No L 128/72 Official Journal of the European Communities 19.5.75 COUNCIL DIRECTIVE of 28 April 1975 concerning the Community list of less-favoured farming areas within the meaning of Directive No 75/268/EEC (Italy) (75/273/EEC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES Having regard to the Treaty establishing the Euro- pean Economic Community; Having regard to Council Directive No 75/268/ EEC (1) of 28 April 1975 on mountain and hill farming and farming in certain less-favoured areas, and in particular Article 2 (2) thereof; Having regard to the Proposal from the Commission; Having regard to the Opinion of the European Parliament; Having regard to the Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (2); Whereas the Government of the Italian Republic communicated to the Commission, in accordance with Article 2 (1) of Directive No 75/268/EEC, 45 areas suitable for inclusion in the Community list of less-favoured farming areas and information concerning the characteristics of these areas; Whereas a minimum average altitude of 700 m for each commune in the northern and central regions of ITtaly and of 800 m for each commune in southern Italy was chosen as an index of very difficult climatic conditions referred to in the first indent of Article 3 (3) of Directive No 75/268/EEC; Whereas the steep slopes referred to in the second indent of Article 3 (3) of Directive No 75/268/EEC are defined as having a gradient of more than 20%; Whereas where there is a combination of the two abovementioned factors, a minimum altitude of 600 m in the northern and central regions of Italy and of 700 m in the southern regions of Italy, and at the same time, a slope of more than 15% were selected; () See page 1 of this Official Journal. (3 OJ No C 62, 15. 3. 1975, p. 19. Whereas the communication from the Italian Govern- ment stated that a very limited number of communes, or parts thereof, on the fringes of the notified moun- tain areas do not fully ¢omply with the required conditions, but that they nevertheless comply with those of Article 3 (4) of Directive No 75/268/EEC; whereas their economies being closely bound up with that of bordering communes, they can nevertheless be classed as mountain areas; Whereas the following indices relating to the presence of land of limited potential, referred to in Article 3 (4) (a) of the said Directive, have been utilized: wheat yields not more than 16:5 q/ha, while the national average is 25 q/ha, or rough grazing occupying more than 50% of the utilizable forage area, with hay yields below 20 g/ha; Whereas the economic results of farming, being considerably lower than the average, as referred to in Article 3 (4) (b) of Directive No 75/268/EEC, are " calculated using indices relating to a livestock density below 0-65 livestock units per forage hectare (national average: 0-98); Whereas the following indices have been utilized in respect of the low or dwindling population as referred to in Article 3 (4) (c) of Directive No 75/ 268/EEC: density not greater than 75 inhabitants per square kilometre (the national average and the Community average are 181 and 168 respectively) or an annual decline greater than 0-8%, and a minimum proportion of 15% of the working. population engaged in agriculture as a percentage of the total working population; Whereas for the delimination of areas affected by specific handicaps, which can be considered as less- favoured within the meaning of Article 3 (5) of Directive No 75/268/EEC, account was taken on the one hand, of the existence of unfavourable natural production conditions: unstable water table, exces- sive levels of salinity and the presence of ground liable to periodic flooding and, on the other hand, of handicaps resulting from constraints imposed by laws aimed at the preservation” of the countryside; whereas, moreover, the combined extent of these areas does not exceed 2:5% of the area of the Member State concerned;