OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES , WHICH HAS SUBMITTED OBSERVATIONS TO THE COURT , ARE NOT RECOVERABLE . AS THESE PROCEEDINGS ARE , IN SO FAR AS THE PARTIES TO THE MAIN ACTION ARE CONCERNED , IN THE NATURE OF A STEP IN THE PROCEEDINGS BEFORE THE NATIONAL COURT , THE DECISION ON COSTS IS A MATTER FOR THAT COURT .
Operative part
ON THOSE GROUNDS ,
THE COURT ( FIRST CHAMBER ),
IN ANSWER TO THE QUESTION REFERRED TO IT BY THE TRIBUNALE AMMINISTRATIVO REGIONALE DELLA TOSCANA BY ORDER OF 23 JANUARY 1981 , HEREBY RULES :
ARTICLE 3 ( 1 ) OF COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 72/159/EEC OF 17 APRIL 1972 ON THE MODERNIZATION OF FARMS MUST BE INTERPRETED AS MEANING THAT MEMBER STATES , WHEN LAYING DOWN THE CRITERIA TO BE FULFILLED BY A PERSON OTHER THAN A NATURAL PERSON IN ORDER TO BE REGARDED AS A FARMER PRACTISING FARMING AS HIS MAIN OCCUPATION , ARE NOT PERMITTED TO EXCLUDE CERTAIN TYPES OF LEGAL PERSON FROM THE SCOPE OF THE DIRECTIVE SOLELY BY REASON OF THEIR LEGAL FORM .