62018TJ0014_INF
Judgment of the General Court (Fourth Chamber) of 19 December 2019 –Greece v Commission
(Case T‑14/18)
(EAGF and EAFRD — Expenditure excluded from financing — Decoupled direct aid — Flat-rate financial correction — Article 52 of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013 — Article 12 of Delegated Regulation (EU) No 907/2014 — Obligation to state reasons — Assessment of the damage — Proportionality)
1.
Judicial proceedings — Introduction of new pleas during the proceedings — Conditions — Amplification of an existing plea — No amplification — Inadmissibility
(Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Arts 76(d) and 84(1))
(see paras 31-36)
2.
Acts of the institutions — Statement of reasons — Obligation — Scope — Account-clearing decision for expenses financed by EAGGF and EAFRD
(Art. 296 TFEU)
(see paras 46-50)
3.
Agriculture — EAGF and EAFRD financing — Clearance of accounts — Disallowance of expenses arising from irregularities in applying EU rules — Challenge by the Member State concerned — Burden of proof — Shared by the Commission and the Member State
(European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1306/2013, Art. 52; Commission Regulation No 907/2014, Art. 12)
(see paras 51-53, 99)
4.
Agriculture — EAGF and EAFRD financing — Clearance of accounts — Disallowance of expenses arising from irregularities in applying EU rules — Finding of defects in the control system established by a Member State — Possibility of Commission refusing to assume responsibility for any of the expenses — Application of flat-rate correction — Breach of principle of proportionality — No breach
(European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1306/2013, Art. 52; Commission Regulation No 907/2014, Art. 12)
(see paras 101-104, 118-120)
Re:
Application based on Article 263 TFEU seeking the annulment of Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2017/2014 of 8 November 2017, excluding from European Union financing certain expenditure incurred by the Member States under the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF) and under the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) (OJ 2017 L 292, p. 61) in so far as it concerns the Hellenic Republic.
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Dismisses the action;
2.
Orders the Hellenic Republic to pay the costs.