(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations are made in exercise of the powers conferred by section 46 of, and paragraphs 2(1), 4(1) and 6(1) of Schedule 5 to, the Agriculture Act 2020 (c. 21) and paragraph 1 of Schedule 2 to the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (c. 16), in order to address operability issues and deficiencies arising from the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union and to make provision in retained EU law governing rural development programmes for securing domestic support for rural development in Wales.
Regulations 2, 3, 4 and 5 modify Regulations (EU) No. 1306/2013, 640/2014, 809/2014, and 908/2014 to the extent necessary to provide for a framework to allow the creation of a new domestic rural development support scheme.
Regulations 6 to 12 modify Regulations (EU) No. 1303/2013, 1305/2013, 480/2014, 807/2014, 808/2014, 821/2014, and 964/2014 to the extent necessary for rural development support to function effectively and to address operability issues. Those EU Regulations contain some of the rules governing rural development support. These Regulations amend that body of law insofar as it relates to domestic support for rural development programmes only.
Part 4 of these Regulations amends domestic legislation which relates to support for rural development. The changes ensure that the domestic legislation aligns with the changes made by Parts 2 and 3 of these Regulations to the retained EU law governing support for rural development.
Part 5 of these Regulations amends Regulations (EU) No. 1306/2013, 640/2014 and 809/2014, insofar as they relate to the direct payment schemes only. The amendments are minor and technical in nature and address errors to ensure that the legislation is accurate and functions effectively.
The Welsh Ministers’ Code of Practice on the carrying out of Regulatory Impact Assessments was considered in relation to these Regulations. As a result, it was not considered necessary to carry out a regulatory impact assessment as to the likely costs and benefits of complying with these Regulations.