2003/581/EC: Commission Decision of 1 August 2003 conferring management of aid on implementing agencies for a pre-accession measure in agriculture and rural development in the Czech Republic in the pre-accession period
Date: 2003-08-01
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Czechia, accession to the European Union, aid programme, aid to agriculture, management, rural development

5.8.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 197/35

COMMISSION DECISION

of 1 August 2003

conferring management of aid on implementing agencies for a pre-accession measure in agriculture
and rural development in the Czech Republic in the pre-accession period

(2003/581/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1266/1999 of 21
June 1999 on coordinating aid to the applicant countries in the
framework of the pre-accession strategy and amending Regula-
tion (EEC) No 3906/89 (1), and in particular Article 12(2)
thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

The Special Accession Programme for Agriculture and
Rural Development for the Czech Republic (hereinafter:
Sapard) was approved by Commission Decision of 26
October 2000 (2), and amended by Commission Decision
of 23 December 2002 in accordance with Article 4(5) of
Council Regulation (EC) No 1268/1999 of 21 June
1999 on Community support for pre-accession measures
for agriculture and rural development in the applicant
countries of central and eastern Europe in the pre-acces-
sion period (3), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No
696/2003 (4).

The government of the Czech Republic and the Commis-
sion, acting on behalf of the Community, signed on 5
February 2001 the Multiannual Financing Agreement
(hereinafter: MAFA) laying down the technical, legal and
administrative framework for
the
Sapard, amended by the Annual Financing Agreement
for 2001, signed on 13 October
(hereinafter: AFA)
2002.

the execution of

A Sapard Agency has been appointed by the competent
authority of the Czech Republic for the implementation
of some of the measures defined in the Sapard. The
Ministry of Finance, National Fund, has been appointed
for the financial functions it is due to perform in the
framework of the implementation of the Sapard.

(4)

On the basis of a case-by-case analysis of the national
and sectorial programme/project management capacity,
financial control procedures and structures regarding

public finance, as provided for in Article 12(2) of Regu-
lation (EC) No 1266/1999,
the Commission adopted
Decision 2002/298/EC of 15 April 2002 and Decision
2003/123/EC of 19 February 2003 conferring manage-
ment of aid on implementing agencies for pre-accession
measures in agriculture and rural development in the
Czech Republic in the pre-accession period (5) with
regard to certain measures provided for in the Sapard.

(5)

(6)

(7)

The Commission has since undertaken a further analysis
under Article 12(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1266/1999 in
respect of measure 3.1 ‘Improvement of vocational
training’ as provided for in the Sapard. The Commission
considers that, also with regard to that measure, the
Czech Republic complies with the provisions of Articles
4 to 6 and of the Annex to Commission Regulation (EC)
No 2222/2000 of 7 June 2000 laying down financial
rules for the application of Council Regulation (EC) No
for pre-accession
1268/1999 on Community support
measures for agriculture and rural development in the
applicant countries of central and eastern Europe in the
pre-accession period (6), as last amended by Regulation
(EC) No 188/2003 (7), and with the minimum conditions
set out in the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 1266/1999.

It is therefore appropriate to waive the ex ante approval
requirement provided for in Article 12(1) of Regulation
(EC) No 1266/1999 and to confer, with regard to
measure 3.1, on the Sapard Agency and on the Ministry
of Finance, National Fund in the Czech Republic, the
management of aid on a decentralised basis.

Since the verifications carried out by the Commission
for measure 3.1 are based on a system that is not yet
fully operating with regard to all relevant elements,
however, it is appropriate to confer the management of
the Sapard on the Sapard Agency and on the Ministry of
Finance, National Fund, according to Article 3(2) of
Regulation (EC) No 2222/2000, on a provisional basis.

(1) OJ L 161, 26.6.1999, p. 68.
(2) C(2000) 3105 final.
(3) OJ L 161, 26.6.1999, p. 87.
(4) OJ L 99, 17.4.2003, p. 24.

(5) OJ L 102, 18.4.2002, p. 32 and OJ L 49, 22.2.2003, p. 21.
(6) OJ L 253, 7.10.2000, p. 5.
(7) OJ L 27, 1.2.2003, p. 14.

L 197/36

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

5.8.2003

(8)

Full conferral of management of the Sapard is only envi-
saged after further verifications to ensure that the system
operates satisfactorily have been carried out and after
any recommendations which the Commission may issue
with regard to the conferral of management of aid on
the Sapard Agency and on the Ministry of Finance,
National Fund, have been implemented,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 2

Management of the Sapard is conferred on a provisional basis
on:

1. The Sapard Agency of the Czech Republic, Tesnov 17, 117
05 Prague 1, for the implementation of measure 3.1 of the
Sapard:
‘Improvement of vocational training’ as defined in
the Programme for Agricultural and Rural Development that
was approved by Commission Decision of 26 October
2000; and

2. The Ministry of Finance, National Fund, located at Letenska
15, 118 10 Prague 1, Czech Republic, for the financial func-
tions it is due to perform in the framework of the imple-
mentation of the Sapard for measure 3.1 for the Czech
Republic.

Article 1

Done at Brussels, 1 August 2003.

The requirement of ex ante approval by the Commission of
project selection and contracting for measure 3.1 by the Czech
Republic provided for in Article 12(1) of Regulation (EC) No
1266/1999 is hereby waived.

For the Commission

Franz FISCHLER

Member of the Commission