31.12. 88 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 374/25 COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) No 4256/88 of 19 December 1988 laying down provisions for implementing Regulation (EEC) No 2052/88 as regards the EAGGF Guidance Section . THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Article 43 - thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (1), Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (2), Having regard to the opini'on of the Economic and Social Committee (3), Whereas Article 3 (4) of Regulation (EEC) No 2052/88 (*) provides for the Council to adopt the specific provisions governing operations under each structural Fund; Whereas the tasks laid down for the Guidance Section of the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund, (hereinafter called ‘the Fund’), by Article 3 (3) of the above Regulation should be further specified in the light of the contribution it makes to achieving objectives 1, § (a) and 5 (b) as set out in Article 1 of that Regulation; Whereas measures to speed up the adjustment of agricultural structures with a view to the reform of the Structural Funds must include measures closely connected with the common agricultural policy and designed to meet its general requirements; Whereas, however, some of those measures, which already exist at Community level, may require adjustment to allow for the differing structural situations in the different regions of the Community, by increased diversification, and specifically by differentiation of the contribution in favour of the areas concerned by objective 1; Whereas measures designed to contribute to objective 1 -and to promoting the development of rural areas (objec- (1) OJ No C 256, 3. 10. 1988, p. 19. . (2) O] No C 326, 19. 12. 1988. (3) O] No C 337, 31. 12. 1988. (4) OJ No L 185, 15. 7. 1988, p. 9. tive 5 (b)) should include action to-respond to those areas’ specific structural problems; Whereas measures for the development and exploitation of woodland are of particular interest, not only as offering alternative activity and income for agriculture in those areas but also in order to increase woodland’s contribution to improving the environment and to expand its protective function; Whereas the forms of assistance by the Fund should be determined and whereas operational programmes, and where appropriate global grants, are the most appropriate forms, both for measures for the development of less-developed areas and of rural areas and for measures to improve structures for marketing and processing agricultural products, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: Article 1 1. The Guidance Section of the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund, (hereinafter called ‘the Fund’), referred to in Article 1 (1) of Regulation (EEC) No 729/70 (%), as last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 2048/88 (¢), may, in accordance with the criteria and objectives laid down in Titles I to IV of this Regulation, finance measures for performing the tasks referred to in Article 3 (3) of Regulation (EEC) No 2052/88 in order to attain objectives 1 and 5 as set out in Al’thlC 1 of that Regulation. 2. The conditions and criteria laid down in Council Regulation (EEC) No 4253/88 of 19 December 1988 laying down provisions for implementing Regulation (EEC) No 2052/88 as regards coordination of the activities of the different Structural Funds between themselves and with the operations of the European Investment Bank and the other existing financial instruments (7) shall apply to measures (%) OJ No L 94, 28. 4. 1970, p. 13. (¢) O) NOL185 15. 7. 1988, p. L. (7) See page 1 of this Official Journal.