CELEX: 32006D0554
Language: en
Date: 2006-07-27 00:00:00
Title: 2006/554/EC: Commission Decision of  27 July 2006  excluding from Community financing certain expenditure incurred by the Member States under the Guarantee Section of the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF)  (notified under document number C(2006) 3331)

9.8.2006   
            
            
               EN
            
            
               Official Journal of the European Union
            
            
               L 218/12
            
         
      COMMISSION DECISION
   
   of 27 July 2006
   excluding from Community financing certain expenditure incurred by the Member States under the Guarantee Section of the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF)
   (notified under document number C(2006) 3331)
   (Only the Spanish, Greek, English, French, Italian and Portuguese texts are authentic)
   (2006/554/EC)
   THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
   Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
   Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 729/70 of 21 April 1970 on the financing of the common agricultural policy (1), and in particular Article 5(2)(c) thereof,
   Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1258/1999 of 17 May 1999 on the financing of the common agricultural policy (2), and in particular Article 7(4) thereof,
   Having consulted the Fund Committee,
   Whereas:
   
               (1)
            
            
               Article 5 of Regulation (EEC) No 729/70, Article 7 of Regulation (EC) No 1258/1999, and Article 8(1) and (2) of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1663/95 of 7 July 1995 laying down detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation (EEC) No 729/70 regarding the procedure for the clearance of the accounts of the EAGGF Guarantee Section (3) provide that the Commission is to make the necessary verifications, inform the Member States of its findings, take account of the Member States' comments, initiate bilateral discussions with a view to reaching agreement with the Member States concerned and then formally communicate its conclusions to them, referring to Commission Decision 94/442/EC of 1 July 1994 setting up a conciliation procedure in the context of the clearance of the accounts of the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) Guarantee Section (4).
            
         
               (2)
            
            
               The Member States have had an opportunity to request that a conciliation procedure be initiated. That opportunity has been used in some cases and the report issued on the outcome has been examined by the Commission.
            
         
               (3)
            
            
               Under Articles 2 and 3 of Regulation (EEC) No 729/70 and Article 2 of Regulation (EC) No 1258/1999, only refunds on exports to third countries and intervention to stabilise agricultural markets, granted and undertaken respectively according to Community rules within the framework of the common organisation of the agricultural markets, may be financed.
            
         
               (4)
            
            
               In the light of the checks carried out, the outcome of the bilateral discussions and the conciliation procedures, part of the expenditure declared by the Member States does not fulfil these requirements and cannot, therefore, be financed under the EAGGF Guarantee Section.
            
         
               (5)
            
            
               The amounts that are not recognised as being chargeable to the EAGGF Guarantee Section should be indicated. Those amounts do not relate to expenditure incurred more than twenty-four months before the Commission's written notification of the results of the checks to the Member States.
            
         
               (6)
            
            
               As regards the cases covered by this Decision, the assessment of the amounts to be excluded on grounds of non-compliance with Community rules was notified by the Commission to the Member States in a summary report on the subject.
            
         
               (7)
            
            
               This Decision is without prejudice to any financial conclusions that the Commission may draw from the judgments of the Court of Justice in cases pending on 5 April 2006 and relating to its content,
            
         HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
   Article 1
   The expenditure itemised in the Annex hereto that has been incurred by the Member States' accredited paying agencies and declared under the EAGGF Guarantee Section shall be excluded from Community financing because it does not comply with Community rules.
   Article 2
   This Decision is addressed to the Hellenic Republic, the Kingdom of Spain, the French Republic, Ireland, the Italian Republic, the Portuguese Republic and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
   
      Done at Brussels, 27 July 2006.
      
         
            For the Commission
         
         Mariann FISCHER BOEL
         
         
            Member of the Commission
         
      
   
   
      (1)  OJ L 94, 28.4.1970, p. 13. Regulation as last amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1287/95 (OJ L 125, 8.6.1995, p. 1).
   
      (2)  OJ L 160, 26.6.1999, p. 103.
   
      (3)  OJ L 158, 8.7.1995, p. 6. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 465/2005 (OJ L 77, 23.3.2005, p. 6).
   
      (4)  OJ L 182, 16.7.1994, p. 45. Decision as last amended by Decision 2001/535/EC (OJ L 193, 17.7.2001, p. 25).
   
      ANNEX
      
                  Member State
               
               
                  Audit Field
               
               
                  Reason
               
               
                  Correction
               
               
                  Currency
               
               
                  Expenditure to exclude from financing
               
               
                  Deductions already made
               
               
                  Financial impact of this decision
               
               
                  Financial year
               
            
                  ES
               
               
                  Arable crops
               
               
                  Absence of a computerised LPIS
               
               
                  flat-rate 2 %
               
               
                  EUR
               
               
                  –43 299,48
               
               
                  0,00
               
               
                  –43 299,48
               
               
                  1999-2000
               
            
                  ES
               
               
                  Arable crops
               
               
                  Deficient aid application procedure
               
               
                  flat-rate 5 %
               
               
                  EUR
               
               
                  –2 024 643,26
               
               
                  0,00
               
               
                  –2 024 643,26
               
               
                  2002-2004
               
            
                  ES
               
               
                  Arable crops
               
               
                  Non-application of penalties
               
               
                  flat-rate 2 %
               
               
                  EUR
               
               
                  – 316 545,67
               
               
                  0,00
               
               
                  – 316 545,67
               
               
                  2003-2004
               
            
                  ES
               
               
                  Animal premiums — OTMS
               
               
                  Animals subject of financing for both purchase and destruction
               
               
                  one-off
               
               
                  EUR
               
               
                  – 156 180,00
               
               
                  0,00
               
               
                  – 156 180,00
               
               
                  2002
               
            
                  ES
               
               
                  Animal premiums — OTMS
               
               
                  Non-reliable administrative and accounting system to monitor and account for animals
               
               
                  flat-rate 10 %
               
               
                  EUR
               
               
                  – 160 692,00
               
               
                  0,00
               
               
                  – 160 692,00
               
               
                  2001
               
            
                  ES
               
               
                  Butterfats in food processing
               
               
                  Overtracing — aid paid for part of tracers added
               
               
                  one-off 1,5 %
               
               
                  EUR
               
               
                  – 144 902,68
               
               
                  0,00
               
               
                  – 144 902,68
               
               
                  2002-2005
               
            
                  ES
               
               
                  Fruit and Veg — Bananas
               
               
                  Weaknesses in the determination of marketed quantities, non-representative sampling in quality controls
               
               
                  flat-rate 2 %
               
               
                  EUR
               
               
                  –5 291 087,63
               
               
                  0,00
               
               
                  –5 291 087,63
               
               
                  2002-2004
               
            
                  ES
               
               
                  Fruit and Veg — processing of peaches & pears
               
               
                  Non-compliance with payment deadlines
               
               
                  one-off
               
               
                  EUR
               
               
                  – 643 142,42
               
               
                  0,00
               
               
                  – 643 142,42
               
               
                  2002
               
            
                  ES
               
               
                  POSEI
               
               
                  Non-compliance with key controls
               
               
                  flat-rate 5 %
               
               
                  EUR
               
               
                  – 415 161,50
               
               
                  0,00
               
               
                  – 415 161,50
               
               
                  2003-2004
               
            
                  ES
               
               
                  POSEI
               
               
                  Non-compliance with payment deadlines
               
               
                  one-off
               
               
                  EUR
               
               
                  –3 931 651,61
               
               
                  0,00
               
               
                  –3 931 651,61
               
               
                  2003-2004
               
            
                  ES
               
               
                  Wine — production potential
               
               
                  Deficiencies in managing production potential
               
               
                  flat-rate 10 %
               
               
                  EUR
               
               
                  –33 357 596,61
               
               
                  0,00
               
               
                  –33 357 596,61
               
               
                  2001-2004
               
            
                  Total ES
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
               
                  –46 484 902,86
               
               
                  0,00
               
               
                  –46 484 902,86
               
               
                   
               
            
                  FR
               
               
                  Arable crops
               
               
                  Application of the rate of irrigation in wet regions
               
               
                  one-off
               
               
                  EUR
               
               
                  –7 874 178,00
               
               
                  0,00
               
               
                  –7 874 178,00
               
               
                  2001-2003
               
            
                  FR
               
               
                  Arable crops
               
               
                  Parcels not eligible for aid after grubbing of vines
               
               
                  one-off
               
               
                  EUR
               
               
                  –36 610 625,00
               
               
                  0,00
               
               
                  –36 610 625,00
               
               
                  2001-2005
               
            
                  FR
               
               
                  Arable crops
               
               
                  Meadows turned over in wet regions
               
               
                  one-off
               
               
                  EUR
               
               
                  –12 521 275,00
               
               
                  0,00
               
               
                  –12 521 275,00
               
               
                  2001-2005
               
            
                  FR
               
               
                  Arable crops
               
               
                  Penalties for aid paid unduly
               
               
                  one-off
               
               
                  EUR
               
               
                  –20 128 846,00
               
               
                  0,00
               
               
                  –20 128 846,00
               
               
                  2001-2005
               
            
                  FR
               
               
                  Olive oil — Production aid
               
               
                  Key controls not applied with sufficient rigour
               
               
                  flat-rate 2 %
               
               
                  EUR
               
               
                  – 156 181,66
               
               
                  0,00
               
               
                  – 156 181,66
               
               
                  2002-2004
               
            
                  FR
               
               
                  Rural Development Guarantee new measures
               
               
                  Weakenesses in key and secondary controls
               
               
                  flat-rate 5 %
               
               
                  EUR
               
               
                  –4 349 136,00
               
               
                  0,00
               
               
                  –4 349 136,00
               
               
                  2001-2002
               
            
                  FR
               
               
                  Rural Development Guarantee new measures
               
               
                  Weaknesses in controls on reduced-interest loans
               
               
                  flat-rate 5 %
               
               
                  EUR
               
               
                  –4 331 384,00
               
               
                  0,00
               
               
                  –4 331 384,00
               
               
                  2001-2002
               
            
                  Total FR
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
               
                  –85 971 625,66
               
               
                  0,00
               
               
                  –85 971 625,66
               
               
                   
               
            
                  UK
               
               
                  Butterfats in food processing
               
               
                  Insufficient quantity controls on manufactured quantities
               
               
                  flat-rate 5 %
               
               
                  GBP
               
               
                  –1 351 441,25
               
               
                  0,00
               
               
                  –1 351 441,25
               
               
                  2001-2004
               
            
                  UK
               
               
                  Butterfats in food processing
               
               
                  Overtracing — aid paid for part of tracers added
               
               
                  one-off
               
               
                  GBP
               
               
                  –55 534,20
               
               
                  0,00
               
               
                  –55 534,20
               
               
                  2002-2004
               
            
                  UK
               
               
                  Export refunds and food aid outside the EU
               
               
                  Deficiency in the scheduling regime
               
               
                  flat-rate 2 %
               
               
                  GBP
               
               
                  – 250 887,47
               
               
                  0,00
               
               
                  – 250 887,47
               
               
                  2001-2003
               
            
                  UK
               
               
                  Export refunds and food aid outside the EU
               
               
                  Failure to carry out the required number of substitution controls
               
               
                  flat-rate 5 %
               
               
                  GBP
               
               
                  –7 314,57
               
               
                  0,00
               
               
                  –7 314,57
               
               
                  2000-2001
               
            
                  Total UK
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
               
                  –1 665 177,49
               
               
                  0,00
               
               
                  –1 665 177,49
               
               
                   
               
            
                  GR
               
               
                  RD Guarantee accompanying maeasures
               
               
                  Key controls inadequately applied
               
               
                  flat-rate 5 %
               
               
                  EUR
               
               
                  –1 795 865,00
               
               
                  0,00
               
               
                  –1 795 865,00
               
               
                  2004
               
            
                  GR
               
               
                  RD Guarantee accompanying measures
               
               
                  Key controls inadequately applied
               
               
                  flat-rate 10 %
               
               
                  EUR
               
               
                  –6 271 694,00
               
               
                  0,00
               
               
                  –6 271 694,00
               
               
                  2002-2003
               
            
                  GR
               
               
                  RD Guarantee accompanying measures
               
               
                  Various weaknesses in the system for management, control and penalties
               
               
                  flat-rate 5 %
               
               
                  EUR
               
               
                  –6 460 070,00
               
               
                  0,00
               
               
                  –6 460 070,00
               
               
                  2004
               
            
                  Total EL
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
               
                  –14 527 629,00
               
               
                  0,00
               
               
                  –14 527 629,00
               
               
                   
               
            
                  IE
               
               
                  Animal premiums — OTMS
               
               
                  Administrative deficiencies
               
               
                  flat-rate 2 %
               
               
                  EUR
               
               
                  – 170 297,64
               
               
                  0,00
               
               
                  – 170 297,64
               
               
                  2001-2003
               
            
                  Total IE
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
               
                  – 170 297,64
               
               
                  0,00
               
               
                  – 170 297,64
               
               
                   
               
            
                  IT
               
               
                  Fruit and vegtable — Withdrawals
               
               
                  Inadequate rate of controls on composting and bio-degradation
               
               
                  one-off 100 %
               
               
                  EUR
               
               
                  –9 107 445,49
               
               
                  0,00
               
               
                  –9 107 445,49
               
               
                  2000-2002
               
            
                  IT
               
               
                  Fruit and vegtable — Withdrawals
               
               
                  Several weaknesses in the system of checks as instituted
               
               
                  flat-rate 5 %
               
               
                  EUR
               
               
                  – 304 839,45
               
               
                  0,00
               
               
                  – 304 839,45
               
               
                  2001-2003
               
            
                  IT
               
               
                  Public storage of meat
               
               
                  Late payments
               
               
                  one-off
               
               
                  EUR
               
               
                  –4 575,54
               
               
                  0,00
               
               
                  –4 575,54
               
               
                  2001
               
            
                  IT
               
               
                  Public storage of meat
               
               
                  Presence of specified risk material, removal of neck muscle, acceptance of ineligible carcases, poor storage conditions, labelling failings, reporting failings and inspection weaknesses
               
               
                  flat-rate 5 %
               
               
                  EUR
               
               
                  –2 635 067,09
               
               
                  0,00
               
               
                  –2 635 067,09
               
               
                  2001-2003
               
            
                  Total IT
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
               
                  –12 051 927,57
               
               
                  0,00
               
               
                  –12 051 927,57
               
               
                   
               
            
                  PT
               
               
                  Fruit and vegetable — Bananas
               
               
                  Deficiencies in the system for checking quantities eligible for aid and in the system for checking full payment of aid to beneficiaries, lack of oversight over delegated checks
               
               
                  flat-rate 2 %
               
               
                  EUR
               
               
                  – 257 901,65
               
               
                  0,00
               
               
                  – 257 901,65
               
               
                  2002-2004
               
            
                  Total PT
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
               
                  – 257 901,65
               
               
                  0,00
               
               
                  – 257 901,65