EN Official Journal of the European Union L 135/8

COMMISSION DELEGATED REGULATION (EU) 2015/851

of 27 March 2015

amending Annexes II, III and VI to Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing rules for direct payments to farmers under support schemes within the framework of the common agricultural policy

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 establishing rules for direct payments to farmers under support schemes within the framework of the common agricultural policy and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 637/2008 and Council Regulation (EC) No 73/2009 (1), and in particular Articles 6(3), 7(3) and 20(6) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) In accordance with Article 20(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013, Croatia has notified the Commission by 31 January 2015 of the area of land demined and returned to use for agricultural activities in 2014, the number of payment entitlements available to farmers on 31 December 2014 and the amount remained unspent in the special national demining reserve on that same date.

(2) According to Article 20(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013, the amount to be added to the national ceilings set for Croatia in Annex II to that Regulation has to be calculated by the Commission on the basis of the data notified by Croatia in accordance with Article 20(1) of that Regulation and the estimated average direct payments per hectare in Croatia for the year concerned.

(3) The average direct payments per hectare for 2015 should be calculated by dividing the national ceiling for Croatia in 2015, reduced by the unspent amount in the special demining reserve on 31 December 2014, by the number of payment entitlements available to farmers on the same date. The amount to be added to the national ceiling for 2015 and the following years is calculated on the basis of the schedule of increments referred to in Article 17 of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013 and reflects that the notification of 31 January 2015 reaches the maximum amounts of the annual increments set out in Annex VII to that Regulation for calendar year 2015 onwards.

(4) In accordance with Article 20(6) of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013, Annex VI to that Regulation should be adapted in order to take into account of the consequences of the return of demined land to use for agricultural activities in 2014, as notified by Croatia.

(5) Annexes II, III and VI to Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(6) As this Regulation is essential for a smooth and timely adoption of the implementing acts referred to in Articles 22(1), 36(4), 42(2), 47(3), 49(2), 51(4) and 53(7) of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013, it is appropriate that it enters into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Annexes II, III and VI to Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013 are amended in accordance with the Annex to this Regulation.

Article 2

This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. Done at Brussels, 27 March 2015 For the Commission The President Jean-Claude JUNCKER

(1) OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 608.