Fund contribution
Article 59
1. The decision approving a rural development programme shall set the maximum contribution from the EAFRD to the programme. The decision shall clearly identify, where necessary, the appropriations allocated to the less developed regions. 2. The EAFRD contribution shall be calculated on the basis of the amount of eligible public expenditure. 3. The rural development programmes shall establish a single EAFRD contribution rate applicable to all measures. Where applicable, a separate EAFRD contribution rate shall be established for less-developed regions, for outermost regions and for the smaller Aegean islands within the meaning of Regulation (EEC) No 2019/93, as well as for transition regions. The maximum EAFRD contribution rate shall be: (a) 85 % of the eligible public expenditure in the less developed regions, in the outermost regions and in the smaller Aegean islands within the meaning of Regulation (EEC) No 2019/93; (b) 75 % of the eligible public expenditure for all regions whose GDP per capita for the 2007-2013 period was less than 75 % of the average of the EU-25 for the reference period but whose GDP per capita is above 75 % of the GDP average of the EU-27; (c) 63 % of the eligible public expenditure for the transition regions other than those referred to in point (b) of this paragraph; (d) 53 % of the eligible public expenditure in the other regions. The minimum EAFRD contribution rate shall be 20 %. 4. By way of derogation from paragraph 3, the maximum EAFRD contribution shall be: (a) 80 % for the measures referred to in Articles 14, 27 and 35, for the LEADER local development referred to in Article 32 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 and for operations under point (a)(i) of Article 19(1). That rate may be increased to a maximum of 90 % for the programmes of less developed, the outermost regions, of the smaller Aegean islands within the meaning of Regulation (EEC) No 2019/93 and of transition regions referred to in points (b) and (c) of paragraph 3; (b) 75 % for operations contributing to the objectives of environment and climate change mitigation and adaptation under Article 17, points (a) and (b) of Article 21(1), Articles 28 29, 30 31 and 34. (c) 100 % for Union-level financial instruments referred to in point (a) of Article 38(1) of Regulation 1303/2013; (d) the contribution rate applicable to the measure concerned increased by an additional 10 percentage points for contributions to financial instruments referred to in point (b) of Article 38(1) of Regulation 1303/2013. (e) 100 % for operations receiving funding from funds transferred to the EAFRD in application of Article 7(2) and Article 14(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013. (f) 100 % for an amount of EUR 500 million, in 2011 prices, allocated to Portugal and for an amount of EUR 7 million, in 2011 prices, allocated to Cyprus on condition that those Member States are receiving financial assistance in accordance with Articles 136 and 143 TFEU on 1 January 2014 or thereafter, until 2016, when the application of this provision shall be reassessed. (g) For Member States receiving on 1 January 2014 or thereafter financial assistance in accordance with Article 136 and 143 TFEU, the EAFRD contribution rate resulting from the application of Article 24(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 may be increased by a maximum of an additional 10 percentage points up to a total maximum of 95 %, for expenditure to be paid by these Member States in the first two years of implementation of the rural development programme. The EAFRD contribution rate which would be applicable without this derogation shall, however, be respected for the total public expenditure made during the programming period. 5. At least 5 %, and in the case of Croatia 2,5 %, of the total EAFRD contribution to the rural development programme shall be reserved for LEADER. 6. At least 30 % of the total EAFRD contribution to the rural development programme shall be reserved for measures under the following Articles: Article 17 for environment and climate related investments; Articles 21, 28, 29 and 30, with the exception of Water Framework Directive related payments; and Articles 31, 32 and 34. The first subparagraph shall not apply to the outermost regions and the overseas territories of the Member States. 7. Where a Member State submits both a national programme and a set of regional programmes, paragraphs 5 and 6 shall not apply to the national programme. The EAFRD contribution to the national programme shall be taken into account for the purpose of calculating the percentages referred to in paragraphs 5 and 6 for each regional programme, in proportion to that regional programme's share of the national allocation. 8. An expenditure co-financed by the EAFRD shall not be co-financed by way of a contribution from the Structural Funds, from the Cohesion Fund or from any other Union financial instrument. 9. Public expenditure on aid to enterprises shall comply with the aid limits laid down in respect of State aid, unless this Regulation provides otherwise.