Commission Regulation (EC) No 1242/2008 of 8 December 2008 establishing a Community typology for agricultural holdings

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation 79/65/EEC of 15 June 1965 setting up a network for the collection of accountancy data on the incomes and business operation of agricultural holdings in the European Economic Community⁽¹⁾, and in particular Articles 4(4), 6(2), and 7(3) thereof,

Whereas:

1. The production structures and systems are very diverse in the Community. In order to make the analyses of structural characteristics of the agricultural holdings and their economic results easier, an appropriate and homogenous classification of agricultural holdings by economic size and type of farming was established by Commission Decision 85/377/EEC of 7 June 1985 establishing a Community typology for agricultural holdings⁽²⁾.

2. The Community typology needs to be so arranged that homogeneous groups of holdings can be assembled in a greater or lesser degree of aggregation and that comparisons of the situation of holdings can be made.

3. Given the growing importance in the income of the farmers from gainful activities directly related to the holding other than the agricultural activities of the holding, a classification variable reflecting the importance of the other gainful activities (OGA) directly related to the holding should be included in the Community typology.

4. In order to achieve the objectives set by Articles 4(1), 6(1)(b) and 7(2) of Regulation 79/65/EEC, the implementing rules for the Community typology should be established. In addition, the Community typology should apply to returning holdings using the accountancy data collected through the Community Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN).

5. Pursuant to Annex IV to Regulation (EC) No 1166/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 November 2008 on farm structure surveys and the survey on agricultural production methods and repealing Council Regulation (EEC) No 571/88⁽³⁾ the farm structure survey carried out on the basis of a sample must be statistically representative in terms of the type and the size of the agricultural holdings in line with the Community typology. Therefore, the Community typology should also apply to holdings for which data are collected through the farm structure surveys.

6. The type of farming and the economic size of the holding should be determined on the basis of an economic criterion remaining always positive. Therefore it is appropriate to use the standard output. The standard outputs have to be established by product. The list of products for which standard outputs are to be calculated should be brought into line with the list of characteristics of the farm structure surveys established in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1166/2008. In order to allow the application of the typology to the holdings in the FADN, a table of correspondence between the characteristics of the structure surveys and the headings of the farm return of the FADN needs to be established.

7. The standard outputs are based on average values over a reference period of five years, but they should regularly be updated to take account of economic trends so that the typology may continue meaningfully to be applied. The frequency of the update should be linked to the years in which farm structure surveys are carried out.

8. In order to draw up the selection plan of the returning holdings to be included in FADN 2010 it should be provided that the typology defined in this Regulation is already applied to the farm structure survey for 2007. Moreover, in order to ensure the comparability of the analyses on the situation of the agricultural holdings classified according to this typology, it should be provided that it should be applied to the farm structures surveys and FADN prior to 2010. Therefore a derogation needs to be included, providing that standard outputs are calculated for the reference period 2004.

9. The standard outputs and the data needed for their calculation are to be transmitted to the Commission by the liaison agency designated by each Member State in accordance with Article 6 of Regulation 79/65/EEC. It should be provided that the liaison agency can communicate directly to the Commission the relevant information through the information system established by the Commission. Moreover it should be foreseen that this system allows the electronic exchange of information required on the basis of models available to the liaison agency through this system. It should also be provided that the Commission is to inform the Member States on the general conditions for implementing the computer system through the Community Committee of the Farm Accountancy Data Network.

10. For reasons of clarity and taking account of the fact that the Community typology is a measure of general application, rather than a measure addressed to specific recipients, it is appropriate to replace Decision 85/377/EEC by a Regulation.

11. The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Community Committee for the Farm Accountancy Data Network,

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