Explanatory note

These Regulations establish the Farming with Nature Transition Scheme. The Scheme provides for payments to be made by the Department to eligible farm businesses which meet the eligible scheme actions and eligible supporting item requirements.

The Scheme–

specifies the duration of the scheme (regulation 3);

specifies the eligibility criteria for eligible farm businesses (regulation 4);

specifies the eligibility criteria for eligible scheme actions and eligible supporting items (regulations 5, 6 and 7);

specifies payments available and criteria for receiving payments (regulation 8);

specifies Title VI of Regulation 1306/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013^f1 will not apply to the scheme (regulation 9);

specifies Article 19 of the Commissioning Implementing Regulation (EU)640/2014^f2 will not apply to the scheme (regulation 10);

specifies paragraph 1 of Article 32 of the Commissioning Implementing Regulation (EU)809/2014^f3 will state on the spot checks will be 1% for the scheme (regulation 11);

specifies the use of LPIS information; (regulation 12);

provides the powers for withholding and recovery of overpayments (regulation 13);

provides the powers of authorised persons (regulation 14);

specifies the assistance to authorised persons (regulation 15);

provides for the offences and penalties (regulation 16);

specifies eligible scheme actions (Schedule 1);

specifies eligible supporting items (Schedule 2);

specifies payment rates for eligible scheme actions and eligible supporting items (Schedule 3);

specifies native hedge plant species (Schedule 4); and

specifies native tree species (Schedule 5).