FantasticSearch

1. At least 25 % of the allocations set out in Annex IX shall be reserved for every calendar year from 2023 to 2027 for eco-schemes referred to in Title III, Chapter II, Section 2, Subsection 4.

2. Where the amount of the total EAFRD contribution reserved by a Member State for interventions in accordance with Articles 70, 72, 73 and 74, insofar as those interventions address the specific objectives set out in Article 6(1), points (d), (e) and (f) and, as regards animal welfare, in Article 6(1), point (i), exceeds 30 % of the total EAFRD contribution as set out in Annex XI for the CAP Strategic Plan period, Member States may reduce the sum of the amounts to be reserved under paragraph 1 of this Article. The total reduction shall not be higher than the amount by which the percentage referred to in the first sentence is exceeded.

3. The reduction referred to in paragraph 2 may not lead to a reduction of the annual amount to be reserved for eco-schemes for the CAP Strategic Plan period pursuant to paragraph 1 by more than 50 %.

4. By way of derogation from paragraph 3, Member States may reduce the annual amount to be reserved pursuant to paragraph 1 by up to 75 % if the total amount planned for interventions under Article 70 over the CAP Strategic Plan period amounts to more than 150 % of the sum of the amounts to be reserved pursuant to paragraph 1 of this Article before application of paragraph 2.

5. Member States may, in calendar years 2023 and 2024, in accordance with Article 101(3), use amounts reserved in accordance with this Article for eco-schemes to finance in that year other interventions referred to in Title III, Chapter II, Section 2, provided that all possibilities to use the funds for eco-schemes have been exhausted, (a) up to a threshold corresponding to 5 % of the amounts set out in Annex IX for the calendar year concerned;

(b) above a threshold corresponding to 5 % of the amounts set out in Annex IX for the calendar year concerned, provided that the conditions of paragraph 6 are complied with.

6. When applying paragraph 5, point (b), Member States shall amend their CAP Strategic Plans in accordance with Article 119 in order to:

(a) increase the amounts reserved in accordance with this Article for eco-schemes for the remaining years of the CAP Strategic Plan period by an amount at least equivalent to the amount used to finance other interventions referred to in Title III, Chapter II, Section 2, in accordance with paragraph 5, point (b), of this Article; or (b) increase the amounts reserved for interventions under Articles 70, 72, 73 and 74, insofar as those interventions address the specific objectives set out in Article 6(1), points (d), (e) and (f) and, as regards animal welfare, in Article 6(1), point (i), by an amount at least equivalent to the amount used to finance other interventions referred to in Title III, Chapter II, Section 2, in accordance with paragraph 5, point (b), of this Article. Additional amounts reserved for interventions under Articles 70, 72, 73 and 74 in accordance with this paragraph shall not be taken into account if a Member State makes use of the option referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article.

7. If a Member State, when applying paragraph 5, point (a), uses for the total period 2023 to 2024 an amount exceeding 2,5 % of the sum of the allocations set out in Annex IX for the years 2023 and 2024 to finance other interventions referred to in Title III, Chapter II, Section 2, it shall compensate for the amounts exceeding the 2,5 % of the sum of the allocations set out in Annex IX for the years 2023 and 2024 and used to finance in those years other interventions referred to in Title III, Chapter II, Section 2, by amending its CAP Strategic Plan in accordance with Article 119 in order to:

(a) increase the amounts reserved in accordance with this Article for eco-schemes for the remaining years of the CAP Strategic Plan period by an amount at least equivalent to the amounts exceeding the 2,5 % of the sum of the allocations set out in Annex IX for the years 2023 and 2024; or (b) increase the amounts reserved for interventions under Articles 70, 72, 73 and 74, insofar as those interventions address the specific objectives set out in Article 6(1), points (d), (e) and (f) and, as regards animal welfare, in Article 6(1), point (i), by an amount at least equivalent to the amount exceeding the 2,5 % of the sum of the allocations set out in Annex IX for the years 2023 and 2024. Additional amounts reserved for interventions under Articles 70, 72, 73 and 74 in accordance with this paragraph shall not be taken into account if a Member State makes use of the option referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article.

8. Member States may, in calendar years 2025 and 2026, in accordance with Article 101(3), use an amount up to a threshold corresponding to 2 % of the amounts set out in Annex IX for the calendar year concerned, and reserved in accordance with this Article for eco-schemes to finance within the same year other interventions referred to in Title III, Chapter II, Section 2, provided that all possibilities to use the funds for eco-schemes have been exhausted and the conditions of paragraph 9 are complied with.

9. When applying paragraph 8, Member States shall amend their CAP Strategic Plans in accordance with Article 119 in order to:

(a) increase the amounts reserved in accordance with this Article for eco-schemes for the remaining years of the CAP Strategic Plan period by an amount at least equivalent to the amount used to finance other interventions referred to in Title III, Chapter II, Section 2, in accordance with paragraph 8; or (b) increase the amounts reserved for interventions under Articles 70, 72, 73 and 74, insofar as those interventions address the specific objectives set out in Article 6(1), points (d), (e) and (f) and, as regards animal welfare, in Article 6(1), point (i), by an amount at least equivalent to the amount used to finance other interventions referred to in Title III, Chapter II, Section 2, in accordance with paragraph 8 of this Article. Additional amounts reserved for interventions under Articles 70, 72, 73 and 74 in accordance with this paragraph shall not be taken into account if a Member State makes use of the option referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article.

10. For each calendar year as from calendar year 2025, the total expenditure for types of intervention in the form of direct payments other than eco-schemes shall not exceed the financial allocation for direct payments for the relevant calendar year as laid down in Annex V, reduced by an amount corresponding to 23 % of the amount in Annex IX reserved for eco-schemes in accordance with this paragraph for calendar years 2025 and 2026, and corresponding to 25 % of the amount in Annex IX reserved for eco-schemes in accordance with this paragraph for calendar year 2027, where relevant corrected by the amount resulting from the application of paragraphs 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 9 of this Article, and as established by Member States in their financial plans in accordance with Article 112(2), point (a), and approved by the Commission in accordance with Article 118 or Article 119. That financial ceiling shall constitute a financial ceiling set by Union law.

11. If Member States apply paragraphs 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 9 of this Article for the entire CAP Strategic Plan period, the total EAFRD expenditure for rural development other than the amounts reserved for interventions in accordance with Articles 70, 72, 73 and 74, insofar as those interventions address the specific objectives set out in Article 6(1), points (d), (e) and (f) and, as regards animal welfare, in Article 6(1), point (i), shall not exceed the total EAFRD contribution for rural development for the entire CAP Strategic Plan period as set out in Annex XI, reduced by the amounts reserved for interventions in accordance with Articles 70, 72, 73 and 74, insofar as those interventions address the specific objectives set out in Article 6(1), points (d), (e) and (f) and, as regards animal welfare, in Article 6(1), point (i), following the application of paragraphs 2, 6, 7 and 9 of this Article, as established by Member States in their financial plans in accordance with Article 112(2), point (a), and approved by the Commission in accordance with Article 118 or Article 119. That financial ceiling shall constitute a financial ceiling set by Union law.