4.

Areas other than those referred to in paragraphs 2 and 3 shall be eligible for payments under Article 31 if they are affected by specific constraints and if it is necessary for land management to be continued in order to conserve or improve the environment, to maintain the countryside, to preserve the tourist potential of the area or to protect the coastline. Areas affected by specific constraints shall comprise farming areas within which the natural production conditions are similar and the total extent of which does not exceed 10 % of the area of the Member State concerned. In addition, areas may also be eligible for payments under this paragraph, where: at least 60 % of the agricultural area meets at least two of the criteria listed in Annex III each within a margin of not more than 20 % of the threshold value indicated, or at least 60 % of the agricultural area is composed of areas meeting at least one of the criteria listed in Annex III at the threshold value indicated, and areas meeting at least two of the criteria listed in Annex III each within a margin of not more than 20 % of the threshold value indicated. Compliance with those conditions shall be ensured at LAU2 level or at the level of a clearly delineated local unit which covers a single clear contiguous geographical area with a definable economic and administrative identity. When delimiting areas concerned by this subparagraph, Member States shall undertake a fine-tuning exercise as described in Article 32(3). Areas considered eligible pursuant to this subparagraph, shall be taken into account for calculating the 10 % limit referred to in the second subparagraph. By way of derogation, the first sub-paragraph shall not apply to Member States the entire territory of which was considered as an area facing specific handicaps under Regulations (EC) No 1698/2005 and (EC) No 1257/1999.

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Source: EUR-Lex (Cellar) · retrieved 2026-11-08 · Text as adopted (Official Journal); later amendments are not incorporated in this text.