Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013 of the European Parliament and of the CouncilShow full title

TITLE III U.K. BASIC PAYMENT SCHEME, SINGLE AREA PAYMENT SCHEME AND RELATED PAYMENTS

CHAPTER 1 U.K. Basic payment scheme and single area payment scheme

Section 1 U.K. Setting up of the basic payment scheme

Article 21 U.K. Payment entitlements

1. Support under the basic payment scheme shall be available to farmers:

(a) who obtain payment entitlements under this Regulation through allocation pursuant to Article 20(4), through first allocation pursuant to Article 24 or Article 39, through allocation from the national reserve or regional reserves pursuant to Article 30 or through transfer pursuant to Article 34; or

(b) who comply with Article 9 and hold owned or leased-in payment entitlements in a Member State which has decided, in accordance with paragraph 3, to keep its existing payment entitlements.

2. Payment entitlements obtained under the single payment scheme in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 and with Regulation (EC) No 73/2009 shall expire on 31 December 2014.

3. By way of derogation from paragraph 2, Member States which established the single payment scheme in accordance with Section I of Chapter 5 of Title III or Chapter 6 of Title III of Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 or Chapter 3 of Title III of Regulation (EC) No 73/2009 may, by 1 August 2014, decide to keep the existing payment entitlements. They shall notify any such decision to the Commission by that date.

4. As regards Member States which take the decision referred to in paragraph 3, when the number of owned or leased-in payment entitlements established in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 and with Regulation (EC) No 73/2009 which a farmer holds on the final date for submission of applications to be set in accordance with point (b) of the first subparagraph of Article 78 of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013 exceeds the number of eligible hectares which the farmer declares in his aid application in accordance with point (a) of the first subparagraph of Article 72(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013 for 2015, and which are at his disposal on a date fixed by the Member State, which shall be no later than the date fixed in that Member State for amending such an aid application, the number of payment entitlements exceeding the number of eligible hectares shall expire on the latter date.

Article 22 U.K. Basic payment scheme ceiling

1. The Commission shall adopt implementing acts setting, for each Member State, the annual national ceiling for the basic payment scheme by deducting from the annual national ceiling set out in Annex II the ceilings fixed in accordance with Articles 42, 47, 49, 51 and 53. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 71(2).

2. For each Member State, the amount calculated in accordance with the paragraph 1 of this Article may be increased by a maximum of 3 % of the relevant annual national ceiling set out in Annex II after deduction of the amount resulting from the application of Article 47(1) for the relevant year. When a Member State applies such an increase, that increase shall be taken into account by the Commission when setting the annual national ceiling for the basic payment scheme pursuant to paragraph 1 of this Article. For that purpose, Member States shall notify the Commission by 1 August 2014 of the annual percentages by which the amount calculated pursuant to paragraph 1 of this Article is to be increased.

3. Member States may review their decision referred to in paragraph 2 on an annual basis and shall notify the Commission of any decision based on such review by 1 August of the year preceding its application.

4. For each Member State and each year, the total value of all payment entitlements and the national reserve or the regional reserves shall equal the respective annual national ceiling set by the Commission pursuant to paragraph 1.

5. If the ceiling for a Member State set by the Commission pursuant to paragraph 1 is different from that of the previous year as a result of any decision taken by that Member State in accordance with paragraph 3 of this Article, the third and fourth subparagraphs of Article 14(1), the third and fourth subparagraphs of Article 14(2), Article 42(1), the second subparagraph of Article 49(1), the second subparagraph of Article 51(1), or Article 53, that Member State shall linearly reduce or increase the value of all payment entitlements in order to ensure compliance with paragraph 4 of this Article.

Article 23 U.K. Regional allocation of the national ceilings

1. Member States may decide, by 1 August 2014, to apply the basic payment scheme at regional level. In such cases, they shall define the regions in accordance with objective and non-discriminatory criteria such as their agronomic and socio-economic characteristics, their regional agricultural potential, or their institutional or administrative structure.

Member States applying Article 36 may take the decision referred to in the first subparagraph by 1 August of the year preceding the first year of implementation of the basic payment scheme.

2. Member States shall divide the annual national ceiling for the basic payment scheme referred to in Article 22(1) between the regions in accordance with objective and non-discriminatory criteria.

Member States not applying Article 30(2) shall make that division after applying the linear reduction provided for in Article 30(1).

3. Member States may decide that the regional ceilings shall be subject to annual progressive modifications in accordance with pre-established annual steps and objective and non-discriminatory criteria such as agricultural potential or environmental criteria.

4. To the extent necessary to respect the applicable regional ceilings determined in accordance with paragraph 2 or 3, Member States shall make a linear reduction or increase in the value of the payment entitlements in each of the relevant regions.

5. Member States applying paragraph 1 may decide to cease the application of the basic payment scheme at regional level from a date to be set by them.

6. Member States applying the first subparagraph of paragraph 1 shall notify the Commission of the decision referred to in that subparagraph and of the measures taken for the application of paragraphs 2 and 3 by 1 August 2014.

Member States applying the second subparagraph of paragraph 1 shall notify the Commission of any decision referred to in that subparagraph and of the measures taken for the application of paragraphs 2 and 3 by 1 August of the relevant year.

Member States applying paragraph 1 shall notify the Commission of any decision referred to in paragraph 5 by 1 August of the year preceding the first year of implementation of that decision.

Article 24 U.K. First allocation of payment entitlements

1. Payment entitlements shall be allocated to farmers who are entitled to be granted direct payments in accordance with Article 9 of this Regulation provided that:

(a) they apply for allocation of payment entitlements under the basic payment scheme by the final date for submission of applications in 2015 to be set in accordance with point (b) of the first subparagraph of Article 78 of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013, except in case of force majeure or exceptional circumstances; and

(b) they were entitled to receive payments, before any reduction or exclusion provided for in Chapter 4 of Title II of Regulation (EC) No 73/2009, in respect of an aid application for direct payments, for transitional national aid or for complementary national direct payments in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 73/2009 for 2013.

The first subparagraph shall not apply in Member States applying Article 21(3) of this Regulation.

Member States may allocate payment entitlements to farmers who are entitled to be granted direct payments in accordance with Article 9 of this Regulation, who fulfil the condition provided for in point (a) of the first subparagraph and who:

(a) did not receive payments for 2013 in respect of an aid application as referred to in the first subparagraph of this paragraph and who, on the date fixed by the Member State concerned in accordance with Article 11(2) of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1122/2009(1) for the claim year 2013:

(i)

in Member States applying the single payment scheme:

• were producing fruits, vegetables, ware potatoes, seed potatoes or ornamental plants, and did so on a minimum area expressed in hectares if the Member State concerned decides to adopt such a requirement, or

• were cultivating vineyards; or

(ii)

in Member States applying the single area payment scheme, had only agricultural land that was not in good agricultural condition on 30 June 2003 as provided for in Article 124(1) of Regulation (EC) No 73/2009;

(b) in 2014, are allocated payment entitlements from the national reserve under the single payment scheme pursuant to Article 41 or 57 of Regulation (EC) No 73/2009; or

(c) never held owned or leased-in payment entitlements established under Regulation (EC) No 73/2009 or Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 and who submit verifiable evidence that, on the date fixed by the Member State in accordance with Article 11(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1122/2009 for the claim year 2013, they produced, reared or grew agricultural products, including through harvesting, milking, breeding animals and keeping animals for farming purposes. Member States may establish their own additional objective and non-discriminatory eligibility criteria for this category of farmers as regards appropriate skills, experience or education.

2. Except in the case of force majeure or exceptional circumstances, the number of payment entitlements allocated per farmer in 2015 shall be equal to the number of eligible hectares, which the farmer declares in his aid application in accordance with point (a) of the first subparagraph of Article 72(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013 for 2015 and which are at his disposal on a date fixed by the Member State. That date shall be no later than the date fixed in that Member State for amending such an aid application.

3. Member States may apply one or more of the limitations, as set out in paragraphs 4 to 7, on the number of payment entitlements to be allocated under paragraph 2.

4. Member States may decide that the number of payment entitlements to be allocated shall be equal to either the number of eligible hectares which the farmer declared in accordance with Article 34(2) of Regulation (EC) No 73/2009 in 2013, or the number of eligible hectares referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article, whichever is the lowest. For Croatia, the use of this option shall be without prejudice to the allocation of payment entitlements for de–mined hectares in accordance with Article 20(4) of this Regulation.

5. Where the total number of eligible hectares referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article declared in a Member State would result in an increase of more than 35 % of the total number of eligible hectares declared in accordance with Article 35 of Regulation (EC) No 73/2009 in 2009, or in the case of Croatia in 2013, Member States may limit the number of payment entitlements to be allocated in 2015 to a minimum of either 135 % or 145 % of the total number of eligible hectares declared in 2009, or, in the case of Croatia, of the total number of eligible hectares declared in 2013, in accordance with Article 35 of Regulation (EC) No 73/2009.

When using this option, Member States shall allocate a reduced number of payment entitlements to farmers. That number shall be calculated by applying a proportional reduction to the additional number of eligible hectares declared by each farmer in 2015 compared to the number of eligible hectares within the meaning of Article 34(2) of Regulation (EC) No 73/2009 that that farmer declared in his aid application in 2011 or, in the case of Croatia, in 2013, without prejudice to the de-mined hectares for which payment entitlements are to be allocated in accordance with Article 20(4) of this Regulation.

6. Member States may decide to apply, for the purposes of establishing the number of payment entitlements to be allocated to a farmer, a reduction coefficient to those eligible hectares referred to in paragraph 2 which consist of permanent grassland located in areas with difficult climate conditions, especially due to their altitude and other natural constraints such as poor soil quality, steepness and water supply.

7. Member States may decide that the number of payment entitlements to be allocated to a farmer shall be equal to the number of eligible hectares referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article which were not hectares of vineyards on the date fixed by the Member State in accordance with Article 11(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1122/2009 for the claim year 2013 or hectares of arable land under permanent greenhouses.

8. In the case of the sale or lease of their holding or part of it, natural or legal persons complying with paragraph 1 of this Article may, by contract signed before the final date for submitting applications in 2015 to be set in accordance with point (b) of the first subparagraph of Article 78 of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013, transfer the right to receive payment entitlements in accordance with paragraph 1 of this Article to one or more farmers provided that the latter comply with the conditions laid down in Article 9 of this Regulation.

9. A Member State may decide to fix a minimum size per holding, expressed in eligible hectares, in respect of which the farmer may apply for an allocation of payment entitlements. That minimum size shall not exceed the threshold set out in point (b) of Article 10(1) in conjunction with paragraph 2 of that Article.

10. Member States shall, where relevant, notify the Commission of the decisions referred to in this Article by 1 August 2014.

11. The Commission shall adopt implementing acts laying down rules on applications for the allocation of payment entitlements submitted in the year of allocation of payment entitlements where those payment entitlements may not yet be definitively established and where that allocation is affected by specific circumstances. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 71(2).

Article 25 U.K. Value of payment entitlements and convergence

1. In 2015, Member States shall calculate the unit value of payment entitlements by dividing a fixed percentage of the national ceiling set out in Annex II for each relevant year by the number of payment entitlements in 2015 at national or regional level, excluding those allocated from the national reserve or regional reserves in 2015.

The fixed percentage referred to in the first subparagraph shall be calculated by dividing the national or regional ceiling for the basic payment scheme to be set in accordance with, respectively, Article 22(1) or Article 23(2) of this Regulation for 2015, after applying the linear reduction provided for in paragraph 1 or, where applicable, paragraph 2 of Article 30, by the national ceiling for 2015 set out in Annex II. The payment entitlements shall be expressed in a number that corresponds to a number of hectares.

2. By way of derogation from the calculation method referred to in paragraph 1, Member States may decide to differentiate the value of payment entitlements in 2015, excluding those allocated from the national reserve or regional reserves in 2015, for each relevant year on the basis of their initial unit value as calculated in accordance with Article 26.

3. From claim year 2019 at the latest, all payment entitlements in a Member State or, where Article 23 is applied, in a region shall have a uniform unit value.

4. By way of derogation from paragraph 3, a Member State may decide that payment entitlements with an initial unit value as calculated in accordance with Article 26 that is lower than 90 % of the national or regional unit value in 2019 shall, for claim year 2019 at the latest, have their unit value increased by at least one third of the difference between their initial unit value and 90 % of the national or regional unit value in 2019.

Member States may decide to set the percentage referred to in the first subparagraph at a level higher than 90 % but not above 100 %.

In addition, Member States shall provide that, at the latest for claim year 2019, no payment entitlement shall have a unit value lower than 60 % of the national or regional unit value in 2019, unless this would, in Member States applying the threshold referred to in paragraph 7, result in a maximum decrease exceeding that threshold. In such cases, the minimum unit value shall be set at a level necessary to respect that threshold.

5. The national or regional unit value in 2019 referred to in the paragraph 4 shall be calculated by dividing a fixed percentage of the national ceiling set out in Annex II, or of the regional ceiling, for calendar year 2019 by the number of payment entitlements in 2015 in the Member State or region concerned, excluding those allocated from the national reserve or regional reserves in 2015. That fixed percentage shall be calculated by dividing the national or regional ceiling for the basic payment scheme to be set in accordance with, respectively, Article 22(1) or Article 23(2) for the year 2015, after applying the linear reduction provided for in paragraph 1 or, where applicable, paragraph 2 of Article 30, by the national ceiling set out in Annex II, or the regional ceiling, for 2015.

6. The regional ceilings referred to in the paragraph 5 shall be calculated by applying a fixed percentage to the national ceiling set out in Annex II for the year 2019. That fixed percentage shall be calculated by dividing the respective regional ceilings established in accordance with Article 23(2) for the year 2015 by the national ceiling to be set in accordance with Article 22(1) for the year 2015, after applying the linear reduction provided for in Article 30(1) where the second subparagraph of Article 23(2) applies.

7. In order to finance the increases in the value of payment entitlements referred to in paragraph 4, where payment entitlements have an initial unit value higher than the national or regional unit value in 2019, the difference between their initial unit value and the national or regional unit value in 2019 shall be decreased on the basis of objective and non-discriminative criteria to be determined by Member States. Such criteria may include the fixing of a maximum decrease of the initial unit value of 30 %.

8. When applying paragraph 2 of this Article, the transition from the initial unit value of payment entitlements as calculated in accordance with Article 26 to their final unit value in 2019 as established in accordance with paragraph 3 or paragraphs 4 to 7 of this Article shall be made in equal steps starting from 2015.

In order to ensure compliance with the fixed percentage referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article for each year, the value of the payment entitlements with an initial unit value that is higher than the national or regional unit value in 2019 shall be adjusted.

9. By way of derogation from paragraph 8 of this Article, where Member States which, in accordance with Article 21(3), decide to keep their existing entitlements apply paragraph 2 of this Article, the transition from the initial unit value of payment entitlements as established in accordance with Article 26(5) to their final unit value in 2019 as established in accordance with paragraph 3 or paragraphs 4 to 7 of this Article shall, where applicable, be made by applying the steps decided nationally in accordance with Article 63(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003.

In order to ensure compliance with the fixed percentage referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article for each year, the value of all payment entitlements shall be linearly adjusted.

10. In 2015, Member States shall inform farmers of the value of their payment entitlements as calculated in accordance with this Article and Articles 26 and 27 for each year of the period covered by this Regulation.

Article 26 U.K. Calculation of the initial unit value

1. The initial unit value of payment entitlements referred to in Article 25(2) in Member States which apply the single payment scheme in calendar year 2014 and which have not decided to keep their existing payment entitlements in accordance with Article 21(3) shall be set in accordance with either of the methods set out in paragraphs 2 or 3.

2. A fixed percentage of the payments the farmer received for 2014 under the single payment scheme, in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 73/2009, before reductions and exclusions provided for in Chapter 4 of Title II of that Regulation, shall be divided by the number of payment entitlements he is allocated in 2015, excluding those allocated from the national reserve or regional reserves in 2015.

That fixed percentage shall be calculated by dividing the national or regional ceiling for the basic payment scheme to be set in accordance with, respectively, Article 22(1) or Article 23(2) of this Regulation for the year 2015, after applying the linear reduction provided for in paragraph 1 or, where applicable, paragraph 2 of Article 30 of this Regulation, by the amount of the payments for 2014 under the single payment scheme in the Member State or region concerned, before reductions and exclusions provided for in Chapter 4 of Title II of Regulation (EC) No 73/2009.

3. A fixed percentage of the value of the entitlements, including special entitlements, which the farmer held on the date of submission of his application for 2014 under the single payment scheme, in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 73/2009, shall be divided by the number of payment entitlements he is allocated in 2015, excluding those allocated from the national reserve or regional reserves in 2015.

That fixed percentage shall be calculated by dividing the national or regional ceiling for the basic payment scheme to be set in accordance with, respectively, Article 22(1) or Article 23(2) of this Regulation for the year 2015, after applying the linear reduction provided for in paragraph 1 or, where applicable, paragraph 2 of Article 30 of this Regulation, by the total value of all entitlements, including special entitlements, in the Member State or region concerned for 2014, under the single payment scheme.

For the purpose of this paragraph, a farmer shall be considered to hold payment entitlements on the date of submission of his application for 2014 where payment entitlements were allocated or definitively transferred to him by that date.

4. Member States which apply the single area payment scheme in calendar year 2014 shall calculate the initial unit value of payment entitlements referred to in Article 25(2) of this Regulation by dividing a fixed percentage of the total value of aid the farmer received for 2014 under the single area payment scheme in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 73/2009 and under Articles 132 and 133a of that Regulation, before reductions and exclusions provided for in Chapter 4 of Title II of that Regulation, by the number of payment entitlements he is allocated in 2015, excluding those allocated from the national reserve or regional reserves in 2015.

That fixed percentage shall be calculated by dividing the national or regional ceiling for the basic payment scheme to be set in accordance with, respectively, Article 22(1) or Article 23(2) of this Regulation for the year 2015, after applying the linear reduction provided for in paragraph 1 or, where applicable, paragraph 2 of Article 30 of this Regulation, by the total value of aid granted under the single area payment scheme in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 73/2009 and under Articles 132 and 133a of that Regulation for 2014 in the Member State or region concerned, before reductions and exclusions provided for in Chapter 4 of Title II of that Regulation.

5. Member States which apply the single payment scheme in calendar year 2014 and which, in accordance with Article 21(3) of this Regulation, decide to keep their existing payment entitlements shall calculate the initial unit value of payment entitlements referred to in Article 25(2) of this Regulation by multiplying the unit value of the entitlements by a fixed percentage. That fixed percentage shall be calculated by dividing the national or regional ceiling for the basic payment scheme to be set in accordance with, respectively, Article 22(1) or Article 23(2) of this Regulation for the year 2015, after applying the linear reduction provided for in paragraph 1 or, where applicable, paragraph 2 of Article 30 of this Regulation, by the amount of the payments for 2014 under the single payment scheme in the Member State or region concerned, before reductions and exclusions provided for in Chapter 4 of Title II of Regulation (EC) No 73/2009.

6. For the purposes of calculation methods provided for in this Article, provided that the relevant sectors do not receive any voluntary coupled support pursuant to Title IV of this Regulation, Member States may also take into account the support granted for calendar year 2014 under one or more of the schemes pursuant to Article 52, Article 53(1) and points (a) and (b) of Article 68(1) of Regulation (EC) No 73/2009 and, as regards Member States which applied the single area payment scheme in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 73/2009, pursuant to point (c) of Article 68(1) and Articles 126, 127 and 129 of that Regulation.

Member States which decide to apply the voluntary coupled support pursuant to Title IV of this Regulation may take into account the differences between the level of support granted in calendar year 2014 and the level of support to be granted in accordance with Title IV of this Regulation when applying a calculation method provided for in this Article, provided that:

(a) the voluntary coupled support pursuant to Title IV of this Regulation is granted to a sector which was granted support in calendar year 2014 pursuant to Article 52, Article 53(1) and points (a) and (b) of Article 68(1) and, for Member States which applied the single area payment scheme, pursuant to point (c) of Article 68(1) and Articles 126, 127 and 129 of Regulation (EC) No 73/2009; and

(b) the amount per unit of the voluntary coupled support is lower than the amount per unit of the support in 2014.

Article 27 U.K. Inclusion of the special national de-mining reserve

For Croatia, any reference in Articles 25 and 26 to the national reserve shall be read as including the special national de-mining reserve referred to in Article 20.

In addition, the amount arising from the special national de-mining reserve shall be deducted from the ceilings of the basic payment scheme referred to in the second subparagraph of Article 25(1), in paragraphs 5 and 6 of that Article and in Article 26.

Article 28 U.K. Windfall profit

For the purposes of Article 25(4) to (7) and Article 26, a Member State may, on the basis of objective criteria, provide that, in cases of sale or grant or expiry of all or part of a lease of agricultural areas after the date fixed pursuant to Article 35 or Article 124(2) of Regulation (EC) No 73/2009 and before the date fixed pursuant to Article 33(1) of this Regulation, the increase, or part of the increase, in the value of payment entitlements that would be allocated to the farmer concerned is to revert to the national reserve or regional reserves where the increase would lead to a windfall profit for the farmer concerned.

Those objective criteria shall be established in such a way as to ensure the equal treatment of farmers and to avoid distortions of the market and of competition and shall include, at least, the following:

(a)

a minimum duration for the lease; and

(b)

the proportion of the payment received which shall revert to the national reserve or regional reserves.

Article 29 U.K. Notifications concerning the value of payment entitlements and convergence

Member States shall notify the Commission of any decision referred to in Articles 25, 26 and 28 by 1 August 2014.

Section 2 U.K. National reserve and regional reserves

Article 30 U.K. Establishment and use of the national reserve or regional reserves

1. Each Member State shall establish a national reserve. In order to do so, Member States shall proceed, in the first year of implementation of the basic payment scheme, to a linear percentage reduction of the basic payment scheme ceiling at national level.

2. By way of derogation from paragraph 1, Member States exercising the option in Article 23(1) may establish regional reserves. In order to do so, Member States shall proceed, in the first year of implementation of the basic payment scheme, to a linear percentage reduction of the relevant basic payment scheme ceiling at regional level referred to in the first subparagraph of Article 23(2).

3. The reduction referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 shall not be higher than 3 %, unless a higher percentage is required to cover any allocation needs pursuant to paragraph 6 or to points (a) and (b) of paragraph 7 for the year 2015 or, for Member States applying Article 36, for the first year of implementation of the basic payment scheme.

4. Member States shall allocate payment entitlements from their national or regional reserves in accordance with objective criteria and in such a way as to ensure the equal treatment of farmers and to avoid distortions of the market and of competition.

5. Payment entitlements referred to in paragraph 4 shall only be allocated to farmers entitled to be granted direct payments in accordance with Article 9.

6. Member States shall use their national or regional reserves to allocate payment entitlements, as a matter of priority, to young farmers and to farmers commencing their agricultural activity.

7. Member States may use their national or regional reserves to:

(a) allocate payment entitlements to farmers in order to prevent land from being abandoned, including in areas subject to restructuring or development programmes relating to a form of public intervention;

(b) allocate payment entitlements to farmers in order to compensate them for specific disadvantages;

(c) allocate payment entitlements to farmers who were prevented from being allocated payment entitlements under this Chapter as a result of force majeure or exceptional circumstances;

(d) allocate, in cases where they apply Article 21(3) of this Regulation, payment entitlements to farmers whose number of eligible hectares that they declared in 2015 in accordance with point (a) of the first subparagraph of Article 72(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013 and that are at their disposal on a date fixed by the Member State, which shall be no later than the date fixed in that Member State for amending such an aid application, is higher than the number of owned or leased-in payment entitlements established in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 and with Regulation (EC) No 73/2009 that they hold on the final date for submission of applications to be set in accordance with point (b) of the first subparagraph of Article 78 of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013;

(e) linearly increase, on a permanent basis, the value of all payment entitlements under the basic payment scheme at national or regional level if the relevant national or regional reserve exceeds 0,5 % of the annual national or regional ceiling for the basic payment scheme, provided that sufficient amounts remain available for allocations under paragraph 6, under points (a) and (b) of this paragraph and under paragraph 9 of this Article;

(f) cover the yearly needs for payments to be granted in accordance with Article 51(2) and Article 65(1), (2) and (3) of this Regulation.

For the purpose of this paragraph, Member States shall decide on the priorities between the different uses referred to herein.

8. When applying paragraph 6 and points (a), (b) and (d) of paragraph 7, Member States shall fix the value of payment entitlements allocated to farmers at the national or regional average value of payment entitlements in the year of allocation.

The national or regional average value shall be calculated by dividing the national or regional ceiling for the basic payment scheme set in accordance with, respectively, Article 22(1) or Article 23(2) for the year of allocation, excluding the amount of the national reserve or regional reserves and, in the case of Croatia, the special de-mining reserve, by the number of allocated payment entitlements.

Member States shall fix the steps for annual progressive modifications of the value of payment entitlements allocated from the national reserve or regional reserves, taking account of the modifications of the national or regional ceiling for the basic payment scheme set in accordance with, respectively, Article 22(1) and Article 23(2) that result from the variations in the level of the national ceilings set out in Annex II.

9. Where a farmer is entitled to receive payment entitlements or to increase the value of the existing ones by virtue of a definitive court ruling or by virtue of a definitive administrative act of the competent authority of a Member State, the farmer shall receive the number and value of payment entitlements established in that ruling or act at a date to be fixed by the Member State. However, that date shall not be later than the latest date for lodging an application under the basic payment scheme following the date of the court ruling or the administrative act, taking into account the application of Articles 32 and 33.

10. When applying paragraph 6, points (a) and (b) of paragraph 7 and paragraph 9, Member States may either allocate new entitlements or increase the unit value of all of the existing entitlements of a farmer up to the national or regional average value.

11. For the purposes of this Article, the following definitions shall apply:

(a) 'young farmers' means farmers fulfilling the conditions laid down in Article 50(2) and, where relevant, the conditions referred to in Article 50(3) and (11);

(b) 'farmers commencing their agricultural activity' means natural or legal persons who, in the five years preceding the start of the agricultural activity, did not have any agricultural activity in their own name and at their own risk or did not have the control of a legal person exercising an agricultural activity. In the case of a legal person, the natural person or persons in control of the legal person must not have had any agricultural activity in their own name and at their own risk or must not have had the control of a legal person exercising an agricultural activity in the five years preceding the start of the agricultural activity by the legal person; Member States may establish their own additional objective and non-discriminative eligibility criteria for this category of farmers as regards appropriate skills, experience or education.

Article 31 U.K. Replenishment of the national reserve or regional reserves

1. The national reserve or regional reserves shall be replenished by amounts resulting from:

(a) payment entitlements not giving right to payments during two consecutive years due to the application of:

(i)

Article 9,

(ii)

Article 10(1), or

(iii)

Article 11(4) of this Regulation;

(b) a number of payment entitlements equivalent to the total number of payment entitlements which have not been activated by farmers in accordance with Article 32 of this Regulation for a period of two consecutive years, except where their activation has been prevented by force majeure or exceptional circumstances; when establishing the owned or leased-in payment entitlements held by a farmer that shall revert to the national reserve or regional reserves, priority shall be given to those entitlements which have the lowest value;

(c) payment entitlements voluntarily returned by farmers;

(d) the application of Article 28 of this Regulation;

(e) unduly allocated payment entitlements in accordance with Article 63 of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013;

(f) a linear reduction of the value of payment entitlements under the basic payment scheme at national or regional level where the national reserve or regional reserves are not sufficient to cover the cases referred to in Article 30(9) of this Regulation;

(g) where Member States consider it necessary, a linear reduction of the value of payment entitlements under the basic payment scheme at national or regional level to cover cases referred to in Article 30(6) of this Regulation;

(h) the application of Article 34(4) of this Regulation.

2. The Commission shall adopt implementing acts laying down necessary measures regarding the reversion of non-activated payment entitlements to the national reserve or regional reserves. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 71(2).

Section 3 U.K. Implementation of the basic payment scheme

Article 32 U.K. Activation of payment entitlements

1. Support under the basic payment scheme shall be granted to farmers, by means of declaration in accordance with Article 33(1), upon activation of a payment entitlement per eligible hectare in the Member State where it has been allocated. Activated payment entitlements shall give a right to the annual payment of the amounts fixed therein, without prejudice to the application of financial discipline, of reduction of payments in accordance with Article 11 and of linear reductions in accordance with Article 7, Article 51(2) and point (c) of Article 65(2) of this Regulation, and to the application of Article 63 of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013.

2. For the purposes of this Title, 'eligible hectare' means:

(a) any agricultural area of the holding, including areas that were not in good agricultural condition on 30 June 2003 in Member States acceding to the Union on 1 May 2004 that opted upon accession to apply the single area payment scheme, that is used for an agricultural activity or, where the area is also used for non-agricultural activities, is predominantly used for agricultural activities; or

(b) any area which gave a right to payments in 2008 under the single payment scheme or the single area payment scheme laid down, respectively, in Titles III and IVA of Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003, and which:

(i)

no longer complies with the definition of 'eligible hectare' under point (a) as a result of the implementation of Directive 92/43/EEC, Directive 2000/60/EC and Directive 2009/147/EC;

(ii)

for the duration of the relevant commitment by the individual farmer, is afforested pursuant to Article 31 of Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 or to Article 43 of Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005 or to Article 22 of Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013 or under a national scheme the conditions of which comply with Article 43(1), (2) and (3) of Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005 or Article 22 of Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013; or

(iii)

for the duration of the relevant commitment of the individual farmer, is set aside pursuant to Articles 22, 23 and 24 of Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999, to Article 39 of Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005 or to Article 28 of Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013.

3. For the purposes of point (a) of paragraph 2:

(a) where an agricultural area of a holding is also used for non-agricultural activities, that area shall be considered to be used predominantly for agricultural activities provided that those agricultural activities can be exercised without being significantly hampered by the intensity, nature, duration and timing of the non-agricultural activities;

(b) Member States may draw up a list of areas which are predominantly used for non-agricultural activities.

Member States shall establish criteria for the implementation of this paragraph on their territory.

4. Areas shall be considered to be eligible hectares only if they comply with the definition of eligible hectare throughout the calendar year, except in the case of force majeure or exceptional circumstances.

5. For the purposes of determining 'eligible hectare', Member States having taken the decision referred to in the second subparagraph of Article 4(2) may apply a reduction coefficient to convert the hectares concerned into 'eligible hectares'.

6. Areas used for the production of hemp shall only be eligible hectares if the varieties used have a tetrahydrocannabinol content not exceeding 0,2 %.

Article 33 U.K. Declaration of eligible hectares

1. For the purposes of the activation of payment entitlements provided for in Article 32(1), the farmer shall declare the parcels corresponding to the eligible hectares accompanying any payment entitlement. Except in the case of force majeure or exceptional circumstances, the parcels declared shall be at the farmer's disposal on a date fixed by the Member State, which shall be no later than the date fixed in that Member State for amending the aid application as referred to in Article 72(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013.

2. Member States may, in duly justified circumstances, authorise the farmer to modify his declaration provided that he maintains at least the number of hectares corresponding to his payment entitlements and respects the conditions for granting the payment under the basic payment scheme for the area concerned.

Article 34 U.K. Transfer of payment entitlements

1. Payment entitlements may be transferred only to a farmer entitled to be granted direct payments in accordance with Article 9 established in the same Member State, except in the case of transfer by actual or anticipated inheritance.

Payment entitlements, including in the case of actual or anticipated inheritance, may be activated only in the Member State where they were allocated.

2. Where Member States exercise the option in Article 23(1), payment entitlements may be transferred or activated only within the same region, except in the case of actual or anticipated inheritance.

Payment entitlements, including in the case of actual or anticipated inheritance, may be activated only in the region where they were allocated.

3. Member States not exercising the option in Article 23(1) may decide that payment entitlements may be transferred or activated only within the same region, except in the case of actual or anticipated inheritance.

Such regions shall be defined at the appropriate territorial level in accordance with objective criteria and in a way that ensures the equal treatment of farmers and avoids distortions of the market and of competition.

4. Where payment entitlements are transferred without land, Member States may, acting in compliance with the general principles of Union law, decide that a part of the payment entitlements transferred are to revert to the national reserve or regional reserves or that their unit value is to be reduced in favour of the national reserve or regional reserves. Such reduction may be applied to one or more types of transfer.

5. The Commission shall adopt implementing acts laying down detailed rules governing the notification by farmers of transfer of payment entitlements to the national authorities and the deadlines within which such notification is to take place. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 71(2).

Article 35 U.K. Delegated powers

1. In order to ensure legal certainty and to clarify the specific situations that may arise in the application of the basic payment scheme, the Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 70 concerning:

(a) rules on eligibility and access in respect of the basic payment scheme of farmers in the case of inheritance and anticipated inheritance, inheritance under a lease, change of legal status or denomination, transfer of payment entitlements, merger or scission of the holding, and the application of the contract clause referred to in Article 24(8);

(b) rules on the calculation of the value and number or on the increase or reduction in the value of payment entitlements in relation to the allocation of payment entitlements under any provision of this Title, including rules:

(i)

on the possibility of a provisional value and number or of a provisional increase of payment entitlements allocated on the basis of the application from the farmer,

(ii)

on the conditions for establishing the provisional and definitive value and number of the payment entitlements,

(iii)

on the cases where a sale or lease contract may affect the allocation of payment entitlements;

(c) rules on the establishment and calculation of the value and number of payment entitlements received from the national reserve or regional reserves;

(d) rules on the modification of the unit value of payment entitlements in the case of fractions of payment entitlements and in the case of transfer of payment entitlements referred to in Article 34(4);

(e) criteria for applying options under points (a), (b) and (c) of the third subparagraph of Article 24(1);

(f) criteria for applying limitations on the number of payment entitlements to be allocated in accordance with Article 24(4) to (7);

(g) criteria for the allocation of payment entitlements pursuant to Article 30(6) and (7);

(h) criteria for setting the reduction coefficient referred to in Article 32(5).

2. In order to ensure the proper management of payment entitlements, the Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 70 laying down rules on the content of the declaration and the requirements for the activation of payment entitlements.

3. In order to preserve public health, the Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 70 laying down rules making the granting of payments conditional upon the use of certified seeds of certain hemp varieties and the procedure for the determination of hemp varieties and the verification of their tetrahydrocannabinol content referred to in Article 32(6).

Section 4 U.K. Single area payment scheme

Article 36 U.K. Single area payment scheme

1. Member States applying in 2014 the single area payment scheme laid down in Chapter 2 of Title V of Regulation (EC) No 73/2009 may, under the conditions set out in this Regulation, decide to continue to apply that scheme until 31 December 2020 at the latest. They shall notify the Commission of their decision and of the end date of the application of that scheme by 1 August 2014.

During the period of application of the single area payment scheme, Sections 1, 2 and 3 of this Chapter shall not apply to those Member States, with the exception of the second subparagraph of Article 23(1), Article 23(6) as well as Article 32(2) to (6).

2. The single area payment shall be granted on an annual basis for each eligible hectare declared by the farmer in accordance with point (a) of the first subparagraph of Article 72(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013. It shall be calculated each year by dividing the annual financial envelope established in accordance with paragraph 4 of this Article by the total number of eligible hectares declared in the Member State concerned in accordance with point (a) of the first subparagraph of Article 72(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013.

3. By way of derogation from paragraph 2 of this Article, Member States that decide to apply Article 38 of this Regulation from 1 January 2018 at the latest may use, for the period during which they apply this Article, up to 20 % of the annual financial envelope referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article to differentiate the single area payment per hectare.

When doing so, they shall take into account the support granted for calendar year 2014 under one or more of the schemes pursuant to points (a), (b) and (c) of Article 68(1) and Articles 126, 127 and 129 of Regulation (EC) No 73/2009.

Cyprus may differentiate the aid taking into account the sector-specific financial envelopes set out in Annex XVIIa of Regulation (EC) No 73/2009, reduced by any aid granted to the same sector pursuant to Article 37 of this Regulation.

4. The Commission shall adopt implementing acts setting, for each Member State, the annual national ceiling for the single area payment scheme by deducting from the annual national ceiling set out in Annex II the ceilings fixed in accordance with Articles 42, 47, 49, 51 and 53. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 71(2).

5. Except in the case of force majeure or exceptional circumstances, the hectares referred to in paragraph 2 shall be at the farmer's disposal on a date fixed by the Member State, which shall be no later than the date fixed in that Member State for amendment of the aid application referred to in Article 72(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013.

6. The Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 70 concerning rules on eligibility and the access of farmers to the single area payment scheme.

Article 37 U.K. Transitional national aid

1. Member States applying the single area payment scheme in accordance with Article 36 may decide to grant transitional national aid in the period 2015-2020.

2. Transitional national aid may be granted to farmers in sectors in respect of which this aid or, in the case of Bulgaria and Romania, complementary national direct payments were granted in 2013.

3. The conditions for granting transitional national aid shall be identical to those authorised for the granting of payments pursuant to Article 132(7) or Article 133a of Regulation (EC) No 73/2009 in respect of 2013, with the exception of the reduction of the payments resulting from the application of Article 132(2) in conjunction with Articles 7 and 10 of that Regulation.

4. The total amount of transitional national aid that may be granted to farmers in any of the sectors referred to in paragraph 2 shall be limited to the following percentage of the sector-specific financial envelopes authorised by the Commission in accordance with Article 132(7) or Article 133a(5) of Regulation (EC) No 73/2009 in 2013:

• 75 % in 2015,

• 70 % in 2016,

• 65 % in 2017,

• 60 % in 2018,

• 55 % in 2019,

• 50 % in 2020.

For Cyprus, the percentage shall be calculated on the basis of the sector-specific financial envelopes set out in Annex XVIIa to Regulation (EC) No 73/2009.

5. Paragraphs 2 and 3 shall not apply to Cyprus.

6. Member States shall notify any decision referred to in paragraph 1 to the Commission by 31 March of each year. The notification shall include the following information:

(a) the sector-specific financial envelope;

(b) the maximum rate of transitional national aid, where appropriate.

7. Member States may decide, on the basis of objective criteria and within the limits set out in paragraph 4, on the amounts of transitional national aid to be granted.

Section 5 U.K. Implementation of the basic payment scheme in the member states having applied the single area payment scheme

Article 38 U.K. Introduction of the basic payment scheme in the Member States having applied the single area payment scheme

Save as otherwise provided for in this Section, this Title shall apply to the Member States having applied the single area payment scheme provided for in Section 4 of this Chapter.

Articles 24 to 29 shall not apply to those Member States.

Article 39 U.K. First allocation of payment entitlements

1. Payment entitlements shall be allocated to farmers who are entitled to be granted direct payments in accordance with Article 9 of this Regulation provided that:

(a) they apply for allocation of payment entitlements under the basic payment scheme by a final date for submission of applications to be set in accordance with point (b) of the first subparagraph of Article 78 of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013 in the first year of implementation of the basic payment scheme, except in case of force majeure or exceptional circumstances; and

(b) they were entitled to receive payments, before any reduction or exclusion provided for in Chapter 4 of Title II of Regulation (EC) No 73/2009, in respect of an aid application for direct payments, for transitional national aid or for complementary national direct payments in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 73/2009 for 2013.

Member States may allocate payment entitlements to farmers who are entitled to be granted direct payments in accordance with Article 9 of this Regulation, who fulfil the condition provided for in point (a) of the first subparagraph, who did not receive payments for 2013 in respect of an aid application referred to in point (b) of the first subparagraph of this paragraph and who, on the date fixed by the Member State concerned in accordance with Article 11(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1122/2009 for the claim year 2013, had only agricultural land that was not in good agricultural condition on the 30 June 2003, as provided for in Article 124(1) of Regulation (EC) No 73/2009.

2. Except in the case of force majeure or exceptional circumstances, the number of payment entitlements allocated per farmer in the first year of implementation of the basic payment scheme shall be equal to the number of eligible hectares which the farmer declares in his aid application in accordance with point (a) of the first subparagraph of Article 72(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013 for the first year of implementation of the basic payment scheme and which are at his disposal on a date fixed by the Member State. That date shall be no later than the date fixed in that Member State for amending such aid application.

3. The Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 70 laying down further rules on the introduction of the basic payment scheme in Member States having applied the single area payment scheme.

4. The Commission shall adopt implementing acts laying down rules on applications for the allocation of payment entitlements submitted in the year of allocation of payment entitlements where those payment entitlements may not yet be definitively established and where that allocation is affected by specific circumstances.

Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 71(2).

Article 40 U.K. Value of payment entitlements

1. In the first year of implementation of the basic payment scheme, Member States shall calculate the unit value of payment entitlements by dividing a fixed percentage of the national ceiling set out in Annex II for each relevant year by the number of payment entitlements in the first year of implementation of the basic payment scheme, excluding those allocated from the national reserve or regional reserves.

The fixed percentage referred to in the first subparagraph shall be calculated by dividing the national or regional ceiling for the basic payment scheme to be set in accordance with, respectively, Article 22(1) or Article 23(2) of this Regulation for the first year of implementation of the basic payment scheme, after applying the linear reduction provided for in paragraph 1 or, where applicable, paragraph 2 of Article 30 by the national ceiling set out in Annex II for the first year of implementation of the basic payment scheme. The payment entitlements shall be expressed in a number that corresponds to a number of hectares.

2. By way of derogation from the calculation method referred to in paragraph 1, Member States may decide to differentiate the value of payment entitlements in the first year of implementation of the basic payment scheme, excluding those allocated from the national reserve or regional reserves for each relevant year, on the basis of their initial unit value.

3. The initial unit value of payment entitlements referred to in paragraph 2 shall be set by dividing a fixed percentage of the total value of aid, excluding aid pursuant to Articles 41, 43, 48 and 50 and Title IV of this Regulation, received by a farmer in accordance with this Regulation for the calendar year preceding the implementation of the basic payment scheme, before the application of Article 63 of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013, by the number of payment entitlements allocated to that farmer in the first year of implementation of the basic payment scheme, excluding those allocated from the national reserve or regional reserves.

That fixed percentage shall be calculated by dividing the national or regional ceiling for the basic payment scheme to be set in accordance with, respectively, Article 22(1) or Article 23(2) of this Regulation for the first year of implementation of the basic payment scheme, after applying the linear reduction provided for in paragraph 1 or, where applicable, paragraph 2 of Article 30, by the total value of aid, excluding aid pursuant to Articles 41, 43, 48 and 50 and Title IV of this Regulation, granted for the calendar year preceding the implementation of the basic payment scheme within the Member State or region concerned, before the application of Article 63 of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013.

4. When applying paragraph 2, Member States, acting in compliance with the general principles of Union law, shall move towards approximating the value of the payment entitlements at national or regional level. To this end, Member States shall fix the steps to be taken and the method of calculation to be used and shall notify them to the Commission by 1 August of the year preceding the implementation of the basic payment scheme. Those steps shall include annual progressive modifications of the initial value of payment entitlements referred to in paragraph 3 in accordance with objective and non-discriminatory criteria, starting from the first year of implementation of the basic payment scheme.

In the first year of implementation of the basic payment scheme, Member States shall inform the farmers of the value of their entitlements, calculated in accordance with this Article, for each year of the period covered by this Regulation.

5. For the purposes of paragraph 3, a Member State may, on the basis of objective criteria, provide that, in cases of sale or grant or expiry of all or part of a lease of agricultural areas after the date fixed pursuant to Article 36(5) and before the date fixed pursuant to Article 33(1), the increase, or a part thereof, in the value of payment entitlements that would be allocated to the farmer concerned is to revert to the national reserve or regional reserves where the increase would lead to a windfall profit for the farmer concerned.

Those objective criteria shall be established in such a way as to ensure the equal treatment of farmers and to avoid distortions of the market and of competition and shall include, at least, the following:

(a) a minimum duration for the lease;

(b) the proportion of the payment received which is to revert to the national reserve or regional reserves.

CHAPTER 2 U.K. Redistributive payment

Article 41 U.K. General rules

1. Member States may decide by 1 August of any given year to grant, from the following year, an annual payment to farmers who are entitled to a payment under the basic payment scheme referred to in Sections 1, 2, 3 and 5 of Chapter 1 or under the single area payment scheme referred to in Section 4 of Chapter 1 ("the redistributive payment").

Member States shall notify the Commission of any such decision by the date referred to in the first subparagraph.

2. Member States which have decided to apply the basic payment scheme at regional level in accordance with Article 23 may apply the redistributive payment at regional level.

3. Without prejudice to the application of financial discipline, of reduction of payments in accordance with Article 11, of linear reductions as referred in Article 7 of this Regulation, and to the application of Article 63 of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013, the redistributive payment shall be granted annually upon activation of payment entitlements by the farmer, or, in Member States applying Article 36 of this Regulation, upon declaration of eligible hectares by the farmer.

4. The redistributive payment shall be calculated each year by Member States by multiplying a figure to be set by the Member State, which shall not be higher than 65 % of the national or regional average payment per hectare, by the number of payment entitlements activated by the farmer in accordance with Article 33(1) or by the number of eligible hectares declared by the farmer in accordance with Article 36(2). The number of such payment entitlements or hectares shall not exceed a maximum to be set by Member States which shall not be higher than 30 hectares or the average size of agricultural holdings set out in Annex VIII if that average size exceeds 30 hectares in the Member State concerned.

5. Provided that the maximum limits set out in paragraph 4 are respected, Member States may, at national level, establish a graduation in the number of hectares set in accordance with that paragraph, which shall apply identically to all farmers.

6. The national average payment per hectare referred to in paragraph 4 of this Article shall be established by the Member States on the basis of the national ceiling set out in Annex II for calendar year 2019 and the number of eligible hectares declared in accordance with Article 33(1) or Article 36(2) in 2015.

The regional average payment per hectare referred to in paragraph 4 of this Article shall be established by the Member States by using a share of the national ceiling set out in Annex II for calendar year 2019 and the number of eligible hectares declared in the region concerned in accordance with Article 33(1) in 2015. For each region, this share shall be calculated by dividing the respective regional ceiling set in accordance with Article 23(2) by the national ceiling set in accordance with Article 22(1), after applying the linear reduction provided for in paragraph 1 of Article 30 where paragraph 2 of that Article is not applied.

7. Member States shall ensure that no advantage provided for under this Chapter is granted to farmers in respect of whom it is established that, after 18 October 2011, they divided their holding with the sole purpose of benefiting from the redistributive payment. This shall also apply to farmers whose holdings result from that division.

8. In the case of a legal person, or a group of natural or legal persons, Member States may apply the maximum number of payment entitlements or hectares referred to in paragraph 4 at the level of the members of those legal persons or groups where national law provides for the individual members to assume rights and obligations comparable to those of individual farmers who have the status of a head of holding, in particular as regards their economic, social and tax status, provided that they have contributed to strengthening the agricultural structures of the legal persons or groups concerned.

Article 42 U.K. Financial provisions

1. In order to finance the redistributive payment, Member States may decide, by the date referred to in Article 41(1), to use up to 30 % of the annual national ceiling set out in Annex II. They shall notify the Commission of any such decision by that date.

2. On the basis of the percentage of the national ceiling to be used by Member States pursuant to paragraph 1 of this Article, the Commission shall adopt implementing acts fixing the corresponding ceilings for the redistributive payment on a yearly basis. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 71(2).

CHAPTER 3 U.K. Payment for agricultural practices beneficial for the climate and the environment

Article 43 U.K. General rules

1. Farmers entitled to a payment under the basic payment scheme or the single area payment scheme shall observe, on all their eligible hectares within the meaning of Article 32(2) to (5), the agricultural practices beneficial for the climate and the environment referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article or the equivalent practices referred to in paragraph 3 of this Article.

2. The agricultural practices beneficial for the climate and the environment shall be the following:

(a) crop diversification;

(b) maintaining existing permanent grassland; and

(c) having ecological focus area on the agricultural area.

3. The equivalent practices shall be those which include similar practices that yield an equivalent or higher level of benefit for the climate and the environment compared to one or several of the practices referred to in paragraph 2. Those equivalent practices and the practice or practices referred to in paragraph 2 to which they are equivalent are listed in Annex IX and shall be covered by any of the following:

(a) commitments undertaken in accordance with either Article 39(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005 or Article 28(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013;

(b) national or regional environmental certification schemes, including those for the certification of compliance with national environmental legislation, going beyond the relevant mandatory standards established pursuant to Chapter I of Title VI of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013, which aim to meet objectives relating to soil and water quality, biodiversity, landscape preservation, and climate change mitigation and adaptation. Those certification schemes may include the practices listed in Annex IX to this Regulation, the practices referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article, or a combination of those practices.

4. The equivalent practices referred to in paragraph 3 shall not be the subject of double funding.

5. Member States may decide, including, where appropriate, at regional level, to restrict the choice of the farmers to use the options referred to in points (a) and (b) of paragraph 3.

6. Member States may decide, including, where appropriate, at regional level, that farmers shall carry out all of their relevant obligations under paragraph 1 in accordance with national or regional environmental certification schemes referred to in point (b) of paragraph 3.

7. Subject to the decisions of Member States referred to in paragraphs 5 and 6, a farmer may observe one or more of the practices referred to in point (a) of paragraph 3 only if these fully replace the related practice or practices referred to in paragraph 2. A farmer may use certification schemes referred to in point (b) of paragraph 3 only if these cover the entire obligation referred to in paragraph 1.

8. Member States shall notify the Commission of their decisions referred to in paragraphs 5 and 6 and of the specific commitments or certification schemes which they intend to apply as equivalent practices within the meaning of paragraph 3.

The Commission shall assess whether the practices included in the specific commitments or certification schemes are covered by the list in Annex IX, and if it considers this not to be the case, notify Member States accordingly by means of implementing acts adopted without applying the procedure referred to in Article 71(2) or (3). Where the Commission notifies a Member State that those practices are not covered by the list in Annex IX, that Member State shall not recognise as equivalent practices within the meaning of paragraph 3 of this Article the specific commitments or certification schemes covered by the Commission notification.

9. Without prejudice to paragraphs 10 and 11 of this Article, to the application of financial discipline and of linear reductions in accordance with Article 7 of this Regulation and to the application of Article 63 of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013, Member States shall grant the payment referred to in this Chapter to farmers who observe the practices referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article that are relevant for them, and to the extent that those farmers comply with Articles 44, 45 and 46 of this Regulation.

This payment shall take the form of an annual payment per eligible hectare declared in accordance with Article 33(1) or Article 36(2), the amount of which shall be calculated annually by dividing the amount resulting from the application of Article 47 by the total number of eligible hectares declared in accordance with Article 33(1) or Article 36(2) in the Member State or the region concerned.

By way of derogation from the second subparagraph, Member States deciding to apply Article 25(2) may decide to grant the payment referred to in this paragraph as a percentage of the total value of the payment entitlements that the farmer has activated in accordance with Article 33(1) for each relevant year.

For each year and each Member State or region, that percentage shall be calculated by dividing the amount resulting from the application of Article 47 by the total value of all payment entitlements activated in accordance with Article 33(1) in that Member State or region.

10. Farmers whose holdings are fully or partly situated in areas covered by Directives 92/43/EEC, 2000/60/EC, or 2009/147/EC shall be entitled to the payment referred to in this Chapter provided that they observe the practices referred to in this Chapter to the extent that those practices are compatible in the holding concerned with the objectives of those Directives.

11. Farmers complying with the requirements laid down in Article 29(1) of Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 as regards organic farming shall be entitled ipso facto to the payment referred to in this Chapter.

The first subparagraph shall apply only to the units of a holding that are used for organic production in accordance with Article 11 of Regulation (EC) No 834/2007.

12. The Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 70:

(a) adding equivalent practices to the list set out in Annex IX;

(b) establishing appropriate requirements applicable to the national or regional certification schemes referred to in point (b) of paragraph 3 of this Article, including the level of assurance to be provided by those schemes;

(c) establishing detailed rules for the calculation of the amount referred to in Article 28(6) of Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013 for the practices referred to in points 3 and 4 of Section I and point 7 of Section III of Annex IX to this Regulation, and any further equivalent practices added to that Annex pursuant to point (a) of this paragraph for which a specific calculation is needed in order to avoid double funding.

13. The Commission shall adopt implementing acts establishing rules on the procedure for the notifications, including on timetables for their submission, and the Commission assessment referred to in paragraph 8. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 71(2).

Article 44 U.K. Crop diversification

1. Where the arable land of the farmer covers between 10 and 30 hectares and is not entirely cultivated with crops under water for a significant part of the year or for a significant part of the crop cycle, there shall be at least two different crops on that arable land. The main crop shall not cover more than 75 % of that arable land.

Where the arable land of the farmer covers more than 30 hectares and is not entirely cultivated with crops under water for a significant part of the year or for a significant part of the crop cycle, there shall be at least three different crops on that arable land. The main crop shall not cover more than 75 % of that arable land and the two main crops together shall not cover more than 95 % of that arable land.

2. Without prejudice to the number of crops required pursuant to paragraph 1, the maximum thresholds set out therein shall not apply to holdings where grasses or other herbaceous forage or land lying fallow cover more than 75 % of the arable land. In such cases, the main crop on the remaining arable area shall not cover more than 75 % of that remaining arable land, except where this remaining area is covered by grasses or other herbaceous forage or land lying fallow.

3. Paragraphs 1 and 2 shall not apply to holdings:

(a) where more than 75 % of the arable land is used for the production of grasses or other herbaceous forage, is land lying fallow, or is subject to a combination of these uses, provided that the arable area not covered by these uses does not exceed 30 hectares;

(b) where more than 75 % of the eligible agricultural area is permanent grassland, is used for the production of grasses or other herbaceous forage or for the cultivation of crops under water for a significant part of the year or for a significant part of the crop cycle, or is subject to a combination of these uses, provided that the arable area not covered by these uses does not exceed 30 hectares;

(c) where more than 50 % of the areas of arable land declared were not declared by the farmer in his aid application of the previous year and, where based on a comparison of the geo-spatial aid applications, all arable land is being cultivated with a different crop compared to that of the previous calendar year;

(d) that are situated in areas north of 62nd parallel or certain adjacent areas. Where the arable land of such holdings covers more than 10 hectares, there shall be at least two crops on the arable land, and none of these crops shall cover more than 75 % of the arable land, unless the main crop is grasses or other herbaceous forage, or land lying fallow.

4. For the purposes of this Article, a "crop" means any of the following:

(a) a culture of any of the different genera defined in the botanical classification of crops;

(b) a culture of any of the species in the case of Brassicaceae, Solanaceae, and Cucurbitaceae;

(c) land lying fallow;

(d) grasses or other herbaceous forage.

Winter crop and spring crop shall be considered to be distinct crops even if they belong to the same genus.

5. The Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 70:

(a) recognising other types of genera and species than those referred to in paragraph 4 of this Article; and

(b) laying down the rules concerning the application of the precise calculation of shares of different crops.

Article 45 U.K. Permanent grassland

1. Member States shall designate permanent grasslands which are environmentally sensitive in areas covered by Directives 92/43/EEC or 2009/147/EC, including in peat and wetlands situated in these areas, and which need strict protection in order to meet the objectives of those Directives.

Member States may, in order to ensure the protection of environmentally valuable permanent grasslands, decide to designate further sensitive areas situated outside areas covered by Directives 92/43/EEC or 2009/147/EC, including permanent grasslands on carbon-rich soils.

Farmers shall not convert or plough permanent grassland situated in areas designated by Member States under the first subparagraph and, where applicable, the second subparagraph.

2. Member States shall ensure that the ratio of areas of permanent grassland to the total agricultural area declared by the farmers in accordance with point (a) of the first subparagraph of Article 72(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013 does not decrease by more than 5 % compared to a reference ratio to be established by Member States in 2015 by dividing areas of permanent grassland referred to in point (a) of the second subparagraph of this paragraph by the total agricultural area referred to in point (b) of that subparagraph.

For the purposes of establishing the reference ratio referred to in the first subparagraph:

(a) "areas of permanent grassland" means the land under permanent pasture declared in 2012, or 2013 in the case of Croatia, in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 73/2009 by the farmers subject to the obligations under this Chapter, as well as the areas of permanent grassland declared in 2015 in accordance with point (a) of the first subparagraph of Article 72(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013 by the farmers subject to the obligations under this Chapter that have not been declared as land under permanent pasture in 2012 or, in the case of Croatia, 2013;

(b) "total agricultural area" means the agricultural area declared in 2015 in accordance with point (a) of the first subparagraph of Article 72(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013 by farmers subject to the obligations under this Chapter.

The reference ratio of permanent grassland shall be recalculated in cases where farmers subject to the obligations under this Chapter have an obligation to reconvert an area into permanent grassland in 2015 or in 2016 in accordance with Article 93 of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013. In such cases, these areas shall be added to the areas of permanent grassland referred to in point (a) of the second subparagraph of this paragraph.

The ratio of permanent grassland shall be established each year on the basis of the areas declared by the farmers subject to the obligations under this Chapter for that year in accordance with point (a) of the first subparagraph of Article 72(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013.

The obligation under this paragraph shall apply at national, regional or the appropriate sub-regional level. Member States may decide to apply an obligation to maintain permanent grassland at holding level in order to ensure that the ratio of permanent grassland does not decrease by more than 5 %. Member States shall notify the Commission of any such decision by 1 August 2014.

Member States shall notify the reference ratio and the ratio referred to in this paragraph to the Commission.

3. Where it is established that the ratio referred to in paragraph 2 has decreased by more than 5 % at regional or sub-regional level or, where applicable, at national level, the Member State concerned shall impose obligations at holding level to reconvert land into permanent grassland for those farmers who have land at their disposal which was converted from land under permanent pasture or from permanent grassland into land for other uses during a period in the past.

However, where the amount of areas of permanent grassland in absolute terms established in accordance with point (a) of the second subparagraph of paragraph 2 is maintained within certain limits, the obligation set out in the first subparagraph of paragraph 2 shall be considered to have been complied with.

4. Paragraph 3 shall not apply where the decrease below the threshold is the result of afforestation that is compatible with the environment and does not include plantations of short rotation coppice, Christmas trees or fast growing trees for energy production.

5. In order to ensure that the ratio of permanent grassland is maintained, the Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 70 laying down detailed rules on maintenance of permanent grassland, including rules on reconversion in the case of non-respect of the obligation in paragraph 1 of this Article, rules applying to Member States for setting up obligations at holding level for maintaining permanent grassland as referred to in paragraphs 2 and 3 and any adjustment of the reference ratio referred to in paragraph 2 that may become necessary.

6. The Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 70:

(a) laying down the framework for the designation of further sensitive areas referred to in the second subparagraph of paragraph 1 of this Article;

(b) establishing detailed methods for the determination of the ratio of permanent grassland and of the total agricultural area that has to be maintained pursuant to paragraph 2 of this Article;

(c) defining the period in the past referred to in the first subparagraph of paragraph 3 of this Article.

7. The Commission shall adopt implementing acts fixing the limits referred to in the second subparagraph of paragraph 3 of this Article. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 71(2).

Article 46 U.K. Ecological focus area

1. Where the arable land of a holding covers more than 15 hectares, the farmer shall ensure that, from 1 January 2015, an area corresponding to at least 5 % of the arable land of the holding that the farmer declared in accordance with point (a) of the first subparagraph of Article 72(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013 and, if they are considered to be ecological focus area by the Member State in accordance with paragraph 2 of this Article, including the areas mentioned in points (c), (d), (g) and (h) of that paragraph is ecological focus area.

The percentage referred to in the first subparagraph of this paragraph shall be increased from 5 % to 7 % subject to a legislative act of the European Parliament and of the Council in accordance with Article 43(2) TFEU.

By 31 March 2017, the Commission shall present an evaluation report on the implementation of the first subparagraph of this paragraph accompanied, where appropriate, by a proposal for a legislative act as referred to in the second subparagraph.

2. By 1 August 2014, Member States shall decide that one or more of the following are to be considered to be ecological focus area:

(a) land lying fallow;

(b) terraces;

(c) landscape features, including such features adjacent to the arable land of the holding which, by way of derogation from Article 43(1) of this Regulation, may include landscape features that are not included in the eligible area in accordance with point (c) of Article 76(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013;

(d) buffer strips, including buffer strips covered by permanent grassland, provided that these are distinct from adjacent eligible agricultural area;

(e) hectares of agro-forestry that receive, or have received, support under Article 44 of Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005 and/or Article 23 of Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013;

(f) strips of eligible hectares along forest edges;

(g) areas with short rotation coppice with no use of mineral fertiliser and/or plant protection products;

(h) afforested areas referred to in point (b)(ii) of Article 32(2) of this Regulation;

(i) areas with catch crops, or green cover established by the planting and germination of seeds, subject to the application of weighting factors referred to in paragraph 3 of this Article;

(j) areas with nitrogen-fixing crops.

With the exception of the areas of the holding referred to in points (g) and (h) of the first subparagraph of this paragraph, the ecological focus area shall be located on the arable land of the holding. In the case of areas mentioned in points (c) and (d) of the first subparagraph of this paragraph, the ecological focus area may also be adjacent to the arable land of the holding the farmer declared in accordance with point (a) of the first subparagraph of Article 72(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013.

3. In order to simplify administration and to take account of the characteristics of the types of ecological focus area listed in the first subparagraph of paragraph 2, as well as to facilitate their measurement, Member States may, when calculating the total hectares represented by the ecological focus area of the holding, make use of the conversion and/or weighting factors set out in Annex X. If a Member State decides to consider to be ecological focus area the area under point (i) of the first subparagraph of paragraph 2 or any other area that is subject to a weighting of less than 1, the use of the weighting factors set out in Annex X shall be mandatory.

4. Paragraph 1 shall not apply to holdings:

(a) where more than 75 % of the arable land is used for the production of grasses or other herbaceous forage, is land lying fallow, is used for cultivation of leguminous crops, or is subject to a combination of those uses, provided that the arable area not covered by those uses does not exceed 30 hectares;

(b) where more than 75 % of the eligible agricultural area is permanent grassland, is used for the production of grasses or other herbaceous forage or for the cultivation of crops under water either for a significant part of the year or for a significant part of the crop cycle, or is subject to a combination of those uses, provided that the arable area not covered by these uses does not exceed 30 hectares.

5. Member States may decide to implement up to half of the percentage points of the ecological focus area referred to in paragraph 1 at regional level in order to obtain adjacent ecological focus areas. Member States shall designate the areas and the obligations of participating farmers or groups of farmers. The aim of the designation of areas and obligations shall be to underpin the implementation of Union policies on the environment, climate and biodiversity.

6. Member States may decide to allow farmers whose holdings are in close proximity to fulfil the obligation referred to in paragraph 1 collectively ("collective implementation"), provided that the ecological focus areas concerned are contiguous. In order to underpin the implementation of Union policies on the environment, climate and biodiversity, Member States may designate the areas on which collective implementation is possible and may impose further obligations upon farmers or groups of farmers participating in such collective implementation.

Each farmer participating in collective implementation shall ensure that at least 50 % of the area subject to the obligation in paragraph 1 is located on the land of his holding and is in accordance with the second subparagraph of paragraph 2. The number of farmers participating in such collective implementation shall not exceed ten.

7. Member States with more than 50 % of their total land surface area covered by forest may decide that paragraph 1 of this Article shall not apply to holdings situated in areas designated by those Member States as areas facing natural constraints in accordance with point (a) or (b) of Article 32(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013, provided that more than 50 % of the land surface area of the unit referred to in the second subparagraph of this paragraph is covered by forest and the ratio of forest land to agricultural land is higher than 3:1.

The area covered by forest and the ratio of forest land to agricultural land shall be assessed on an area level equivalent to the LAU2 level or on the level of another clearly delineated unit which covers a single clear contiguous geographical area having similar agricultural conditions.

8. Member States shall notify the Commission of the decisions referred to in paragraph 2 by 1 August 2014, and of any decisions referred to in paragraphs 3, 5, 6 or 7 by 1 August of the year preceding their application.

9. The Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 70:

(a) laying down further criteria for the types of areas referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article to qualify as ecological focus area;

(b) adding other types of areas than those referred to in paragraph 2 that can be taken into account for the purpose of respecting the percentage referred to in paragraph 1;

(c) adapting Annex X in order to establish the conversion and weighting factors referred to in paragraph 3 and in order to take into account the criteria and/or types of areas to be defined by the Commission under points (a) and (b) of this paragraph;

(d) setting rules for the implementation referred to in paragraphs 5 and 6, including the minimum requirements on such implementation;

(e) establishing the framework within which Member States are to define the criteria to be met by holdings in order to be considered to be in close proximity for the purposes of paragraph 6;

(f) establishing the methods for determination of the percentage of total land surface area covered by forest and the ratio of forest land to agricultural land referred to in paragraph 7.

Article 47 U.K. Financial provisions

1. In order to finance the payment referred to in this Chapter, Member States shall use 30 % of the annual national ceiling set out in Annex II.

2. Member States shall apply the payment referred to in this Chapter at national level.

Member States applying Article 23 may decide to apply the payment at regional level. In such cases, they shall use in each region a share of the ceiling set pursuant to paragraph 3 of this Article. For each region, this share shall be calculated by dividing the respective regional ceiling set in accordance with Article 23(2) by the national ceiling set in accordance with Article 22(1), after applying the linear reduction provided for in paragraph 1 of Article 30 where paragraph 2 of that Article is not applied.

3. The Commission shall adopt implementing acts fixing the corresponding ceilings for the payment referred to in this Chapter on a yearly basis. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 71(2).

CHAPTER 4 U.K. Payment for areas with natural constraints

Article 48 U.K. General rules

1. Member States may grant a payment to farmers who are entitled to a payment under the basic payment scheme or the single area payment scheme referred to in Chapter 1 and whose holdings are fully or partly situated in areas with natural constraints designated by Member States in accordance with Article 32(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013 ("payment for areas with natural constraints").

2. Member States may decide to grant the payment for areas with natural constraints to all areas falling within the scope of paragraph 1, or to restrict the payment to some of those areas on the basis of objective and non-discriminatory criteria.

3. Without prejudice to paragraph 2 of this Article, to the application of financial discipline, of reduction of payments in accordance with Article 11 and of linear reduction in accordance with Article 7 of this Regulation, and to the application of Article 63 of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013, the payment for areas with natural constraints shall be granted annually per eligible hectare situated in the areas for which a Member State has decided to grant a payment in accordance with paragraph 2 of this Article. It shall be paid upon activation of payment entitlements in respect of those hectares held by the farmer concerned or, in Member States applying Article 36 of this Regulation, upon declaration of those eligible hectares by the farmer concerned.

4. The payment for areas with natural constraints, per hectare, shall be calculated by dividing the amount resulting from the application of Article 49 by the number of eligible hectares declared in accordance with Article 33(1) or Article 36(2) which are situated in the areas for which a Member State has decided to grant a payment in accordance with paragraph 2 of this Article.

Member States may, on the basis of objective and non-discriminatory criteria, also set a maximum number of hectares per holding for which support under this Chapter can be granted.

5. Member States may apply the payment for areas with natural constraints at regional level under the conditions laid down in this paragraph provided that they identified the regions concerned in accordance with objective and non-discriminatory criteria and, in particular, their natural constraint characteristics, including the severity of the constraints, and their agronomic conditions.

Member States shall divide the national ceiling referred to in Article 49(1) between the regions in accordance with objective and non-discriminatory criteria.

The payment for areas with natural constraints at regional level shall be calculated by dividing the regional ceiling calculated in accordance with the second subparagraph of this paragraph by the number of eligible hectares declared in the respective region in accordance with Article 33(1) or Article 36(2) which are situated in the areas for which a Member State has decided to grant a payment in accordance with paragraph 2 of this Article.

Article 49 U.K. Financial provisions

1. In order to finance the payment for areas with natural constraints, Member States may decide, by 1 August 2014, to use up to 5 % of their annual national ceiling set out in Annex II. They shall notify the Commission of any such decision by that date.

Member States may, by 1 August 2016, review their decision and amend it with effect from 1 January 2017. They shall notify the Commission of any such decision by 1 August 2016.

2. On the basis of the percentage of the national ceiling to be used by Member States pursuant to paragraph 1, the Commission shall adopt implementing acts fixing the corresponding ceilings for the payment for areas with natural constraints on a yearly basis. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 71(2).

CHAPTER 5 U.K. Payment for young farmers

Article 50 U.K. General rules

1. Member States shall grant an annual payment to young farmers who are entitled to a payment under the basic payment scheme or the single area payment scheme referred to in Chapter 1 ("payment for young farmers").

2. For the purposes of this Chapter, 'young farmers', means natural persons:

(a) who are setting up for the first time an agricultural holding as head of the holding, or who have already set up such a holding during the five years preceding the first submission of an application under the basic payment scheme or the single area payment scheme referred to in Article 72(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013; and

(b) who are no more than 40 years of age in the year of submission of the application referred to in point (a).

3. Member States may define further objective and non-discriminatory eligibility criteria for young farmers applying for the payment for young farmers as regards appropriate skills and/or training requirements.

4. Without prejudice to the application of financial discipline, of reduction of payments in accordance with Article 11 and of linear reductions in accordance with Article 7 of this Regulation, and to the application of Article 63 of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013, the payment for young farmers shall be granted annually upon activation of payment entitlements by the farmer or, in Member States applying Article 36 of this Regulation, upon declaration of eligible hectares by the farmer.

5. The payment for young farmers shall be granted per farmer for a maximum period of five years. That period shall be reduced by the number of years elapsed between the setting up referred to in point (a) of paragraph 2 and the first submission of the application for the payment for young farmers.

6. Each year, Member States not applying Article 36 shall calculate the amount of the payment for young farmers by multiplying the number of entitlements the farmer has activated in accordance with Article 32(1) by a figure corresponding to:

(a) 25 % of the average value of the owned or leased-in payment entitlements held by the farmer; or

(b) 25 % of an amount calculated by dividing a fixed percentage of the national ceiling for the calendar year 2019 set out in Annex II by the number of all eligible hectares declared in 2015 in accordance with Article 33(1). That fixed percentage shall be equal to the share of the national ceiling remaining for the basic payment scheme in accordance with Article 22(1) for 2015.

7. Member States applying Article 36 shall each year calculate the amount of the payment for young farmers by multiplying a figure corresponding to 25 % of the single area payment calculated in accordance with Article 36 by the number of eligible hectares that the farmer has declared in accordance with Article 36(2).

8. By way of derogation from the paragraphs 6 and 7, Member States may calculate each year the amount of the payment for young farmers by multiplying a figure corresponding to 25 % of the national average payment per hectare by the number of entitlements that the farmer has activated in accordance with Article 32(1), or by the number of eligible hectares that the farmer has declared in accordance with Article 36(2).

The national average payment per hectare shall be calculated by dividing the national ceiling for the calendar year 2019 set out in Annex II by the number of eligible hectares declared in 2015 in accordance with Article 33(1) or Article 36(2).

9. Member States shall set a single maximum limit applicable to the number of payment entitlements activated by the farmer or to the number of eligible hectares declared by the farmer. That limit shall not be below 25 or above 90. Member States shall respect that limit when applying paragraphs 6, 7 and 8.

10. Instead of applying paragraphs 6 to 9, Member States may allocate an annual lump sum amount per farmer calculated by multiplying a fixed number of hectares by a figure corresponding to 25 % of the national average payment per hectare, as established in accordance with paragraph 8.

The fixed number of hectares referred to in the first subparagraph of this paragraph shall be calculated by dividing the total number of eligible hectares declared pursuant to Article 33(1) or Article 36(2) by the young farmers applying for the payment for young farmers in 2015 by the total number of young farmers applying for that payment in 2015.

A Member State may recalculate the fixed number of hectares in any year after 2015 in the case of significant changes in the number of young farmers applying for the payment or in the size of the holdings of young farmers, or both.

The annual lump sum amount that a farmer may be granted shall not exceed the total amount of his basic payment before application of Article 63 of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013 in the given year.

11. In order to guarantee the protection of the rights of beneficiaries and to avoid discrimination among them, the Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 70 concerning the conditions under which a legal person may be considered to be eligible to receive the payment for young farmers.

Article 51 U.K. Financial provisions

1. In order to finance the payment for young farmers, Member States shall use a percentage, which shall not be higher than 2 %, of the annual national ceiling set out in Annex II. The Member States shall notify the Commission, by 1 August 2014, of the estimated percentage necessary to finance that payment.

Member States may, by 1 August of each year, revise their estimated percentage with effect from the subsequent year. They shall notify the Commission of the revised percentage by 1 August of the year preceding its application.

2. Without prejudice to the maximum of 2 % laid down in paragraph 1 of this Article, where the total amount of the payment for young farmers applied for in a Member State in a particular year exceeds the ceiling set pursuant to paragraph 4 of this Article, and where that ceiling is lower than that maximum, that Member State shall finance the difference by applying point (f) of the first subparagraph of Article 30(7) in the relevant year, by applying a linear reduction to all payments to be granted to all farmers in accordance with Article 32 or Article 36(2), or by both means.

3. Where the total amount of the payment for young farmers applied for in a Member State in a particular year exceeds the ceiling set pursuant to paragraph 4 of this Article, and where that ceiling amount to 2 % of the annual national ceiling set out in Annex II, Member States shall apply a linear reduction to the amounts to be paid pursuant to Article 50 in order to comply with that ceiling.

4. On the basis of the percentage notified by Member States pursuant to paragraph 1 of this Article, the Commission shall adopt implementing acts fixing the corresponding ceilings for the payment for young farmers on a yearly basis.

Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 71(2).

(1)

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1122/2009 of 30 November 2009 laying down detailed rules for the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 73/2009 as regards cross-compliance, modulation and the integrated administration and control system, under the direct support schemes for farmers provided for that Regulation, as well as for the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 as regards cross-compliance under the support scheme provided for the wine sector (OJ L 316, 2.12.2009, p. 65).