COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2021/166

of 10 February 2021

amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/1368 as regards the extension of the national programmes in the apiculture sector

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 establishing a common organisation of the markets in agricultural products and repealing Council Regulations (EEC) No 922/72, (EEC) No 234/79, (EC) No 1037/2001 and (EC) No 1234/2007 (1), and in particular point (c) of the first paragraph of Article 57 and point (c) of the first subparagraph of Article 223(3) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/1368 (2) lays down rules for the notification, approval and amendment of national apiculture programmes.

(2) According to Regulation (EU) 2020/2220 of the European Parliament and of the Council (3), national programmes drawn up for the period running from 1 August 2019 until 31 July 2022 are to be extended until 31 December 2022.

(3) Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2093 (4) sets the yearly ceiling for the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (‘the EAGF’). Within that ceiling, that fund will finance the Union contribution to the apiculture programmes, effective from 2021. The total amount provided for in the multiannual financial framework in respect of the EAGF includes an increase to EUR 60 million per year for apiculture programmes.

(4) Member States should modify their national programmes to take account of the extension in time and the budget increase for the apiculture sector. They should notify the Commission by 15 March 2021 of the modified programmes requiring approval.

(5) In order to ensure continuity in payments, payments related to measures implemented from 1 August 2022 to 31 December 2022 should be made to the beneficiaries between 16 October 2022 and 15 October 2023.

(6) Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/1368 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(7) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee for the Common Organisation of the Agricultural Markets,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1 Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/1368 is amended as follows: (1) in Article 3, the following second paragraph is added: ‘Member States shall, by 15 March 2021, notify the Commission of the amendment to their national programmes in accordance with the second subparagraph of Article 55(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013. This amendment shall take account of the increased Union contribution from 2021.’; (2) in Article 5(1), the following second subparagraph is added: ‘Amendments of the apiculture programmes in accordance with the second paragraph of Article 3 shall be approved by the Commission pursuant to point (c) of the first paragraph of Article 57 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013, by 15 June 2021.’; (3) in Article 7, the following third paragraph is inserted: ‘By way of derogation from the second paragraph, payments related to measures implemented from 1 August 2022 to 31 December 2022 shall be made between 16 October 2022 and 15 October 2023.’.

Article 2 This Regulation shall enter into force on the seventh day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. Done at Brussels, 10 February 2021. For the Commission The President Ursula VON DER LEYEN

(1) OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 671.

(2) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/1368 of 6 August 2015 laying down rules for the application of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to aid in the apiculture sector (OJ L 211, 8.8.2015, p. 9).

(3) Regulation (EU) 2020/2220 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 December 2020 laying down certain transitional provisions for support from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and from the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF) in the years 2021 and 2022 and amending Regulations (EU) No 1305/2013, (EU) No 1306/2013 and (EU) No 1307/2013 as regards resources and application in the years 2021 and 2022 and Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 as regards resources and the distribution of such support in respect of the years 2021 and 2022 (OJ L 437, 28.12.2020, p. 1).

(4) Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2093 of 17 December 2020 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2021 to 2027 (OJ L 433 I, 22.12.2020, p. 11).