The Permanent Grassland layer shows for agricultural parcels, if, based on the farmers’ declaration in preceding years, an area is to be considered as permanent grassland or arable land. If the number of years of green cover is 5 or less, the parcel is considered as arable land. If the number is 6 or more, the parcel is considered as permanent grassland. Attention: If the number of years of green cover is 5 and the parcel is used as grassland in the current year, the parcel becomes permanent grassland in that year.

The Permanent Grassland layer, in conjunction with the land use declared in a claim year, allows to classify parcels as permanent grassland or arable land for that given year. This information is required to manage and control by cross checks certain area aid schemes. The Permanent Grassland layer is therefore to be considered as an element of the Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS), a set of comprehensive administrative and on the spot checks on subsidy applications, which is managed by the Member States.