Article 4(2) of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 808/2014 sets the maximum number of amendments to rural development programmes that Member States may submit to the Commission. Specific rules should apply where support has the form of a financial instrument, in order to give Member States the flexibility which is needed in the implementation of the financial instrument. Therefore the maximum number of programme amendments should not apply to the amendments related to programming of financial instruments.

Article 9 of Implementing Regulation (EU) No 808/2014 establishes rules for conversion of units, including provisions on the conversion rates of various categories of animals to livestock units. It should be clarified that such conversion rates apply not only to commitments for the rearing of local breeds in danger of being lost to farming but to all livestock-related commitments under Articles 28, 29 and 34 of Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013.

Point 8(2) of Part 1 and point 5(2) of Part 2 of Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) No 808/2014 lay down certain rules on the description of the measures in rural development programmes and in national frameworks. Specific rules should apply where support has the form of a financial instrument, in order to give Member States the flexibility which is needed in the implementation of the financial instrument.

Annex II to Implementing Regulation (EU) No 808/2014 defines the conversion rates of animals to livestock units referred to in Article 9 and provides that those conversion rates may be increased for all categories included in the table and decreased for other poultry, taking into account scientific evidence to be explained and duly justified in the rural development programmes. Member States should be given the possibility to decrease those conversion rates not only for ‘other poultry’ but for all categories included in the table where it is justified and based on scientific evidence.

Point 2.2 of Part 1 of Annex III to Implementing Regulation (EU) No 808/2014 establishes minimum requirements for information and publicity actions by the beneficiaries during the implementation of an operation. Point 2.2(b) provides for different requirements according to the total public support. In the interest of ensuring proportionate and harmonised requirements, a single threshold should be set at EUR 50 000. In addition, taking into account the particular nature of the area and animal related measures and of other measures which do not concern investments, Member States should be allowed to decide if these measures should be concerned by the information obligations.

Implementing Regulation (EU) No 808/2014 should therefore be amended accordingly.

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Rural Development Committee,