02021R2115 — EN — 22.04.2022 — 001.003

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REGULATION (EU) 2021/2115 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

of 2 December 2021

establishing rules on support for strategic plans to be drawn up by Member States under the common agricultural policy (CAP Strategic Plans) and financed by the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF) and by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and repealing Regulations (EU) No 1305/2013 and (EU) No 1307/2013







TITLE I

SUBJECT MATTER AND SCOPE, APPLICABLE PROVISIONS AND DEFINITIONS

Article 1

Subject matter and scope

1. This Regulation lays down rules on: (a) general and specific objectives to be pursued through Union support financed by the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF) and by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) under the common agricultural policy (CAP) as well as the related indicators; (b) types of intervention and common requirements for Member States to pursue those objectives as well as the related financial arrangements; (c) CAP Strategic Plans, which are to be drawn up by Member States and which set targets, specify conditions for interventions and allocate financial resources, according to the specific objectives and identified needs; (d) coordination and governance as well as monitoring, reporting and evaluation.

2. This Regulation applies to Union support financed by the EAGF and the EAFRD for interventions specified in a CAP Strategic Plan drawn up by a Member State and approved by the Commission, covering the period from 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2027 (‘the CAP Strategic Plan period’).

Article 2

Applicable provisions

1. Regulation (EU) 2021/2116 and the provisions adopted pursuant to that Regulation apply to support provided under this Regulation.

2. Article 19, Chapter II of Title III with the exception of Article 28, first subparagraph, point (c), and Articles 46 and 48 of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 apply to support financed by the EAFRD under this Regulation.

Article 3

Definitions

For the purposes of this Regulation, the following definitions apply:

(1) ‘farmer’ means a natural or legal person, or a group of natural or legal persons, regardless of the legal status granted to such group and its members by national law, whose holding is situated within the territorial scope of the Treaties, as defined in Article 52 of the Treaty on European Union in conjunction with Articles 349 and 355 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), and who exercises an agricultural activity as determined by Member States in accordance with Article 4(2) of this Regulation;

(2) ‘holding’ means all the units used for agricultural activities and managed by a farmer situated within the territory of the same Member State;

(3) ‘intervention’ means a support instrument with a set of eligibility conditions specified by a Member State in its CAP Strategic Plan based on a type of intervention provided for in this Regulation;

(4) ‘operation’ means: (a) a project, contract, action or group of projects or actions selected under the CAP Strategic Plan concerned; (b) in the context of financial instruments, the total eligible public expenditure granted to a financial instrument and the subsequent financial support provided to final recipients by that financial instrument;

(5) ‘public expenditure’ means any contribution to the financing of operations the source of which is the budget of national, regional or local public authorities, the budget of the Union made available to the EAGF and the EAFRD, the budget of public law bodies or the budget of associations of public authorities or of public law bodies;

(6) ‘milestones’ means intermediate pre-established values, set by Member States in the framework of their intervention strategies referred to in Article 107(1), point (b), for a specific financial year to be achieved at a given point in time during the CAP Strategic Plan period to ensure timely progress in relation to the result indicators;

(7) ‘targets’ means pre-established values, set by Member States in the framework of their intervention strategies referred to in Article 107(1), point (b), to be achieved at the end of the CAP Strategic Plan period in relation to the result indicators;

(8) ‘outermost regions’ means the outermost regions referred to in Article 349 TFEU;

(9) ‘AKIS’ means the combined organisation and knowledge flows between persons, organisations and institutions who use and produce knowledge for agriculture and interrelated fields (Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System);

(10) ‘smaller Aegean islands’ means smaller Aegean islands as defined in Article 1(2) of Regulation (EU) No 229/2013;

(11) ‘mutual fund’ means a scheme accredited by a Member State in accordance with its national law for affiliated farmers to insure themselves, whereby compensation payments are made to affiliated farmers who experience economic losses;

(12) ‘less developed regions’ means less developed regions within the meaning of Article 108(2), first subparagraph, point (a), of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060;

(13) ‘beneficiary’ in relation to the types of intervention for rural development referred to in Article 69 means: (a) a public or private law body, an entity with or without legal personality, a natural person or a group of natural or legal persons responsible for initiating or both initiating and implementing operations; (b) in the context of State aid schemes, the undertaking which receives the aid; (c) in the context of financial instruments, the body that implements the holding fund or, where there is no holding fund structure, the body that implements the specific fund or, where the managing authority referred to in Article 123 (‘the managing authority’) manages the financial instrument, the managing authority;

(14) ‘support rate’ means the rate of public expenditure to an operation; in the context of financial instruments it refers to the gross grant equivalent of the support as defined in Article 2, point (20), of Commission Regulation (EU) No 702/2014 ( 1 );

(15) ‘LEADER’ means community-led local development referred to in Article 31 of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060;

(16) ‘intermediate body’ means any public or private law body, including regional or local bodies, regional development bodies or non-governmental organisations, which acts under the responsibility of a national or regional managing authority, or which carries out duties on behalf of such an authority;

(17) ‘financial year’ means agricultural financial year in accordance with Article 35 of Regulation (EU) 2021/2116.

Article 4

Definitions and conditions to be provided in the CAP Strategic Plans

1. Member States shall provide in their CAP Strategic Plans the definitions of ‘agricultural activity’, ‘agricultural area’, ‘eligible hectare’, ‘active farmer’, ‘young farmer’ and ‘new farmer’, as well as the relevant conditions in accordance with this Article.

2. ‘Agricultural activity’ shall be determined in such a way that it allows to contribute to the provision of private and public goods through one or both of the following: (a) the production of agricultural products, which includes actions such as raising animals or cultivation including by way of paludiculture, where agricultural products means products listed in Annex I to the TFEU with the exception of fishery products, as well as cotton and short rotation coppice; (b) the maintenance of the agricultural area in a state which makes it suitable for grazing or cultivation, without preparatory action going beyond the use of usual agricultural methods and machinery.

3. ‘Agricultural area’ shall be determined in such a way as to comprise arable land, permanent crops and permanent grassland, including when they form agroforestry systems on that area. The terms ‘arable land’, ‘permanent crops’ and ‘permanent grassland’ shall be further specified by Member States within the following framework: (a) ‘arable land’ shall be land cultivated for crop production or areas available for crop production but lying fallow; in addition, it shall, for the duration of the commitment, be land cultivated for crop production or areas available for crop production but lying fallow that have been set aside in accordance with Article 31 or Article 70 or GAEC standard 8 listed in Annex III to this Regulation, or with Articles 22, 23 or 24 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 ( 2 ), or with Article 39 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005 ( 3 ), or with Article 28 of Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council ( 4 ); (b) ‘permanent crops’ shall be non-rotational crops other than permanent grassland and permanent pasture that occupy the land for five years or more and that yield repeated harvests, including nurseries and short rotation coppice; (c) ‘permanent grassland and permanent pasture’ (together referred to as ‘permanent grassland’) shall be land that is used to grow grasses or other herbaceous forage naturally (self-seeded) or through cultivation (sown) and that has not been included in the crop rotation of the holding for five years or more and, where Member States so decide, that has not been ploughed up, or tilled, or reseeded with different types of grass or other herbaceous forage, for five years or more. It may include other species, such as shrubs or trees, which can be grazed and, where Member States so decide, other species such as shrubs or trees which produce animal feed, provided that the grasses and other herbaceous forage remain predominant. Member States may also decide to consider the following types of land to be permanent grassland: (i) land which is covered by any of the species referred to in this point and which forms part of established local practices, where grasses and other herbaceous forage are traditionally not predominant or absent in grazing areas; (ii) land covered by any of the species referred to in this point, where grasses and other herbaceous forage are not predominant or are absent in grazing areas.

4. For the purpose of types of intervention in the form of direct payments, ‘eligible hectare’ shall be determined in such a way that it covers areas which are at the farmer’s disposal and which consist of: (a) any agricultural area of the holding that, during the year for which support is requested, is used for an agricultural activity or, where the area is also used for non-agricultural activities, is predominantly used for agricultural activities; where duly justified for environmental, biodiversity and climate-related reasons, Member States may decide that eligible hectares also include certain areas used for agricultural activities only every second year; (b) any area of the holding which is: (i) covered by landscape features subject to the retention obligation under GAEC standard 8 listed in Annex III; (ii) used to attain the minimum share of arable land devoted to non-productive areas and features, including land lying fallow, under GAEC standard 8 listed in Annex III; or (iii) for the duration of the relevant commitment by the farmer, established or maintained as a result of an eco-scheme referred to in Article 31. If Member States so decide, ‘eligible hectare’ may contain other landscape features, provided they are not predominant and do not significantly hamper the performance of the agricultural activity due to the area they occupy on the agricultural parcel. In implementing that principle, Member States may set a maximum share of the agricultural parcel covered by those other landscape features. As regards permanent grassland with scattered ineligible features, Member States may decide to apply fixed reduction coefficients to determine the area considered eligible; (c) any area of the holding that gave a right to payments under Title III, Chapter II, Section 2, Subsection 2, of this Regulation or under the basic payment scheme or the single area payment scheme laid down in Title III of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013, and which is not an ‘eligible hectare’ as determined by Member States on the basis of points (a) and (b) of this paragraph: (i) as a result of the application of Directive 92/43/EEC, 2009/147/EC or 2000/60/EC to that area; (ii) as a result of area-based interventions set out under this Regulation covered by the integrated system referred to in Article 65(1) of Regulation (EU) 2021/2116 allowing for the production of products not listed in Annex I TFEU by way of paludiculture, or under national schemes for biodiversity or greenhouse gas reductions the conditions of which comply with those area-based interventions, provided that those interventions and national schemes contribute to achieving one or more specific objectives set out in Article 6(1), points (d), (e) and (f), of this Regulation; (iii) for the duration of an afforestation commitment by the farmer, pursuant to Article 31 of Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 or to Article 43 of Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005 or to Article 22 of Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013 or to Article 70 or Article 73 of this Regulation, or under a national scheme the conditions of which comply with Article 43(1), (2) and (3) of Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005 or Article 22 of Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013 or Article 70 or Article 73 of this Regulation; (iv) for the duration of a commitment by the farmer resulting in the setting aside of the area, pursuant to Articles 22, 23 and 24 of Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999, to Article 39 of Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005, to Article 28 of Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013 or to Article 70 of this Regulation.

Areas used for the production of hemp shall be eligible hectares only if the varieties used have a tetrahydrocannabinol content not exceeding 0,3 %.

5. ‘Active farmer’ shall be determined in such a way as to ensure that support is granted only to natural or legal persons, or to groups of natural or legal persons, engaged in at least a minimum level of agricultural activity, while not necessarily precluding the granting of support to pluri-active or part-time farmers.

When determining who is an ‘active farmer’, Member States shall apply objective and non-discriminatory criteria, such as income tests, labour inputs on the farm, company object and inclusion of their agricultural activities in national or regional registers. Such criteria may be introduced in one or more forms chosen by Member States, including through a negative list disqualifying a farmer from being considered to be an active farmer. If a Member State considers to be ‘active farmers’ those farmers who did not receive direct payments exceeding a certain amount for the previous year, such an amount shall not be higher than EUR 5 000 .

6. ‘Young farmer’ shall be determined in such a way as to include: (a) an upper age limit set between 35 years and 40 years; (b) the conditions for being ‘head of the holding’; (c) the appropriate training or skills required, as determined by Member States.

7. ‘New farmer’ shall be determined in such a way as to refer to a farmer other than a young farmer and who is ‘head of the holding’ for the first time. Member States shall include further objective and non-discriminatory requirements concerning appropriate training and skills.

8. The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 152 supplementing this Regulation with rules making the granting of payments conditional upon the use of certified seeds of certain hemp varieties and the procedure for the determination of hemp varieties, as well as the verification of their tetrahydrocannabinol content referred to in paragraph 4, second subparagraph, of this Article, to preserve public health.







TITLE II

OBJECTIVES AND INDICATORS

Article 5

General objectives

In accordance with the objectives of the CAP set out in Article 39 TFEU, with the objective to maintain the functioning of the internal market and a level playing field between farmers in the Union and with the principle of subsidiarity, support from the EAGF and the EAFRD shall aim to further improve the sustainable development of farming, food and rural areas and shall contribute to achieving the following general objectives in the economic, environmental and social spheres, which will contribute to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development:

(a) to foster a smart, competitive, resilient and diversified agricultural sector ensuring long-term food security;

(b) to support and strengthen environmental protection, including biodiversity, and climate action and to contribute to achieving the environmental and climate-related objectives of the Union, including its commitments under the Paris Agreement;

(c) to strengthen the socio-economic fabric of rural areas.

Article 6

Specific objectives

1. The achievement of the general objectives shall be pursued through the following specific objectives: (a) to support viable farm income and resilience of the agricultural sector across the Union in order to enhance long-term food security and agricultural diversity as well as to ensure the economic sustainability of agricultural production in the Union; (b) to enhance market orientation and increase farm competitiveness both in the short and long term, including greater focus on research, technology and digitalisation; (c) to improve the farmers’ position in the value chain; (d) to contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation, including by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing carbon sequestration, as well as to promote sustainable energy; (e) to foster sustainable development and efficient management of natural resources such as water, soil and air, including by reducing chemical dependency; (f) to contribute to halting and reversing biodiversity loss, enhance ecosystem services and preserve habitats and landscapes; (g) to attract and sustain young farmers and new farmers and facilitate sustainable business development in rural areas; (h) to promote employment, growth, gender equality, including the participation of women in farming, social inclusion and local development in rural areas, including the circular bio-economy and sustainable forestry; (i) to improve the response of Union agriculture to societal demands on food and health, including high-quality, safe and nutritious food produced in a sustainable way, to reduce food waste, as well as to improve animal welfare and to combat antimicrobial resistance.

2. The objectives set out in paragraph 1 shall be complemented and interconnected with the cross-cutting objective of modernising agriculture and rural areas by fostering and sharing of knowledge, innovation and digitalisation in agriculture and rural areas and by encouraging their uptake by farmers, through improved access to research, innovation, knowledge exchange and training.

3. When pursuing the specific objectives set out in paragraphs 1 and 2, Member States, with the support of the Commission, shall take appropriate measures to reduce the administrative burden and ensure simplification in the implementation of the CAP.

Article 7

Indicators

1. Achievement of the objectives referred to in Articles 5 and Article 6(1) and (2) shall be assessed on the basis of common indicators related to output, result, impact and context as set out in Annex I. Those common indicators shall include: (a) output indicators relating to the realised output of the interventions supported; (b) result indicators relating to the specific objectives concerned referred to in Article 6(1) and (2), and which are used for the establishment of quantified milestones and targets in relation to those specific objectives in the CAP Strategic Plans and for assessing progress towards those targets; result indicators relating to environmental and climate-related objectives may cover interventions which contribute to the fulfilment of the commitments emanating from the Union legislative acts listed in Annex XIII; (c) impact indicators related to the objectives set out in Article 5 and Article 6(1) and (2) and used in the context of the CAP Strategic Plans and of the CAP; (d) context indicators referred to in Article 115(2) and listed in Annex I.

2. The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 152 amending Annex I to adapt the common output, result, impact and context indicators. Those delegated acts shall be strictly limited to addressing technical problems experienced by Member States regarding the application of those indicators.







TITLE III

COMMON REQUIREMENTS AND TYPES OF INTERVENTION







CHAPTER I

COMMON REQUIREMENTS







Section 1

General principles

Article 8

Strategic approach

Member States shall pursue the objectives set out in Title II by specifying interventions on the basis of the types of intervention set out in Chapters II, III and IV of this Title in accordance with their assessment of needs and with the common requirements set out in this Chapter.

Article 9

General principles

Member States shall design the interventions of their CAP Strategic Plans and GAEC standards referred to in Article 13 in accordance with the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and the general principles of Union law.

Member States shall ensure that interventions and GAEC standards referred to in Article 13 are set out on the basis of objective and non-discriminatory criteria, are compatible with the proper functioning of the internal market and do not distort competition.

Member States shall establish the legal framework governing the granting of Union support to farmers and other beneficiaries in accordance with the CAP Strategic Plans as approved by the Commission in accordance with Articles 118 and 119 of this Regulation and with the principles and requirements set out in this Regulation and in Regulation (EU) 2021/2116. They shall implement those CAP Strategic Plans as approved by the Commission.

Article 10

WTO domestic support

Member States shall design the interventions on the basis of the types of intervention which are listed in Annex II to this Regulation, including the definitions and conditions set out in Article 4, in such a way that they qualify under the criteria of Annex 2 to the WTO Agreement on Agriculture.

In particular, the basic income support for sustainability, the complementary redistributive income support for sustainability, the complementary income support for young farmers and the schemes for the climate, the environment and animal welfare shall qualify under the criteria of the paragraphs of Annex 2 to the WTO Agreement on Agriculture indicated in Annex II to this Regulation for those interventions. For other interventions, the paragraphs of Annex 2 to the WTO Agreement on Agriculture indicated in Annex II to this Regulation are indicative and those interventions may instead comply with a different paragraph of Annex 2 to the WTO Agreement on Agriculture if that is specified and explained in the CAP Strategic Plan.

Article 11

Implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding on oilseeds

1. Where Member States provide for area-based interventions, other than those which comply with the provisions of Annex 2 to the WTO Agreement on Agriculture, including coupled income support under Title III, Chapter II, Section 3, Subsection 1, of this Regulation, and where those interventions concern some or all of the oilseeds referred to in the Annex to the Memorandum of Understanding between the European Economic Community and the United States of America on oil seeds under GATT, the total of the support area based upon the planned outputs included in the CAP Strategic Plans of the Member States concerned shall not exceed the maximum support area for the whole Union for the purpose of ensuring compliance with its international commitments.

2. By 8 June 2022, the Commission shall adopt implementing acts fixing an indicative reference support area for each Member State, calculated on the basis of each Member State’s share of the average cultivation area in the Union during the years 2016 to 2020. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 153(2).

3. Each Member State that intends to grant the support referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article shall indicate the corresponding planned outputs in terms of hectares in its CAP Strategic Plan proposal referred to in Article 118(1).

If, following the notification of all planned outputs by Member States, the maximum support area for the whole Union referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article is exceeded, the Commission shall calculate for each Member State that notified an excess compared to its reference area a reduction coefficient that is proportionate to the excess of its planned outputs so that the maximum support area for the whole Union is maintained. Each Member State concerned shall be informed about that reduction coefficient in the Commission’s observations to the CAP Strategic Plan in accordance with Article 118(3). The reduction coefficient for each Member State shall be set in the implementing decision referred to in Article 118(6) by means of which the Commission approves the CAP Strategic Plan.

Member States shall not amend their support area on their own initiative after the date referred to in Article 118(1).

4. If a Member State intends to increase its planned outputs referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article set out in its CAP Strategic Plan approved by the Commission, it shall notify the Commission of the revised planned outputs by means of a request for amendment of its CAP Strategic Plan in accordance with Article 119 before 1 January of the year preceding the claim year concerned.

5. Where appropriate, in order to avoid the maximum support area for the whole Union referred to in paragraph 1 being exceeded, the Commission shall set reduction coefficients, or revise the existing reduction coefficients where such coefficients were set in accordance with paragraph 3, second subparagraph, for all Member States that exceeded their reference support area in their CAP Strategic Plans.

The Commission shall inform the Member States concerned about the reduction coefficients by 31 January of the year preceding the claim year concerned.

Each Member State concerned shall submit a corresponding request for amendment of its CAP Strategic Plan with the reduction coefficient referred to in the second subparagraph by 31 March of the year preceding the claim year concerned. The reduction coefficient for that Member State shall be set in the implementing decision referred to in Article 119(10) by means of which the Commission approves the amendment of the CAP Strategic Plan.

6. With regard to the oilseeds concerned by the Memorandum of Understanding referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article, Member States shall inform the Commission of the total number of hectares for which support has been actually paid in the annual performance reports referred to in Article 134.

7. Member States shall exclude the cultivation of confectionery sunflower seed from any area-based intervention referred to in paragraph 1.







Section 2

Conditionality

Article 12

Principle and scope

1. Member States shall include in their CAP Strategic Plans a system of conditionality under which farmers and other beneficiaries receiving direct payments under Chapter II or annual payments under Articles 70, 71 and 72 are subject to an administrative penalty if they do not comply with the statutory management requirements under Union law and the GAEC standards established in the CAP Strategic Plans, as listed in Annex III, relating to the following specific areas: (a) the climate and the environment, including water, soil and biodiversity of ecosystems; (b) public health and plant health; (c) animal welfare.

2. The CAP Strategic Plans shall include rules on an effective and proportionate system of administrative penalties. Those rules shall comply in particular with the requirements set out in Title IV, Chapter IV, of Regulation (EU) 2021/2116.

3. The legal acts referred to in Annex III concerning the statutory management requirements shall apply in the version that is applicable and, in the case of Directives, as implemented by the Member States.

4. For the purpose of this Section, ‘statutory management requirement’ means each individual statutory management requirement under Union law listed in Annex III within a given legal act, differing in substance from any other requirement in the same act.

Article 13

Obligations of Member States relating to good agricultural and environmental condition

1. Member States shall ensure that all agricultural areas, including land which is no longer used for production purposes, are maintained in good agricultural and environmental condition. Member States shall set, at national or regional level, minimum standards for farmers and other beneficiaries for each GAEC standard listed in Annex III in line with the main objective of those standards as referred to in that Annex. In setting their standards, Member States shall take into account, where relevant, the specific characteristics of the areas concerned including soil and climatic condition, existing farming systems, farming practices, farm size and farm structures, land use, and the specificities of outermost regions.

2. In respect of the main objectives laid down in Annex III, Member States may set standards additional to those laid down in that Annex concerning those main objectives. Such additional standards shall be non-discriminatory and proportionate and shall correspond to the needs identified.

Member States shall not set minimum standards for main objectives other than the main objectives laid down in Annex III.

3. The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 152 supplementing this Regulation with rules to ensure a level playing field as regards the ratio for GAEC standard 1.







Section 3

Social conditionality

Article 14

Principle and scope

1. Member States shall indicate in their CAP Strategic Plans that, at the latest as from 1 January 2025, farmers and other beneficiaries receiving direct payments under Chapter II or annual payments under Articles 70, 71 and 72 are to be subject to an administrative penalty if they do not comply with the requirements related to applicable working and employment conditions or employer obligations arising from the legal acts referred to in Annex IV.

2. When including a system of administrative penalties in their CAP Strategic Plans as referred in paragraph 1, Member States shall, in accordance with their institutional provisions, consult relevant national social partners representing management and labour in the agriculture sector and shall fully respect their autonomy, as well as their right to negotiate and conclude collective agreements. That system of administrative penalties shall not affect the rights and obligations of the social partners where they are, in accordance with national legal and collective bargaining frameworks, responsible for the implementation or enforcement of the legal acts referred to in Annex IV.

3. The CAP Strategic Plan shall include rules on an effective and proportionate system of administrative penalties. Those rules shall comply with the relevant requirements set out in Title IV, Chapter V, of Regulation (EU) 2021/2116.

4. The legal acts referred to in Annex IV containing the provisions to be covered by the system of administrative penalties referred to in paragraph 1 shall apply in the version that is applicable, and as implemented by the Member States.







Section 4

Farm advisory services

Article 15

Farm advisory services

1. Member States shall include in their CAP Strategic Plans a system providing services for advising farmers and other beneficiaries of CAP support on land management and farm management (‘farm advisory services’). Member States may build upon existing systems.

2. The farm advisory services shall cover economic, environmental and social dimensions, taking into account existing farming practices, and deliver up-to-date technological and scientific information developed by means of research and innovation projects, including as regards the provision of public goods.

Through the farm advisory services, appropriate assistance shall be offered along the cycle of the farm development, including for the setting-up for the first time, conversion of production patterns towards consumer demand, innovative practices, agricultural techniques for resilience to climate change, including agroforestry and agroecology, improved animal welfare, and where necessary safety standards and social support.

Farm advisory services shall be integrated within the interrelated services of farm advisors, researchers, farmer organisations and other relevant stakeholders that form the AKIS.

3. Member States shall ensure that the advice given is impartial and that advisors are suitably qualified, appropriately trained and have no conflict of interest.

4. The farm advisory services shall be adapted to the various types of production and farms and shall cover at least the following: (a) all requirements, conditions and management commitments applying to farmers and other beneficiaries set in the CAP Strategic Plan, including requirements and standards under conditionality and conditions for interventions, as well as information on financial instruments and business plans established under the CAP Strategic Plan; (b) the requirements laid down by Member States for implementing Directive 92/43/EEC, Directive 2000/60/EC, Article 55 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council ( 5 ), Directive 2008/50/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council ( 6 ), Directive 2009/128/EC, Directive 2009/147/EC, Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council ( 7 ), Regulation (EU) 2016/2031 of the European Parliament and of the Council ( 8 ) and Directive (EU) 2016/2284 of the European Parliament and of the Council ( 9 ); (c) farm practices preventing the development of antimicrobial resistance as set out in Commission communication of 29 June 2017 entitled ‘A European One Health Action Plan against Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)’; (d) risk prevention and management; (e) innovation support, in particular for preparing and for implementing the projects of the EIP operational groups referred to in Article 127(3); (f) digital technologies in agriculture and rural areas as referred to in Article 114, point (b); (g) sustainable management of nutrients, including at the latest as from 2024 the use of a Farm Sustainability Tool for Nutrients, which is any digital application that provides at least: (i) a balance of the main nutrients at field scale; (ii) the legal requirements on nutrients; (iii) soil data, based on available information and analyses; (iv) data from the integrated administration and control system (IACS) relevant for nutrient management; (h) conditions of employment, employer obligations, occupational health and safety and social support in farming communities.







CHAPTER II

TYPES OF INTERVENTION IN THE FORM OF DIRECT PAYMENTS







Section 1

Types of intervention, reduction and minimum requirements

Article 16

Types of intervention in the form of direct payments

1. The types of intervention under this Chapter may take the form of decoupled and coupled direct payments.

2. Decoupled direct payments shall be the following: (a) the basic income support for sustainability; (b) the complementary redistributive income support for sustainability; (c) the complementary income support for young farmers; (d) the schemes for the climate, the environment and animal welfare.

3. Coupled direct payments shall be the following: (a) the coupled income support; (b) the crop-specific payment for cotton.

Article 17

Capping and degressivity of payments

1. Member States may cap the amount of the basic income support for sustainability to be granted to a farmer for a given calendar year. Member States that choose to introduce capping shall reduce by 100 % the amount exceeding EUR 100 000 .

2. Member States may reduce the amount of the basic income support for sustainability to be granted to a farmer for a given calendar year exceeding EUR 60 000 by up to 85 %.

Member States may set additional tranches above EUR 60 000 , and specify the percentages of reduction for those additional tranches. They shall ensure that the reduction for each tranche is equal to or higher than for the previous tranche.

3. Before applying paragraph 1 or 2, Member States may subtract from the amount of the basic income support for sustainability to be granted to a farmer in a given calendar year: (a) all the salaries linked to an agricultural activity declared by the farmer, including taxes and social contributions related to employment; (b) the equivalent cost of regular and unpaid labour linked to an agricultural activity practiced by persons working on the farm concerned who do not receive a salary, or who receive less remuneration than the amount normally paid for the services rendered, but are rewarded through the economic result of the farm business; (c) the labour cost element of the contracting costs linked to an agricultural activity declared by the farmer.

To calculate the amounts referred to in the first subparagraph, point (a), Member States shall use salary costs actually incurred by the farmer. In duly justified cases, farmers may request to use standards costs to be determined by the Member State concerned according to a method to be further specified in its CAP Strategic Plan based on the average standard salaries linked to an agricultural activity at national or regional level multiplied by the number of annual work units declared by the farmer concerned.

To calculate the amounts referred to in the first subparagraph, point (b), Member States shall use standard costs to be determined by the Member State concerned according to a method to be further specified in its CAP Strategic Plan based on the average standard salaries linked to an agricultural activity at national or regional level multiplied by the number of annual work units declared by the farmer concerned.

4. In the case of a legal person, or a group of natural or legal persons, Member States may apply the reduction referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 at the level of the members of those legal persons or groups where national law provides for the individual members to assume rights and obligations comparable to those of individual farmers who have the status of a head of holding, in particular as regards their economic, social and tax status, provided that they have contributed to strengthening the agricultural structures of the legal persons or groups concerned.

5. The estimated product of the reduction of payments shall primarily be used to contribute to the financing of the complementary redistributive income support for sustainability, if it is established in the relevant CAP Strategic Plan, and thereafter of other interventions belonging to decoupled direct payments.

Member States may also use all or part of the product to finance types of intervention under the EAFRD as specified in Chapter IV by means of a transfer. Such transfer to the EAFRD shall be part of the CAP Strategic Plan financial tables and may be reviewed in 2025 in accordance with Article 103. It shall not be subject to the maximum limits for the transfers of funds from the EAGF to the EAFRD established under that Article.

6. The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 152 supplementing this Regulation with rules establishing a harmonised basis for the calculation of the reduction of payments laid down in paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Article to provide detailed rules for the distribution of funds to farmers.

Article 18

Minimum requirements

1. Member States shall set a minimum area and not grant direct payments to active farmers whose eligible area of the holding for which direct payments are claimed is lower than that minimum area.

Alternatively, Member States may set a minimum amount of direct payments that may be paid to a farmer.

2. Where a Member State has decided to set a minimum area in accordance with paragraph 1, first subparagraph, it shall nevertheless set a minimum amount in accordance with paragraph 1, second subparagraph, for those farmers receiving an animal-related support to be paid per animal in the form of direct payments who hold fewer hectares than that minimum area.

When setting the minimum area or minimum amount, Member States shall aim to ensure that direct payments are granted only to active farmers if:

(a) the management of the corresponding payments does not cause excessive administrative burden; and

(b) the corresponding amounts make an effective contribution to achieving the specific objectives set out in Article 6(1) to which direct payments contribute.

3. Greece may decide not to apply this Article to the smaller Aegean islands.

Article 19

Contribution to risk management tools

By way of derogation from Article 44(1) of Regulation (EU) 2021/2116, a Member State may decide to assign up to 3 % of the direct payments to be paid to a farmer for the farmer’s contribution to a risk management tool.

Member States that decide to make use of this provision shall apply it to all farmers receiving direct payments in a given year.







Section 2

Decoupled direct payments







Subsection 1

General provisions

Article 20

General requirements for receiving decoupled direct payments

Member States shall grant decoupled direct payments to active farmers under the conditions set out in this Section and as further specified in their CAP Strategic Plans.







Subsection 2

Basic income support for sustainability

Article 21

General rules

1. Member States shall provide for a basic income support for sustainability (‘basic income support’) under the conditions set out in this Subsection and as further specified in their CAP Strategic Plans.

2. Member States shall provide for a basic income support in the form of an annual decoupled payment per eligible hectare.

3. Without prejudice to Articles 23 to 27, the basic income support shall be granted for each eligible hectare declared by an active farmer.

Article 22

Amount of support per hectare

1. Unless Member States decide to grant the basic income support on the basis of payment entitlements as referred to in Article 23, the support shall be paid as a uniform amount per hectare.

2. Member States may decide to differentiate the amount of the basic income support per hectare amongst different groups of territories faced with similar socio-economic or agronomic conditions, including traditional forms of agriculture as determined by Member States, such as traditional extensive alpine pasture. In accordance with Article 109(2), point (d), the amount of basic income support per hectare may be reduced, taking into account support under other interventions in the CAP Strategic Plan concerned.

Article 23

Payment entitlements

1. Member States having applied the basic payment scheme as laid down in Title III, Chapter I, Section 1, of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013 may decide to grant the basic income support on the basis of payment entitlements in accordance with Articles 24 to 27 of this Regulation.

2. Where Member States having applied the basic payment scheme as laid down in Title III, Chapter I, Section 1, of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013 decide to no longer grant the basic income support on the basis of payment entitlements, the payment entitlements allocated under that Regulation shall expire on 31 December of the year preceding the year from which the decision is to apply.

Article 24

Value of payment entitlements and convergence

1. Member States shall determine the unit value of payment entitlements before convergence in accordance with this Article by adjusting the value of payment entitlements proportionally to their value as established in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013 for claim year 2022 and the related payment for agricultural practices beneficial for the climate and environment provided for in Title III, Chapter III, of that Regulation for claim year 2022.

2. Member States may decide to differentiate the value of payment entitlements in accordance with Article 22(2).

3. Each Member State shall, by claim year 2026 at the latest, set a maximum level for the value of individual payment entitlements for the Member State or for each group of territories referred to in Article 22(2).

4. Where the value of payment entitlements as determined in accordance with paragraph 1 is not uniform within a Member State or within a group of territories referred to in Article 22(2), the Member State concerned shall ensure a convergence of the value of payment entitlements towards a uniform unit value by claim year 2026 at the latest.

5. For the purposes of paragraph 4, each Member State shall ensure that, for claim year 2026 at the latest, all payment entitlements have a value of at least 85 % of the planned average unit amount referred to in Article 102(1) for the basic income support for claim year 2026, as laid down in its CAP Strategic Plan for the Member State or for the group of territories referred to in Article 22(2).

6. Member States shall finance the increases in the value of payment entitlements needed to comply with paragraphs 4 and 5 of this Article by using any possible amounts that become available through the application of paragraph 3 of this Article, and, where necessary, by reducing the difference between the unit value of payment entitlements determined in accordance with paragraph 1 of this Article and the planned unit amount referred to in Article 102(1), for the basic income support for claim year 2026, as laid down in the CAP Strategic Plan for the Member State or for the group of territories referred to in Article 22(2).

Member States may decide to apply the reduction to all or part of the payment entitlements with a value determined in accordance with paragraph 1 of this Article exceeding the planned unit amount referred to in Article 102(1) for the basic income support for claim year 2026, as laid down in the CAP Strategic Plan for the Member State or for group of territories referred to in Article 22(2).

7. The reductions referred to in paragraph 6 shall be based on objective and non-discriminatory criteria. Without prejudice to the minimum value set in accordance with paragraph 5, such criteria may include the fixing of a maximum decrease that may not be lower than 30 %.

8. Member States shall ensure that the adjustment of the payment entitlement values in accordance with paragraphs 3 to 7 starts from the year 2023.

Article 25

Activation of payment entitlements

1. Member States which have decided to grant support on the basis of payment entitlements shall grant basic income support to active farmers holding owned or leased-in payment entitlements upon activation of those payment entitlements. Member States shall ensure that, for the purpose of the activation of payment entitlements, active farmers declare the eligible hectares accompanying any payment entitlement.

2. Member States shall ensure that payment entitlements, including in the case of actual or anticipated inheritance, are activated only in the Member State or within the group of territories referred to in Article 22(2) where they were allocated.

3. Member States shall ensure that activated payment entitlements give a right to payment based on the amount fixed therein.

Article 26

Reserves for payment entitlements

1. Each Member State that decides to grant the basic income support on the basis of payment entitlements shall manage a national reserve.

2. By way of derogation from paragraph 1 of this Article, where a Member State decides to differentiate the basic income support in accordance with Article 22(2), it may decide to have a reserve for each group of territories referred to in that Article.

3. Member States shall ensure that payment entitlements from the reserve be only allocated to active farmers.

4. Member States shall use their reserve as a matter of priority to allocate payment entitlements to the following farmers: (a) young farmers who have newly set up a holding for the first time; (b) new farmers.

5. A Member State shall allocate payment entitlements to, or increase the value of the existing payment entitlements of, active farmers who are entitled by virtue of a final court ruling or by virtue of a final administrative act of the competent authority of that Member State. It shall ensure that those active farmers receive the number and value of payment entitlements established in that ruling or act at a date to be fixed by that Member State.

6. Member States shall ensure that the reserve is replenished by a linear reduction of the value of all payment entitlements where the reserve is insufficient to cover the allocation of payment entitlements in accordance with paragraphs 4 and 5.

7. Member States may lay down additional rules for the use of the reserve, including additional categories of farmer to be served from the reserve provided the priority groups referred to in paragraphs 4 and 5 have been served, and for the cases that would trigger the replenishment of the reserve. Where the reserve is replenished by linear reduction of the value of payment entitlements, such linear reduction shall apply to all payment entitlements at national level or, where Member States apply the derogation provided for in paragraph 2, at the level of the relevant group of territories referred to in Article 22(2).

8. Member States shall fix the value of new payment entitlements allocated from the reserve at the national average value of payment entitlements in the year of allocation or at the average value of payment entitlements for each group of territories referred to in Article 22(2) in the year of allocation.

9. Member States may decide to increase the value of the existing payment entitlements up to the national average value in the year of allocation or up to the average value for each group of territories referred to in Article 22(2).

Article 27

Transfers of payment entitlements

1. Except in the case of transfer by actual or anticipated inheritance, payment entitlements shall be transferred only to an active farmer established in the same Member State.

2. Where Member States decide to differentiate the basic income support in accordance with Article 22(2), payment entitlements shall only be transferred within the group of territories where they were allocated.

Article 28

Payments for small farmers

Member States may grant a payment to small farmers, as determined by Member States, by way of a lump sum or of amounts per hectare replacing direct payments under this Section and Section 3 of this Chapter. Member States shall design the corresponding intervention in the CAP Strategic Plan as optional for the farmers.

The annual payment for each farmer shall not exceed EUR 1 250 .

Member States may decide to set different lump sums or amounts per hectare linked to different area thresholds.







Subsection 3

Complementary income support

Article 29

Complementary redistributive income support for sustainability

1. Member States shall provide for a complementary redistributive income support for sustainability (‘redistributive income support’) under the conditions set out in this Article and as further specified in their CAP Strategic Plans.

By way of derogation from the first subparagraph of this paragraph or from Article 98, Member States may address the need for redistribution of income support by other instruments and interventions financed by the EAGF pursuing the objective of fairer distribution and more effective and efficient targeting of income support, provided they can demonstrate in their CAP Strategic Plans that such need is sufficiently addressed.

2. Member States shall ensure redistribution of direct payments from larger to smaller or medium-sized holdings by providing for a redistributive income support in the form of an annual decoupled payment per eligible hectare to farmers who are entitled to a payment under the basic income support referred to in Article 21.

3. Member States shall establish at national or regional level, which may be the level of the groups of territories referred to in Article 22(2), an amount per hectare or different amounts for different ranges of hectares, as well as the maximum number of hectares per farmer for which the redistributive income support shall be paid.

4. The amount per hectare planned for a given claim year shall not exceed the national average amount of direct payments per hectare for that claim year.

5. The national average amount of direct payments per hectare is defined as the ratio of the national ceiling for direct payments for a given claim year laid down in Annex V and the total planned outputs for the basic income support for that claim year, expressed in number of hectares.

6. In the case of a legal person, or a group of natural or legal persons, Member States may apply the maximum number of hectares referred to in paragraph 3 at the level of the members of those legal persons or groups where national law provides for the individual members to assume rights and obligations comparable to those of individual farmers who have the status of a head of holding, in particular as regards their economic, social and tax status, provided that they have contributed to strengthening the agricultural structures of the legal persons or groups concerned.

In the case of farmers who are part of a group of affiliated legal entities, as determined by Member States, Member States may apply the maximum number of hectares referred to in paragraph 3 at the level of that group under conditions to be determined by them.

Article 30

Complementary income support for young farmers

1. Member States may provide for complementary income support for young farmers determined in accordance with the criteria laid down in Article 4(6) under the conditions set out in this Article and as further specified in their CAP Strategic Plans.

2. As part of their obligations to attract young farmers in line with the objective set out in Article 6(1), point (g), and to dedicate to this objective, in accordance with Article 95, at least an amount as set out in Annex XII, Member States may provide a complementary income support for young farmers who have newly set up for the first time and who are entitled to a payment under the basic income support referred to in Article 21.

Member States may decide to grant the support under this Article to farmers who have received support under Article 50 of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013 for the remainder of the period referred to in paragraph 5 of that Article.

3. The complementary income support for young farmers shall be granted for a maximum duration of five years, starting from the first year of submission of the application for the payment for young farmers, and subject to the conditions to be determined by the CAP legal framework applicable for the period after 2027 when the duration of five years goes beyond 2027. Member States shall ensure that no legal expectations of beneficiaries are created for the period after 2027.

That support shall take the form either of an annual decoupled payment per eligible hectare or of a lump-sum payment per young farmer.

Member States may decide to grant the support under this Article only to a maximum number of hectares per young farmer.

4. In the case of a legal person, or a group of natural or legal persons such as group of farmers, producer organisations or cooperatives, Member States may apply the maximum number of hectares referred to in paragraph 3 at the level of the members of those legal persons or groups: (a) who comply with the definition and conditions for a ‘young farmer’ determined in accordance with Article 4(6); and (b) where national law provides for the individual members to assume rights and obligations comparable to those of individual farmers who have the status of a head of holding, in particular as regards their economic, social and tax status, provided that they have contributed to strengthening the agricultural structures of the legal persons or groups concerned.







Subsection 4

Schemes for the climate, the environment and animal welfare

Article 31

Schemes for the climate, the environment and animal welfare

1. Member States shall establish, and provide support for, voluntary schemes for the climate, the environment and animal welfare (‘eco-schemes’) under the conditions set out in this Article and as further specified in their CAP Strategic Plans.

2. Member States shall support under this Article active farmers or groups of active farmers who make commitments to observe agricultural practices beneficial for the climate, the environment and animal welfare and combatting antimicrobial resistance.

3. Member States shall establish a list of the agricultural practices beneficial for the climate, the environment and animal welfare and combatting antimicrobial resistance referred to in paragraph 2. Those practices shall be designed to meet one or more of the specific objectives set out in Article 6(1), points (d), (e) and (f) and, as regards improving animal welfare and combatting antimicrobial resistance, in Article 6(1), point (i).

4. Each eco-scheme shall in principle cover at least two of the following areas of actions for the climate, the environment, animal welfare and combatting antimicrobial resistance: (a) climate change mitigation, including reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural practices, as well as maintenance of existing carbon stores and enhancement of carbon sequestration; (b) climate change adaptation, including actions to improve resilience of food production systems and animal and plant diversity for stronger resistance to diseases and climate change; (c) protection or improvement of water quality and reduction of pressure on water resources; (d) prevention of soil degradation, soil restoration, improvement of soil fertility and of nutrient management and soil biota; (e) protection of biodiversity, conservation or restoration of habitats or species, including maintenance and creation of landscape features or non-productive areas; (f) actions for a sustainable and reduced use of pesticides, in particular pesticides that present a risk for human health or environment; (g) actions to enhance animal welfare or combat antimicrobial resistance.

5. Under this Article, Member States shall only provide payments covering commitments which: (a) go beyond the relevant statutory management requirements and GAEC standards established under Chapter I, Section 2; (b) go beyond the relevant minimum requirements for the use of fertiliser and plant protection products, animal welfare, as well as other relevant mandatory requirements established by national and Union law; (c) go beyond the conditions established for the maintenance of the agricultural area in accordance with Article 4(2), point (b); (d) are different from commitments in respect of which payments are granted under Article 70.

For commitments referred to in the first subparagraph, point (b), where national law imposes new requirements which go beyond the corresponding minimum requirements laid down in Union law, support may be granted for commitments contributing to compliance with those requirements for a maximum of 24 months from the date on which they become mandatory for the holding.

6. Pursuant to paragraph 5, Member States may, for the description of the commitments to be fulfilled by the beneficiary of eco-schemes referred to in this Article, build upon one or more of the requirements and standards established under Chapter I, Section 2, provided that the obligations of the eco-schemes go beyond the relevant statutory management requirements and the minimum standards for good agricultural and environmental condition of land established by Member States under Chapter I, Section 2.

Without prejudice to Article 87(1) of Regulation (EU) 2021/2116, active farmers or groups of active farmers participating in eco-schemes established in accordance with the first subparagraph shall be deemed to comply with the relevant requirements and standards referred to in Annex III, provided that they fulfil the commitments under the eco-scheme concerned.

Member States that establish eco-schemes in accordance with the first subparagraph of this paragraph may ensure that their management and control systems do not duplicate checks where the same requirements and standards apply both under those eco-schemes and the obligations set in Annex III.

7. Support for a particular eco-scheme shall take the form of an annual payment for all eligible hectares covered by the commitments. Payments shall be granted as either: (a) payments additional to the basic income support set out in Subsection 2; or (b) payments compensating active farmers or groups of active farmers for all or part of the additional costs incurred and income foregone as a result of the commitments made which shall be calculated in accordance with Article 82 and taking into account the targets for eco-schemes; those payments may also cover transaction costs.

By way of derogation from the first subparagraph, payments granted in accordance with point (b) thereof for animal welfare commitments, commitments combatting antimicrobial resistance and, if duly justified, commitments for agricultural practices beneficial for the climate may also take the form of an annual payment for the livestock units.

8. Member States shall demonstrate how the agricultural practices committed under eco-schemes respond to the needs referred to in Article 108 and how they contribute to the environmental and climate architecture referred to in Article 109(2), point (a), and to animal welfare and combatting antimicrobial resistance. They shall use a rating or scoring system or any other appropriate methodology to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of the eco-schemes to deliver on the targets set. When establishing the level of payments for different commitments under the eco-schemes pursuant to paragraph 7, first subparagraph, point (a), of this Article, Member States shall take into account the level of sustainability and ambition of each eco-scheme, based on objective and transparent criteria.

9. Member States shall ensure that interventions under this Article are consistent with those based on Article 70.







Section 3

Coupled direct payments







Subsection 1

Coupled income support

Article 32

General rules

1. Member States may grant coupled income support to active farmers under the conditions set out in this Subsection and as further specified in their CAP Strategic Plans.

2. The Member States’ interventions shall help the supported sectors and productions or specific types of farming therein listed in Article 33 to address the difficulties encountered by improving competitiveness, sustainability or quality. Member States shall not be required to demonstrate the difficulties encountered in relation to protein crops.

3. Coupled income support shall take the form of an annual payment per hectare or animal.

Article 33

Scope

Coupled income support may only be granted to the following sectors and productions or specific types of farming therein where they are important for socio-economic or environmental reasons:

(a) cereals;

(b) oilseeds excluding confectionary sunflower seeds as laid down in Article 11(7);

(c) protein crops, including legumes and mixtures of legumes and grasses provided that legumes remain predominant in the mixture;

(d) flax;

(e) hemp;

(f) rice;

(g) nuts;

(h) starch potatoes;

(i) milk and milk products;

(j) seeds;

(k) sheep meat and goat meat;

(l) beef and veal;

(m) olive oil and table olives;

(n) silk worms;

(o) dried fodder;

(p) hops;

(q) sugar beet, cane and chicory roots;

(r) fruit and vegetables;

(s) short rotation coppice.

Article 34

Eligibility

1. Member States may grant coupled income support in the form of a payment per hectare only for areas they have determined as eligible hectares.

2. Where the coupled income support concerns bovine animals or sheep and goats, Member States shall set as eligibility conditions for the support the requirements to identify and register the animals in compliance with Part IV, Title I, Chapter 2, Section 1, of Regulation (EU) 2016/429. However, without prejudice to other applicable eligibility conditions, bovine animals or sheep and goats shall be considered to be eligible for support as long as the identification and registration requirements are met by a certain date in the claim year concerned to be fixed by the Member States.

Article 35

Delegated powers in the case of structural market imbalances in a sector

The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 152 supplementing this Regulation with measures to avoid beneficiaries of coupled income support suffering from structural market imbalances in a sector. Those delegated acts may allow Member States to decide that coupled income support may continue to be paid until 2027 on the basis of the production units for which such support was granted in a past reference period.







Subsection 2

Crop-specific payment for cotton

Article 36

Scope

Bulgaria, Greece, Spain and Portugal shall grant a crop-specific payment for cotton to active farmers producing cotton falling within CN code 5201 00 under the conditions laid down in this Subsection.

Article 37

General rules

1. The crop-specific payment for cotton shall be granted per hectare of eligible area of cotton. The area shall be eligible only if it is located on agricultural land authorised by the Member State for cotton production, sown with varieties authorised by the Member State and actually harvested under normal growing conditions.

2. The crop-specific payment for cotton shall be paid for cotton of sound, fair and marketable quality.

3. Bulgaria, Greece, Spain and Portugal shall authorise the land and the varieties referred to in paragraph 1 in accordance with any rules and conditions adopted pursuant to paragraph 5.

4. For the interventions covered in this Subsection: (a) the eligibility of the expenditure incurred shall be determined on the basis of Article 37, point (a), of Regulation (EU) 2021/2116; (b) for the purposes of Article 12(2) of Regulation (EU) 2021/2116, the opinion to be provided by the certification bodies shall cover points (a), (b) and (d) thereof, as well as the management declaration.

5. The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 152 supplementing this Regulation with rules and conditions for the authorisation of land and varieties for the purposes of the crop-specific payment for cotton.

6. The Commission shall adopt implementing acts laying down rules on the procedure for the authorisation of land and varieties for the purposes of the crop-specific payment for cotton and on the notifications to the producers related to this authorisation. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 153(2).

Article 38

Base areas, fixed yields and reference amounts

1. The following national base areas are established: — Bulgaria: 3 342 ha, — Greece: 250 000 ha, — Spain: 48 000 ha, — Portugal: 360 ha.

2. The following fixed yields in the reference period are established: — Bulgaria: 1,2 tonne/ha, — Greece: 3,2 tonne/ha, — Spain: 3,5 tonne/ha, — Portugal: 2,2 tonne/ha.

3. The amount of the crop-specific payment per hectare of eligible area shall be calculated by multiplying the yields established in paragraph 2 with the following reference amounts: — Bulgaria: EUR 636,13, — Greece: EUR 229,37, — Spain: EUR 354,73, — Portugal: EUR 223,32.

4. If the eligible area of cotton in a given Member State and a given year exceeds the base area established in paragraph 1, the amount referred to in paragraph 3 for that Member State shall be reduced proportionately to the overrun of the base area.

5. The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 152 supplementing this Regulation with rules on the conditions for the granting of the crop-specific payment for cotton, on the eligibility requirements and on agronomic practices.

6. The Commission may adopt implementing acts laying down rules on the calculation of the reduction provided for in paragraph 4. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 153(2).

Article 39

Approved interbranch organisations

1. For the purpose of this Subsection, an ‘approved interbranch organisation’ means a legal entity made up of farmers producing cotton and at least one ginner, carrying out activities such as: (a) helping to better coordinate the way in which cotton is placed on the market, in particular through research studies and market surveys; (b) drawing up standard forms of contract compatible with Union rules; (c) orienting production towards products that are better adapted to market needs and consumer demand, in particular with regard to quality and consumer protection; (d) updating methods and means to improve product quality; (e) developing marketing strategies to promote cotton via quality certification schemes.

2. The Member State where the ginners are established shall approve interbranch organisations that satisfy any criteria laid down pursuant to paragraph 3.

3. The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 152 supplementing this Regulation with rules on: (a) criteria for the approval of interbranch organisations; (b) obligations for producers; (c) the consequences where the approved interbranch organisation does not satisfy the criteria referred to in point (a).

Article 40

Granting of the payment

1. Farmers shall be granted the crop-specific payment for cotton for hectares that are eligible as established in Article 38.

2. In the case of farmers who are members of an approved interbranch organisation, the crop-specific payment for cotton for hectares that are eligible within the base area laid down in Article 38(1) shall be increased by an amount of EUR 2.

Article 41

Derogations

1. Articles 101 and 102 and Title VII, with the exception of Chapter III thereof, shall not apply to the crop-specific payment for cotton laid down in this Subsection.

2. The crop-specific payment for cotton shall not be included in any of the sections of the CAP Strategic Plan referred to in Articles 108 to 114, except as regards Article 112(2), point (a), relating to the financial plan.

3. Article 55(1), second and third subparagraphs, of Regulation (EU) 2021/2116 shall not apply to the interventions referred to in this Subsection.







CHAPTER III

TYPES OF INTERVENTION IN CERTAIN SECTORS







Section 1

General provisions

Article 42

Scope

This Chapter lays down rules concerning the types of intervention:

(a) in the fruit and vegetables sector, as referred to in Article 1(2), point (i), of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013;

(b) in the apiculture products sector, as referred to in Article 1(2), point (v), of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 (‘apiculture sector’);

(c) in the wine sector, as referred to in Article 1(2), point (l), of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013;

(d) in the hops sector, as referred to in Article 1(2), point (f), of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013;

(e) in the olive oil and table olives sector, as referred to in Article 1(2), point (g), of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013;

(f) in the other sectors set out in Article 1(2), points (a) to (h), (k), (m), (o) to (t) and (w), of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 and sectors covering products listed in Annex VI to this Regulation.

Article 43

Mandatory and optional types of intervention

1. The types of intervention in the fruit and vegetables sector referred to in Article 42, point (a), shall be mandatory for Member States with producer organisations in that sector recognised under Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013.

Where a Member State without recognised producer organisations in the fruit and vegetables sector at the moment of submitting its CAP Strategic Plan recognises a producer organisation in that sector under Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 during the CAP Strategic Plan period, that Member State shall submit a request for amendment of its CAP Strategic Plan in accordance with Article 119 in order to include interventions in the fruit and vegetables sector.

2. The types of intervention in the apiculture sector referred to in Article 42, point (b), shall be mandatory for every Member State.

3. The types of intervention in the wine sector referred to in Article 42, point (c), shall be mandatory for the Member States listed in Annex VII.

4. Member States may choose in their CAP Strategic Plans to implement the types of intervention referred to in Article 42, points (d), (e) and (f).

5. Germany may implement in the hops sector the types of intervention referred to in Article 42, point (f), only if it decides in its CAP Strategic Plan not to implement the types of intervention referred to in Article 42, point (d).

6. Greece, France and Italy may implement in the olive oil and table olives sector the types of intervention referred to in Article 42, point (f), only if they decide in their CAP Strategic Plans not to implement the types of intervention referred to in Article 42, point (e).

Article 44

Forms of support

1. In the sectors referred to in Article 42, support may take any of the following forms: (a) reimbursement of eligible costs actually incurred by a beneficiary; (b) unit costs; (c) lump sums; (d) flat-rate financing.

2. The amounts for the forms of support referred to under paragraph 1, points (b), (c) and (d), shall be established in one of the following ways: (a) a fair, equitable and verifiable calculation method based on: (i) statistical data, other objective information or an expert judgement; (ii) verified historical data of beneficiaries; or (iii) the application of usual cost accounting practices of beneficiaries; (b) draft budgets established on a case-by-case basis and agreed ex ante by the body selecting the operation in the case of interventions in the wine and apiculture sectors or the body approving the operational programmes referred to in Article 50 in the case of interventions in the other eligible sectors; (c) in accordance with the rules for application of corresponding unit costs, lump sums and flat rates applicable in Union policies for a similar type of intervention; (d) in accordance with the rules for application of corresponding unit costs, lump sums and flat rates applied under support schemes funded entirely by the Member State for a similar type of intervention.

Article 45

Delegated powers for additional requirements for types of intervention

The Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 152 supplementing this Regulation with requirements additional to those laid down in this Chapter as regards:

(a) ensuring the proper functioning of types of intervention laid down in this Chapter, in particular by avoiding distortions of competition in the internal market;

(b) the type of expenditure covered by the interventions included in this Chapter, including, by way of derogation from Article 22 of Regulation (EU) 2021/2116, the eligibility of administrative and personnel costs of producer organisations or other beneficiaries when implementing those interventions;

(c) the basis for the calculation of Union financial assistance referred to in this Chapter, including the reference periods and the calculation of the value of marketed production, and for the calculation of the degree of organisation of producers for the purpose of the national financial assistance referred to in Article 53;

(d) the maximum level of Union financial assistance for the types of intervention referred to in Article 47(2), points (a), (c), (f), (g), (h) and (i), and for the types of intervention referred to in Article 58(1), first subparagraph, points (c), (d) and (l), including packaging and transport rates for products withdrawn for free distribution and processing costs prior to delivery for that purpose;

(e) the rules for the fixing of a ceiling for expenditure and for measuring of the eligible area for the purpose of the types of intervention referred to in Article 47(2), point (d), and in Article 58(1), first subparagraph, point (a);

(f) the rules under which producers are to withdraw the by-products of winemaking, rules on exceptions to that obligation in order to avoid additional administrative burden and rules for the voluntary certification of distillers;

(g) the conditions to be applied for the use of forms of support listed in Article 44(1).

(h) the rules on minimum durability requirement for productive and non-productive investments supported by interventions included in this Chapter;

(i) the rules on the combination of funding for investments pursuant to Article 58(1), first subparagraph, point (b), and for promotion pursuant to Article 58(1), first subparagraph, point (k).

Article 46

Objectives in the fruit and vegetables sector, the hops sector, the olive oil and table olives sector and in the other sectors referred to in Article 42, point (f)

The objectives in the sectors referred to in Article 42, points (a), (d), (e) and (f), shall be the following:

(a) planning and organisation of production, adjusting production to demand, in particular with regard to quality and quantity, optimisation of production costs and returns on investments, and stabilising producer prices; those objectives relate to the specific objectives set out in Article 6(1), points (a), (b), (c) and (i);

(b) concentration of supply and placing on the market of the products, including through direct marketing; those objectives relate to the specific objectives set out in Article 6(1), points (a), (b) and (c);

(c) improvement of medium- and long-term competitiveness, in particular through modernisation; that objective relates to the specific objective set out in Article 6(1), point (c);

(d) research into, and development of, sustainable production methods, including pest resilience, animal disease resistance and climate change mitigation and adaptation, innovative practices and production techniques boosting economic competitiveness and bolstering market developments; those objectives relate to the specific objectives set out in Article 6(1), points (a), (b), (c) and (i);

(e) promoting, developing and implementing: (i) production methods and techniques that are respectful of the environment; (ii) pest and disease resilient production practices; (iii) animal health and welfare standards going beyond minimum requirements established under Union and national law; (iv) reduction of waste and environmentally sound use and management of by-products, including their reuse and valorisation; (v) protection and enhancement of biodiversity and sustainable use of natural resources, in particular protection of water, soil and air. Those objectives relate to the specific objectives set out in Article 6(1), points (e), (f) and (i);

(f) contributing to climate change mitigation and adaptation, as set out in Article 6(1), point (d);

(g) boosting products’ commercial value and quality, including improving product quality and developing products with a protected designation of origin or with a protected geographical indication or covered by Union or national quality schemes recognised by Member States; those objectives relate to the specific objective set out in Article 6(1), point (b);

(h) promotion and marketing of the products; those objectives relate to the specific objectives set out in Article 6(1), points (b), (c) and (i);

(i) increasing consumption of the products of the fruit and vegetables sector, whether in a fresh or processed form; that objective relates to the specific objective set out in Article 6(1), point (i);

(j) crisis prevention and risk management, aimed at avoiding and dealing with disturbances in the markets of the relevant sector; those objectives relate to the specific objectives set out in Article 6(1), points (a), (b) and (c);

(k) improving the conditions of employment and enforcing employer obligations as well as occupational health and safety requirements in accordance with Directives 89/391/EEC, 2009/104/EC and (EU) 2019/1152.

Article 47

Types of intervention in the fruit and vegetables sector, the hops sector, the olive oil and table olives sector and in the other sectors referred to in Article 42, point (f)

1. For each objective chosen from among those referred to in Article 46, points (a) to (i) and (k), Member States shall choose in their CAP Strategic Plans one or more of the following types of intervention in the sectors referred to in Article 42, points (a), (d), (e) and (f): (a) investments in tangible and intangible assets, research and experimental and innovative production methods and other actions, in areas such as: (i) soil conservation, including the enhancement of soil carbon and soil structure, and the reduction of contaminants; (ii) improvement of the use of and sound management of water, including water saving, water conservation and drainage; (iii) preventing damage caused by adverse climatic events and promoting the development and use of varieties, breeds and management practices adapted to changing climate conditions; (iv) increasing energy saving, energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy; (v) ecological packaging, only in the field of research and experimental production; (vi) biosecurity, animal health and welfare; (vii) reducing emissions and waste, improving the use of by-products, including their reuse and valorisation, and the management of waste; (viii) improving resilience against pests and reducing risks and impacts of pesticide use, including implementing Integrated Pest Management techniques; (ix) improving resilience against animal disease and reducing the use of veterinary medicines, including antibiotics; (x) creating and maintaining habitats favourable to biodiversity; (xi) improving product quality; (xii) improving genetic resources; (xiii) improving the conditions of employment and enforcing employer obligations as well as occupational health and safety requirements in accordance with Directives 89/391/EEC, 2009/104/EC and (EU) 2019/1152; (b) advisory services and technical assistance, in particular concerning sustainable pest and disease control techniques, sustainable use of plant protection and animal health products, climate change adaptation and mitigation, the conditions of employment, employer obligations and occupational health and safety; (c) training, including coaching and exchange of best practices, in particular concerning sustainable pest and disease control techniques, sustainable use of plant protection and animal health products, climate change adaptation and mitigation, as well as the use of organised trading platforms and commodity exchanges on the spot and futures market; (d) organic or integrated production; (e) actions to increase the sustainability and efficiency of transport and of storage of products; (f) promotion, communication and marketing including actions and activities aimed in particular at raising consumer awareness about the Union quality schemes and the importance of healthy diets, and at diversification and consolidation of markets; (g) implementation of Union and national quality schemes; (h) implementation of traceability and certification systems, in particular the monitoring of the quality of products sold to final consumers; (i) actions to mitigate, and to adapt to, climate change.

2. As regards the objective referred to in Article 46, point (j), Member States shall choose in their CAP Strategic Plans one or more of the following types of intervention in the sectors referred to in Article 42, points (a), (d), (e) and (f): (a) setting-up, filling and replenishing of mutual funds by producer organisations and by associations of producer organisations recognised under Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013, or under Article 67(7) of this Regulation; (b) investments in tangible and intangible assets making the management of the volumes placed on the market more efficient including for collective storage; (c) collective storage of products produced by the producer organisation or by its members, including where necessary collective processing to facilitate such storage; (d) replanting of orchards or olive groves where that is necessary following mandatory grubbing up for health or phytosanitary reasons on the instruction of the Member State competent authority or to adapt to climate change; (e) restocking with livestock after compulsory slaughter for health reasons or because of losses resulting from natural disasters; (f) market withdrawal for free distribution or other destinations, including where necessary processing to facilitate such withdrawal; (g) green harvesting, consisting of the total harvesting on a given area of unripe non-marketable products which have not been damaged prior to the green harvesting, whether due to climatic reasons, disease or otherwise; (h) non-harvesting, consisting of the termination of the current production cycle on the area concerned where the product is well developed and is of sound, fair and marketable quality, excluding destruction of products due to a climatic event or disease; (i) harvest and production insurance that contributes to safeguarding producers’ incomes where there are losses as a consequence of natural disasters, adverse climatic events, diseases or pest infestations while ensuring that beneficiaries take necessary risk prevention measures; (j) coaching to other producer organisations and associations of producer organisations recognised under Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 or under Article 67(7) of this Regulation, or to individual producers; (k) implementation and management of third-country sanitary and phytosanitary requirements in the territory of the Union to facilitate access to third-country markets; (l) communication actions aiming at raising awareness and informing consumers.

Article 48

Planning, reporting and performance clearance at operational programme level

Article 7(1), point (a), Article 102, Article 111, points (g) and (h), Article 112(3), point (b), and Article 134 shall apply for the types of intervention in the sectors referred to in Article 42, points (a), (d), (e) and (f), at the level of operational programmes instead of at the level of intervention. The planning, reporting and performance clearance for those types of intervention shall also be carried out at the level of operational programmes.







Section 2

Fruit and vegetables sector

Article 49

Objectives in the fruit and vegetables sector

Member States shall pursue one or more of the objectives set out in Article 46 in the fruit and vegetables sector referred to in Article 42, point (a). The objectives set out in Article 46, points (g), (h), (i) and (k), shall cover the products whether in a fresh or processed form, while the objectives set out in the other points of that Article shall cover only products in fresh form.

Member States shall ensure that the interventions correspond to the types of intervention chosen in accordance with Article 47.

Article 50

Operational programmes

1. The objectives referred to in Article 46 and the interventions in the fruit and vegetables sector set out by the Member States in their CAP Strategic Plans shall be implemented through approved operational programmes of producer organisations or associations of producer organisations recognised under Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013, or both, under the conditions laid down in this Article.

2. Operational programmes shall have a minimum duration of three years and a maximum duration of seven years.

3. Operational programmes shall pursue at least the objectives referred to in Article 46, points (b), (e) and (f).

4. For each objective selected, the operational programmes shall describe the interventions selected from among those set out by the Member States in their CAP Strategic Plans.

5. Producer organisations or associations of producer organisations recognised under Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 shall submit operational programmes to Member States for approval and, if approved, shall implement them.

6. Operational programmes of associations of producer organisations shall not cover the same interventions as operational programmes of member organisations. Member States shall consider operational programmes of associations of producer organisations together with operational programmes of member organisations.

To that end Member States shall ensure that:

(a) interventions under operational programmes of an association of producer organisations are entirely financed, without prejudice to Article 51(1), point (b), by contributions of the member organisations of that association and that such funding is collected from the operational funds of those member organisations;

(b) interventions and their corresponding financial share are identified in the operational programme of each member organisation;

(c) there is no duplication of funding.

7. Member States shall ensure that, for each operational programme: (a) at least 15 % of expenditure covers the interventions linked to the objectives referred to in Article 46, points (e) and (f); (b) the operational programme includes three or more actions linked to the objectives referred to in Article 46, points (e) and (f); (c) at least 2 % of expenditure covers the interventions linked to the objective referred to in Article 46, point (d); and (d) the expenditure for interventions within the types of intervention referred to in Article 47(2), points (f), (g) and (h), does not exceed one third of the total expenditure.

Where at least 80 % of the members of a producer organisation are subject to one or more identical agri-environment-climate or organic farming commitments provided for in Chapter IV, each of those commitments shall count as an action for the minimum of three referred to in the first subparagraph, point (b).

8. Operational programmes may set out the actions proposed to ensure that workers in the sector enjoy fair and safe working conditions.

Article 51

Operational funds

1. Any producer organisation in the fruit and vegetables sector or association of such producer organisations may set up an operational fund. The fund shall be financed by: (a) financial contributions from: (i) members of the producer organisation or the producer organisation itself or both; or (ii) the association of producer organisations through the members of that association; (b) Union financial assistance, which may be granted to producer organisations or to their associations where those organisations or associations submit an operational programme.

2. Operational funds shall be used only to finance operational programmes that have been approved by the Member States.

Article 52

Union financial assistance to the fruit and vegetables sector

1. The Union financial assistance shall be equal to the amount of the financial contributions referred to in Article 51(1), point (a), actually paid and limited to 50 % of the actual expenditure incurred.

2. The Union financial assistance shall be limited to: (a) 4,1 % of the value of the marketed production of each producer organisation; (b) 4,5 % of the value of marketed production of each association of producer organisations; (c) 5 % of the value of marketed production of each transnational producer organisation or transnational association of producer organisations.

Those limits may be increased by 0,5 percentage points provided that the amount in excess of the relevant percentage set out in the first subparagraph is used solely for one or more interventions linked to the objectives referred to in Article 46, points (d), (e), (f), (h), (i) and (j). In the case of associations of producer organisations, including transnational associations of producer organisations, those interventions may be implemented by the association on behalf of its members.

3. At the request of a producer organisation or of an association of producer organisations, the 50 % limit provided for in paragraph 1 shall be increased to 60 % for an operational programme or part of an operational programme if at least one of the following applies: (a) transnational producer organisations implement in two or more Member States interventions linked to the objectives referred to in Article 46, points (b), (e) and (f); (b) one or more producer organisations or associations of producer organisations are engaged in interventions operated on an interbranch basis; (c) the operational programme covers solely specific support for the production of organic products covered by Regulation (EU) 2018/848; (d) the producer organisation or the association of producer organisations recognised under Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 implements for the first time an operational programme; (e) producer organisations market less than 20 % of fruit and vegetable production in a Member State; (f) the producer organisation operates in one of the outermost regions; (g) the operational programme comprises the interventions linked to the objectives referred to in Article 46, points (d), (e), (f), (i) and (j); (h) the operational programme is for the first time implemented by a recognised producer organisation which is the result of a merger between two or more recognised producer organisations.

4. The 50 % limit provided for in paragraph 1 shall be increased to 80 % for expenditure linked to the objective referred to in Article 46, point (d), if that expenditure covers at least 5 % of the expenditure under the operational programme.

5. The 50 % limit provided for in paragraph 1 shall be increased to 80 % for expenditure linked to the objectives referred to in Article 46, points (e) and (f), if that expenditure covers at least 20 % of the expenditure under the operational programme.

6. The 50 % limit provided for in paragraph 1 shall be increased to 100 % in the following cases: (a) market withdrawals of fruit and vegetables which do not exceed 5 % of the volume of marketed production of each producer organisation and which are disposed of by way of: (i) free distribution to charitable organisations and foundations approved to that effect by the Member States, for use in their activities to assist persons whose right to public assistance is recognised in national law, in particular because they lack the necessary means of subsistence; (ii) free distribution to penal institutions, schools and public education institutions, establishments referred to in Article 22 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 and to children’s holiday camps as well as to hospitals and old people’s homes designated by the Member States, which shall take all necessary steps to ensure that the quantities thus distributed are additional to the quantities normally bought in by such establishments; (b) actions related to coaching of other producer organisations recognised under Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013, provided that those producer organisations are from regions of Member States referred to in Article 53(2) of this Regulation, or of individual producers.

Article 53

National financial assistance

1. In regions of the Member States in which the degree of organisation of producers in the fruit and vegetables sector is significantly below the Union average, Member States may grant producer organisations recognised under Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 national financial assistance equal to a maximum of 80 % of the financial contributions referred to in Article 51(1), point (a), of this Regulation and up to 10 % of the value of the marketed production of any such producer organisation. The national financial assistance shall be additional to the operational fund.

2. The degree of organisation of producers in a region of a Member State shall be considered to be significantly below the Union average where the average degree of organisation has been less than 20 % for three consecutive years preceding the implementation of the operational programme. The degree of organisation shall be calculated as the value of fruit and vegetable production that was obtained in the region concerned and marketed by producer organisations and associations of producer organisations recognised under Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013, divided by the total value of the fruit and vegetable production that was obtained in that region.

3. Member States that grant national financial assistance in accordance with paragraph 1 shall inform the Commission of the regions that meet the criteria referred to in paragraph 2 and of the national financial assistance granted to producer organisations in those regions.







Section 3

Apiculture sector

Article 54

Objectives in the apiculture sector

The Member States shall pursue at least one of the relevant specific objectives set out in Article 6(1) in the apiculture sector.

Article 55

Types of intervention in the apiculture sector and Union financial assistance

1. Member States shall choose in their CAP Strategic Plans for each chosen specific objective set out in Article 6(1) one or more of the following types of intervention in the apiculture sector: (a) advisory services, technical assistance, training, information and exchange of best practices, including through networking, for beekeepers and beekeepers’ organisations; (b) investments in tangible and intangible assets, as well as other actions, including for: (i) combatting beehive invaders and diseases, in particular varroasis; (ii) preventing damage caused by adverse climatic events and promoting the development and use of management practices adapted to changing climate conditions; (iii) restocking of beehives in the Union, including bee breeding; (iv) rationalising transhumance; (c) actions to support laboratories for the analysis of apiculture products, bee losses or productivity drops, and substances potentially toxic to bees; (d) actions to preserve or increase the existing number of beehives in the Union, including bee breeding; (e) cooperation with specialised bodies for the implementation of research programmes in the field of beekeeping and apiculture products; (f) promotion, communication and marketing including market monitoring actions and activities aimed in particular at raising consumer awareness about the quality of apiculture products; (g) actions to enhance product quality.

2. Member States shall substantiate in their CAP Strategic Plans their choice of specific objectives and types of intervention. Within the chosen types of intervention, they shall specify interventions.

3. Membe