The Organic Farming (Aid) (Amendment) Regulations 1996

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Organic Farming (Aid) Regulations 1994 (“the principal Regulations”) which implement in part a zonal programme approved by the European Commission (“the Commission”) under Article 7 of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2078/92 (OJ No. L215, 30.7.92, p. 85) (“the Agri-environment Regulation”) on agricultural production methods compatible with the requirements of the protection of the environment and the maintenance of the countryside.

These Regulations make provision to implement Commission Regulation (EC) No. 746/96 (OJ No. L102, 25.4.96, p. 19) (“the Commission Regulation”) laying down detailed rules for the application of the Agri-environment Regulation, in particular Article 10 (which restricts duplication of aid payments), Article 11 (which governs transfers of holdings entered into agreements or undertakings under the Agri-environment Regulation), Article 12 (force majeure), Article 14 (which governs undertakings and payment procedures) and Article 20 (which provides for recovery of wrongful payments with interest, a penalty system and exclusion for false declarations).

The Regulations—

(a) specify that entitlement to payment under the principal Regulations is subject to the provisions of Article 10, Article 14(3) and Article 20(3) of the Commission Regulation,

(b) make provision to enable the Minister to recover grant and impose penalties in accordance with Articles 11, 12 and 20 of the Commission Regulation, and

(c) set a rate of interest where recovery of money is to include interest in accordance with Article 20(1) of the Commission Regulation.

and also make drafting changes to the principal Regulations.

The Regulations form part of a package submitted to the Commission under Article 23 of the Commission Regulation.

Copies of the UKROFS Standards can be obtained from the Office of the Secretary to UKROFS, Room 320(c), Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR.

No Compliance Cost Assessment in relation to these Regulations has been prepared.