3.—(1) Regulation (EU) No 1698/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council on support for rural development by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) is amended as follows.
(2) In Article 39 (agri-environment payments), in paragraph 3, in the second sub-paragraph, for the words from “between five” to “of commitments” substitute “of at least three years. However, a commitment for a shorter period may be permitted where this is necessary and justified”.