Article 29 Organic farmingE1

Support under this measure shall be granted, per hectare of agricultural area, to farmers or groups of farmers who undertake, on a voluntary basis, to convert to or maintain organic farming practices and methods as defined in Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 and who are active farmers within the meaning of Article 9 of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013, as applicable in the F2relevant authority concerned.

Support shall only be granted for commitments going beyond the relevant mandatory standards established pursuant to Chapter I of Title VI of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013, the relevant criteria and minimum activities as established pursuant to points (c)(ii) and (c)(iii) of Article 4(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013, relevant minimum requirements for fertiliser and plant protection products use as well as other relevant mandatory requirements established by national law. All such requirements shall be identified in the programme.

Commitments under this measure shall be made for a period of F3fiveone to seven years. Where support is granted for conversion to organic farming F4the relevant authority may determine a shorter initial period corresponding to the period of conversion. Where support is granted for the maintenance of organic farming, the relevant authority may provide in their rural development programmes for annual extension after the termination of the initial period. For new commitments concerning maintenance that directly follow the commitment performed in the initial period, the relevant authority may determine a shorter period in their rural development programmes.

F5...

Payments shall be granted annually and shall compensate beneficiaries for all or part of the additional costs and income foregone resulting from the commitments made. Where necessary they may also cover transaction costs to a value of up to 20 % of the premium paid for the commitments. Where commitments are undertaken by groups of farmers, the maximum level shall be 30 %.

When calculating the payments referred to in the first subparagraph of this paragraph, the relevant authority shall deduct the amount necessary in order to exclude double funding of the practices referred to in Article 43 of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013. F6The relevant authority may calculate the deduction as a fixed, average amount applied to all beneficiaries concerned carrying out the sub-measures concerned.

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

In order to ensure that double funding, as referred to in the second subparagraph of paragraph 4 is excluded, the F7appropriate authority may make regulations laying down the calculation method to be used.