Proposal for a Council Directive concerning the Community list of less-favoured farming areas within the meaning of Directive 75/268/EEC (Austria)

(95/C 125/01)

COM(95) 58 final - 95/0060(CNS)

(Submitted by the Commission on 8 March 1995)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Directive 75/268/EEC of 28 April 1975 on mountain and hill farming and farming in certain less-favoured areas (1), as last amended by the Act of Accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden, and in particular Article 2 (2) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament,

Whereas a significant proportion of the territory of the acceding Member States suffers from permanent natural handicaps and Declaration No 37 of the Act of Accession recognizes that the boundaries of the mountain and other less-favoured farming areas within the meaning of Article 3 of Directive 75/268/EEC should be established without delay;

Whereas the permanent natural handicaps in these areas result in higher production costs and prevent farmers from obtaining a reasonable income from their production at a level similar to that available to comparable farmers in other regions;

Whereas, in accordance with Article 2 (1) of Directive 75/268/EEC, the Austrian Government has sent the Commission a list of municipalities (Gemeinden) likely to appear on the Community list of less-favoured farming areas, together with the information relating to the characteristics of those areas;

Whereas the indices which have been selected are the existence of very difficult climatic conditions, as referred to in the first indent of Article 3 (3) of Directive 75/268/EEC, and a minimum altitude of 700 m (central point of the locality or the average altitude of the municipality) or 600 m exceptionally in the Salzburg mountain ranges (préalpes salzbourgeoises) and the area bordering the Mur river (Murtal) in central Styria;

Whereas the steep slopes referred to in the second indent of Article 3 (3) of Directive 75/268/EEC are defined as greater than 20 %;

Whereas, where there is a combination of the above two factors, the characteristics selected are a minimum altitude of 500 m and an average slope of at least 15 %;

Whereas a limited number of the proposed municipalities do not fully satisfy the requirements, but nevertheless fully satisfy those of Article 3 (4) of Directive 75/268/EEC; whereas, since their economy is closely linked with that of neighbouring municipalities classified according to Article 3 (3) and a proportion of their territory abuts into these neighbouring municipalities and being relatively small in relation to them, these municipalities may nevertheless be classified among the mountain areas;

Whereas in cases involving the presence of infertile land and where the economic results of farming are appreciably lower than the average, as referred to in Article 3 (4) (a) and (b) of Directive 75/268/EEC, the areas have been defined using a complex index: 'the agricultural comparability index' (Betriebszahl) hereinafter referred to as 'BZ';

Whereas for the less-favoured farming areas the maximum average value of the abovementioned index has been fixed at 30, this figure corresponding to 70 % of the maximum national average value of 42; whereas, in specific cases, this average index has been fixed at 35 for the less-favoured farming areas where permanent grassland and pasture cover more than 80 % of the utilized agricultural area;

Whereas the following indices have been chosen in respect of low or dwindling populations as referred to in Article 3 (4) (c) of Directive 75/268/EEC: density not more than 55 inhabitants per km² (the national average is 93) or an annual depopulation rate exceeding 0,5 %, with the working population engaged in farming forming a significant proportion of the total working population of the municipality;

Whereas, in areas where the average index is below 30, certain municipalities may reach a density of 70 inhabitants per km²;

Whereas, for the definition of the areas affected by specific handicaps which may be included among the less-favoured areas referred to in Article 3 (5) of Directive 75/268/EEC the index used is the occurrence of unfavourable natural conditions (BZ below 30) and of specific permanent handicaps characteristic of

- an extremely hilly area with pronounced slopes,

- a wet or marshy area,

- an area regularly subject to flooding,

- a border area of the Union;

Whereas the total surface area of the areas referred to in Article 3 (5) of Directive 75/268/EEC does not exceed 4 % of the total surface area of the Member State;

Whereas the nature and level of the above indices selected by the Austrian Government for identifying the types of area notified to the Commission are in conformity with the characteristics of mountain areas, less-favoured areas and the areas affected by specific handicaps respectively, as referred to in Articles 3, 4 and 5 of Directive 75/268/EEC,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:

Article 1

The areas situated in the Republic of Austria which appear in the Annex shall form part of the Community list of less-favoured farming areas within the meaning of Article 3 (3), (4) and (5) of Directive 75/268/EEC.

Article 2

This Directive is addressed to the Republic of Austria.

(1) OJ No L 128, 19. 5. 1975, p. 1. Directive as amended by Directive EEC/80/666 (OJ No L 180, 14. 7. 1980, p. 34) and by Regulation (EEC) No 797/85 (OJ No L 93, 30. 3. 1985, p. 1).

ANEXO - BILAG - ANHANG - ÐÁÑÁÑÔÇÌÁ - ANNEX - ANNEXE - ALLEGATO - BIJLAGE - ANEXO - LIITE - BILAGA

I. Zonas desfavorecidas tal como se definen en el apartado 3 del artículo 3 de la Directiva 75/268/CEE I. Ugunstigt stillede omraader, jf. artikel 3, stk. 3, i direktiv 75/268/EOEF I. Benachteiligte Gebiete im Sinne von Artikel 3 Absatz 3 der Richtlinie 75/268/EWG I. ÌaaéïíaaêôéêÝò ðaañéï÷Ýò êáôUE ôçí Ýííïéá ôïõ UEñèñïõ 3 ðáñUEãñáoeïò 3 ôçò ïaeçãssáò 75/268/AAÏÊ I. Less-favoured areas within the meaning of Article 3 (3) of Directive 75/268/EEC I. Zones défavorisées au titre de l'article 3 paragraphe 3 de la directive 75/268/CEE I. Zone svantaggiate ai sensi dell'articolo 3, paragrafo 3 della direttiva 75/268/CEE I. Probleemgebieden in de zin van artikel 3, lid 3, van Richtlijn 75/268/EEG I. Zonas desfavorecidas na acepção do no. 3 do artigo 3o. da Directiva 75/268/CEE I. Epaesuotuisiksi maeaeritettyjae alueita direktiivin 75/268/ETY 3 artiklan 3 kohdan mukaisesti I. Mindre gynnade omraaden i enlighet med artikel 3.3 i direktiv 75/286/EEG

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II. Zonas desfavorecidas tal como se definen en el apartado 4 del artículo 3 de la Directiva 75/268/CEE II. Ugunstigt stillede omraader, jf. artikel 3, stk. 4, i direktiv 75/268/EOEF II. Benachteiligte Gebiete im Sinne von Artikel 3 Absatz 4 der Richtlinie 75/268/EWG II. ÌaaéïíaaêôéêÝò ðaañéï÷Ýò êáôUE ôçí Ýííïéá ôïõ UEñèñïõ 3 ðáñUEãñáoeïò 4 ôçò ïaeçãssáò 75/268/AAÏÊ II. Less-favoured areas within the meaning of Article 3 (4) of Directive 75/268/EEC II. Zones défavorisées au titre de l'article 3 paragraphe 4 de la directive 75/268/CEE II. Zone svantaggiate ai sensi dell'articolo 3, paragrafo 4 della direttiva 75/268/CEE II. Probleemgebieden in de zin van artikel 3, lid 4, van Richtlijn 75/268/EEG II. Zonas desfavorecidas na acepção do no. 4 do artigo 3o. da Directiva 75/268/CEE II. Epaesuotuisiksi maeaeritettyjae alueita direktiivin 75/268/ETY 3 artiklan 4 kohdan mukaisesti II. Mindre gynnade omraaden i enlighet med artikel 3.4 i direktiv 75/268/EEG

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III. Zonas desfavorecidas tal como se definen en el apartado 5 del artículo 3 de la Directiva 75/268/CEE III. Ugunstigt stillede omraader, jf. artikel 3, stk. 5, i direktiv 75/268/EOEF III. Benachteiligte Gebiete im Sinne von Artikel 3 Absatz 5 der Richtlinie 75/268/EWG III. ÌaaéïíaaêôéêÝò ðaañéï÷Ýò êáôUE ôçí Ýííïéá ôïõ UEñèñïõ 3 ðáñUEãñáoeïò 5 ôçò ïaeçãssáò 75/268/AAÏÊ III. Less-favoured areas within the meaning of Article 3 (5) of Directive 75/268/EEC III. Zones défavorisées au titre de l'article 3 paragraphe 5 de la directive 75/268/CEE III. Zone svantaggiate ai sensi dell'articolo 3, paragrafo 5 della direttiva 75/268/CEE III. Probleemgebieden in de zin van artikel 3, lid 5, van Richtlijn 75/268/EEG III. Zonas desfavorecidas na acepção do no. 5 do artigo 3o. da Directiva 75/268/CEE III. Epaesuotuisiksi maeaeritettyjae alueita direktiivin 75/268/ETY 3 artiklan 5 kohdan mukaisesti III. Mindre gynnade omraaden i enlighet med artikel 3.5 i direktiv 75/268/EEG

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