EN Official Journal of the European Union C 215/60

COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION

of 4 July 2017

on the financing of the 2017 work programme on training in the field of food and feed safety, animal health, animal welfare and plant health in the framework of the ‘Better Training for Safer Food’ programme

(2017/C 215/04)

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

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

Having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union and repealing Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 (1) and, in particular, Article 84 thereof,

Having regard to Regulation (EU) No 652/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 May 2014 laying down provisions for the management of expenditure relating to the food chain, animal health and animal welfare, and relating to plant health and plant reproductive material, amending Council Directives 98/56/EC, 2000/29/EC and 2008/90/EC, Regulations (EC) No 178/2002, (EC) No 882/2004 and (EC) No 396/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Directive 2009/128/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council and repealing Council Decisions 66/399/EEC, 76/894/EEC and 2009/470/EC (2), and in particular Article 36(1) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council (3) lays down general rules for the performance of official controls to verify compliance with rules aiming, in particular, at preventing, eliminating or reducing to acceptable levels risks to humans and animals and guaranteeing fair practices in feed and food trade and protecting consumer interests. Article 51 of that Regulation provides that the Commission may organise training courses for the staff of the competent authorities of Member States responsible for the official controls referred to in that Regulation, which may be opened to participants from third countries, in particular developing countries. Those courses may include, in particular, training on European Union feed and food law and animal health and animal welfare rules.

(2) Article 2(1)(i) of Council Directive 2000/29/EC (4) provides the legal basis for organising courses in the field of plant health.

(3) The ‘Better Training for Safer Food’ Programme has been established by the Commission in 2006 in order to achieve the aims set out in Regulation (EC) No 882/2004. The Commission Communication of 20 September 2006 on ‘Better training for safer food’ (5) explores options for future organisation of training.

(4) Regulation (EU) No 652/2014 establishes provisions for the management of expenditure from the general budget of the European Union in the fields governing food and feed safety, animal health and welfare and plant health rules. Article 31 provides that the Union may finance the training of the staff of the competent authorities responsible for official controls, as referred to in Article 51 of Regulation (EC) No 882/2004, in order to develop a harmonised approach to official controls and other official activities to ensure a high level of protection of human, animal and plant health.

(5) In order to ensure implementation of the ‘Better Training for Safer Food’ Programme in Member States it is necessary to adopt a financing decision and the work programme on training in the field of food and feed safety, animal health, animal welfare and plant health for 2017. Article 94 of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 1268/2012 (6) establishes detailed rules on financing decisions.

(6) Commission Implementing Decision 2013/770/EU (7) establishes the ‘Consumer, Health, Agriculture and Food Executive Agency’ (hereafter ‘the Agency’). This Decision entrusts the Agency with certain management and programme implementation tasks relating to the food safety training measures performed pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 and Directive 2000/29/EC.

(7) It is necessary to allow for the payment of interest due for late payment on the basis of Article 92 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 and Article 111(4) of Delegated Regulation (EU) No 1268/2012.

(8) In order to allow for flexibility in the implementation of the work programme, it is appropriate to define the term ‘substantial change’, within the meaning of Article 94(4) of Delegated Regulation (EU) No 1268/2012.

(9) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

The work programme

The annual work programme for the implementation of the Better Training for Safer Food Programme for 2017, as set out in the Annex, is adopted.

The annual work programme constitutes a financing decision within the meaning of Article 84 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012.

Article 2

Union contribution

1. The maximum contribution for the implementation of the work programme for the year 2017 is set at EUR 16 500 000 and shall be financed from the appropriations entered in the budget line 17 04 03 of the general budget of the European Union for 2017.

2. The appropriations provided for in paragraph 1 may also cover interest due for late payment.

Article 3

Flexibility clause

Cumulated changes to the allocations to specific actions not exceeding 20 % of the maximum contribution provided for in Article 2(1) of this Decision shall not be considered to be substantial within the meaning of Article 94(4) of Delegated Regulation (EU) No 1268/2012, where those changes do not significantly affect the nature of the actions and the objective of the work programme. The increase of the maximum contribution set in Article 2(1) of this Decision shall not exceed 20 %.

The responsible authorising officer may apply the type of changes referred to in the first paragraph. Those changes shall be applied in accordance with the principles of sound financial management and of proportionality.

Done at Brussels, 4 July 2017. For the Commission Vytenis ANDRIUKAITIS Member of the Commission

(1) OJ L 298, 26.10.2012, p. 1.

(2) OJ L 189, 27.6.2014, p. 1.

(3) Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on official controls performed to ensure the verification of compliance with feed and food law, animal health and animal welfare rules (OJ L 165, 30.4.2004, p. 1).

(4) Council Directive 2000/29/EC of 8 May 2000 on protective measures against the introduction into the Community of organisms harmful to plants or plant products and against their spread within the Community (OJ L 169, 10.7.2000, p. 1).

(5) Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament. ‘Better training for safer food’ COM(2006) 519 final of 20 September 2006.

(6) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 1268/2012 of 29 October 2012 on the rules of application of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union (OJ L 362, 31.12.2012, p. 1).

(7) Commission Implementing Decision 2013/770/EU of 17 December 2013 establishing the Consumer, Health and Food Executive Agency and repealing Decision 2004/858/EC (OJ L 341, 18.12.2013, p. 69).