Minimum requirements

1.   Member States shall set a minimum area and not grant direct payments to active farmers whose eligible area of the holding for which direct payments are claimed is lower than that minimum area.
Alternatively, Member States may set a minimum amount of direct payments that may be paid to a farmer.
2.   Where a Member State has decided to set a minimum area in accordance with paragraph 1, first subparagraph, it shall nevertheless set a minimum amount in accordance with paragraph 1, second subparagraph, for those farmers receiving an animal-related support to be paid per animal in the form of direct payments who hold fewer hectares than that minimum area.
When setting the minimum area or minimum amount, Member States shall aim to ensure that direct payments are granted only to active farmers if:
(a)
the management of the corresponding payments does not cause excessive administrative burden; and
(b)
the corresponding amounts make an effective contribution to achieving the specific objectives set out in Article 6(1) to which direct payments contribute.
3.   Greece may decide not to apply this Article to the smaller Aegean islands.