Explanatory note
(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations amend the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (Scotland) Regulations 2010 (“the 2010 Regulations”). The 2010 Regulations make provision for the purposes of the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005 on support for rural development by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) (OJ L 277, 21.10.2005, p.1), Commission Regulation (EC) No 1974/2006 (OJ L 368, 23.12.2006, p.15) and Commission Regulation (EU) No 65/2011 (OJ L 25, 28.1.2011, p.8). The latter two Regulations lay down detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation 1698/2005.
Regulation 3 amends regulation 2(1) of the 2010 Regulations to omit the definition of “actively farm”.
Regulation 4 substitutes a new regulation 4 of the 2010 Regulations, to empower the Scottish Ministers to pay less favoured area support to an applicant who, in their opinion, actively farms eligible land which is not less than 3 hectares and for a period or periods of not less than 183 days during a Scheme Year.
Regulations 5 and 6 amend regulation 15 and Schedule 7 respectively of the 2010 Regulations in consequence of the amendment made by regulation 4 of these Regulations.
No Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment has been prepared for this instrument as it has no impact on the cost of business.