Council Regulation (EEC) No 1400/86 of 6 May 1986 introducing a common measure for the encouragement of agriculture by improving the rearing of beef cattle in certain less-favoured areas of France

COUNCIL  REGULATION (EEC) No 1400/86
of 6 May 1986
introducing a common measure for the encouragement of agriculture by improving the rearing of beef cattle in certain less-favoured areas of France
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 (1), and in particular Article 18 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (2),
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (3),
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 referred to in Article 39 (1) (a) and (b) of the Treaty, special measures appropriate to the situation 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 areas of France within the meaning of Council Directive 75/271/EEC of 28 April 1975 concerning the list of less-favoured farming areas within the meaning of Directive 75/268/EEC (France) (4) as last amended by Decision 84/266/EEC (5), 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 the rearing of beef cattle;
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 herds 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 areas 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 landdevelopment measures;
Whereas costs can be reduced by the joint use of equipment for the management of woodlands;
Whereas rural infrastructure in these regions is extremely inadequate, particularly as regards farm roads and local roads; whereas the provision or improvement of such facilities is essential to the improvement of agricultural structures;
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 (6);
Whereas the achievement of these should be promoted by means of a measure combining these various elements and applied in the context of the programmes;
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 (1), as last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 870/85 (2);
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,