31. 12. 85 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 358/1 
II 
(Preparatory Acts) 
COMMISSION 
Proposal for a Council Regulation (EEC) establishing a common measure for the acceleration of 
agricultural development in certain less-favoured areas of France where beef cattle are reared 
COM(8S) 759 final 
(85/C 358/01) 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community, 
Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 797/85 of 
12 March 1985 on improving the efficiency of agricultural 
structures (*), and in particular Article 18 thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament, 
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social 
Committee, 
Whereas Article 39 (2) (a) of the Treaty provides that, in 
working out the common agricultural policy, account is to be 
taken of the social structure of agriculture and of the 
structural and natural disparities between the various 
agricultural regions; 
Whereas, in order to achieve the objectives of the common 
agricultural policy set out in Article 39 (1) (a) and (b) of the 
Treaty, special measures appropriate to production 
conditions in the less-favoured agricultural areas should be 
adopted at Community level; 
Whereas, in accordance with Article 18 of Regulation (EEC) 
No 797/85, specific measures may be taken to encourage 
agriculture as a whole in regions suffering from structural or 
infrastructural handicaps; 
Whereas in certain less-favoured regions of France, specified 
in Council Directive 75/271/EEC of 28 April 1975 
concerning the Community list of less-favoured farming 
areas within the meaning of Directive 75/268/EEC (France) (2), agricultural incomes are particularly low 
because of the existence of substantial structural 
inadequacies; 
Whereas in these less-favoured areas joint land-development 
measures are an essential condition for improving the 
profitability of cattle farming based on beef breeds; 
Whereas, because of the fragmentation of holdings, 
consolidation measures are necessary for the efficient 
management of agricultural land; 
Whereas the availability of shared equipment for fodder 
production and improvements in the health of the cattle 
would enable better use to be made of fodder production; 
Whereas closer monitoring of the yield and the progeny of 
beef bulls ensures more efficient selection of breeding bulls 
with a high genetic value; 
Whereas in the regions concerned farmers derive additional 
income from the management of woodlands; whereas 
forestry measures should be carried out and shelter belts 
should be planted, mainly in connection with joint 
land-development measures; 
Whereas costs can be reduced by the joint use of equipment 
for the management of woodlands; 
Whereas rural infrastructures in these regions are extremely 
inadequate, particularly as regards farm roads and access 
roads, and whereas the provision or improvement of such 
facilities is essential to the improvement of agricultural 
structures; 
(0 OJNoL 93, 30. 3. 1985, p. 1. (2) OJ No L 128, 19. 5. 1975, p. 33. 
No C 358/2 Official Journal of the European Communities 31. 12. 85 
Whereas additional technical assistance should be provided 
and information campaigns should be launched with a view 
to remedying the lack of structural development; 
Whereas, with a view to limiting Community expenditure, it 
is important to prohibit the granting of aid under Regulation 
(EEC) No 797/85 in conjunction with aid under Council 
Regulation (EEC) No 2088/85 of 23 July 1985 concerning 
the integrated Mediterranean programmes (]); 
Whereas the achievement of these aims should be promoted 
by means of a measure combining these various elements and 
applied in the context of the programmes; Guidance Section, hereinafter referred to as 'the Fund', those 
agricultural measures which form part of one or more 
programmes drawn up by the French Government or other 
authorities designated at the relevant geographical level and 
approved by the Commission. 
4. The common measure implemented in the regions 
specified in paragraph 2 shall comprise: 
(a) joint land-development measures such as drainage, 
work to improve the quality of pastures and 
consolidation, including ancillary operations; 
Whereas it follows from the foregoing that the measures 
referred to above constitute a common measure within the 
meaning of Article 6 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 
729/70 of 21 April 1970 on the financing of the common 
agricultural policy (2), as last amended by Regulation (EEC) 
No 870/85 (3); 
Whereas it is the responsibility of the Commission, having 
consulted the Standing Committee on Agricultural 
Structures, to decide on the approval of a programme 
submitted by the French Government, 
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: (b) improvement of the conditions for the rearing of beef 
cattle, by the use of shared equipment for fodder 
production and improvements in the health of the 
cattle; 
(c) closer monitoring of the yield of beef bulls, with a view 
to the initial and final breeding of animals with a high 
genetic value, to raise the qualitative level of beef cattle 
production; 
(d) forestry measures, mainly in conjunction with the 
measures referred to in (a), including joint facilities for 
the management of woodlands belonging to agricultural 
holdings and the planting of shelter belts for the 
protection of agriculture; 
TITLE I 
Measures to accelerate agricultural development in certain 
regions of France where beef cattle are reared 
Article 1 (e) the improvement of agricultural infrastructures in rural 
areas; 
(f) measures to promote this common measure, launching 
aid for the provision of the extra technical assistance 
required to achieve the objectives of the common 
measure and aid for information campaigns. 
1. A common measure within the meaning of Article 6(1) 
of Regulation (EEC) No 729/JO is hereby introduced for the 
purpose of accelerating agricultural development in certain 
regions of France. 
2. The common action shall apply to regions within the 
Massif Central with the following characteristics: 
— which are less-favoured areas within the meaning of 
Council Directive 75/268/EEC (4), with the exception 
of the regions covered by Regulation (EEC) No 
2088/85, 
— where the permanent pasture accounts for at least 65 % 
of the UAA, 
— where the main types of cattle reared are beef breeds or 
various crosses thereof. 
3. In accordance with Title II the Community may grant 
aid towards the common measure by financing through the 
European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund, 
H OJ No L 197, 27. 7. 1985, p. 1. 
(2) OJ No L 94, 28. 4. 1970, p. 13. 
(3) OJ NoL 95, 2. 4. 1985, p. 1. 
(") OJNoL 128, 19. 5. 1975, p. 1. Article 2 
All programmes referred to in Article 1 (3) shall include at 
least the following particulars: 
1. a definition of the areas concerned in accordance with the 
criteria laid down in Article 1 (2), the number of 
stockfarmers, the size of the cattle herds and the areas 
farmed; 
2. for each type of measure, a description of the existing 
situation, the objectives to be achieved, the estimated 
cost and the financing arrangements; 
3. the timetable for carrying out the various measures and 
an indication of the additional effect attributable to the 
introduction of the common measure with assistance 
from the Fund; 
4. the arrangements to coordinate the programme with any 
other programmes or measures which may influence the 
31. 12. 85 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 358/3 
development of agriculture in the regions covered by the 
programmed); 
5. an assurance that the measures proposed are compatible 
with the protection of the environment. 
Article 3 
1. All programmes and any amendments to programmes 
shall be forwarded to the Commission by the French 
Government. The duration of the programmes shall be at 
least that of the common measure. 
2. At the request of the Commission, the French 
Government shall provide any background information 
required in addition to the particulars supplied pursuant to 
Article 2. 
3. The Commission shall deliver its opinion on 
programmes and any amendments thereto in accordance 
with the procedure laid down in Article 9, having consulted 
the Fund Committee on the financial aspects. 
TITLE II 
Financial and general provisions 
Article 4 
Joint investments in fodder production as referred to in 
Article 1 (4) (a) and (b), forestry investments on agricultural 
land and woodland improvements which qualify for aid 
under Article 17 or, as the case may be, under Article 20 
of Regulation (EEC) No 797/85 or which qualify for 
Community aid under other common measures within the 
meaning of Article 6 (1) of Regulation (EEC) No 729/70 
shall not qualify for any contribution from the Fund under 
this Regulation. 
Article 5 
1. The duration of the common measure shall be not 
longer than six years as from the date of approval of the first 
programme as referred to in Article 2. 
2. During the third and fifth years the Commission shall 
report on the progress of the common measure. Before the 
six-year period has expired, the Council, acting on a 
proposal from the Commission, shall decide whether the 
measure should be continued. 
3. The estimated cost of the common measure to the Fund 
amounts to 47 million ECU. 
4. Article 6 (5) of Regulation (EEC) No 729/70 shall 
apply. Article 6 
1. The Fund shall reimburse to France 40 % of eligible 
expenditure. However, the eligible expenditure may not 
exceed the maximum amounts specified in paragraph 2. 
2. The Fund shall reimburse to France its actual 
expenditure on the measures referred to in Article 1 (4), up to 
the following maximum eligible amounts: 
— 900 ECU per hectare for drainage of pastures over a total 
area of 45 000 hectares, 
— 400 ECU per hectare for improvements to pastures over a 
total area of 30 000 hectares, 
— 400 ECU per hectare for consolidation operations, 
including connected operations, over a total area of 
100 000 hectares in the case of the measures referred to 
under (a), 
— 5 million ECU in the case of the measures referred to 
under (b), subject where appropriate to the maximum 
eligible amounts specified in Article 17 (3) of Regulation 
(EEC) No 797/85, 
— 3 million ECU in the case of the measures referred to 
under (c), 
— 5 million ECU in the case of the measures referred to 
under (d), subject to the maximum eligible amounts 
specified in Article 20 (2) of Regulation (EEC) No 
797/85, 
— 10 million ECU in the case of the measures referred to 
under (e); however, the financial contribution of the 
beneficiary must not be less than 10 %, 
— 2 million ECU in the case of the measures referred to 
under (f), subject to a maximum of 14 newly-recruited 
technicians. The aid to the strengthening of technical 
assistance shall amount to not more than 80 % of the 
actual cost and must be degressive over the period of the 
common measure. 
3. Should France request the updating of any programme, 
the Commission may, in accordance with the procedure laid 
down in Article 9, approve changes in the maximum 
amounts specified in paragraph 2 of this Article with the 
exception of the seventh and eighth indents, without 
however exceeding the overall amount specified in 
Article 5 {3). 
4. Detailed rules for the application of this Article shall be 
adopted in accordance with the procedure laid down in 
Article 13 of Regulation (EEC) No 729/70. 
Article 7 
On approval of the programme referred to in Article 1 (4) the 
Commission shall, in agreement with France, determine the 
manner in which it is to be informed of the progress of the 
development measures. 
No C 358/4 Official Journal of the European Communities 31. 12. 85 
Article 8 
1. Requests for reimbursement shall relate to expenditure 
incurred by France during one calendar year and shall be 
submitted to the Commission before 1 July of the following 
year. 
2. Aid from the Fund shall be granted in accordance with 
Article 7 (1) of Regulation (EEC) No 729/70. 
3. The fund may make advance payments on the basis of 
the method of financing adopted by France and in the light of 
the progress of the programme. 
4. Detailed rules for the application of this Article shall be 
adopted in accordance with the procedure laid down in 
Article 13 of Regulation (EEC) No 729/70. shall deliver its opinion on these measures within a time limit 
set by the chairman according to the urgency of the matter. It 
shall act by a majority of 45 votes, the votes of the Member 
States being weighted as laid down in Article 148 (2) of the 
Treaty. The chairman shall not vote. 
3. The Commission shall adopt the measures, which shall 
be immediately applicable. However, if such measures are 
not in accordance with the opinion delivered by the Standing 
Committee on Agricultural Structures, they shall be 
communicated forthwith by the Commission to the Council. 
In that case, the Commission may defer application of the 
measures which it has adopted by not more than one month 
from the date of such communication. The Council, acting 
by a qualified majority, may adopt a different decision within 
one month. 
Article 9 
1. In cases where recourse is had to the procedure laid 
down in this Article, the matter shall be referred to the 
Standing Committee on Agricultural Structures by its 
chairman either on his own initiative or at the request of the 
representative of a Member State. 
2. The chairman shall submit a draft of the measures to be 
taken. The Standing Committee on Agricultural Structures Article 10 
This Regulation shall enter into force on the third day 
following its publication in the Official Journal of the 
European Communities. 
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly 
applicable in all Member States. 
ANNEX 
(million ECU) 
Measures to be financed 
1. 
2. 
3. 
4. 
5. 
6. Collective land-improvement measures: 
— drainage 
— qualitative improvement of pasture land 
— consolidation and connected work 
Improvement of conditions for beef cattle 
production, improvement of health standards of 
cattle 
Intensification of control over yield of beef 
bulls 
Forestry measures linked mainly to land 
improvement measures 
Improvement of agricultural infrastructure in 
rural areas 
— Measures to promote the scheme 
— Aid for intensification of technical 
assistance 
— Aid for awareness campaigns 
Total Total maximum 
eligible cost 
40,5 
(900 ECU/ha x 45 000 ha) 
12,0 
(400 ECU/ha x 30 000 ha) 
40,0 
(400 ECU/ha x 100 000 ha) 
5,0 
3,0 
5,0 n 
10,0 
~] 
2,0 
J 
117,5 Total cost 
to EAGGF 
16,2 
4,8 
16,0 
2,0 
1,2 
2,0 
4,0 
) 
0,8 
J 
47,0 
(') The cost has been calculated on the basis of a hypothetical area of approximately 5 500 hectares.