COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2020/1424

of 8 October 2020

amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1017 as regards the budgetary ceilings for 2020 applicable to certain direct support schemes in Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Croatia, Luxembourg and Portugal

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

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

Having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 establishing rules for direct payments to farmers under support schemes within the framework of the common agricultural policy and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 637/2008 and Council Regulation (EC) No 73/2009 (1), and in particular Articles 22(1), 36(4), 42(2), 47(3), 51(4) and 53(7) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1017 (2) established the annual budgetary ceilings for certain direct payment schemes for 2020.

(2) The annual budgetary ceilings set by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1017 are based on the national ceilings laid down in Annex II to Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013 as amended by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/756 (3). Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/756 integrated Member States’ decisions as regards the transfers between direct payments and rural development pursuant to Article 14 of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013 for calendar year 2020.

(3) However, in order to mitigate the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing difficulties for the farming sector, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Croatia, Luxembourg and Portugal notified a review of their decisions as regards the transfers between pillars. The respective ceilings in Annex II to Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013 have subsequently been amended by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/1314 (4), incorporating the impact of the notified reviewed decisions and amounts.

(4) Given that the annual budgetary ceilings for 2020 are based on the national ceilings laid down in Annex II to Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013, the changes of the national ceilings entail changes of the annual budgetary ceilings for the Member States concerned. Moreover, some Member States have also reviewed certain allocations to the different schemes to the extent necessary in light of the flexibility review.

(5) In order to take account of those changes, the budgetary ceilings for the basic payment scheme, the single area payment scheme, the redistributive payment, the payment for agricultural practices beneficial for the climate and the environment, the young farmers scheme and the voluntary coupled support for calendar year 2020 should be recalculated for the Member States concerned.

(6) Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1017 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(7) As the amendments made by this Regulation affect the application of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1017, which applies from 1 January 2020, this Regulation should apply from the same date.

(8) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee for Direct Payments,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1 The Annex to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1017 is amended in accordance with the Annex to this Regulation.

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. It shall apply from 1 January 2020.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. Done at Brussels, 8 October 2020. For the Commission The President Ursula VON DER LEYEN

(1) OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 608.

(2) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1017 of 13 July 2020 establishing budgetary ceilings for 2020 applicable to certain direct support schemes provided for in Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 225, 14.7.2020, p. 1).

(3) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/756 of 1 April 2020 amending Annexes II and III to Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 179, 9.6.2020, p. 1).

(4) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/1314 of 10 July 2020 amending Annexes II and III to Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the national and net ceilings for direct payments for certain Member States for calendar year 2020 (OJ L 307, 22.9.2020, p.1).