11.

the following subsection is inserted in Section II of Chapter II of Title III: ‘Subsection IIB On-the-spot checks related to the applications for tobacco aid Article 33b Checks of deliveries 1. With regard to applications for the aid for tobacco provided for in Chapter 10c of Title IV of Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003, all deliveries shall be checked. Each delivery shall be authorised by the competent authority which shall be informed in advance so that it can determine the date of delivery. During a check, the competent authority shall verify that it has authorised the delivery in advance. 2. If delivery is made to an approved purchasing centre as provided for in Article 171ck(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1973/2004, unprocessed tobacco, once checked, may leave the purchasing centre solely for the purpose of being transferred to the processing plant. After the checks have been made, the tobacco shall be assembled in distinct quantities. The transfer of those quantities to the processing plant shall be authorised in writing by the competent authority which shall be informed in advance so that it can accurately identify the means of transport used, the route, the time of departure and arrival and the quantities of tobacco transported in each separate instance. 3. When the tobacco reaches the processing plant, the competent control body shall verify that the separate quantities checked in the purchasing centres are those actually delivered, in particular by weighing them. The competent authority may lay down any special conditions it deems necessary for checking the operations. Article 33c Placing under supervision and checks during first processing and market preparation 1. Member States shall take the appropriate measures to ensure that raw tobacco is placed under supervision at the moment when it is delivered from the farmer to the first-processing undertaking. Placing under supervision shall ensure that raw tobacco cannot be released before the first processing and market preparation operations are completed and that no raw tobacco is submitted more than once for checking. 2. Checks during first processing and market preparation of the tobacco shall verify compliance with Article 171cb of Regulation (EC) No 1973/2004, in particular relating to the quantities of raw tobacco in each undertaking being checked, distinguishing between raw tobacco produced in the Community and raw tobacco originating in or coming from third countries. To that end, those checks shall include: (a) checks of the processing undertaking's stocks; (b) checks when the tobacco leaves the place in which it was under supervision, having undergone first processing and market preparation; (c) all additional control measures that Member States deem necessary, in particular to ensure that no premium is paid for raw tobacco originating in or coming from third countries. 3. Checks pursuant to this Article shall be undertaken in the place where the raw tobacco is processed. Within a time-limit to be determined by the Member State, the undertakings involved shall notify their competent bodies, in writing, of the places where processing will take place. To that end, Member States may specify the information to be provided by the first-processing undertakings to the competent bodies. 4. Checks pursuant to this Article shall in all cases be unannounced.’;