Administrative checks shall be carried out on all applications for support, payment claims or other declarations required to be submitted by a beneficiary or a third party, and shall cover all elements that can be checked and are appropriate to be checked by means of administrative checks. The procedures shall require recording of the control work undertaken, the results of the verification and the measures taken in the event of discrepancies.

Administrative checks on applications for support shall ensure the compliance of the operation with applicable obligations established by Union or national law or by the rural development programme, including those of public procurement, State aid and other obligatory standards and requirements. The checks shall in particular include verification of:

1. (a)

   the eligibility of the beneficiary;

2. (b)

   the eligibility criteria, commitments and other obligations of the operation for which support is requested;

3. (c)

   compliance with the selection criteria;

4. (d)

   the eligibility of the costs of the operation, including compliance with the category of costs or calculation method to be used when the operation or part of it falls under Article 67(1)(b), (c) and (d) of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013;

5. (e)

   for costs referred to in Article 67(1)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013, excluding contributions in kind and depreciation, a verification of the reasonableness of the costs submitted. The costs shall be evaluated using a suitable evaluation system, such as reference costs, a comparison of different offers or an evaluation committee.

Administrative checks on payment claims shall include in particular, and where appropriate for the claim in question, verification of:

1. (a)

   the completed operation compared with the operation for which the application for support was submitted and granted;

2. (b)

   the costs incurred and the payments made.

Administrative checks shall include procedures to avoid irregular double financing with other Union or national schemes and with the previous programming period. Where financing from other sources exists, those checks shall ensure that the total support received does not breach the maximum permissible amounts or support rates.

Administrative checks on investment operations shall include at least one visit to the operation supported or the investment site to verify the realisation of the investment.

However, the competent authority may decide not to carry out such visits for duly justified reasons, such as the following:

1. (a)

   the operation is included in the sample for an on-the-spot check to be carried out in accordance with Article 49;

2. (b)

   the competent authority considers that the operation in question is a small investment;

3. (c)

   the competent authority considers that the risk that the conditions for receiving support are not met is low, or that the risk that the investment has not been realised is low.

The decision referred to in the second subparagraph and its justification shall be recorded.