51997PC0575

Proposal for a Council Directive on the list of less-favoured farming areas within the meaning of Regulation (EC) No 950/97 (Denmark) (97/C 372/11) COM(97) 575 final - 97/0308(CNS)

(Submitted by the Commission on 11 November 1997)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 950/97 of 20 May 1997 on improving the efficiency of agricultural structures (1), and in particular Article 21 (2) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament,

Whereas the permanent natural and geographical handicaps existing in the Danish islands result in higher production and transport costs that prevent farmers in these areas from obtaining from their production income on a level with that obtained by comparable farmers elsewhere in the Member State;

Whereas the Danish Government has sent the Commission, in accordance with Article 21 (1) of Regulation (EC) No 950/97, a list of islands suitable for inclusion in the Community list of less-favoured farming areas and information on the particular features of these areas;

Whereas, with a view to identifying the areas affected by specific natural handicaps that can be deemed less-favoured areas as referred to in Article 25 of Regulation (EC) No 950/97, all islands of less than 600 km² on which adverse natural conditions contribute to a farming income below the national average have been selected;

all islands of less than 600 km² on which adverse natural conditions contribute to a farming income below the national average have been selected;

Whereas the total surface area of the relevant areas does not exceed 4 % of the total surface area of the Member State in question;

Whereas the nature and level of the above indices used by the Government of Denmark to define the areas notified to the Commission correspond to the characteristics of the areas affected by specific handicaps referred to in Article 25 of Regulation (EC) No 950/97,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:

Article 1

The list of less-favoured farming areas in Denmark shall be that contained in the Annex to this Directive and shall be included in the Community list of less-favoured farming areas within the meaning of Article 25 of Regulation (EC) No 950/97.

Article 2

This Directive is addressed to the Kingdom of Denmark.

(1) OJ L 142, 2. 6. 1997, p. 1.

ANNEX

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