The Common Agricultural Policy (Direct Payments etc.) (Scotland) Amendment (No. 2) Regulations 2016

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Common Agricultural Policy (Direct Payments etc.) (Scotland) Regulations 2015 (“the principal Regulations”), which make provision in Scotland for the administration of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013 (OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p.608) (“the Direct Payments Regulation”), and other associated EU regulations as referred to in regulation 2(1) of the principal Regulations.

The amendments made to the principal Regulations by regulations 2 and 3 make provision for the exercise of derogations in respect of deadlines for relevant applications applicable to calendar year 2016, in accordance with Articles 1 and 3 of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2016/761.

Regulation 2 amends regulation 6 of the principal Regulations so that, in respect of calendar year 2016, the final date for submission of a single application, aid application or payment claim is 15th June 2016.

Regulation 3 inserts a new regulation 9(3A) to the principal Regulations to provide that, in respect of calendar year 2016, the final date for submission of an application for the allocation of, or an increase of the value of, payment entitlements is 15th June 2016. In the case of any other subsequent calendar year, the relevant date remains as 15th May or the next working day (in any year where that date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, Bank Holiday or other public holiday).

No Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment has been prepared for these Regulations as no impact upon business, charities or voluntary bodies is foreseen.