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COMMISSION DECISION

of 10 May 1984

approving a flood protection programme for the Hérault Valley submitted pursuant to Council Directive 79/174/EEC

(Only the French text is authentic)

(84/285/EEC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN

COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community,

Having regard to Council Directive 79/174/EEC of 6 February 1979 concerning the flood protection programme in the Hérault Valley (1), and in particular Article 2 thereof,

Whereas the said programme, drawn up pursuant to the Directive referred to above, was submitted to the Commission by the French Government on 7 February 1984 and was followed, on 1 March, by a note, point III of which has been deleted;

Whereas, in accordance with the nature of the common measure provided for in Directive 79/174/EEC, the programme is designed to supplement the programme to accelerate the restructuring and conversion of vineyards in certain Mediterranean regions of France, as provided for in Directive 78/627/EEC (2), approved by Commission Decision 79/909/EEC of 18 October 1979 (3);

Whereas the said programme contains all the information specified in Article 3 of Directive 79/174/EEC; whereas it is therefore possible to achieve the common measure's objectives; whereas, however, approval of the programme should be conditional upon the irrigation water being used for purposes other than the irrigation of any vineyards which may remain in the area in question;

Whereas, under Article 7 of Directive 79/174/EEC, detailed rules should be laid down in agreement with the French Republic concerning the information to be approved on a regular basis on the programme's progress;

Whereas the EAGGF Committee has been consulted on the financial aspects;

Whereas the measure provided for in this Decision is in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Agricultural Structure,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

1. The flood protection programme for the Hérault Valley, submitted, pursuant to Directive 79/174/EEC, by the French Government on 7 February 1984 and supplemented by a note on 1 March 1984, is hereby approved.

2. Approval is conditional upon the irrigation water made available as a result of the measures provided for in the programme being used for purposes other than the irrigation of any vineyards which may remain in the area in question.

Article 2

The detailed rules concerning the information to be provided by the French Republic on a regular basis, pursuant to Article 7 of Directive 79/174/EEC, on the implementation of the programme shall be as follows:

The French Government shall present before 1 November each year a report containing the following information:

1. In respect of flood protection work, information on:

1.1. the construction of the flood-control dam;

1.2. the construction of the flood-protection embankments;

1.3. floodwater disposal by re-routing the Hérault;

1.4. miscellaneous work.

2. In respect of vineyard conversion operations:

2.1. the number of hectares concerned, stating how much grubbing has been done;

2.2. the location of the areas concerned;

2.3. the number of hectares where irrigation facilities have been installed;

2.4. the location of the irrigated areas (stating whether grubbing has already been done or when it will be);

2.5. the total cost of irrigation.

3. In respect of the crops substituted:

3.1. the total number of hectares on which substitute crops are to be grown;

3.2. the number of hectares of open-grown vegetables;

3.3. the number of hectares of vegetables grown under cover;

3.4. the number of hectares of horticultural crops;

3.5. the number of hectares of seed crops, the number of hectares of protein crops;

3.6. the number of hectares of other crops (stating the location of the areas concerned).

Article 3

This Decision is addressed to the French Republic.

Done at Brussels, 10 May 1984.

For the Commission

Poul DALSAGER

Member of the Commission

(1) OJ No L 38, 14. 2. 1979, p. 18.

(2) OJ No L 206, 29. 7. 1978, p. 1.

(3) OJ No L 280, 9. 11. 1979, p. 32.