
1 

(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Rural Support (Improvement) (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) (No. 2) Regulations 2025 and, with the exception of the provision mentioned in paragraph (2), come into force on 31 December 2025.
(2) Regulation 3(5)(d) comes into force on 1 January 2026.
2 

(1) Regulation (EU) No1307/2013 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 is amended in accordance with paragraphs (2) and (3).
(2) In Article 46—
(a) for the second unnumbered subparagraph of paragraph 1 substitute—“”“From 1 January 2027 the percentage referred to in the first subparagraph of this paragraph is increased from 5% to 7%.”,
(b) after subparagraph (m) of paragraph 2 insert—“
(n) low input grassland;
(o) herb and legume-rich pasture;
(p) unharvested crop;
(q) low density woodland planting.”,
(c) omit paragraph 4,
(d) after paragraph 9 insert—“
 10 (a) A farmer to whom paragraph 1 of this Article applies must prepare and maintain a map (in this paragraph, “the EFA map”) showing the location and size of areas declared as ecological focus areas for the purposes of paragraph 1.
 (b) The EFA map must have been prepared not more than one year before the start of the claim year to which it relates.
 (c) The EFA map may be combined with a habitats map provided as part of the habitats report under article 43a(2)(c).
 (d) The farmer must provide a copy of the EFA map to the Scottish Ministers on request.”.
(3) After the final entry to the first table (conversion and weighting factors referred to in Article 46(3)) in Annex X, insert—“
Low density woodland planting n.a. 2 2 m2
Unharvested crop (per 1 m2) n.a. 1,5 1,5 m2
Low input grassland (per 1 m2) n.a. 0,2 0,2 m2
Herb and legume-rich pastures (per 1 m2) n.a. 1,5 1,5 m2”.
3 

(1) The Common Agricultural Policy (Direct Payments etc.) (Scotland) Regulations 2015 are amended in accordance with paragraphs (2) to (5).
(2) Omit regulation 17A.
(3) In regulation 18—
(a) in paragraph (1)—
(i) for “and” in the first place it appears, substitute “,”,
(ii) after “(j) (areas with nitrogen-fixing crops)”, insert “(n) (low input grassland), (o) (herb and legume-rich pastures), (p) (unharvested crops), and (q) (low density woodland planting)”,
(b) in sub-paragraph (b) of paragraph (3), for “1 metre”, substitute “3 metres”,
(c) in sub-paragraph (a) of paragraph (5), omit “and not harvested before 31st December of the same calendar year”,
(d) in sub-paragraph (b) of paragraph (5)—
(i) for “2nd November” substitute “1st November”, and
(ii) omit “and not harvested before 31st December of the same calendar year”.
(4) In schedule 2 (ecological focus areas: further criteria)—
(a) In Part 1 (crop species that may be used in a mixture of crop species for the purposes of Article 45(9) of the Direct Payments Delegated Regulation in relation to areas under green cover), after “Radish (Raphanus)” insert—“
 Triticale (hybrid of wheat) (Triticum aestivum) and Rye (Secale cereale) (x Triticosecale)
 Alsike clover (Trifolium hybridum)
 Crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum)
 Persian clover (Trifolium resupinatum)
 Balansa clover (Trifolium michelianum)
 Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum)
 Kale (Brassica oleracea)
 Stubble turnip (Brassica rapa)
 Forage rape (Brassica napus)
 Beans”,
(b) in Part 2 (Nitrogen-fixing crops for the purposes of Article 45(10) of the Direct Payments Delegated Regulation), after “Vetch (Vicia sativa)” insert—“
 Alsike clover (Trifolium hybridum)
 Berseem clover (Trifolium alexandrinum)
 Sweet clover (Melilotus spp.)
 Balansa clover (Trifolium michelianum)
 Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum)”,
(c) in Part 3 (additional conditions for the purposes of Article 45(10) of the Direct Payments Delegated Regulation)—
(i) omit paragraph 1,
(ii) in paragraph 2, for “1 metre”, substitute “3 metres”.
(5) In Part 1 (voluntary coupled support - bovine animals) of schedule 3 (voluntary coupled support)—
(a) in paragraph 1 (interpretation), in the definition of “Scheme year”, after “in” insert “respect of”,
(b) in sub-paragraph (1) of paragraph 2 (application for a scheme payment)—
(i) omit “during a calendar year”,
(ii)  after “application” insert—“by 14th January following the end of the calendar year to which the Scheme payment relates”;
(c) in sub-paragraph (2) of paragraph 2, for “during that Scheme year” substitute “made in accordance with sub-paragraph (1)”,
(d) after paragraph 3 (eligible bovine animal), insert—“
3A 
Where an applicant claims ten or fewer calves in respect of a Scheme year, the requirements in paragraph 3(ba) do not apply to any such calves.”.
JIM FAIRLIE
Authorised to sign by the Scottish Ministers
St Andrew's House,
Edinburgh
11th December 2025