Farm Advisory Services Regulations, 2019 (L.N. 99 of 2019)

B 671 L.N. 99 of 2019 SUPPLIES AND SERVICES ACT (CAP. 117) Farm Advisory Services Regulations, 2019 IN EXERCISE of the powers conferred by article 3 of the Supplies and Services Act, the Minister responsible for the Economy, Investment and Small Businesses, in conjunction with the Minister for the Environment, Sustainable Development and Climate Change and the Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights, has made the following regulations: Title.1. (1) The title of these regulations is the Farm Advisory Services Regulations, 2019. (2) These regulations regulate the setting up of the farm advisory services system and the recognition and registration of farm advisory service providers and any ancillary matters in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the financing, management and monitoring of the common agricultural policy and repealing Council Regulations (EEC) No 352/78, (EC) No 165/94, (EC) No 2799/98, (EC) No 814/2000, (EC) No 1290/ 2005 and (EC) No 485/2008. Interpretation2. In these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires Cap. 117."the Act" means the Supplies and Services Act; "beneficiary" means any natural or legal person, whether public or private, receiving, or entitled to receive farm advisory services; "the Board" means the Farm Advisory Registration Board set by regulation 4; "certificate" means the certificate of recognition issued in accordance with regulation 17; "Chairperson" means the person appointed in accordance with regulation 4 and having the responsibility to ensure that the Board is functioning in accordance to law; "competent authority" means the Agriculture and Rural Payments Agency within the Ministry responsible for agriculture VERŻJONI ELETTRONIKA B 672 and rural affairs; "expert advisor" means the qualified individual who shall be providing the farm advisory services under these regulations; "farm advisory system" means the regulatory framework regulating farm advisory services; "farm advisory service providers" means any natural or legal person, whether public or private, providing farm advisory service under the provisions of these regulations; "main issue" means the issues listed in the second column of Annex II of Regulation (EU) 1306/2013; "person" means any natural or legal person, including companies, associations, co-operatives, trade unions, partnerships, or any other recognised legal form, whether public or private; "Registrar" means the person appointed in accordance with regulation 5 and having the responsibility to keep and maintain the Register in accordance with regulation 6; "the Regulation" means Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 on the financing, management and monitoring of the common agricultural policy and repealing Council Regulations (EEC) No 352/78, (EC) No 165/94, (EC) No 2799/98, (EC) No 814/2000, (EC) No 1290/2005 and (EC) No 485/2008; "status report" means the annual report to be drawn up and submitted by the farm advisory service provider in accordance with the provisions of these regulation and in accordance with any templates provided by the Board. The competent authority. 3. There shall be a competent authority and this competent authority shall be the Agriculture and Rural Payments Agency within the Ministry responsible for agriculture and rural affairs. The Board. 4. (1) There shall be a Board which shall be known as the Farm Advisory Service Registration Board. The members of the Board shall be appointed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry responsible for agriculture and rural affairs. The Board shall be composed of five (5) members being representatives from the Ministry responsible for agriculture and rural affairs, one of whom shall be appointed as Chairperson. VERŻJONI ELETTRONIKA B 673 (2) The secretary to the Board shall be a representative from the competent authority who shall also act as Registrar and shall be responsible for the register of the recognised farm advisory service providers. (3) The Board shall assess applications for registration and shall decide in accordance with these regulations. (4) The Board shall instruct the Registrar to issue certificates of recognition to applicants who meet the requirements in accordance with regulation 17. (5) The Board shall instruct the Registrar to inform the applicants who do not meet the requirements for recognition that their application has been refused by means of a notification. (6) Where the Board decides that an applicant shall not be issued with a certificate of recognition, the Board shall together with the notification, provide a reasoned justification for its decision. (7) The Board shall notify its decision to accept or refuse an application to the Registrar, within four (4) months from the date of receipt of the complete application form: Provided that in the event that the Board requests further information, documentation or clarification, the four (4) months shall commence on the day when the last information, documentation or clarification are submitted by the applicant. (8) The Board shall regulate its own procedure. The Registrar.5. The Registrar shall be responsible for issuing the certificate of registration for keeping and maintaining the register and shall note all registrations, suspensions, cancellations, de-listings and reinstatements in the register. The register.6. (1) The Registrar shall keep the register with the following information: (a) the full name of the recognized farm advisory service provider; (b) a unique consecutive reference number; (c) the date of registration; (d) the name and surname of the representative of the farm advisory service provider; VERŻJONI ELETTRONIKA B 674 (e) the contact information of the representative of the farm advisory service provider; and (f) any other information as may be required by the Board. (2) The list of registered entities shall be made public and will be updated regularly with any changes in the information. The Registrar shall render the register public by publication in the Gazette and through other media, as instructed by the Board. The Registrar shall provide access to information relating to the register according to law. Farm advisory service providers. 7. Legal or natural persons who satisfy the eligibility criteria set out in regulation 8 and who have been duly recognized, shall be registered as a farm advisory service providers and shall have, for the whole duration of the recognition, a right to provide farm advisory services in accordance with these regulations. Criteria for recognition of farm advisory service providers. 8. (1) A farm advisory service provider shall not be granted recognition in accordance with these regulations unless the Board is satisfied that farm advisory service provider meets the criteria for recognition established hereunder: (a) evidence of conformity with all applicable legislation provisions; (b) evidence of technical and professional competence to provide advisory services in at least one advisory area or sub-area as set out in Schedule I, to the satisfaction of the Board; (c) evidence of human resource, administrative and organisational capacity to the satisfaction of the Board; (d) presentation of the advisory service’s business plan for the approval of the competent authority; (e) evidence of commitment in accordance with regulation 14(2)(j); and (f) where authorisation or license is required for the provision of technical services, evidence of due authorisation or license from the relevant competent authority for the provision of such technical services shall also be required. (2) A farm advisory service provider shall not provide farm advisory services unless recognized by the Board in accordance with these regulations. VERŻJONI ELETTRONIKA B 675 Cap. 490 (3) Applicants who disagree with the decision of the registration process shall within fifteen days (15) from when the decision is issued have the right to appeal before the Administrative Review Tribunal established by article 5(1) of the Administrative Justice Act. Farm advisory services. 9. (1) Recognized farm advisory service providers shall provide advisory service to farmers or operators in the agricultural sector in the areas set out in Schedule I. The advisory service shall include advice to beneficiaries of European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF) and European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) funds on land management and farm management in the rural sector for the purposes of improving the overall performance of their agricultural holdings and in particular on the areas referred to in Schedule I . (2) Advisory services on the areas referred to in Article 12(3) of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 on the financing, management and monitoring of the common agricultural policy and repealing Council Regulations (EEC) No 352/78, (EC) No 165/94, (EC) No 2799/98, (EC) No 814/2000, (EC) No 1290/2005 and (EC) No 485/2008 may also be provided. (3) The competent authority may communicate to the recognised farm advisory service provider the categories of beneficiaries who should be given priority access to the farm advisory service provider in accordance with the applicable regulations. Training of advisors. 10. (1) The recognized farm advisory service providers shall ensure that their advisors are trained regularly. Such training shall include: (a) the obligations arising from law in the relevant advisory area or sub-area for which such advisors are recognised and any changes thereto; (b) the information to be collected and provided in line with standards to be set by the competent authority; (c) the manner of conducting on-site inspections in line with standards to be set by the competent authority; (d) annual training on best practices in the relevant advisory area or sub-area for which such advisors are recognised. (2) The Board may require evidence that such training is provided effectively. VERŻJONI ELETTRONIKA B 676 Advisory services on cross compliance. 11. Applications for the provision of advisory services related to rules on cross compliance, shall not be accepted unless all standards and requirements under the main issue(s) upon which to provide the service are provided comprehensively. The decision shall be based on rules on cross compliance pursuant to Article 93 of the Regulation and any subsequent amendments: Provided that the Board must be satisfied that the beneficiaries shall receive sufficient comprehensive advice covering the specific main issues. Expert advisor. 12. An expert advisor shall not provide advisory services under more than one farm advisory service provider during any given period of time. Third party expert advisor. 13. A farm advisory service provider may, at its discretion, use the services and expertise of third party expert advisors. In any event where the farm advisory service provider makes use of third party expert advisors, the farm advisory service provider shall, for the purpose of this engagement, enter into a written contract of service with such expert advisors and shall send a copy of this contract to the Board, together with the application form, for its approval, in accordance with these regulations: Provided that expert advisors engaged under a contract of service shall, for the duration of the recognition and with regard to the beneficiaries and the Board, have the same status, rights and obligations as expert advisors engaged with the farm advisory service provider under a contract of employment. Application for recognition. 14. (1) Farm advisory service providers shall be eligible for consideration for the purposes of recognition by the Board, following their declaration of interest made by means of an application in the format established by the competent authority. (2) The application for the recognition of farm advisory services shall include all details as required by the Board. The competent authority shall draw up and publish guidelines setting out in detail the form and content of such applications, including documents and other evidence required to demonstrate competency and eligibility as set out hereinafter. Such details shall include: (a) the particulars of the applicant; (b) the particulars of the expert advisor or advisors; (c) a clean police conduct certificate for all individuals referred to in paragraphs (a) and (b) issued in the previous six (6) VERŻJONI ELETTRONIKA B 677 months, or whenever requested during the duration of the recognition; (d) advisory area(s) and sub-areas for which the applicant is seeking recognition; (e) a detailed organizational chart; (f) detailed Curriculum Vitae of advisors acting for the farm advisory service provider together with any additional proof of competency to perform the advisory services in the relevant advisory area or sub-area; (g) evidence of special recognition for areas listed in Schedule I; (h) a training plan; (i) a copy of contract of service for third party expert advisors, if applicable; (j) declaration of commitment; (k) declaration of absence of conflict of interest; (l) proof of payment for the administrative fee as set out in Schedule II; (m) any other information as may be requested by the Board. (3) A farm advisory service provider shall not be registered more than once during any given period of time: Provided that in any case where the recognition of a farm advisory service provider has been cancelled or de-listed, the farm advisory service provider may re-apply for recognition under these regulations. Such re-application for recognition may not be made before the lapse of six (6) months from the date of cancellation or de-listing as the case may be. (4) Upon receipt of a communication from the Registrar that the entity may be recognised, the entity shall pay the administration fee as established in the Schedule II. This administration fee shall not be refundable. VERŻJONI ELETTRONIKA B 678 Conflict of interest. 15. (1) The registered farm advisory service provider shall ensure that the persons who appear under it whether engaged under a contract of employment or under a contract of service shall be free from any conflict of interest that may arise from their engagement. (2) When it appears to the Board that, notwithstanding the declaration made pursuant to regulation 14(2)(k), the farm advisory service provider or any person appearing on its behalf appears to have a conflict of interest, the Board shall demand a clarification from the registered farm advisory service provider before taking a decision. Clarification. 16. The Board may seek clarifications from any person on any of the matters referred to in these regulations at any time between the submission of the application form until the expiration of the recognition. The certificate of recognition 17. (1) The certificate of recognition shall contain the following information: (a) the name of the entity or other means of identification; (b) the date of recognition; (c) the advisory area and, or sub-area; (d) the allocated registration number. (2) Certificates issued to recognized farm advisory service providers shall be valid for thirty-six (36) months from the date of recognition. (3) Certificates of recognition shall be renewed only following a written request by the farm advisory service provider. A request for renewal shall include any documentation referred to in regulation 14 in relation to which there have been material changes. Notification by the Registrar. 18. (1) The Registrar shall, upon a written request by the Board, notify the applicant of any other request for clarification, decision or instruction including decisions to make any suspensions or withdrawal of such recognition and clarification and any other action deemed necessary by the Board. Notifications under this regulation shall, whenever appropriate, be accompanied by a reasoned justification. (2) In any event where the farm advisory service provider intends to add another advisory area to the one already recognized, or intends to change to another advisory area or sub-area from the one already recognized for, a new application for recognition needs to be submitted in accordance with these regulations. VERŻJONI ELETTRONIKA B 679 Implementation of the farm advisory service. 19. Recognized farm advisory service providers shall: (a) adhere to any standards or guidelines published by the competent authority during the term of their recognition; and (b) bear the responsibility for the correctness, validity and reliability of the information and services provided to the beneficiaries by their personnel as part of their engagement and shall provide the Board with a signed declaration to this effect when submitting the relevant registration documentation, in accordance with regulation 14. Liability toward the beneficiaries. 20. Where the recognized farm advisory service provider engages third party experts from outside of the farm advisory service provider organization under a contract of service, the farm advisory service provider shall remain solely liable towards the beneficiaries for the whole of its obligations under the terms of engagement. Change in status. 21. Status changes which materially effect the criteria upon which the recognition was given shall be reported by the farm advisory service provider to the Board within ten (10) working days either from the day when such information is requested or from the day when such changes should have become known by the provider, whichever date is the earlier. The farm advisory service provider shall suspend its operators until the Board approves in writing the changes requested. Protection of data. 22. Farm advisory service providers shall treat information obtained during the advisory activity as confidential and any personal data that such service providers may obtain shall be processed in accordance with the of the Laws of Malta. This obligation subsists indefinitely and applies also in the event that the farm advisory service provider loses recognition, or is de-listed from the registry. This obligation shall also extend to experts engaged under a contract of service. Annual report.23. The Board shall draw up an annual report concerning the quality and effectiveness of advice given by the farm advisory service provider in relation to breaches referred to in the on-the-spot checks. Control, reports and monitoring. 24. (1) Registered farm advisory service providers and expert advisors engaged by a registered farm advisory service provider under a contract of service shall ensure reasonable access to members or persons authorised by the Board for the purposes of carrying out inspection to ascertain compliance with these regulations and to verify the accuracy of any information provided or any declaration made by the registered farm advisory service provider. VERŻJONI ELETTRONIKA B 680 (2) The registered farm advisory service provider shall cooperate with any lawful requests by the Board or by any other lawfully appointed body for the provision of data and any other information regarding the implemenation of the farm advisory service. (3) The registered farm advisory service provider shall, by not later than the 31st of December of each year provide the Board with a yearly status report on the farm advisory services activities carried out, including activities carried out by any outsourced experts, in the preceding twelve (12) months. This report shall be signed by the legal representative of the registered farm advisory service provider. Cancellations and penalties. 25. (1) The Board has the right to cancel any certificate of recognition granted to a farm advisory service provider as an entity or, as an individual within the entity, when the holder of that certificate or any level advisor or inspector engaged by a registered farm advisory service provider under a contract of service is in breach of these regulations and no longer satisfies the criteria for recognition: Provided that in any event where the Board considers the breach to be minor or inconsequential, it may, at its sole discretion, grant the registered farm advisory service provider time to regularise its position before the cancellation of the registration is effected. (2) The Board shall cancel any certificate granted under the provisions of these regulations when the holder of that certificate: (a) is found guilty in any proceeding by a court of law of any criminal offence under Part II of Chapter 9 of the Laws of Malta; or (b) has been deemed by the Board, to have consistently failed to deliver services in line with the quality and standards required by the competent authority; (c) has been deemed by the Board to have knowingly submitted misleading or false information; (d) has failed to provide the necessary documentation or evidence as requested by the Board within one (1) month from the request or within any other period as determined by the Board; (e) has not provided services to farmers and has failed within one (1) month of being requested in writing by the Board to provide evidence to the contrary, to provide such evidence to the satisfaction of the Board. VERŻJONI ELETTRONIKA B 681 Provided that where the Board determines that (a) or (c) have been committed by an expert advisor engaged by such Farm Advisory Service provider, in a manner which also involves the intentional or negligent conduct on the part of the Service provider, the Board may, at its absolute discrection, cancel also the certificate granted to the Farm Advisory Service provider. This is without prejudice to other legal remedies that the Board may pursue in accordance to law. (3) For the purposes of applying regulation 25, the Board shall have the competence to determine the gravity of any offence, breach of law or failure, as well as to determine the requisite standard of diligence and quality of work required by the registered farm advisory service provider. (4) The Board may cancel any certificate granted under the provisions of these regulations in any case where, in the opinion of the Board, the farm advisory service provider is failing to provide a quality service. (5) The Board may only take a decision to cancel a registration after it has notified the farm advisory service provider of any finding of any facts that may amount to an offence, breach of law and after it has given the farm advisory service provider adequate opportunity to make own submissions, in accordance with the principles of natural justice. (6) Any legal or natural person whether public or private who, for the purposes of obtaining the certificate of recognition, gives any wrong information or otherwise acts in a deceitful or fraudulent manner, shall be guilty of an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine (multa) not exceeding two thousand and three hundred and thirty euro (€2,330). This is without prejudice to any other remedy that may be sought under law. Repeal. S.L. 117.30. 26. The Farm Advisory Services Regulations are hereby repealed. VERŻJONI ELETTRONIKA B 682 Schedule I Category of Advisory Areas General Provisions The farm advisory system covers: (a) obligations at farm level resulting from cross compliance standards and requirements; (b) requirements to be respected in relation to the agricultural practices beneficial for the climate and the environment and the maintenance of the agricultural area under Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 establishing rules for direct payments to farmers under support schemes within the framework of the common agricultural policy and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 637/2008 and Council Regulation (EC) No 73/2009; (c) measures at farm level provided for in rural development programmes aiming at farm modernisation, competitiveness building, sectoral integration, innovation, market orientation and promotion of entrepreneurship; (d) The system should also cover the requirements imposed on beneficiaries by Member States in order to implement specific provisions of Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament establishing a framework for the Community action in the field of water policy and for implementing Article 55 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 October 2009 concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market, in particular requirements concerning the compliance with the general principles of integrated pest management as referred to in Article 14 of Directive 2009/128/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 October 2009 establishing a framework for Community action to achieve the sustainable use of pesticides. VERŻJONI ELETTRONIKA B 683 Advisory Area A Advisory Area A - Cross Compliance: (a) Advice on Obligations at farm level resulting from the statutory management requirements (SMR) and the standards for good agricultural and environmental condition of land (GAEC). Note (1): Advisory Area A Cross Compliance is to be categorised in the relevant ‘sub-areas’ as presented in Annex II of the Regulation. Important note: For each subarea the farm advisory services application must indicate wherever necessary approval of any technical advisors has been obtained from the relevant competent authorities under the relevant statutory management requirements (SMRs) and standards for good agricultural and evironmental condition (GAEC). Advisory Area B - Agri-Environment Climate Measures (AECMs): (a) Advice on agricultural practices beneficial for the climate and the environment as laid down in Chapter 3 of Title III of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013 concerning ‘Payment for agricultural practices beneficial for the climate and the environment’. Advisory Area C - Rural Development Programmes: (a) Advisory Area C is relevant for Measures at farm level provided for in rural development programmes for farm modernisation, competitiveness building, sectoral integration, innovation and market orientation, as well as for the promotion of entrepreneurship. Advisory Area D - Advisory Measures on Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework for the Community action in the field of water policy: Providers of farm advisory services must refer at Farm level the basic measures for the minimum requirements to be complied with at EU and national level and shall consist of: (a) measures required to implement Community legislation for the protection of water, including measures required under the legislation specified in Article 10 of the Directive and in VERŻJONI ELETTRONIKA B 684 part A of Annex VI of the Directive; (b) measures deemed appropriate for the purposes of Article 9 of the Directive; (c) measures to promote an efficient and sustainable water use in order to avoid compromising the achievement of the objectives specified in Article 4 of the Directive; (d) measures to meet the requirements of Article 7 of the Directive, including measures to safeguard water quality in order to reduce the level of purification treatment required for the production of drinking water; (e) controls over the abstraction of fresh surface water and groundwater, and impoundment of fresh surface water, including a register or registers of water abstractions and a requirement of prior authorisation for abstraction and impoundment. These controls shall be periodically reviewed and, where necessary, updated. Member States can exempt from these controls, abstractions or impoundments which have no significant impact on water status; (f) controls, including a requirement for prior authorisation of artificial recharge or augmentation of groundwater bodies. The water used may be derived from any surface water or groundwater, provided that the use of the source does not compromise the achievement of the environmental objectives established for the source or the recharged or augmented body of groundwater. These controls shall be periodically reviewed and, where necessary, updated; (g) for point source discharges liable to cause pollution, a requirement for prior regulation, such as a prohibition on the entry of pollutants into water, or for prior authorisation, or registration based on general binding rules, laying down emission controls for the pollutants concerned, including controls in accordance with Articles 10 and 16 of the Directive. These controls shall be periodically reviewed and, where necessary, updated; (h) for diffuse sources liable to cause pollution, measures to prevent or control the input of pollutants. Controls may take the form of a requirement for prior regulation, such as a prohibition on the entry of pollutants into water, prior authorisation or registration based on general binding rules where such a requirement is not otherwise provided for under Community legislation. These controls shall be periodically reviewed and, VERŻJONI ELETTRONIKA B 685 where necessary, updated; (i) for any other significant adverse impacts on the status of water identified under Article 5 and Annex II, in particular measures to ensure that the hydromorphological conditions of the bodies of water are consistent with the achievement of the required ecological status or good ecological potential for bodies of water designated as artificial or heavily modified. Controls for this purpose may take the form of a requirement for prior authorisation or registration based on general binding rules where such a requirement is not otherwise provided for under Community legislation. Such controls shall be periodically reviewed and, where necessary, updated; (j) a prohibition of direct discharges of pollutants into groundwater subject to the following provisions: Member States may authorise re-injection into the same aquifer of water used for geothermal purposes. They may also authorise, specifying the conditions for: injection of water containing substances resulting from the operations for exploration and extraction of hydrocarbons or mining activities, and injection of water for technical reasons, into geological formations from which hydrocarbons or other substances have been extracted or into geological formations which for natural reasons are permanently unsuitable for other purposes. Such injections shall not contain substances other than those resulting from the above operations, re-injection of pumped groundwater from mines and quarries or associated with the construction or maintenance of civil engineering works, injection of natural gas or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for storage purposes into geological formations which for natural reasons are permanently unsuitable for other purposes, injection of natural gas or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for storage purposes into other geological formations where there is an overriding need for security of gas supply, and where the injection is such as to prevent any present or future danger of deterioration in the quality of any receiving groundwater, VERŻJONI ELETTRONIKA B 686 construction, civil engineering and building works and similar activities on, or in the ground which come into contact with groundwater. For these purposes, Member States may determine that such activities are to be treated as having been authorised provided that they are conducted in accordance with general binding rules developed by the Member State in respect of such activities, discharges of small quantities of substances for scientific purposes for characterisation, protection or re mediation of water bodies limited to the amount strictly necessary for the purposes concerned: Provided such discharges do not compromise the achievement of the environmental objectives established for that body of groundwater; (k) in accordance with action taken pursuant to Article 16 of the Directive, measures to eliminate pollution of surface waters by those substances specified in the list of priority substances agreed pursuant to Article 16(2) of the Directive and to progressively reduce pollution by other substances which would otherwise prevent Member States from achieving the objectives for the bodies of surface waters as set out in Article 4 of the Directive; (l) any measures required to prevent significant losses of pollutants from technical installations, and to prevent and or to reduce the impact of accidental pollution incidents for example as a result of floods, including through systems to detect or give warning of such events including, in the case of accidents which could not reasonably have been foreseen, all appropriate measures to reduce the risk to aquatic ecosystems. Advisory Area E - Use of Plant Protection Products: Under this area, advisory service should concern farm level requirements at the level of beneficiaries as defined by Member States for implementing Article 55 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/ 2009, in particular the requirements referred to in Article 14 of Directive 2009/128/EC. These provisions incorporate the need for Plant protection products that must be used properly, whereby proper use shall include the application of the principles of good plant protection practice and compliance with the conditions established in accordance with Article 31 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 and specified on the VERŻJONI ELETTRONIKA B 687 labelling. It shall also comply with the provisions of Directive 2009/ 128/EC and, in particular, with general principles of integrated pest management, as referred to in Article 14 of and Annex III to that Directive. Advisory Area F - Measures for use of Integrated Pest Management: In line with Article 14 of Directive 2009/128/EC reference is to be made to the relevant competent authority so that farm advisory services will be in line with the established measures to promote low pesticide-input pest management, giving wherever possible priority to non-chemical methods, so that professional users of pesticides switch to practices and products with the lowest risk to human health and the environment among those available for the same pest problem. Low pesticide-input pest management includes integrated pest management as well as organic farming according to Council Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 of 28 June 2007 on organic production and labelling of organic products. Schedule II Fees Schedule of Fees for Registration for Farm Advisory Services The following fees shall apply for registration of Farm Advisory entities: € Admin Fee (Application) 50 VERŻJONI ELETTRONIKA B 654 Ippubblikat mid-Dipartiment tal-Informazzjoni (doi.gov.mt) — Valletta — Published by the Department of Information (doi.gov.mt) — Valletta Mitbugħ fl-Istamperija tal-Gvern fuq karta FSC — Printed at the Government Printing Press on FSC certified paper Prezz/Price €1.62 VERŻJONI ELETTRONIKA