(Reference for a preliminary ruling– European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD)– Regulation (EU) No1305/2013

15The Ministru kabineta noteikumi No562 ‘Noteikumi par zemes lietošanas veidu klasifikācijas kārtību un to noteikšanas kritērijiem’ (Decree No562 of the Council of Ministers on the rules for the classification of types of land use and the criteria for determining them) of 21August 2007 (Latvijas Vēstnesis, 2007, No137) provides, in its annex, a classification of types of land use.

16The Ministru kabineta noteikumi No264 ‘Īpaši aizsargājamo dabas teritoriju vispārējie aizsardzības un izmantošanas noteikumi’ (Decree No264 of the Council of Ministers on general provisions on the protection and use of special areas of conservation) of 16March 2010 (Latvijas Vēstnesis, 2010, No58) lays down the general rules for the protection and use of special areas of conservation.

17Point16 of that decree, included in Chapter 5 thereof, under the heading ‘Protected natural areas’, provides:

‘In nature protection areas it is forbidden:

…

16.12.to establish cranberry plantations in peat bogs;

…’

18Points56 to 58 of the Ministru kabineta noteikumi No171 ‘Noteikumi par valsts un Eiropas Savienības atbalsta piešķiršanu administrēšanu un uzraudzību vides, klimata un lauku ainavas uzlabošanai 2014.–2020. gada plānošanas periodā’ (Decree No171 of the Council of Ministers relating to the grant, administration and supervision of State and European Union aid for improvements to the environment, climate and rural areas during the programming period for the years 2014 to 2020) of 7April 2015 (Latvijas Vēstnesis, 2015, No76) are worded as follows:

‘Point56.The area eligible for support under this measure is forest land (excluding peat bogs):

56.1.which is included in the list of [Natura 2000 areas] pursuant to Article30(6)(a) of Regulation No1305/2013;

…

Point58: Support may be granted if the eligible area declared for the support is at least 1 ha and comprises fields of at least 0.1 ha, and the minimum area subject to some form of restriction within a field measures at least 0.1 ha, and if the said fields can be identified on a map, are included in the Rural Support Service’s electronic application system and are subject to any of the following restrictions on economic activity from 1March of the current year under the legislation governing the protection and use of special areas of conservation or the protection of species and biotopes:

58.1.prohibition on forestry activities;

58.2.prohibition on main harvesting and thinning;

58.3.prohibition on main harvesting;

58.4.prohibition on clear cutting.’

19The Latvijas lauku attīstības programma 2014.-2020.gadam (Rural development programme for Latvia 2014-2020), approved by the Commission under Article10(2) of Regulation No1305/2013 (‘the Rural Development programme 2014-2020’), states that support may be paid where restrictions are placed on forestry activities in Natura 2000 areas or in microreserves located on forest land, excluding peat bogs.