Article 32 of Reg. (EU) 1305\2013 on support for rural development by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), designates "areas subject to natural constraints or other specific constraints" classifying them as follows: a) mountain areasb) areas subject to significant natural constraints, other than montane zonesnec) other areas subject to specific constraintsThis classification affects all procedures that concern rural development in a broad sense: not only the support measures of the Rural Development Program but for example also the attribution of the title of IAP (Professional Agricultural Entrepreneur). Disadvantaged areas for social security purposes, on the other hand, do not concern this classification. a) The mountain areas are those colored brown and there are both entire municipalities and portions of the municipal territory. The new classification of type b) areas has also marginally affected mountain areas, limited to 4 municipalities: Buti, Calci, Calenzano and Cavriglia which from being mixed (partially mountainous and partially disadvantaged non-mountainous) have moved on to areas totally subject to natural constraints significant, other than mountain areas.b) The areas subject to significant natural constraints, other than mountain areas (in green on the map) have recently been modified according to the provisions contained in the aforementioned art. 32 of the rural development regulation; the modification became effective with the DGR 1349 of 02/11/2020 in implementation of the DM 6277 of 08/06/2020 which identifies the areas subject to significant natural constraints other than mountain areas and approves the related lists. In the new classification, the designated areas are only entire municipalities.c) The areas subject to specific constraints (in light blue in the map), have not been modified and are represented only by entire municipalities (Archipelago - excluding the Island of Giglio - and the Argentario). The identification of these areas has the aim of putting farmers in mountain areas or other areas subject to natural or other specific constraints in a position to encourage, through the continuous use of agricultural surfaces, the care of the natural space as well as the maintenance and promotion of sustainable agricultural production systems.
