62021TJ0450_INF
Judgment of the General Court (First Chamber) of 20 September 2023 – Spain v Commission
(Case T‑450/21) (
1
)
(
EAGF and EAFRD
–
Expenditure excluded from financing
–
Expenditure incurred by Spain
–
Voluntary coupled support in the animal sector
–
Treatment of late notifications
–
Adjustments
–
Conditions under which permissible
–
Second subparagraph of Article 53(4) of Delegated Regulation (EU) No 639/2014
–
Administrative penalties
–
Article 31 of Delegated Regulation (EU) No 640/2014
–
Proportionality
–
Principle of non‑discrimination
–
Sufficient quality of the on-the-spot checks
–
Article 34(3) to (5) of Implementing Regulation (EU) No 809/2014
)
1.
Agriculture – Common agricultural policy – Direct support schemes – Common rules – Voluntary coupled support – Late notification – Rectification – Eligibility for support – Application of administrative penalties – Whether permissible – Non-infringement of the principle of proportionality
(Commission Regulations No 639/2014, Art. 53(4), second subpara., point (a), No 640/2014, Art. 31, No 2015/1383, recitals 2 to 5 and Art. 1, No 2016/1393, recital 14, and No 2021/841)
(see paragraphs 48-78)
2.
Agriculture – EAGF and EAFRD financing – Integrated administration and control system for certain aid schemes – Requirements pertaining to livestock aid applications and to payment claims for animal-related support measures – Failure to comply with the requirements on the identification and registration of livestock in a claimless system – Application of administrative penalties – Whether permissible
(Commission Regulations No 809/2014, Art. 21(4), No 639/2014, Art. 53(4), first subpara., and No 640/2014, Art. 31(3))
(see paragraphs 92, 94-96, 98-100)
3.
Agriculture – EAGF and EAFRD financing – Integrated administration and control system for certain aid schemes – Requirements pertaining to livestock aid applications and to payment claims for animal-related support measures – Checks on the accuracy of the aid – Difference between the rules applicable to a claim-based system and a claimless system – Infringement of the principle of non-discrimination – Absence
(Commission Regulation No 809/2014, Art. 21(1)(c))
(see paragraphs 107-110, 118)
4.
Agriculture – Common agricultural policy – EAGF and EAFRD financing – Action for annulment – Reliance on the rights of defence of third parties – Breach of the principle of respect for the rights of the defence – Absence
(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 47)
(see paragraphs 111, 112)
5.
Agriculture – Common agricultural policy – Direct support schemes – Common rules – Voluntary coupled support – Area-related aid schemes –Distinction between the two schemes – Reliance on area-related aid schemes to claim a lack of proportionality concerning the voluntary coupled support scheme in question – Not permissible
(Commission Regulations No 639/2014 and No 640/2014)
(see paragraphs 117, 119, 120)
6.
Agriculture – EAGF and EAFRD financing – Clearance of accounts – Procedure – Provision of data outside the administrative procedure – Conditions for taking into account
(Commission Regulations No 809/2014, Art. 34(3) and (5), and No 908/2014, Art. 34)
(see paragraphs 156-163)
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Dismisses the action;
2.
Orders the Kingdom of Spain to pay its own costs as well as those incurred by the European Commission;
3.
Orders the French Republic to bear its own costs.
(
1
)	OJ C 401, 4.10.2021.