Commission Regulation (EC) No 263/2006 of  15 February 2006  amending Regulations (EC) No 796/2004 and (EC) No 1973/2004 as regards nuts

16.2.2006 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 46/24
COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 263/2006
of 15 February 2006
amending Regulations (EC) No 796/2004 and (EC) No 1973/2004 as regards nuts
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 of 29 September 2003 establishing common rules for direct support schemes under the common agricultural policy and establishing certain support schemes for farmers and amending Regulations (EEC) No 2019/93, (EC) No 1452/2001, (EC) No 1453/2001, (EC) No 1454/2001, (EC) No 1868/94, (EC) No 1251/1999, (EC) No 1254/1999, (EC) No 1673/2000, (EEC) No 2358/71 and (EC) No 2529/2001 (1), and in particular Article 145(c), (l) and (m) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 introduced support arrangements for nuts to avoid the potential disappearance of nut production in traditional areas and the subsequent negative environmental, rural, social and economic consequences.
(2) Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 made the area payment conditional on minimum tree density and parcel size.
(3) In order to simplify the management of the area payment scheme for nuts, while complying with the eligibility conditions laid down by Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 and pursuing the objectives laid down by that Regulation, the conditions relating to the identification of agricultural parcels and the content of aid applications laid down in Commission Regulation (EC) No 796/2004 of 21 April 2004 laying down detailed rules for the implementation of cross-compliance, modulation and the integrated administration and control system provided for in of Council Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 establishing common rules for direct support schemes under the common agricultural policy and establishing certain support schemes for farmers (2), should be amended. Commission Regulation (EC) No 1973/2004 of 29 October 2004 laying down detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 as regards the support schemes provided for in Titles IV and IVa of that Regulation and the use of land set aside for the production of raw materials (3), concerning the conditions for the area payments for nuts, should also be amended.
(4) To adapt the control system to the standard control rate applicable to area payment schemes, the terms laid down in Regulation (EC) No 796/2004 should be amended.
(5) Regulations (EC) No 796/2004 and (EC) No 1973/2004 should therefore be amended accordingly.
(6) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Direct Payments,