This procedure is used to file:

• an initial application for a commitment to implement agri-environment climate measures (AECMs); or
• an amendment to an existing commitment.

The agri-environment climate measures in question are the new AEC measures provided for in the 2023–2027 Strategic Plan. The purpose of these measures is to support agricultural holdings which have made commitments to:

• contribute to the development of practices designed to link financial performance and environmental performance; or
• maintain and conserve such practices, where they are under threat of dying out.

The holdings must make commitments for several years (typically for 5 crop years). Thus, commitments signed in autumn 2023 will be in force for the period from 1 November 2023 to 31 October 2028.

The general terms and conditions governing participation in the scheme can be found on the Agriculture Portal.

Applications are now required to be made online through the MyGuichet.lu platform.

Who is concerned

Eligible professionals

Any farmer or winegrower who wishes to file an initial application for an AECM commitment.

Measures

The following measures are eligible:

540 – Financial support to establish sustainable and eco-friendly farming – Agriculture

541 – Financial support to establish sustainable and eco-friendly farming – Nurseries

542 – Financial support to establish sustainable and eco-friendly farming – Viticulture

543 – Financial support for organic farming

544 – Financial incentive to introduce the use of slurry and composting of manure

545 – Financial support to reduce the use of nitrogen-based fertilisers

546 – Financial support for pasturing of cattle

547 – Financial support to maintain a small herd of livestock

548 – Financial incentive for crop rotation and diversification

549 – Financial support for reduced groundworks

550 – Financial support to reduce cattle headcounts

551 – Permanent conversion of arable land to grassland

552 – Financial support for the conservation and rearing of endangered breeds

553 - Agroforestry

Prerequisites

The producer must be registered as a farmer or winegrower in the database of the paying agency at the Ministry of Agriculture, Viticulture and Rural Development.

For this purpose, they must be registered as a farmer or winegrower with the Joint Social Security Centre (Centre commun de la sécurité sociale - CCSS).

In addition to these basic conditions, the declarant must fulfil certain specific requirements in order to be eligible for a given aid scheme. This information is available as downloadable documents on the Agriculture Portal.

Deadlines

The deadline for submissions is 13 October 2023. Except in cases of force majeure and exceptional circumstances, aid amounts will be reduced by 1 % per working day of delay. Applications received after 7 November 2023 will not be considered.

The confirmation of commitment must be given annually in the wine-growing land use survey. Applications for 2024 onwards must be filed by 15 April. Failure to confirm will be considered as early termination of the commitment.

The submission date taken into account is the date of transmission of the procedure in MyGuichet.lu (status “sent”), and not the date of finalisation of the procedure (status “ready”).

How to proceed

Components of the declaration

The online assistant includes all sections in the declaration of agricultural land and the vineyard census. The different sections can be accessed from the menu, as needed.

Submitting the application

The application must be filed using a virtual assistant (wizard) that can be accessed through MyGuichet.lu. It can be found in the 'Forms / Online services' section.

The person submitting the application needs:

• a LuxTrust product (e.g. Token, Smartcard or Signing Stick); or
• an electronic identity card (eID).

As the procedure includes initialised personal data, it can only be accessed through a certified business eSpace.

Certification requires the entry of an activation code. This code links the initialised data of the declaration with the LuxTrust certificate used to log in. The codes are the same as those used, for example, to access the 'wine-growing land use survey’. As it has been compulsory to complete the land use survey since 2021, there is no need to re-enter the codes for this application.

However, applicants who do require new codes (e.g. if the person submitting the application has changed) should immediately contact the Rural Economy Department (Service d’économie rurale).

The finalisation, signing and transmission of the procedure are done according to the general terms and conditions of use of MyGuichet.lu (see the MyGuichet.lu help pages).

Helpful information about how to set up a business eSpace, enter codes, electronically sign documents and submit applications can be found:

• on the help pages on MyGuichet.lu; and
• as tutorials on the Agriculture Portal.

Additional rules

For certain AEC measures, information about the parcel(s) of land in question must be entered. Information on up to 250 parcels may be entered.

Applicants are asked to:

• select a parcel with its FLIK reference; or
• delete or add a parcel to their land use application.

By default, the geolocation tool zooms in on the main address of the property holding. If the parcel in question is outside of the boundaries of the land registry extract, the applicant can:

• navigate around the map with their mouse; or
• search for the parcel in question using the search box (for example, using the address, the parcel number, etc.).

The applicant can also display other layers of data, supplied by the Geoportal, on the map.

Technical information about the tool

Various technical conditions must be met in order to use the geolocation tool:

• The tool does not work with Internet Explorer 11. Please use a different browser to make online applications.
• To select or draw a parcel, the applicant must first select the appropriate function: please click the corresponding button in the top right-hand part of the map.

Supporting documents

Depending on the type of commitment selected, certain evidence will be required. Probative documents must be attached to the application and sent as PDF files.

Good to know

Help with the online assistant

The agricultural portal includes an illustrated user guide which shows the different stages involved in making an application, and explains the various actions required on the part of the user, particularly when using the map.

Forms / Online services

Who to contact