1. Financing Natura 2000 Progress with MFF, Pas/Ops and PAFs
Habitats Committee
Brussels, 3 October 2013

2. Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)
CAP negotiations largely complete
Greening of the 1st pillar:
Ecological focus areas for farms > 15ha (excluded farms with grasslands > 75% of the area, heavily forested areas)
Crop diversification
Permanent grasslands (national obligation not to plough > 5% of permanent grasslands)
Rural Development: at least 30% of RDPs have to go to agri-env-climate measures, forest and/or LFAs
Cross-compliance: WFD and Pesiticides Directives not included, BHD secured through GAEC
Some issues still to be decided at the delegated acts/implementing rules
MS to have much more freedom with implementation

3. Structural funds and the Cohesion Fund
Trilogues on the ERDF, ESF, CF and ETC regulations still on-going; aim agreement in Oct and adoption Oct./Nov.
Concentration:
More developed regions: at least 80% of the total ERDF on 2 or more of TO1, TO2, TO3 or TO4 and at least 20% to TO4 (out of the 80%).
Transition regions: 60% of the total ERDF on 2 or more of TO1, TO2, TO3 or TO4 and at least 15% to TO4 (out of the 60%).
Less developed regions: 50% of the total ERDF on 2 or more of TO1, TO2, TO3 or TO4 and at least 12% to TO4 (out of the 50%).
Environment can be respectively financed under the remaining 20%, 40% or 50%
TO 6 (environment) expanded to include also restoration of biodiversity and ecosystem services,
TO 5 (adaptation to cc) expanded to include "ecosystem based approaches"
Ex-ante conditionalities to be insured by MS
Biodiversity tracking – not in the regulation but to be de facto carried out.

4. European Maritime and Fisheries Fund
Negotiations closely linked to the reform of the CFP;
Council (General Approach) and EP 1st reading – Feb. 2013;
Trilogues started in March 2013
June-July 2013 – voting in the PECH Committee and the Council;
Most controversial issues: scrapping, cessation of activities, support for new vessels, support for young fishermen
Distribution of resources between shared and direct management;
Biodiversity and ecosystems incl. N aquaculture methods compatible with N2000 – eligible for support;
Reference to PAFs.

5. LIFE Programme for the Environment and Climate Action
June 2013: agreemenet between the Council and EP
New structure: sub programmes for the Environment and Climate Action;
Budget: Budget: €3,456.7 (€2,592.5 for ENV, €864.2 for CLIMA); 55% of ENV to N2000 and biodiv.
Nature and Biodiversity: focus on N2000 (integrated projects to implement PAFs);
Co-financing rates: nature and biodiversity 60%, priority habitats and species a 75%.
New concept: integrated projects (30% project budget);
More coordination with other funds;
Multiannual work programmes;
National allocations to be phased out;
EP vote in plenary expected end of October
Workshop on LIFE-PAF projects to take place
on 5 November in Brussels
For more info on LIFE reform there's a fiche in \\net1\env\Public\ENV-Restricted\Dir-B\1.3.5 Contracts Management\ Procurement\SI _Financing Natura \Contract management\Deliverables\Workshops\Materials for the workshops

6. Prioritised Action Frameworks (PAFs) –
PAFs update:
Received from 22 MS: AT, BE (Wallonia and Flanders), CY, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, HU, IE, IT (5 regions), LU, LV, NL, PL, PT, RO, SE, SK, UK (Engl, Wales, Scot, NIE, GIB and Offshore)
Missing: BG, GR, HR(?), LT, MT, SI, plus IT (remaining regions).
Shared with AGRI, REGIO and MARE
To be reflected in the PAs and OPs.
Provide a general info on PAF objectives and then discuss the national PAF.

7. Contract 1. Updated Handbook
Toolkit
Seminars in MS

8. Additional information
Indicate that there are publications which can help the MS with programming of funds for Natura 2000.

9. For more information, please consult:
Contact:
For more information, please consult: 9 9