Council Regulation (EEC) No 3156/87 of 19 October 1987 amending Regulation (EEC) No 1942/81 for the stimulation of agricultural development in the less-favoured areas of Northern Ireland

COUNCIL  REGULATION (EEC) No 3156/87
of 19 October 1987
amending Regulation (EEC) No 1942/81 for the stimulation of agricultural development in the less-favoured areas of Northern Ireland
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Articles 42 and 43 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (1),
Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (2),
Whereas pursuant to Council Regulation (EEC) No 1942/81 (3), as last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 3768/85 (4), the United Kingdom is implementing an agricultural development programme in the less-favoured areas of Northern Ireland to bring about a significant improvement in agricultural structures and in agricultural production possibilities in the areas concerned;
Whereas the programme has been reviewed after its first four years of implementation in accordance with Article 2 (4) of Regulation (EEC) No 1942/81;
Whereas Council Directive 84/169/EEC of 28 February 1984 concerning the Community list of less-favoured farming areas within the meaning of Directive 75/268/EEC (United Kingdom) (5), extended the less-favoured areas of Northern Ireland;
Whereas the real needs for works on farm roads and land improvement have been much greater than the provisions on which Regulation (EEC) No 1942/81 were based; whereas there is a particular need in the less-favoured areas of Northern Ireland to reinforce investment in this sector as an indispensable prerequisite for maintaining farming and enabling diversification in rural areas;
Whereas little use has been made of the aid for the orientation of agricultural production and the farm improvement plan has since been duplicated by the farm improvement plan under Council Regulation (EEC) No 797/85 (6), as last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 1760/87 (7); whereas this measure should be discontinued and replaced by a farm investment schedule aimed at smaller farmers encouraging higher livestock quality by improvement of winter feeding facilities and environmental protection by improvement of storage capacity for animal waste in order to reduce the risk of pollution from winter housing for livestock;
Whereas Northern Ireland is considered a priority for regional development and agriculture is a key element in the region; whereas in order to ensure the continuation of the development of the less-favoured areas of Northern Ireland, it is necessary to amend the measure and the limits of the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund contribution; whereas it is opportune to allow a certain flexibility in these limits at the discretion of the Commission without, however, increasing the overall cost of the common measure,