7.9.91 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 251/1 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COUNCIL COUNCIL DIRECTIVE | of 22 July 1991 amending Directive 86/466/EEC concerning the Community list of less-favoured farming areas within the meaning of Directive 75/268/EEC (Spain) (91/465/EEC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to -the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, Having regard to Council Directive 75/268/EEC of 28 April 1975 on mountain and hill-farming and farming “in certain less-favoured areas (!), as last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 797/85 (2), and in particular Article 2 (2) thereof, ' Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (3), Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (4), Whereas Directive 86/466/EEC (5), as amended by Decision 89/566/EEC (6), sets 'out the areas of Spain which are included in the Community list of less-favoured (1) O] No L 128, 19. 5. 1975, p. 1. (2) O] No L 93, 30. 3. 1985, p. 1. (3) O] No C 176, 8. 7. 1991, p. 144, 4) Opinion delivered on 12 July 1991 (not yet published in the Official Journal). 5) OJ No L 273, 24. 9. 1986, p. 104. 6) OJ No L 308, 25. 10. 1989, p. 23. ! ( farming areas within the meaning of Article 3 (3), (4) and (5) of Directive 75/268/EEC; Whereas the Government of ‘the Kingdom of Spain has requested, pursuant to Article 2 (2) of Directive 75/268/EEC, that the Community list of farming areas listed in the Annex to Directive 86/466/EEC be amended in accordance with the Annexes to this Dlrectxve, Whereas the new areas to be included in the list are in line with the criteria and figures used in Directive 86/466/EEC for determining the areas within the meaning of Article 3 (3), (4) and (5) of Directive 75/268/EEC; Whereas the protection of the environment constitutes an important criterion in Directive 86/466/EEC for the demarcation of less-favoured areas affected by specific handicaps within the meaning of Article 3 (5) of Directive 75/268/EEC and whereas severe damage could be inflicted on the natural environment as a result of the existence of mining and quarrying activities; whereas, moreover, the total extent of these areas does not exceed 4% of the area of the Member State concerned (3,86 %); Whereas all the amendments requested by the Spanish Government pursuant to Article 2 (2) of Directive 75/268/EEC have the effect of increasing the utilized “agricultural area. of all the less-favoured areas by not more - than 4,5 % of the total utilized agricultural area of Spain,