Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013 of the European Parliament and of the CouncilShow full title

Article 30 U.K. Natura 2000 and Water Framework Directive payments

1. Support under this measure shall be granted annually per hectare of agricultural area or per hectare of forest in order to compensate beneficiaries for additional costs and income foregone resulting from disadvantages in the areas concerned, related to the implementation of Directives 92/43/EEC and Directive 2009/147/EC and the Water Framework Directive.

When calculating support under this measure, Member States shall deduct the amount necessary in order to exclude double funding of the practices referred to in Article 43 of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013.

2. Support shall be granted to farmers and to private forest holders and associations of private forest holders. In duly justified cases it may also be granted to other land managers.

3. Support to farmers, linked to Directives 92/43/EEC and 2009/147/EC shall only be granted in relation to disadvantages resulting from requirements that go beyond the good agricultural and environmental condition provided for in Article 94 and Annex II of Council Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013 and the relevant criteria and minimum activities established pursuant to points (c)(ii) and (c)(iii) of Article 4(1) of point (c) of Article 4(1)of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013.

4. Support to farmers, linked to the Water Framework Directive shall only be granted in relation to specific requirements that:

(a) were introduced by the Water Framework Directive, are in accordance with the programmes of measures of the river basin management plans for the purpose of achieving the environmental objectives of that Directive and go beyond the measures required to implement other Union law for the protection of water;

(b) go beyond the statutory management requirements and the good agricultural and environmental condition provided for in Chapter I of Title VI of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013 and the relevant criteria and minimum activities as established pursuant to points (c)(ii) and (c)(iii) of Article 4(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013;

(c) go beyond the level of protection of the Union law existing at the time the Water Framework Directive was adopted as laid down in Article 4(9) of that Directive; and

(d) impose major changes in type of land use, and/or major restrictions in farming practice resulting in a significant loss of income.

5. The requirements referred to in paragraphs 3 and 4 shall be identified in the programme.

6. The following areas shall be eligible for payments:

(a) Natura 2000 agricultural and forest areas designated pursuant to Directives 92/43/EEC and 2009/147/EC;

(b) other delimited nature protection areas with environmental restrictions applicable to farming or forests which contribute to the implementation of Article 10 of Directive 92/43/EEC, provided that, per rural development programme, those areas do not exceed 5 % of the designated Natura 2000 areas covered by its territorial scope;

(c) agricultural areas included in river basin management plans according to the Water Framework Directive.

7. Support shall be limited to the maximum amounts laid down in Annex II.

8. In order to ensure that double funding, as referred to in the second subparagraph of paragraph 1 is excluded, the Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 83 laying down the calculation method to be used.