The Common Agricultural Policy Single Payment and Support Schemes (Cross Compliance) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014

Title, commencement and interpretation

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Common Agricultural Policy Single Payment and Support Schemes (Cross Compliance) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014 and shall come into operation on 10th February 2014.

(2) The Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954(1) shall apply to these Regulations as it applies to an Act of the Assembly.

Amendment of the Common Agricultural Policy Single Payment and Support Schemes (Cross Compliance) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005

2.  The Common Agricultural Policy Single Payment and Support Schemes (Cross Compliance) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005(2) are amended in accordance with regulations 3 to 5.

3.  In regulation 2 (Interpretation)—

(a) in paragraph (2) for the definition of “the Council Regulation” there shall be substituted the following definition—

““the Council Regulation” means Council Regulation (EC) No. 73/2009 establishing common rules for direct support schemes for farmers under the common agricultural policy and establishing certain support schemes for farmers as last amended by Regulation (EU) No 1310/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council(3);”;

(b) paragraph (3) is revoked.

4.  In regulation 6(1)(a) (Competent Control Authority) there shall be added at the end the words “and the requirements and standards set out in paragraph 9B of the Schedule”.

5.  In the Schedule (STANDARDS OF GOOD AGRICULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITION)—

(a) after paragraph 9A (Irrigation Authorisations) there shall be inserted the following paragraph—

“Protection of groundwater against pollution

9B.— (1) A contravention of—

(a) Article 7 of the Water Order(4) in so far as it relates to groundwater; or

(b) regulation 19(1) of the Groundwater Regulations,

constitutes a failure of cross compliance for the purposes of the Council Regulation.

(2) A contravention of, or a failure to comply with—

(a) any condition of a consent under Article 7A(3)(a) of the Water Order in so far as the condition relates to groundwater;

(b) any condition of an authorisation under regulation 19 of the Groundwater Regulations; or

(c) a notice or any condition of a notice served under regulation 24 or 25 of the Groundwater Regulations,

constitutes a failure of cross compliance for the purposes of the Council Regulation.

(3) A farmer shall ensure that the requirements concerning the siting, operation and maintenance of sheep dipping facilities in the Code of Good Agricultural Practice for the Prevention of Pollution of Water, Air and Soil(5) are complied with.”;

(b) in paragraph 10—

(i) after the definition of “earthbank” there shall be inserted the following definition—

““the Groundwater Regulations” means the Groundwater Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009(6);”;

(ii) after the definition of “undergrazing” there shall be inserted the following definition—

““the Water Order” means the Water (Northern Ireland) Order 1999(7);”.

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development on 6 January 2014.

Andrew Elliott

A senior officer of the

Department of Agriculture and Rural Development