The areas of the country which will be proposed for reclassification as extremely severely handicapped are being examined. The criteria by which these areas will be selected include the presence of a high proportion of extermely poor land which could be described as rough grazing land, and also the presence of excessive climatic conditions such as higher levels of rainfall and wind speed than elsewhere.
The selection of the specific areas is being facilitated by the use of satellite imagery, which helps to clearly define the boundaries of rough grazing land. It is expected that this exercise will be completed and a proposal sent to the EU Commission by mid-summer. Given the necessity for the Commission to examine the proposal, I expect that the new areas will be approved and announced in time for the 1997 headage schemes.