Authorisation of agricultural land for cotton production
Member States shall establish objective criteria on the basis of which agricultural land is authorised pursuant to Article 57(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013.
Those criteria shall be based on one or more of the following:
(a)
the agricultural economy of those regions where cotton is a major crop;
(b)
the soil and climate in the areas in question;
(c)
the management of irrigation water;
(d)
rotation systems and cultivation methods likely to respect the environment.
Authorisation of varieties for sowing
For the purposes of Article 57(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013, Member States shall authorise the varieties registered in the ‘Common Catalogue of Varieties of Agricultural Plant Species’ provided for in Directive 2002/53/EC that are adapted to market needs.
Eligibility requirements
Sowing the areas referred to in Article 57(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013 shall be done by achieving a minimum plant density, to be fixed by the Member State concerned on the basis of the soil and weather conditions and specific regional characteristics, where appropriate.
Agronomic practices
Member States may establish specific rules on the agronomic practices needed to maintain and harvest the crops under normal growing conditions.
Approval of inter-branch organisations
1. Each year Member States shall approve for a period of one year, starting not later than 1 March, any inter-branch organisation referred to in Article 59(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013 that applies to become such an approved organisation and which:
(a)
covers a total area of at least 4 000 ha as established by the Member State that meet the authorisation criteria laid down in Article 56 of this Regulation;
(b)
includes at least one ginning undertaking; and
(c)
has adopted internal operating rules, in particular on membership conditions and fees, in accordance with national and Union rules.
2. Where it is found that an approved inter-branch organisation does not respect the criteria for approval provided for in paragraph 1, the Member State shall withdraw the approval unless the non-respect of the criteria concerned is remedied. Where it is planned to withdraw the approval, the Member State shall notify that intention to the inter-branch organisation, together with the reasons for the withdrawal. The Member State shall allow the inter-branch organisation to submit its observations within a specified period.
Farmers who are members of an approved inter-branch organisation whose approval is withdrawn in accordance with the first subparagraph of this paragraph shall lose their right to the increase of the aid provided for in Article 60(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013.
Producers’ obligations
1. A producer shall not be a member of more than one approved inter-branch organisation referred to in Article 59(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013.
2. A producer who is a member of an approved inter-branch organisation shall deliver his cotton only to a ginner belonging to that same organisation.
3. The participation of producers in an approved inter-branch organisation shall be the result of voluntary membership.
Source: EUR-Lex (Publications Office of the EU), © European Union, reuse permitted under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU.
