Council Regulation (EC) No 567/2004 of 22 March 2004 amending Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 on support for rural development from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF)

Council Regulation (EC) No 567/2004
of 22 March 2004
amending Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 on support for rural development from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to the Treaty concerning the accession of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia to the European Union(1), and in particular Article 2(3) thereof,
Having regard to the Act concerning the conditions of accession of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia(2), and in particular Article 57(2) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament,
Whereas:
(1) Chapter Va of Council Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 of 17 May 1999 on support for rural development from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF)(3) provides for a support measure to assist farmers meeting recently introduced binding standards.
(2) As a result of accession, farmers in the Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia must deal with a large number of new standards based on Community legislation which they have to respect from the date of accession or at the later date. It is essential to provide support to cover at least a part of the cost of investments required to meet those standards. Therefore, special derogations should be laid down for implementing the "meeting standards" measure in the new Member States.
(3) Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 should therefore be amended,