Farm and business development
Article 19
1. Support under this measure shall cover: (a) business start-up aid for: (i) young farmers; (ii) non-agricultural activities in rural areas; (iii) the development of small farms; (b) investments in creation and development of non-agricultural activities; (c) annual payments or one-off payments for farmers eligible for the small farmers scheme established by Title V of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013 ("the small farmers scheme") who permanently transfer their holding to another farmer; 2. Support under point (a)(i) of paragraph 1 shall be granted to young farmers. Support under point (a)(ii) of paragraph 1 shall be granted to farmers or members of a farm household who diversify into non-agricultural activities and to micro- and small- enterprises and natural persons in rural areas. Support under point (a)(iii) of paragraph 1 shall be granted to small farms as defined by Member States. Support under point (b) of paragraph 1 shall be granted to micro- and small enterprises and natural persons in rural areas, as well as to farmers or members of a farm household. Support under point (c) of paragraph 1 shall be granted to farmers eligible to participate in the small farmers scheme who, at the time of submitting their application for support, have been so eligible for at least one year and who undertake to permanently transfer their entire holding and the corresponding payment entitlements to another farmer. Support shall be paid from the date of the transfer until 31 December 2020 or calculated in respect of that period and paid in the form of a one-off payment. 3. Any natural or legal person or a group of natural or legal persons, whatever legal status is granted to the group and its members by national law, may be considered to be a member of a farm household, with the exception of farm workers. Where a legal person or a group of legal persons is considered to be a member of the farm household, that member must exercise an agricultural activity on the farm at the time of the support application. 4. Support under point (a) of paragraph 1 shall be conditional on the submission of a business plan. Implementation of the business plan must start within nine months from the date of the decision granting the aid. For young farmers receiving support under point (a)(i) of paragraph 1, the business plan shall provide that the young farmer complies with Article 9 of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013, regarding active farmers within 18 months from the date of setting up. Member States shall define upper and lower thresholds for allowing agricultural holdings access to support under points (a)(i) and (a)(iii) of paragraph 1. The lower threshold for support under point (a)(i) of paragraph 1 shall be higher than the upper threshold for support under point (a)(iii) of paragraph 1. Support shall be limited to holdings coming under the definition of micro and small enterprises. 5. Support under point (a) of paragraph 1 shall be paid in at least two instalments over a period of maximum five years. Instalments may be degressive. The payment of the last instalment, under points (a)(i) and (a)(ii) of paragraph 1 shall be conditional upon the correct implementation of the business plan. 6. The maximum amount of support under point (a) of paragraph 1 is laid down in Annex II. Member States shall define the amount of support under points (a)(i) and (a)(ii) of paragraph 1 also taking into account the socio-economic situation of the programme area. 7. Support under point (c) of paragraph 1 shall be equal to 120 % of the annual payment that the beneficiary is eligible to receive under the small farmers scheme. 8. In order to ensure the efficient and effective use of EAFRD resources, the Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 83 laying down the minimum content of business plans and the criteria to be used by Member states for setting the thresholds referred to in paragraph 4 of this Article.