred to in Article 35, and the "Basic services and village renewal in rural areas" measure referred to in Article 20 including urban-rural links;

(n) the actions taken to involve the partners referred to in Article 5 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 and a summary of the results of the consultation of the partners;

(o) where applicable, the structure of the national rural network as referred to in Article 54(3), and provisions for its management, which would constitute the basis for its annual actions plans.

2. Where thematic sub-programmes are included in a rural development programme, each sub-programme shall include:

(a) a specific analysis of the situation based on SWOT methodology and an identification of the needs that are to be addressed by the sub-programme;

(b) specific targets at sub-programme level and a selection of measures, based on a thorough definition of the intervention logic of the sub-programme, including an assessment of the expected contribution of the measures chosen to achieve the targets;

(c) a separate specific indicator plan, with planned outputs and planned expenditure for each rural development measure selected in relation to a corresponding focus area.

3. The Commission shall adopt implementing acts laying down rules for the presentation of the elements described in paragraphs 1 and 2 in rural development programmes and rules for the content of national frameworks referred to in Article 6(3). Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 84.







CHAPTER II

Preparation, approval and modification of rural development programmes

Article 9

Ex ante conditionalities

In addition to the general ex ante conditionalities, referred to in part II of Annex XI to Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013, the ex ante conditionalities referred to in Annex V to this Regulation shall apply to the EAFRD programming, if relevant and applicable to the specific objectives pursued within the priorities of the programme.

Article 10

Approval of rural development programmes

1. Member States shall submit to the Commission a proposal for each rural development programme, containing the information referred to in Article 8.

2. Each rural development programme shall be approved by the Commission by means of an implementing act

Article 11

Amendment of rural development programmes

Requests by Member States to amend programmes shall be approved in accordance with the following procedures:

(a) The Commission shall decide, by means of implementing acts, on requests to amend programmes that concern one or more of the following:

(i) a change in the programme strategy through a change of more than 50 % in the quantified target linked to a focus area;

(ii) a change in the EAFRD contribution rate of one or more measures;

(iii) a change of the entire Union contribution or its annual distribution at programme level;

(b) The Commission shall approve, by means of implementing acts, requests to amend the programme in all other cases. These shall include, in particular:

(i) the introduction or withdrawal of measures or types of operations;

(ii) changes in the description of measures, including changes of eligibility conditions;

(iii) a transfer of funds between measures implemented under different EAFRD contribution rates;

However, for the purposes of points (b)(i) and (ii), and point (b)(iii)where the transfer of funds concerns less than 20 % of the allocation to a measure and less than 5 % of the total EAFRD contribution to the programme, the approval shall be deemed to be given, if the Commission has not taken a decision on the request after a period of 42 working days from the receipt of the request. That period shall not include the period starting on the day following the date on which the Commission has sent its observations to the Member State and ending on the day that the Member State responded to the observations.

(c) The approval of the Commission shall not be required for corrections of a purely clerical or editorial nature that do not affect the implementation of the policy and the measures. Member States shall inform the Commission of such amendments.

Article 12

Rules on procedures and timetables

The Commission shall adopt implementing acts, laying down rules on procedures and timetables for:

(a) the approval of rural development programmes and national frameworks;

(b) the submission and approval of proposals for amendments to rural development programmes and proposals for amendments to national frameworks, including their entry into force and the frequency with which they are to be submitted during the programming period.

Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 84.







TITLE III

RURAL DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT







CHAPTER I

Measures

Article 13

Measures

Each rural development measure shall be programmed to contribute specifically to the achievement of one or more Union priorities for rural development. An indicative list of measures of particular relevance to the Union priorities is set out in Annex VI.

Article 14

Knowledge transfer and information actions

1. Support under this measure shall cover vocational training and skills acquisition actions, demonstration activities and information actions. Vocational training and skills acquisition actions may include training courses, workshops and coaching.

Support may also cover short-term farm and forest management exchanges as well as farm and forest visits.

2. Support under this measure shall be for the benefit of persons engaged in the agricultural, food and forestry sector, land managers and other economic actors which are SMEs operating in rural areas.

The training or other knowledge transfer and information action provider shall be the beneficiary of the support.

3. Support under this measure shall not include courses of instruction or training, which form part of normal education programmes or systems at secondary or higher levels.

Bodies providing knowledge transfer and information services shall have the appropriate capacities in the form of staff qualifications and regular training to carry out this task.

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4. Eligible costs under this measure shall be the costs of organising and delivering the knowledge transfer or information action. Infrastructure installed as a result of demonstration may be used after the operation is completed. In the case of demonstration projects, support may also cover relevant investment costs. Costs for travel, accommodation and per diem expenses of participants as well as the cost of the replacement of farmers shall also be eligible for support. All costs identified under this paragraph shall be paid to the beneficiary.

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5. In order to ensure that farm and forest exchange schemes and visits are clearly demarcated in relation to similar actions under other Union schemes, the Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 83 concerning the duration and content of farm and forest exchange schemes and farm and forest visits.

6. The Commission shall adopt implementing acts laying down the rules on payment modalities for participants' costs, including through the use of vouchers or other similar forms.

Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 84.

Article 15

Advisory services, farm management and farm relief services

1. Support under this measure shall be granted in order to:

(a) help farmers, young farmers as defined in this Regulation, forest holders, other land managers and SMEs in rural areas benefit from the use of advisory services for the improvement of the economic and environmental performance as well as the climate friendliness and resilience of their holding, enterprise and/or investment;

(b) promote the setting up of farm management, farm relief and farm advisory services, as well as forestry advisory services, including the Farm Advisory System referred to in Articles 12 to 14 of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013;

(c) promote the training of advisors.

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2. The beneficiary of support provided in accordance with points (a) and (c) of paragraph 1 shall be either the provider of advice or training or the Managing Authority. Where the Managing Authority is the beneficiary, the provider of advice or training shall be selected by a body that is functionally independent from the Managing Authority. Support under point (b) of paragraph 1 shall be granted to the authority or body selected to set up the farm management, farm relief, farm advisory or forestry advisory service.

3. The authorities or bodies selected to provide advice shall have appropriate resources in the form of regularly trained and qualified staff and advisory experience and reliability with respect to the fields in which they advise. The providers under this measure shall be chosen through a selection procedure open to both public and private bodies. That selection procedure shall be objective and shall exclude candidates with conflicts of interest.

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When providing advice, advisory services shall respect the non-disclosure obligations referred to in Article 13(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013.

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3a. For the purpose of this Article, Member States shall, in accordance with Article 65(1), carry out all checks at the level of the provider of advice or training.

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4. Advice to the individual farmers, young farmers as defined in this Regulation and other land managers shall be linked to at least one Union priority for rural development and shall cover as a minimum one of the following elements:

(a) obligations at farm level deriving from the statutory management requirements and/or standards for good agricultural and environmental conditions provided for in Chapter I of Title VI of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013;

(b) where applicable, the agricultural practices beneficial for the climate and the environment as laid down in Chapter 3 of Title III of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013 and the maintenance of the agricultural area as referred to in point (c) of Article 4(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013;

(c) measures at farm level provided for in rural development programmes aiming at farm modernisation, competitiveness building, sectoral integration, innovation and market orientation, as well as the promotion of entrepreneurship;

(d) requirements as defined by Member States for implementing Article 11(3) of the Water Framework Directive;

(e) requirements as defined by Member States, for implementing Article 55 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009, in particular compliance with the general principles of integrated pest management as referred to in Article 14 of Directive 2009/128/EC; or

(f) where relevant, occupational safety standards or safety standards linked to the farm;

(g) specific advice for farmers setting up for the first time.

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5. Advice to forest holders shall cover, as a minimum, the relevant obligations under Directives 92/43/EEC, 2009/147/EC and the Water Framework Directive. It may also cover issues linked to the economic and environmental performance of the forest holding.

6. Advice to SMEs may cover issues linked to the economic and environmental performance of the enterprise.

7. Where duly justified and appropriate, advice may be provided partly in a group, while taking into account the situations of the individual user of advisory services.

8. Support under points (a) and (c) of paragraph 1 shall be limited to the maximum amounts laid down in Annex II. Support under point (b) of paragraph 1 shall be degressive over a maximum period of five years from setting up.

Article 16

Quality schemes for agricultural products, and foodstuffs

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1. Support under this measure shall cover new participation, or participation in the five preceding years, by farmers and groups of farmers, in:

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(a) quality schemes established under the following Regulations and provisions:

(i) Regulation (EU) 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council ( 4 );

(ii) Council Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 ( 5 );

(iii) Regulation (EC) No 110/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council ( 6 );

(iv) Council Regulation (EEC) No 1601/91 ( 7 );

(v) Part II, Title II, Chapter I, Section 2 of Council Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 as concerns wine.

(b) quality schemes, including farm certification schemes, for agricultural products, cotton or foodstuffs, recognised by the Member States as complying with the following criteria:

(i) the specificity of the final product under such schemes is derived from clear obligations to guarantee any of the following:

— specific product characteristics,

— specific farming or production methods, or

— a quality of the final product that goes significantly beyond the commercial commodity standards as regards public, animal or plant health, animal welfare or environmental protection;

(ii) the scheme is open to all producers;

(iii) the scheme involves binding product specifications and compliance with those specifications is verified by public authorities or by an independent inspection body;

(iv) the scheme is transparent and assures complete traceability of products; or

(c) voluntary agricultural product certification schemes recognised by the Member States as meeting the Union best practice guidelines for the operation of voluntary certification schemes relating to agricultural products and foodstuffs.

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2. Support under this measure may also cover costs arising from information and promotion activities implemented by groups of producers, concerning products covered by a quality scheme receiving support in accordance with paragraph 1 of this Article. By way of derogation from Article 70(3) of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013, those activities may only be implemented in the internal market.

3. Support under paragraph 1 shall be granted as an annual incentive payment, the level of which shall be determined in accordance with the level of the fixed costs arising from participation in supported schemes, for a maximum duration of five years.

In the case of initial participation prior to the application for support under paragraph 1, the maximum duration of five years shall be reduced by the number of years which have elapsed between the initial participation in a quality scheme and the time of the application for the support.

For the purposes of this paragraph, ‘fixed costs’ means the costs incurred for entering a supported quality scheme and the annual contribution for participating in that scheme, including, where necessary, expenditure on checks required to verify compliance with the specifications of the scheme.

For the purposes of this Article, ‘farmer’ means active farmer within the meaning of Article 9 of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013, as applicable in the Member State concerned.

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4. Support shall be limited to the maximum support rate and amount laid down in Annex II.

5. In order to take into account new Union law that may affect support under this measure and in order to ensure consistency with other Union instruments on promotion of agricultural measures and prevent distortion of competition, the Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts, in accordance with Article 83 concerning, the specific Union schemes to be covered by point (a) of paragraph 1 and the characteristics of groups of producers and the types of actions that may receive support under paragraph 2, the setting of conditions to prevent discrimination against certain products; and the setting of conditions on the basis of which commercial brands are to be excluded from support.

Article 17

Investments in physical assets

1. Support under this measure shall cover tangible and/or intangible investments which:

(a) improve the overall performance and sustainability of the agricultural holding;

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(b) concern the processing, marketing and/or development of agricultural products covered by Annex I to the TFEU or cotton, except fishery products; the output of the production process may be a product not covered by that Annex; where support is provided in the form of financial instruments, the input may also be a product not covered by that Annex on condition that the investment contributes to one or more of the Union priorities for rural development;

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(c) concern infrastructure related to the development, modernisation or adaptation of agriculture and forestry, including access to farm and forest land, land consolidation and improvement, and the supply and saving of energy and water; or

(d) are non -productive investments linked to the achievement of agri- environment -climate objectives as pursued under this regulation, including biodiversity conservation status of species and habitat as well as enhancing the public amenity value of a Natura 2000 area or other high nature value systems to be defined in the programme.

2. Support under point (a) of paragraph 1 shall be granted to farmers or groups of farmers.

In the case of investments to support farm restructuring, Member States shall target the support to farms in accordance with the SWOT analysis carried out in relation to the Union priority for rural development "enhancing farm viability and competitiveness of all types of agriculture in all regions and promoting innovative farm technologies and sustainable management of forests".

3. Support under points (a) and (b) of paragraph 1 shall be limited to the maximum support rates laid down in Annex II. Those maximum rates may be increased for young farmers, for collective investments, including those linked to a merger of Producer Organisations, and for integrated projects involving support under more than one measure, for investments in areas facing natural and other specific constraints as referred to in Article 32, for investments linked to operations under Articles 28 and 29 and for operations supported in the framework of the EIP for agricultural productivity and sustainability in accordance with the support rates laid down in Annex II. However, the maximum combined support rate may not exceed 90 %.

4. Support under points (c) and (d) of paragraph 1 shall be subject to the support rates laid down in Annex II.

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5. Support may be granted to young farmers setting up for the first time in an agricultural holding as head of the holding in respect of investments to comply with Union standards applying to agricultural production, including occupational safety. Such support may be provided for a maximum of 24 months from the date of setting up as set out in the rural development programme, or until the actions defined in the business plan referred to in Article 19(4) are completed.

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6. Where Union law imposes new requirements on farmers support may be granted for investments to comply with those requirements for a maximum of 12 months from the date on which they become mandatory for the agricultural holding.

Article 18

Restoring agricultural production potential damaged by natural disasters and catastrophic events and introduction of appropriate prevention actions

1. Support under this measure shall cover:

(a) investments in preventive actions aimed at reducing the consequences of probable natural disasters, adverse climatic events and catastrophic events;

(b) investments for the restoration of agricultural land and production potential damaged by natural disasters, adverse climatic events and catastrophic events.

2. Support shall be granted to farmers or groups of farmers. Support may also be granted to public entities where a link between the investment undertaken by such entities and agricultural production potential is established.

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3. Support under point (b) of paragraph 1 shall be subject to the formal recognition by the competent public authorities of Member States that a natural disaster has occurred and that this disaster or measures adopted in accordance with Council Directive 2000/29/EC ( 8 ) to eradicate or contain a plant disease or pest have caused the destruction of at least 30 % of the relevant agricultural potential.

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4. No support under this measure shall be granted for loss of income resulting from the natural disaster or catastrophic event.

Member States shall ensure that overcompensation as a result of the combination of this measure and other national or Union support instruments or private insurance schemes is avoided.

5. Support under point (a) of paragraph 1 shall be limited to the maximum support rates laid down in Annex II.

Article 19

Farm and business development

1. Support under this measure shall cover:

(a) business start-up aid for:

(i) young farmers;

(ii) non-agricultural activities in rural areas;

(iii) the development of small farms;

(b) investments in creation and development of non-agricultural activities;

(c) annual payments or one-off payments for farmers eligible for the small farmers scheme established by Title V of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013 ("the small farmers scheme") who permanently transfer their holding to another farmer;

2. Support under point (a)(i) of paragraph 1 shall be granted to young farmers.

Support under point (a)(ii) of paragraph 1 shall be granted to farmers or members of a farm household who diversify into non-agricultural activities and to micro- and small- enterprises and natural persons in rural areas.

Support under point (a)(iii) of paragraph 1 shall be granted to small farms as defined by Member States.

Support under point (b) of paragraph 1 shall be granted to micro- and small enterprises and natural persons in rural areas, as well as to farmers or members of a farm household.

Support under point (c) of paragraph 1 shall be granted to farmers eligible to participate in the small farmers scheme who, at the time of submitting their application for support, have been so eligible for at least one year and who undertake to permanently transfer their entire holding and the corresponding payment entitlements to another farmer. Support shall be paid from the date of the transfer until 31 December 2020 or calculated in respect of that period and paid in the form of a one-off payment.

3. Any natural or legal person or a group of natural or legal persons, whatever legal status is granted to the group and its members by national law, may be considered to be a member of a farm household, with the exception of farm workers. Where a legal person or a group of legal persons is considered to be a member of the farm household, that member must exercise an agricultural activity on the farm at the time of the support application.

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4. The application for support under point (a)(i) of paragraph 1 shall be submitted at the latest 24 months after the date of setting up.

Support under point (a) of paragraph 1 shall be conditional on the submission of a business plan. Implementation of the business plan shall start at the latest within nine months from the date of the decision granting the aid. The business plan shall have a maximum duration of five years.

The business plan shall provide that the young farmer is to comply with Article 9 of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013, as applicable in the Member State concerned, within 18 months from the date of the decision granting the aid.

Member States shall define the action(s) referred to in point (s) of Article 2(1) in the rural development programmes.

Member States shall define upper and lower thresholds per beneficiary or holding for allowing access to support under points (a)(i) and (a)(iii) of paragraph 1. The lower threshold for support under point (a)(i) of paragraph 1 shall be higher than the upper threshold for support under point (a)(iii) of paragraph 1. Support shall be limited to holdings falling within the definition of micro and small enterprises.

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4a. By way of derogation from Article 37(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013, support under point (a)(i) of paragraph 1 of this Article may also be provided in the form of financial instruments, or as a combination of grants and financial instruments.

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5. Support under point (a) of paragraph 1 shall be paid in at least two instalments. Instalments may be degressive. The payment of the last instalment under points (a)(i) and (a)(ii) of paragraph 1 shall be conditional upon the correct implementation of the business plan.

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6. The maximum amount of support under point (a) of paragraph 1 is laid down in Annex II. Member States shall define the amount of support under points (a)(i) and (a)(ii) of paragraph 1 also taking into account the socio-economic situation of the programme area.

7. Support under point (c) of paragraph 1 shall be equal to 120 % of the annual payment that the beneficiary is eligible to receive under the small farmers scheme.

8. In order to ensure the efficient and effective use of EAFRD resources, the Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 83 laying down the minimum content of business plans and the criteria to be used by Member states for setting the thresholds referred to in paragraph 4 of this Article.

Article 20

Basic services and village renewal in rural areas

1. Support under this measure shall cover, in particular:

(a) the drawing up and updating of plans for the development of municipalities and villages in rural areas and their basic services and of protection and management plans relating to Natura 2000 sites and other areas of high nature value;

(b) investments in the creation, improvement or expansion of all types of small scale infrastructure, including investments in renewable energy and energy saving;

(c) broadband infrastructure, including its creation, improvement and expansion, passive broadband infrastructure and provision of access to broadband and public e-government solutions;

(d) investments in the setting up, improvement or expansion of local basic services for the rural population, including leisure and culture, and the related infrastructure;

(e) investments for public use in recreational infrastructure, tourist information and small scale tourism infrastructure;

(f) studies and investments associated with the maintenance, restoration and upgrading of the cultural and natural heritage of villages, rural landscapes and high nature value sites, including related socio-economic aspects, as well as environmental awareness actions;

(g) investments targeting the relocation of activities and conversion of buildings or other facilities located within or close to rural settlements, with a view to improving the quality of life or increasing the environmental performance of the settlement.

2. Support under this measure shall only concern small-scale infrastructure, as defined by each Member State in the programme. However, rural development programmes may provide for specific derogations from this rule for investments in broadband and renewable energy. In this case, clear criteria ensuring complementarity with support under other Union instruments shall be provided.

3. Investments under paragraph 1 shall be eligible for support where the relevant operations are implemented in accordance with plans for the development of municipalities and villages in rural areas and their basic services, where such plans exist and shall be consistent with any relevant local development strategy.

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4. Paragraphs 2 and 3 shall not apply where support is provided in the form of financial instruments.

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Article 21

Investments in forest area development and improvement of the viability of forests

1. Support under this measure shall concern:

(a) afforestation and creation of woodland;

(b) establishment of agroforestry systems;

(c) prevention and restoration of damage to forests from forest fires, natural disasters and catastrophic events, including pest and disease outbreaks, and climate related threats;

(d) investments improving the resilience and environmental value as well as the mitigation potential of forest ecosystems;

(e) investments in forestry technologies and in the processing, the mobilising and the marketing of forest products.

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2. Limitations on ownership of forests provided for in Articles 22 to 26 shall not apply to the tropical or subtropical forests and to the wooded areas of the territories of the Azores, Madeira, the Canary islands, the smaller Aegean islands within the meaning of Regulation (EU) No 229/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council ( 9 ), and the French outermost regions.

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For holdings above a certain size, to be determined by the Member States in the programme, support shall be conditional on the presentation of the relevant information from a forest management plan or equivalent instrument in line with sustainable forest management as defined by the Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe of 1993.

Article 22

Afforestation and creation of woodland

1. Support under point (a) of Article 21(1) shall be granted to public and private land-holders-and their associations and shall cover the costs of establishment and an annual premium per hectare to cover the costs of agricultural income foregone and maintenance, including early and late cleanings, for a maximum period of twelve years. In the case of state-owned land, support may only be granted if the body managing such land is a private body or a municipality.

Support for afforestation of land owned by public authorities or for fast growing trees shall cover only the costs of establishment.

2. Both agricultural and non-agricultural land shall be eligible. Species planted shall be adapted to the environmental and climatic conditions of the area and shall comply with minimum environmental requirements. No support shall be granted for the planting of trees for short rotation coppicing, Christmas trees or fast growing trees for energy production. In areas where afforestation is made difficult by severe pedo-climatic conditions support may be provided for planting other perennial woody species such as shrubs or bushes suitable to the local conditions.

3. In order to ensure that afforestation of agricultural land is in line with the aims of environmental policy, the Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 83 concerning the definition of the minimum environmental requirements referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article.

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Article 23

Establishment, regeneration or renovation of agroforestry systems

1. Support under point (b) of Article 21(1) shall be granted to private land-holders, municipalities and their associations and shall cover the costs of establishment, regeneration and/or renovation and an annual premium per hectare to cover the costs of maintenance for a maximum period of five years.

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2. For the purposes of this Article, agroforestry systems means land use systems in which trees are grown in combination with agriculture on the same land. The minimum and maximum number of trees per hectare shall be determined by the Member States taking account of local pedo-climatic and environmental conditions, forestry species and the need to ensure sustainable agricultural use of the land.

3. Support shall be limited to the maximum support rate laid down in Annex II.

Article 24

Prevention and restoration of damage to forests from forest fires and natural disasters and catastrophic events

1. Support under point (c) Article 21(1) shall be granted to private and public forest- holders and other private law and public bodies and their associations and shall cover the costs for:

(a) the establishment of protective infrastructure. In the case of firebreaks, support may also cover aid contributing to maintenance costs. No support shall be granted to agricultural related activities in areas covered by agri-environment commitments;

(b) local, small scale prevention activities against fire or other natural hazards; including the use of grazing animals;

(c) establishing and improving forest fire, pest and diseases monitoring facilities and communication equipment; and

(d) restoring forest potential damaged from fires and other natural disasters including pests, diseases as well as catastrophic events and climate change related events.

2. In the case of preventive actions concerning pests and diseases, the risk of a relevant disaster occurrence must be supported by scientific evidence and acknowledged by scientific public organisations. Where relevant, the list of species of organisms harmful to plants which may cause a disaster must be provided in the programme.

Eligible operations shall be consistent with the forest protection plan established by the Member States. For holdings above a certain size, to be determined by the Member States in the programme, support shall be conditional on the presentation of the relevant information from a forest management plan or equivalent instrument in line with sustainable forest management as defined by the Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe of 1993 detailing the preventive objectives.

Forest areas classified as medium to high forest fire risk according to the forest protection plan established by the Member States shall be eligible for support relating to forest fire prevention.

3. Support under point (d) of paragraph 1 shall be subject to the formal recognition by the competent public authorities of Member States that a natural disaster has occurred and that that disaster, or measures adopted in accordance with Directive 2000/29/EC to eradicate or contain a plant disease or pest has caused the destruction of at least 20 % of the relevant forest potential.

4. No support under this measure shall be granted for loss of income resulting from the natural disaster.

Member States shall ensure that overcompensation as a result of the combination of this measure and other national or Union support instruments or private insurance schemes is avoided.

Article 25

Investments improving the resilience and environmental value of forest ecosystems

1. Support under point (d) of Article 21(1) shall be granted to natural persons, private and public forest-holders, and other private law and public bodies and their associations.

2. Investments shall be aimed at the achievement of commitments for environmental aims, for the provision of ecosystem services and/or for the enhancement of the public amenity value of forest and wooded land in the area concerned or the improvement of the climate change mitigation potential of ecosystems, without excluding economic benefits in the long term.

Article 26

Investments in forestry technologies and in processing, in mobilising and in the marketing of forest products

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1. Support under point (e) of Article 21(1) shall be granted to private forest- holders, municipalities and their associations and to SMEs for investments enhancing forestry potential or relating to processing, mobilising and marketing adding value to forest products. In the territories of the Azores, Madeira, the Canary islands, the smaller Aegean islands within the meaning of Regulation (EU) No 229/2013, and the French outermost regions support may also be granted to enterprises that are not SMEs.

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2. Investments related to the improvement of the economic value of forests shall be justified in relation to expected improvements to forests on one or more holdings and may include investments for soil-friendly and resource -friendly harvesting machinery and practices.

3. Investments related to the use of wood as a raw material or energy source shall be limited to all working operations prior to industrial processing.

4. Support shall be limited to the maximum support rates laid down in Annex II.

Article 27

Setting -up of producer groups and organisations

1. Support under this measure shall be granted in order to facilitate the setting up of producer groups and organisations in the agriculture and forestry sectors for the purpose of:

(a) adapting the production and output of producers who are members of such groups or organisations to market requirements;

(b) jointly placing goods on the market, including preparation for sale, centralisation of sales and supply to bulk buyers;

(c) establishing common rules on production information, with particular regard to harvesting and availability; and

(d) other activities that may be carried out by producer groups and organisations, such as the development of business and marketing skills and the organisation and facilitation of the innovation processes.

2. Support shall be granted to producer groups and organisations which are officially recognised by a Member State's competent authority on the basis of a business plan. It shall be limited to producer groups and organisations that are SMEs.

Member States shall verify that the objectives of the business plan have been reached within five years after recognition of the producer group or organisation.

3. The support shall be paid on the basis of a business plan as a flat rate aid in annual instalments for no more than five years following the date on which the producer group or organisation was recognised, and shall be degressive. It shall be calculated on the basis of the annual marketed production of the group or organisation. Member States shall pay the last instalment only after having verified the correct implementation of the business plan.

In the first year Member States may pay support to the producer group or organisation calculated on the basis of the average annual value of the marketed production of its members over the three years before they entered the group or organisation. In the case of producer groups and organisations in the forestry sector, support shall be calculated on the basis of the average marketed production of the members of the group or organisation over the last five years before the recognition, excluding the highest and the lowest value.

4. Support shall be limited to the maximum rates and amounts laid down in Annex II.

5. Member States may continue support for setting up of producer groups even after they have been recognised as producer organisations under the conditions of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 ( 10 ).

Article 28

Agri-environment-climate

1. Member States shall make support under this measure available throughout their territories, in accordance with their national, regional or local specific needs and priorities. This measure shall aim to preserve and promote the necessary changes to agricultural practices that make a positive contribution to the environment and climate. Its inclusion in rural development programmes shall be compulsory at national and/or regional level.

2. Agri-environment-climate payments shall be granted to farmers, groups of farmers or groups of farmers and other land-managers who undertake, on a voluntary basis, to carry out operations consisting of one or more agri-environment-climate commitments on agricultural land to be defined by Member States, including but not limited to the agricultural area defined under Article 2 of this Regulation. Where duly justified to achieve environmental objectives, agri-environment-climate payments may be granted to other land-managers or groups of other land-managers.

3. Agri-environment-climate payments cover only those commitments going beyond the relevant mandatory standards established pursuant to Chapter I of Title VI of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013, the relevant criteria and minimum activities as established pursuant to points (c)(ii) and (c)(iii) of Article 4(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013, and relevant minimum requirements for fertiliser and plant protection products use as well as other relevant mandatory requirements established by national law. All such mandatory requirements shall be identified in the programme.

4. Member States shall endeavour to ensure that persons undertaking to carry out operations under this measure are provided with the knowledge and information required to implement such operations. They may do so through, inter alia, commitment-related expert advice and/or by making support under this measure conditional on obtaining relevant training.

5. Commitments under this measure shall be undertaken for a period of five to seven years. However, where necessary in order to achieve or maintain the environmental benefits sought, Member States may determine a longer period in their rural development programmes for particular types of commitments, including by means of providing for their annual extension after the termination of the initial period. For new commitments directly following the commitment performed in the initial period, Member States may determine a shorter period in their rural development programmes.

6. Payments shall be granted annually and shall compensate beneficiaries for all or part of the additional costs and income foregone resulting from the commitments made. Where necessary, they may also cover transaction costs up to a value of 20 % of the premium paid for the agri-environment-climate commitments. Where commitments are undertaken by groups of farmers or groups of farmers and other land managers, the maximum level shall be 30 %.

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When calculating the payments referred to in the first subparagraph, Member States shall deduct the amount necessary in order to exclude double funding of the practices referred to in Article 43 of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013. Member States may calculate the deduction as a fixed, average amount applied to all beneficiaries concerned carrying out the type of operation concerned.

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In duly justified cases for operations concerning environmental conservation, support may be granted at a flat-rate or as a one-off payment per unit for commitments to renounce commercial use of areas, calculated on the basis of additional costs incurred and income foregone.

7. Where required in order to ensure the efficient application of the measure, Member States may use the procedure referred to in Article 49(3) for the selection of beneficiaries.

8. Support shall be limited to the maximum amounts laid down in Annex II.

No support under this measure may be granted for commitments that are covered under the organic farming measure.

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9. Support may be provided for the conservation and for the sustainable use and development of genetic resources in agriculture, including non-indigenous resources, for operations not covered by the provisions under paragraphs 1 to 8. Such commitments may be carried out by beneficiaries other than those referred to in paragraph 2.

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10. In order to ensure that agri-environment-climate commitments are defined in accordance with the Union priorities for rural development, the Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 83 concerning the following:

(a) the conditions applicable to commitments to extensify livestock farming;

(b) the conditions applicable to commitments to rear local breeds that are in danger of being lost to farming or to preserve plant genetic resources that are under threat of genetic erosion, and

(c) the definition of eligible operations under paragraph 9.

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11. In order to ensure that double funding, as referred to in the second subparagraph of paragraph 6 is excluded, the Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 83 laying down the calculation method to be used, including in the case of equivalent measures under Article 43 of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013.

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Article 29

Organic farming

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1. Support under this measure shall be granted, per hectare of agricultural area, to farmers or groups of farmers who undertake, on a voluntary basis, to convert to or maintain organic farming practices and methods as defined in Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 and who are active farmers within the meaning of Article 9 of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013, as applicable in the Member State concerned.

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2. Support shall only be granted for commitments going beyond the relevant mandatory standards established pursuant to Chapter I of Title VI of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013, the relevant criteria and minimum activities as established pursuant to points (c)(ii) and (c)(iii) of Article 4(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013, relevant minimum requirements for fertiliser and plant protection products use as well as other relevant mandatory requirements established by national law. All such requirements shall be identified in the programme.

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3. Commitments under this measure shall be made for a period of five to seven years. Where support is granted for conversion to organic farming Member States may determine a shorter initial period corresponding to the period of conversion. Where support is granted for the maintenance of organic farming, Member States may provide in their rural development programmes for annual extension after the termination of the initial period. For new commitments concerning maintenance that directly follow the commitment performed in the initial period, Member States may determine a shorter period in their rural development programmes.

4. Payments shall be granted annually and shall compensate beneficiaries for all or part of the additional costs and income foregone resulting from the commitments made. Where necessary they may also cover transaction costs to a value of up to 20 % of the premium paid for the commitments. Where commitments are undertaken by groups of farmers, the maximum level shall be 30 %.

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When calculating the payments referred to in the first subparagraph of this paragraph, Member States shall deduct the amount necessary in order to exclude double funding of the practices referred to in Article 43 of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013. Member States may calculate the deduction as a fixed, average amount applied to all beneficiaries concerned carrying out the sub-measures concerned.

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5. Support shall be limited to the maximum amounts laid down in Annex II.

6. In order to ensure that double funding, as referred to in the second subparagraph of paragraph 4 is excluded, the Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 83 laying down the calculation method to be used.

Article 30

Natura 2000 and Water Framework Directive payments

1. Support under this measure shall be granted annually per hectare of agricultural area or per hectare of forest in order to compensate beneficiaries for additional costs and income foregone resulting from disadvantages in the areas concerned, related to the implementation of Directives 92/43/EEC and Directive 2009/147/EC and the Water Framework Directive.

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When calculating the payments related to the support referred to in the first subparagraph, Member States shall deduct the amount necessary in order to exclude double funding of the practices referred to in Article 43 of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013. Member States may calculate the deduction as a fixed, average amount applied to all beneficiaries concerned carrying out the sub-measures concerned.

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2. Support shall be granted to farmers and to private forest holders and associations of private forest holders. In duly justified cases it may also be granted to other land managers.

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3. Support to farmers, linked to Directives 92/43/EEC and 2009/147/EC shall only be granted in relation to disadvantages resulting from requirements that go beyond the good agricultural and environmental condition provided for in Article 94 and Annex II of Council Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013 and the relevant criteria and minimum activities established pursuant to points (c)(ii) and (c)(iii) of Article 4(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013.

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4. Support to farmers, linked to the Water Framework Directive shall only be granted in relation to specific requirements that:

(a) were introduced by the Water Framework Directive, are in accordance with the programmes of measures of the river basin management plans for the purpose of achieving the environmental objectives of that Directive and go beyond the measures required to implement other Union law for the protection of water;

(b) go beyond the statutory management requirements and the good agricultural and environmental condition provided for in Chapter I of Title VI of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013 and the relevant criteria and minimum activities as established pursuant to points (c)(ii) and (c)(iii) of Article 4(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013;

(c) go beyond the level of protection of the Union law existing at the time the Water Framework Directive was adopted as laid down in Article 4(9) of that Directive; and

(d) impose major changes in type of land use, and/or major restrictions in farming practice resulting in a significant loss of income.

5. The requirements referred to in paragraphs 3 and 4 shall be identified in the programme.

6. The following areas shall be eligible for payments:

(a) Natura 2000 agricultural and forest areas designated pursuant to Directives 92/43/EEC and 2009/147/EC;

(b) other delimited nature protection areas with environmental restrictions applicable to farming or forests which contribute to the implementation of Article 10 of Directive 92/43/EEC, provided that, per rural development programme, those areas do not exceed 5 % of the designated Natura 2000 areas covered by its territorial scope;

(c) agricultural areas included in river basin management plans according to the Water Framework Directive.

7. Support shall be limited to the maximum amounts laid down in Annex II.

8. In order to ensure that double funding, as referred to in the second subparagraph of paragraph 1 is excluded, the Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 83 laying down the calculation method to be used.

Article 31

Payments to areas facing natural or other specific constraints

1. Payments to farmers in mountain areas and other areas facing natural or other specific constraints shall be granted annually per hectare of agricultural area in order to compensate farmers for all or part of the additional costs and income foregone related to the constraints for agricultural production in the area concerned.

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Additional costs and income foregone shall be calculated in comparison to areas which are not affected by natural or other specific constraints, taking into account payments pursuant to Chapter 4 of Title III of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013.

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When calculating additional costs and income foregone, Member States may, where duly justified, differentiate the level of payment taking into account:

— the severity of the identified permanent constraint affecting farming activities;

— the farming system.

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2. Payments shall be granted to farmers who undertake to pursue their farming activity in the areas designated pursuant to Article 32 and are active farmers within the meaning of Article 9 of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013, as applicable in the Member State concerned.

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3. Payments shall be fixed between the minimum and maximum amount laid down in Annex II. These payments may be increased in duly substantiated cases taking into account specific circumstances to be justified in the rural development programmes.

4. Member States shall provide for degressivity of payments above a threshold level of area per holding, to be defined in the programme, except if the grant covers only the minimum payment per hectare per year as laid down in Annex II.

In the case of a legal person, or a group of natural or legal persons, Member States may apply the degressivity of payments at the level of the members of these legal persons or groups on condition that:

(a) national law provides for the individual members to assume rights and obligations comparable to those of individual farmers who have the status of head of holding, in particular as regards their economic, social and tax status; and

(b) those individual members have contributed to strengthening the agricultural structures of the legal persons or groups concerned.

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5. In addition to the payments provided for in paragraph 2, Member States may grant payments under this measure between 2014 and 2020 to beneficiaries in areas which were eligible under Article 36(a)(ii) of Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005 during the 2007-2013 programming period. For beneficiaries in areas that are no longer eligible following the new delimitation referred to in Article 32(3), those payments shall be degressive over a maximum period of four years. That period shall start on the date that the delimitation in accordance with Article 32(3) is completed and at the latest in 2019. Those payments shall start at no more than 80 % of the average payment fixed in the programme for the programming period 2007-2013 in accordance with Article 36(a)(ii) of Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005, and shall end in 2020 at the latest at no more than 20 %. When the application of degressivity results in the level of the payment reaching EUR 25, the Member State can continue payments at this level until the phasing out period is completed.

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Following completion of the delimitation, beneficiaries in the areas that remain eligible shall receive full payment under this measure.

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6. Croatia may grant payments under this measure to beneficiaries in areas which have been designated pursuant to Article 32(3), even where the fine-tuning exercise referred to in the third subparagraph of that paragraph has not been completed. The fine-tuning exercise shall be completed by no later than 31 December 2014. Beneficiaries in areas that are no longer eligible following the completion of the fine-tuning exercise shall receive no further payments under this measure.

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Article 32

Designation of areas facing natural and other specific constraints

1. Member States shall, on the basis of paragraphs 2, 3 and 4, designate areas eligible for payments provided for in Article 31 under the following categories:

(a) mountain areas;

(b) areas, other than mountain areas, facing significant natural constraints; and

(c) other areas affected by specific constraints.

2. In order to be eligible for payments under Article 31, mountain areas shall be characterized by a considerable limitation of the possibilities for using the land and by an appreciable increase in production costs due to:

(a) the existence, because of altitude, of very difficult climatic conditions, the effect of which is to substantially shorten the growing season;

(b) at a lower altitude, the presence over the greater part of the area in question of slopes too steep for the use of machinery or requiring the use of very expensive special equipment, or a combination of these two factors, where the constraints resulting from each taken separately are less acute but the combination of the two gives rise to an equivalent constraints.

Areas north of the 62nd parallel and certain adjacent areas shall be considered to be mountain areas.

3. In order to be eligible for payments under Article 31, areas, other than mountain areas, shall be considered to be facing significant natural constraints if, at least 60 % of the agricultural area meets at least one of the criteria listed in Annex III at the threshold value indicated.

Compliance with those conditions shall be ensured at the level of local administrative units ("LAU 2" level) or at the level of a clearly delineated local unit which covers a single clear contiguous geographical area with a definable economic and administrative identity.

When delimiting the areas concerned by this paragraph, Member States shall carry out a fine-tuning exercise, based on objective criteria, with the purpose of excluding areas in which significant natural constraints, referred to in the first subparagraph have been documented but have been overcome by investments or by, economic activity, or by evidence of normal land productivity, or in which production methods or farming systems have offset the income loss or added costs referred to in Article 31(1).

4. Areas other than those referred to in paragraphs 2 and 3 shall be eligible for payments under Article 31 if they are affected by specific constraints and if it is necessary for land management to be continued in order to conserve or improve the environment, to maintain the countryside, to preserve the tourist potential of the area or to protect the coastline.

Areas affected by specific constraints shall comprise farming areas within which the natural production conditions are similar and the total extent of which does not exceed 10 % of the area of the Member State concerned.

In addition, areas may also be eligible for payments under this paragraph, where:

— at least 60 % of the agricultural area meets at least two of the criteria listed in Annex III each within a margin of not more than 20 % of the threshold value indicated, or

— at least 60 % of the agricultural area is composed of areas meeting at least one of the criteria listed in Annex III at the threshold value indicated, and areas meeting at least two of the criteria listed in Annex III each within a margin of not more than 20 % of the threshold value indicated.

Compliance with those conditions shall be ensured at LAU2 level or at the level of a clearly delineated local unit which covers a single clear contiguous geographical area with a definable economic and administrative identity. When delimiting areas concerned by this subparagraph, Member States shall undertake a fine-tuning exercise as described in Article 32(3). Areas considered eligible pursuant to this subparagraph, shall be taken into account for calculating the 10 % limit referred to in the second subparagraph.

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By way of derogation, the second subparagraph shall not apply to Member States the entire territory of which was considered as an area facing specific handicaps under Regulations (EC) No 1698/2005 and (EC) No 1257/1999.

▼B

5. Member States shall attach to their rural development programmes:

(a) the existing or amended delimitation pursuant to paragraphs 2 and 4;

(b) the new delimitation of the areas referred to in paragraph 3.

Article 33

Animal welfare

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1. Animal welfare payments under this measure shall be granted to farmers who undertake, on a voluntary basis, to carry out operations consisting of one or more animal welfare commitments and who are active farmers within the meaning of Article 9 of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013, as applicable in the Member State concerned.

▼B

2. Animal welfare payments cover only those commitments going beyond the relevant mandatory standards established pursuant to Chapter I of Title VI of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013 and other relevant mandatory requirements. These relevant requirements shall be identified in the programme.

Those commitments shall be undertaken for a renewable period of one to seven years.

3. The payments shall be granted annually and shall compensate farmers for all or part of the additional costs and income foregone resulting from the commitment made. Where necessary, they may also cover transaction costs to the value of up to 20 % of the premium paid for the animal welfare commitments.

Support shall be limited to the maximum amount laid down in Annex II.

4. In order to ensure that animal welfare commitments are in accordance with the overall Union policy in this field, the Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 83 concerning the definition of the areas in which animal welfare commitments are to provide upgraded standards of production methods.

Article 34

Forest-environmental and climate services and forest conservation

1. Support under this measure shall be granted per hectare of forest to public and private forest-holders and other private law and public bodies and their associations who undertake, on a voluntary basis, to carry out operations consisting of one or more forest-environment and climate commitments. In the case of state owned forests, support may only be granted if the body managing such a forest is a private body or a municipality.

For forest holdings above a certain threshold to be determined by Member States in their rural development programmes, support under paragraph 1 shall be conditional on the presentation of the relevant information from a forest management plan or equivalent instrument in line with sustainable forest management as defined by the Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe of 1993.

2. Payments shall cover only those commitments going beyond the relevant mandatory requirements established by the national forestry act or other relevant national law. All such requirements shall be identified in the programme.

Commitments shall be undertaken for a period of between five and seven years. However, where necessary and duly justified, Member States may determine a longer period in their rural development programmes for particular types of commitments.

3. Payments shall compensate beneficiaries for all or part of the additional costs and income foregone resulting from the commitments made. Where it is necessary they may also cover transaction costs to a value of up to 20 % of the premium paid for the forest-environment commitments. Support shall be limited to the maximum amount laid down in Annex II.

In duly justified cases for operations concerning environmental conservation, support may be granted as a flat-rate or one-off payment per unit for commitments to renounce commercial use of trees and forests, calculated on basis of additional costs incurred and income foregone.

4. Support may be provided to public and private entities for the conservation and promotion of forest genetic resources for operations not covered under paragraphs 1, 2 and 3.

5. In order to ensure the efficient use of EAFRD budgetary resources, the Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 83 concerning the types of operations eligible for support under paragraph 4 of this Article.

Article 35

Co-operation

1. Support under this measure shall be granted in order to promote forms of co-operation involving at least two entities and in particular:

(a) co-operation approaches among different actors in the Union agriculture sector, forestry sector and food chain and other actors that contribute to achieving the objectives and priorities of rural development policy, including producer groups, cooperatives and inter-branch organisations;

(b) the creation of clusters and networks;

(c) the establishment and operation of operational groups of the EIP for agricultural productivity and sustainability as referred to in Article 56.

2. Co-operation under paragraph 1 shall relate, in particular, to the following:

(a) pilot projects;

(b) the development of new products, practices, processes and technologies in the agriculture, food and forestry sectors;

(c) co-operation among small operators in organising joint work processes and sharing facilities and resources and for the development and/or marketing of tourism services relating to rural tourism;

(d) horizontal and vertical co-operation among supply chain actors for the establishment and the development of short supply chains and local markets;

(e) promotion activities in a local context relating to the development of short supply chains and local markets;

(f) joint action undertaken with a view to mitigating or adapting to climate change;

(g) joint approaches to environmental projects and ongoing environmental practices, including efficient water management, the use of renewable energy and the preservation of agricultural landscapes;

(h) horizontal and vertical co-operation among supply chain actors in the sustainable provision of biomass for use in food and energy production and industrial processes;

(i) implementation, in particular by groups of public and private partners other than those defined in point (b) of Article 32(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013, of local development strategies other than those defined in Article 2(19) of Regulation (EU) 1303/2013 addressing one or more of the Union priorities for rural development;

(j) drawing up of forest management plans or equivalent instruments;

(k) diversification of farming activities into activities concerning health care, social integration, community-supported agriculture and education about the environment and food.

3. Support under point (b) of paragraph 1 shall be granted only to newly formed clusters and networks and those commencing an activity that is new to them.

Support for operations under points (a) and (b) of paragraph 2 may be granted also to individual actors where this possibility is provided for in the rural development programme.

4. The results of pilot projects under point (a) of paragraph 2 and operations under point (b) of paragraph 2 carried out by individual actors as provided for in paragraph 3 shall be disseminated.

5. The following costs, linked to the forms of co-operation referred to in paragraph 1 shall be eligible for support under this measure:

(a) the cost of studies of the area concerned, of feasibility studies, and of drawing up a business plan or a forest management plan or equivalent or a local development strategy other than the one referred to in Article 33 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013;

(b) the cost of animation of the area concerned in order to make feasible a collective territorial project or a project to be carried out by an operational group of the EIP for Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability as referred to in Article 56. In the case of clusters, animation may also concern the organisation of training, networking between members and the recruitment of new members;

(c) the running costs of the co-operation;

(d) the direct costs of specific projects linked to the implementation of a business plan an environmental plan, a forest management plan or equivalent, a local development strategy other than the one referred to in Article 33 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 or direct costs of other actions targeted towards innovation, including testing;

(e) the cost of promotion activities.

6. Where a business plan or an environmental plan or a forest management plan or equivalent or a development strategy is implemented, Member States may grant the aid either as a global amount covering the costs of co-operation and the costs of the projects implemented or cover only the costs of the co- operation and use funds from other measures or other Union Funds for project implementation.

Where support is paid as a global amount and the project implemented is of a type covered under another measure of this Regulation, the relevant maximum amount or rate of support shall apply.

7. Co-operation among actors located in different regions or Member States shall also be eligible for support.

8. Support shall be limited to a maximum period of seven years except for collective environmental action in duly justified cases.

9. Co-operation under this measure may be combined with projects supported by Union funds other than the EAFRD in the same territory. Member States shall ensure that overcompensation as a result of the combination of this measure with other national or Union support instruments is avoided.

10. In order to ensure the efficient use of EAFRD budgetary resources, the Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 83, concerning the further specification of the characteristics of pilot projects, clusters, networks, short supply chains and local markets that will be eligible for support, as well as concerning the conditions for granting aid to the types of operation listed in paragraph 2 of this Article.

Article 36

Risk management

1. Support under this measure shall cover:

(a) financial contributions to premiums for crop, animal and plant insurance against economic losses to farmers caused by adverse climatic events, animal or plant diseases, pest infestation, or an environmental incident;

(b) financial contributions to mutual funds to pay financial compensations to farmers, for economic losses caused by adverse climatic events or by the outbreak of an animal or plant disease or pest infestation or an environmental incident;

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(c) an income stabilisation tool, in the form of financial contributions to mutual funds, providing compensation to farmers of all sectors for a severe drop in their income;

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(d) a sector-specific income stabilisation tool, in the form of financial contributions to mutual funds, providing compensation to farmers of a specific sector for a severe drop in their income.

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2. For the purposes of this Article, ‘farmer’ means active farmer within the meaning of Article 9 of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013, as applicable in the Member State concerned.

3. For the purpose of points (b), (c) and (d) of paragraph 1, ‘mutual fund’ means a scheme accredited by the Member State in accordance with its national law for affiliated farmers to insure themselves, whereby compensation payments are made to affiliated farmers for economic losses caused by the outbreak of adverse climatic events or an animal or plant disease or pest infestation or an environmental incident, or for a severe drop in their income.

▼B

4. Member States shall ensure that overcompensation as a result of the combination of this measure with other national or Union support instruments or private insurance schemes is avoided.

5. In order to ensure the efficient use of EAFRD budgetary resource, the Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 83 concerning the minimum and maximum duration of the commercial loans to mutual funds referred to in point (b) of Article 38(3) and Article 39(4).

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▼B

Article 37

Crop, animal, and plant insurance

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1. Support under point (a) of Article 36(1) shall only be granted for insurance contracts which cover for loss caused by an adverse climatic event, or by an animal or plant disease, or a pest infestation, or an environmental incident or a measure adopted in accordance with Directive 2000/29/EC to eradicate or contain a plant disease, or pest which destroys more than 20 % of the average annual production of the farmer in the preceding three-year period or a three-year average based on the preceding five-year period, excluding the highest and lowest entry. Indexes may be used in order to calculate the annual production of the farmer. The calculation method used shall permit the determination of the actual loss of an individual farmer in a given year.

▼B

The measurement of the extent of the loss caused may be tailored to the specific characteristics of each type of product using:

(a) biological indexes (quantity of biomass loss) or equivalent yield loss indexes established at farm, local, regional or national level, or

(b) weather indexes (including quantity of rainfall and temperature) established at local, regional or national level.

2. The occurrence of an adverse climatic event or the outbreak of an animal or plant disease or pest infestation or an environmental incident has to be formally recognised as such by the competent authority of the Member State concerned.

Member States may, where appropriate, establish in advance criteria on the basis of which such formal recognition shall be deemed to be granted.

3. As regards animal diseases, financial compensation under point (a) of Article 36(1) may only be granted in respect of diseases mentioned in the list of animal diseases established by the World Organisation for Animal Health or in the Annex to Decision 2009/470/EC.

4. Insurance payments shall compensate for not more than the total of the cost of replacing the losses referred to in point (a) of Article 36(1) and shall not require or specify the type or quantity of future production.

Member States may limit the amount of the premium that is eligible for support by applying appropriate ceilings.

5. Support shall be limited to the maximum rate laid down in Annex II.

Article 38

Mutual funds for adverse climatic events, animal and plant diseases, pest infestations and environmental incidents

1. In order to be eligible for support the mutual fund concerned shall:

(a) be accredited by the competent authority in accordance with national law;

(b) have a transparent policy towards payments into and withdrawals from the fund;

(c) have clear rules attributing responsibilities for any debts incurred.

2. Member States shall define the rules for the constitution and management of the mutual funds, in particular for the granting of compensation payments and the eligibility of farmers in the event of crisis, as well as for the administration and monitoring of compliance with these rules. Member States shall ensure that the fund arrangements provide for penalties in case of negligence on the part of the farmer.

The occurrence of incidents mentioned in point (b) of Article 36(1) must be formally recognised as such by the competent authority of the Member State concerned.

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3. The financial contributions referred to in point (b) of Article 36(1) may only relate to:

(a) the administrative costs of setting up the mutual fund, spread over a maximum of three years in a degressive manner;

(b) the amounts paid by the mutual fund as financial compensation to farmers. In addition, the financial contribution may relate to interest on commercial loans taken out by the mutual fund for the purpose of paying the financial compensation to farmers in case of crisis;

(c) supplementing the annual payments into the fund;

(d) the initial capital stock of the mutual fund.

▼B

Support under point (b) of Article 36(1) shall only be granted to cover for loss caused by the outbreak of adverse climatic events, an animal or plant disease, a pest infestation, or a measure adopted in accordance with Directive 2000/29/EC to eradicate or contain a plant disease or pest or an environmental incident, which destroy more than 30 % of the average annual production of the farmer in the preceding three-year period or a three-year average based on the preceding five-year period, excluding the highest and lowest entry. Indexes may be used in order to calculate the annual production of the farmer. The calculation method used shall permit the determination of the actual loss of an individual farmer in a given year.

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4. As regards animal diseases, financial compensation under point (b) of Article 36(1) may be granted in respect of diseases mentioned in the list of animal diseases established by the World Organisation for Animal Health or in the Annex to Decision 2009/470/EC.

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5. Support shall be limited to the maximum support rate laid down in Annex II. Support under point (b) of paragraph 3 shall take into account any support already provided under points (c) and (d) of paragraph 3.

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Member States may limit the costs that are eligible for support by applying:

(a) ceilings per fund;

(b) appropriate per unit ceilings.

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Article 39

Income stabilisation tool for farmers of all sectors

1. Support under point (c) of Article 36(1) shall only be granted where the drop in income exceeds 30 % of the average annual income of the individual farmer in the preceding three-year period or a three-year average based on the preceding five-year period excluding the highest and lowest entry. Income for the purposes of point (c) of Article 36(1) shall refer to the sum of revenues the farmer receives from the market, including any form of public support, deducting input costs. Payments by the mutual fund to farmers shall compensate for less than 70 % of the income lost in the year the producer becomes eligible to receive this assistance. Indexes may be used to calculate the annual loss of income of the farmer.

▼B

2. In order to be eligible for support the mutual fund concerned shall:

(a) be accredited by the competent authority in accordance with national law;

(b) have a transparent policy towards payments into and withdrawals from the fund;

(c) have clear rules attributing responsibilities for any debts incurred.

3. Member States shall define the rules for the constitution and management of the mutual funds, in particular for the granting of compensation payments to farmers in the event of crisis and for the administration and monitoring of compliance with these rules. Member States shall ensure that the fund arrangements provide for penalties in case of negligence on the part of the farmer.

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4. The financial contributions referred to in point (c) of Article 36(1) may only relate to:

(a) the administrative costs of setting up the mutual fund, spread over a maximum of three years in a degressive manner;

(b) the amounts paid by the mutual fund as financial compensation to farmers. In addition, the financial contribution may relate to interest on commercial loans taken out by the mutual fund for the purpose of paying the financial compensation to farmers in case of crisis;

(c) supplementing the annual payments into the fund;

(d) the initial capital stock of the mutual fund.

5. Support shall be limited to the maximum rate laid down in Annex II. Support under point (b) of paragraph 4 shall take into account any support already provided under points (c) and (d) of paragraph 4.

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Article 39a

Income stabilisation tool for farmers of a specific sector

1. Support under point (d) of Article 36(1) shall only be granted in duly justified cases and where the drop in income exceeds a threshold of at least 20 % of the average annual income of the individual farmer in the preceding three-year period or a three-year average based on the preceding five-year period excluding the highest and lowest entry. Indexes may be used in order to calculate the annual loss of income of the farmer. Income for the