Tuscany Region — Areas facing natural or other specific constraints within the meaning of Articles 31 and 32 of Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013

Article 32 of Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013 on support for rural development by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) designates ‘areas facing natural or other specific constraints’ by classifying them as follows:(a) mountain areasb) areas facing significant natural constraints, other than mountain areasc) other areas with specific constraints.This classification affects all procedures concerning rural development in the broad sense: not only the support measures of the Rural Development Programme but also the award of the title of VEI (Vocational Agricultural Entrepreneur). Areas less favoured for social security purposes do not concern this classification.(a) The mountain areas are brown coloured areas and are located in whole communes and portions of the municipal territory. The new classification of areas of type b) has also marginally affected mountain areas, limited to 4 municipalities: Buti, Calci, Calenzano and Cavriglia which, from mixed (partially mountainous and partially disadvantaged non-mountain) have moved to areas totally facing significant natural constraints, other than mountain areas.(b) Areas facing significant natural constraints, other than mountain areas (in green on the map) have recently been amended in accordance with the provisions of Article 32 of the Rural Development Regulation; the amendment became effective with DGR 1349 of 02/11/2020 implementing Ministerial Decree 6277 of 08/06/2020 identifying areas facing significant natural constraints other than mountain areas and approving the related lists. In the new classification, designated areas are only whole municipalities.(c) Areas with specific constraints (in blue in the map), have not been modified and are represented only by whole municipalities (Arcipelago — excluding Giglio Island — and Argentario).The purpose of the identification of these areas is to enable farmers in mountain areas or other areas facing natural or other specific constraints, to encourage, through the continuous use of agricultural land, the maintenance and promotion of sustainable agricultural production systems.