Commission Regulation (EC) No 1975/2006 (repealed)Show full title

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1975/2006

of 7 December 2006

laying down detailed rules for the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005, as regards the implementation of control procedures as well as cross-compliance in respect of rural development support measures (repealed)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005 of 20 September 2005 on support for rural development by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD)(1), and in particular Articles 51(4), 74(4) and 91 thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Experience shows that the integrated administration and control system (hereinafter referred to as IACS), provided for in Chapter 4 of Title II of Council Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 of 29 September 2003 establishing common rules for direct support schemes under the common agricultural policy and establishing certain support schemes for farmers and amending Regulations (EEC) No 2019/93, (EC) No 1452/2001, (EC) No 1453/2001, (EC) No 1454/2001, (EC) No 1868/94, (EC) No 1251/1999, (EC) No 1254/1999, (EC) No 1673/2000, (EEC) No 2358/71 and (EC) No 2529/2001(2), has proven to be an effective and efficient means for the implementation of direct payment schemes. Therefore, as far as the area and animal-related measures under Axis 2 in Section 2 of Chapter I of Title IV of Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005 are concerned, the administration and control rules, as well as the provisions concerning reductions and exclusions in cases of false declarations, related to such measures should follow the principles set out in the IACS, and in particular in Commission Regulation (EC) No 796/2004 of 21 April 2004 laying down detailed rules for the implementation of cross-compliance, modulation and the integrated administration and control system provided for in Council Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 establishing common rules for direct support schemes under the common agricultural policy and establishing certain support schemes for farmers(3).

(2) However, for certain support schemes set out under Axis 2, and equivalent support under Axis 4 provided for in Section 2 of Chapter I of Title IV of Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005, the administration and control rules need to be adapted to their particular characteristics. The same applies in the case of support schemes set out in Axes 1 and 3 in Sections 1 and 3 respectively of that Regulation and equivalent support under Axis 4. Special provisions therefore need to be established for those support schemes.

(3) In order to ensure that all national administrations are in the position to organise an efficient integrated control of all areas for which payment is claimed under Axis 2 on the one hand and under the area-related aid schemes covered by Regulation (EC) No 796/2004, on the other hand, payment claims for area-related measures under Axis 2 should be submitted within the same deadline as the single application provided for in Chapter I of Title II of Part II of that Regulation. Nevertheless, to allow the necessary administrative arrangements to be made, a transitional period should be granted.

(4) In order to ensure the deterrent effect of controls, payments should, as a general rule, not be made before checks on the aid applications have been finalised. However, it is appropriate to allow payments up to a certain level after the completion of administrative checks. When fixing that level, account should be taken of the risk of overpayment.

(5) The control rules provided for in this Regulation should take into account the special characteristics of the measures under Axis 2 concerned. Particular rules should therefore be established.

(6) In accordance with Article 51 of Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005, payments under certain of the measures provided for in that Regulation have been made subject to the respect of cross-compliance as provided for in Chapter 1 of Title II of Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003. It is therefore appropriate to align the rules related to cross-compliance with those contained in Regulations (EC) No 1782/2003 and (EC) No 796/2004.

(7) Ex post checks of investment operations should be undertaken to verify the respect of Article 72(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005, to ensure that operations have been properly carried out and that the same investment has not been financed in an irregular manner from different national or Community sources. The basis and contents of these checks should be specified.

(8) Special rules are needed to set out the responsibilities for control of local action groups referred to in Article 62 of Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005 and approved by the Member States.

(9) To allow the Commission to carry out its obligations for the management of the measures, Member States should report to the Commission on the number of controls undertaken and their results.

(10) All the eligibility criteria established by Community or national legislation or the rural development programmes should be able to be controlled according to a set of verifiable indicators.

(11) Member States may use evidence received from other services or organisations to verify the respect of eligibility criteria. However, they should have assurance that the service or organisation is operating to a standard sufficient to control compliance with the eligibility criteria.

(12) Certain general control principles should be established, covering the right of the Commission to carry out checks.

(13) Member States should ensure that the paying agencies referred to in Article 6 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1290/2005 of 21 June 2005 on the financing of the common agricultural policy(4) have sufficient information on controls carried out by other services or bodies in order to fulfil their duties under that Regulation.

(14) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Rural Development Committee,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

(1)

OJ L 277, 21.10.2005, p. 1.

(2)

OJ L 270, 21.10.2003, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1405/2006 (OJ L 265, 26.9.2006, p. 1).

(3)

OJ L 141, 30.4.2004, p. 18. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 659/2006 (OJ L 116, 29.4.2006, p. 20).

(4)

OJ L 209, 11.8.2005, p. 1. Regulation as amended by Regulation (EC) No 320/2006 (OJ L 58, 28.2.2006, p. 42).