For the purposes of the point (ii) of Article 4(1)(c) of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013, the criteria that farmers are to meet in order to fulfil the obligation to maintain the agricultural area in a state suitable for grazing or cultivation without preparatory action going beyond usual agricultural methods and machineries shall be established by F1the relevant authority in either or both of the following ways:

1. (a)

   F2the relevant authority requires at least one annual activity to be carried out by a farmer. Where justified for environmental reasons, F3the relevant authority may decide to recognise also activities that are carried out only every second year;

2. (b)

   F4the relevant authority sets out the characteristics to be met by an agricultural area in order to be deemed maintained in a state suitable for grazing or cultivation.

When establishing criteria referred to in paragraph 1, F5the relevant authority may distinguish between different types of agricultural areas.