20.12.2013 Official Journal of the European Union L 347/865 REGULATION (EU) No 1310/2013 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 17 December 2013 laying down certain transitional provisions on support for rural development by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), amending Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards resources and their distribution in respect of the year 2014 and amending Council Regulation (EC) No 73/2009 and Regulations (EU) No 1307/2013, (EU) No 1306/2013 and (EU) No 1308/20130f the European Parliament and of the Council as regards their application in the year 2014 THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Articles 42 and 43(2) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, After transmission of the draft legislative act to the national parliaments, Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee (1), Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure, Whereas: Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council (%), which is to apply from 1 January 2014, lays down rules governing Union support for rural development and repeals Council Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005 (}), without prejudice to the continued application of the Regulations implementing that Regulation until they are repealed. To facilitate the transition from existing support schemes under Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005 to the new legal framework which covers the programming period starting on 1 January 2014 (“the new programming period"), transitional rules should be adopted to avoid any difficulties or delays in the implementation of rural development support which may be caused as a result of the date of adoption of the new rural development programmes. For that reason, Member States should be allowed to continue to undertake legal commitments under their existing rural development programmes in () O] C 341, 21.11.2013, p. 71. (3 Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 on support for rural development by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005 (See page 487 of this Official Journal). Council Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005 of 20 September 2005 on support for rural development by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) (O] L 277, 21.10.2005, p. 1). 2014 for certain measures and the resulting expenditure should be eligible for support in the new programming period. (2)  In view of the substantial change in the method for the delimitation of areas facing significant natural constraints in the new programming period, the obligation imposed upon the farmer to continue farming in the area for five years should not apply to new legal commitments undertaken in 2014. (3)  To ensure legal certainty in the transition, certain expen- diture  undertaken pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005 should be eligible for a European Agri- cultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) contribution in the new programming period where there are still payments to be made. This should also cover certain long-term commitments under similar measures provided for in Council Regulation (EEC) No 20781992 (%, in  Council Regulation (EEC) No 2080/1992 (®) and in Council Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 (6) where those measures were receiving support under Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005 and there are still payments to be made in 2014. In the interest of sound financial management and effective programme implementation, such expenditure should be clearly identified in the rural development programmes and throughout the management and control systems of the Member States. In order to avoid unnecessary complexity in the financial management of rural devel- opment programmes in the new programming period, the co-financing rates of the new programming period should apply to transitional expenditure. (4 In view of the serious difficulties that a number of Member States still face with respect to their financial stability, and in order, during the transition from the current to the new programming period, to limit the negative effects resulting from those difficulties by allowing for maximum utilisation of the EAFRD funds (*) Council Regulation (EEC) No 2078/1992 of 30 June 1992 on agri- cultural production methods compatible with the requirements of the protection of the environment and the maintenance of the countryside (O] L 215, 30.7.1992, p. 85). (*) Council Regulation (EEC) No 2080/1992 of 30 June 1992 insti- tuting a Community aid scheme for forestry measures in agriculture (O] L 215, 30.7.1992, p. 96). (°) Council Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 of 17 May 1999 on support for rural development from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) and amending and repealing certain Regu- lations (O] L 160, 26.6.1999, p. 80).