Under EU regulation, Less Favoured / Disadvantaged Areas (with the exception of the islands) were to be replaced by newly designated Areas of Natural Constraints from 2018 with eligible areas being designated using a set list of bio-physical criteria such as soil drainage, texture and slope. However, as part of legislative amendments at EU level a proposal was made to extend the 2018 deadline to 2019 on an optional basis. This proposal has recently been approved at EU level, along with a number of other regulatory changes in what is referred to as the “omnibus proposal”.
My Department has commenced work on this project, and relevant technical experts are currently working on analysing the data in relation to the new criteria. Once this process is complete, the data will provide the basis for the identification of eligible areas in the ANC scheme from 2019 onwards.
In addition to the technical work on the biophysical criteria, the Regulation allows for a linked process of fine tuning to finalise the determination of what lands will be eligible under the new scheme. This fine tuning is based on objective criteria, with the purpose of excluding areas which are deemed to have met the thresholds for biophysical criteria but in which ‘significant natural constraints’ have been overcome by investment, economic activity, normal land productivity, production methods or farming systems. The process of sourcing and analysing data for this process is also underway.
In order to progress this work, my Department is in on-going communication with the EU Commission in relation to the accepted parameters and technical aspects of this project. Any change to the ANC scheme on foot of this process will require formal agreement with the EU Commission via an amendment of Ireland's Rural Development Programme 2014 - 2020.
