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1. Member States shall establish, and provide support for, voluntary schemes for the climate, the environment and animal welfare (‘eco-schemes’) under the conditions set out in this Article and as further specified in their CAP Strategic Plans.

1a. As a part of the eco-schemes referred to in paragraph 1, Member States shall establish and provide support for one or more schemes covering, on arable land, practices for the maintenance of non-productive areas, such as land lying fallow, and for the establishment of new landscape features. Those schemes shall be voluntary for active farmers and groups of active farmers.

2. Member States shall support under this Article active farmers or groups of active farmers who make commitments to observe agricultural practices beneficial for the climate, the environment and animal welfare and combatting antimicrobial resistance.

3. Member States shall establish a list of the agricultural practices beneficial for the climate, the environment and animal welfare and combatting antimicrobial resistance referred to in paragraph 2. Those practices shall be designed to meet one or more of the specific objectives set out in Article 6(1), points (d), (e) and (f) and, as regards improving animal welfare and combatting antimicrobial resistance, in Article 6(1), point (i).

4. Each eco-scheme shall in principle cover at least two of the following areas of actions for the climate, the environment, animal welfare and combatting antimicrobial resistance:

(a) climate change mitigation, including reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural practices, as well as maintenance of existing carbon stores and enhancement of carbon sequestration;

(b) climate change adaptation, including actions to improve resilience of food production systems and animal and plant diversity for stronger resistance to diseases and climate change;

(c) protection or improvement of water quality and reduction of pressure on water resources;

(d) prevention of soil degradation, soil restoration, improvement of soil fertility and of nutrient management and soil biota;

(e) protection of biodiversity, conservation or restoration of habitats or species, including maintenance and creation of landscape features or non-productive areas;

(f) actions for a sustainable and reduced use of pesticides, in particular pesticides that present a risk for human health or environment;

(g) actions to enhance animal welfare or combat antimicrobial resistance.

5. Under this Article, Member States shall only provide payments covering commitments which:

(a) go beyond the relevant statutory management requirements and GAEC standards established under Chapter I, Section 2;

(b) go beyond the relevant minimum requirements for the use of fertiliser and plant protection products, animal welfare, as well as other relevant mandatory requirements established by national and Union law;

(c) go beyond the conditions established for the maintenance of the agricultural area in accordance with Article 4(2), point (b);

(d) are different from commitments in respect of which payments are granted under Article 70. For commitments referred to in the first subparagraph, point (b), where national law imposes new requirements which go beyond the corresponding minimum requirements laid down in Union law, support may be granted for commitments contributing to compliance with those requirements for a maximum of 24 months from the date on which they become mandatory for the holding.

6. Pursuant to paragraph 5, Member States may, for the description of the commitments to be fulfilled by the beneficiary of eco-schemes referred to in this Article, build upon one or more of the requirements and standards established under Chapter I, Section 2, provided that the obligations of the eco-schemes go beyond the relevant statutory management requirements and the minimum standards for good agricultural and environmental condition of land established by Member States under Chapter I, Section 2. Without prejudice to Article 87(1) of Regulation (EU) 2021/2116, active farmers or groups of active farmers participating in eco-schemes established in accordance with the first subparagraph shall be deemed to comply with the relevant requirements and standards referred to in Annex III, provided that they fulfil the commitments under the eco-scheme concerned. Member States that establish eco-schemes in accordance with the first subparagraph of this paragraph may ensure that their management and control systems do not duplicate checks where the same requirements and standards apply both under those eco-schemes and the obligations set in Annex III.

7. Support for a particular eco-scheme shall take the form of an annual payment for all eligible hectares covered by the commitments. Payments shall be granted as either:

(a) payments additional to the basic income support set out in Subsection 2; or (b) payments compensating active farmers or groups of active farmers for all or part of the additional costs incurred and income foregone as a result of the commitments made which shall be calculated in accordance with Article 82 and taking into account the targets for eco-schemes; those payments may also cover transaction costs. By way of derogation from the first subparagraph, payments granted in accordance with point (b) thereof for animal welfare commitments, commitments combatting antimicrobial resistance and, if duly justified, commitments for agricultural practices beneficial for the climate may also take the form of an annual payment for the livestock units.

8. Member States shall demonstrate how the agricultural practices committed under eco-schemes respond to the needs referred to in Article 108 and how they contribute to the environmental and climate architecture referred to in Article 109(2), point (a), and to animal welfare and combatting antimicrobial resistance. They shall use a rating or scoring system or any other appropriate methodology to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of the eco-schemes to deliver on the targets set. When establishing the level of payments for different commitments under the eco-schemes pursuant to paragraph 7, first subparagraph, point (a), of this Article, Member States shall take into account the level of sustainability and ambition of each eco-scheme, based on objective and transparent criteria.

9. Member States shall ensure that interventions under this Article are consistent with those based on Article 70.