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For those member States that apply the Basic Payments Scheme, the entitlement to receive payments under the old single payment system expired at the end of 2014 and new entitlements were allocated in 2015. As a general rule, entitlements were allocated to those that applied for an allocation and:
• were active farmers in 2015 (that is those people and businesses: involved in producing, rearing, or growing agricultural produce; keeping land in a suitable state for grazing or cultivation; or doing the minimum necessary to land that is naturally kept suitable for grazing or cultivation); and
• had been entitled to direct payments in 2013.

Each member State was required to allocate 30% of the national ceiling for direct payments to agricultural practices beneficial for the climate and the environment (Greening). To qualify for payments, three basic requirements must be met relating to crop diversification and maintenance of permanent grass land, and each holding over 15 ha must have at least 5% of the area designated as an "ecological focus area". To qualify as an ecological focus area, land use must meet a number of criteria which vary from one member State to another and include landscape features (e.g. trees in groups, field margins, trees in lines, ditches, and hedges), buffer strips, short rotation coppice, catch crops, or nitrogen-fixing crops.

Exemptions to these criteria may apply, such as for farmers participating in the small farmers' scheme, farmers with a large proportion of grassland, and farmers that meet the requirements for organic production. [7]

[7] Council Regulation (EC) No. 834/2007 of 28 June 2007 on organic production and labelling of organic products and repealing Regulation (EEC) No. 2092/91.

Table 4.6 Implementation of direct payments
(Of national ceiling for 2016 calendar year (unless stated otherwise))
(...)
Note: 30% of each national ceiling is reserved for greening, therefore, percentage allocations add up to 70% in all cases except Denmark, which is the only member State to allocate some of Pillar I to areas with natural constraints (0.4% of the national ceiling).

Table 4.8 Temporary measures for dairy and livestock producers, 2014-16
Date Implementing/Delegated Regulation No. Description
2016/1613 €350 million in exceptional adjustment aid to milk producers and farmers in other livestock sectors to be spent by 30 September 2017 at the latest. National contributions of up to 100% allowed for the same measures. Measures taken by member States for producers engaged in: reducing production; small-scale farming; extensive production; environmental and climate friendly production; implementation of cooperative projects; implementation of quality or value-added schemes; and training in financial instruments and risk management.
(...)

There are 118 rural development plans in the 28 member States, with 20 national programmes and eight member States with two or more regional programmes. Each plan sets targets for the priorities and at least 30% of funding must be for measures relating to the environment and climate change and 5% for the LEADER programme which provides grants for a variety of community-led programmes under the sixth priority on social inclusion, poverty reduction and economic development in rural areas.

As noted in the previous review, some of the Pillar II programmes and measures are targeted at farmers and intended to improve efficiency (e.g. investments in physical assets), productivity in the sector (e.g. aid for young farmers) (under Priority 2), and risk reduction (e.g. aid for restoring production potential after damage by natural disasters, subsidies for insurance premiums, and income stabilization) (under Priority 3). According to the Commission, 44% of funds of all the rural development plans are for improving ecosystems, 20% for improving farm viability and competitiveness, and 10% for food chain organization, animal welfare and risk management (Table 4.12).

Table 4.12 Rural development priorities and focus areas
Priority % of funds
1 Knowledge transfer and innovation
1.A Innovation, cooperation, and the development of the knowledge base
1.B Links between agriculture, food production and forestry and research and innovation, including for the purpose of improved environmental management and performance
1.C Learning and vocational training
2 Farm viability and competitiveness, and promoting innovative farm technologies and sustainable management of forests 20
2.A Improving the economic performance of all farms
2.B Entry of adequately skilled farmers
3 Food chain organization, including processing and marketing of agricultural products, animal welfare, and risk management 10
3.A Improving competitiveness
3.B Risk prevention and management
4 Restoring, preserving and enhancing biodiversity 44
4.A Biodiversity
4.B Water management
4.C Preventing soil erosion and improving soil management
5 Resource efficiency and supporting the shift towards a low carbon and climate resilient economy in agriculture, food and forestry sectors 8
5.A Efficiency in water use
5.B Efficiency in energy use
5.C Supply and use of renewable sources of energy
5.D Reducing greenhouse gas and ammonia emissions
5.E Carbon conservation and sequestration
(...)

The EU has exclusive competence for the conservation of marine biological resources under the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and for the conclusion of international agreements. Shared competence between the EU and the member States applies to other fishery issues, including responsibility for implementation of EU rules and for registration of vessels and other matters related to the jurisdiction of vessels.

The fisheries policy of the EU is covered in the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), which established a set of rules for managing European fishing fleets and for conserving fish stocks. Since its introduction in the 1970s, the CFP has been reformed several times, most recently in 2014.