CELEX: 51993EC3063
Language: en
Date: 2006-12-11
Title: Draft Commission Regulation (EC) No …/.. of […] laying down detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2019/93 with regard to the aid scheme for the production of honey of specific quality (Codified version)

EN

|[pic]                     |COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES                                                                           |

                                        Brussels,
                                        C(200.) XXX

                                                                      Draft

                                                        COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No …/..

                                                                      of […]

 laying down detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2019/93 with regard to the aid scheme for the production of honey
                                                               of specific quality

                                                                (Codified version)

                                            ê 3063/93 (adapted)

                                                                      Draft

                                                        COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No …/..

                                                                      of […]

 laying down detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2019/93 with regard to the aid scheme for the production of honey
                                                               of specific quality

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2019/93 of 19 July 1993 introducing specific measures for  the  smaller  Aegean  islands  concerning
certain agricultural products[1], and in particular Article 12(3) thereof,

Whereas:

                                            ê 3063/93

   1) Commission Regulation (EC) No 3063/93 of 5 November 1993 laying down detailed  rules  for  the  application  of  Council  Regulation  (EEC)
      No 2019/93 with regard to the aid scheme for the production of honey of specific quality[2]  has  been  substantially  amended[3].  In  the
      interests of clarity and rationality the said Regulation should be codified.

                                            ê 3063/93 (adapted)

   2) In order to encourage honey producers grouped in Ö associations Õ to improve their  marketing  systems  in  order  to  comply  with  market
      requirements and to promote quality products, the granting of aid is conditional on the implementation of an  annual  initiative  programme
      subject to approval by the national authority designated by Greece. In order to meet these objectives, the programme should  seek,  on  the
      one hand, to achieve genetic improvements, the conversion  of  hives,  the  introduction  of  mechanization  and  vocational  training  for
      beekeepers in new production techniques and, on the other, to accomplish market studies, research into new packaging methods and trade fair
      promotions.

                                            ê 3063/93

   3) Such rules should also cover determination of the periods in which aid may be applied for, the minimum information to be contained in  such
      applications, the periods of assessment and payment of the aid by the competent authority, and notification to the Commission  of  the  aid
      paid. These provisions should include the necessary checks to ensure the correct application of this aid scheme and specify the  action  to
      be taken in the event of the non-observance of these rules.

                                            ê 3063/93 Recital 5

   4) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Poultrymeat and Eggs,

                                            ê 3063/93

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

                                            ê 780/2002 Art. 1 pt. 1 (adapted)

                                                                    Article 1

Aid for the production of quality honey specific to the smaller Aegean islands Ö coming entirely or mainly  from Õ  thyme  shall  be  granted  to
associations of beekeepers recognised by the competent authorities who undertake annual programmes  of  initiatives  to  improve  the  conditions
under which quality honey is marketed and promoted.

                                            ê 3063/93

                                                                    Article 2

1. The programme of initiatives shall have the following objectives:

                                            ê 3063/93 (adapted)

(a)   improvement of marketing through the introduction of technology, the use of machinery for extraction  and  purification  ,  and  vocational
       training;

                                            ê 3063/93
                                            è1 780/2002 Art. 1 pt. 2
                                            è2 Corrigendum 3063/93 (OJ L 282, 26.10.2005, p. 30)

(b)   maintenance of yield by the replacement of ageing queens at two-yearly intervals by hybrids suited to the zone;

(c)   promotion of sales of quality honey thorough market studies, the development  of  new  packaging  methods  and  the  organization  of,  and
       participation in, trade fairs and other trade events.

2. è1 The programmes of initiatives shall be submitted by the associations of beekeepers to the Greek authority for approval. ç

The competent authority shall decide, within two months of the submission of the programmes, whether to approve or to reject them,  after  having
requested any changes which it considers necessary.

                                                                    Article 3

1. The aid application shall be lodged by the party concerned with the competent authority during the period determined by the latter and  by  30
September or each year at the latest, in respect of the production of the year in question. If this deadline is not met the aid to be paid  shall
be reduced by è2 20 % ç , except in the event of force majeure. No aid shall be paid in respect of an application submitted  more  than  20  days
after the date set by the competent authority.

2. The aid application shall include the following minimum information:

                                            ê 780/2002 Art. 1 pt. 3(b)

(a)   the name and address of the association of beekeepers, or the name, forename and address of the beekeeper;

                                            ê 3063/93

(b)   the number of fixed hives in production and the number registered with the competent authority;

                                            ê 3063/93 (adapted)

(c)   the quantity of honey Ö coming entirely or mainly from Õ thyme produced during the period in respect of which the aid is applied for.

                                            ê 3063/93

3. Where the total number of hives for which aid is applied for exceeds the maximum number of hives referred to in Article  12(2)  of  Regulation
(EEC) No 2019/93 the competent authority shall determine a standard reduction coefficient to be applied to each application.

                                                                    Article 4

Greece shall pay the aid by 31 December of the period in respect of which the aid  is  granted,  in  relation  to  the  effective  percentage  of
implementation of the programme of the programme of initiatives. However, no payment shall be carried out,  if  this  percentage  is  lower  than
50 %.

                                                                    Article 5

Greece shall notify to the Commission, by 31 January of each year at the latest.

                                            ê 780/2002 Art. 1 pt. 5(a)

(a)   the number of associations of beekeepers and the number of individual beekeepers who have submitted an aid application;

(b)   the number of hives in respect of which aid has been applied for by associations of beekeepers and individual beekeepers respectively,  and
       granted;

                                            ê 3063/93

(c)   the reduction coefficient applied, if any;

(d)   the programme of initiatives approved;

(e)   the number of irregularities found and the hives concerned.

                                                                    Article 6

1. Greece shall, by means of on-the-spot checks, verify the accuracy of the information provided in the aid applications and compliance with  the
conditions for the grant of aid.

2. The on-the-spot checks shall relate to at least 10 % of the aid applications submitted. If a significant number  of  irregularities  is  found
the competent authority shall carry out additional checks in the year in progress and  shall  increase  the  percentage  of  applications  to  be
checked the following year.

The competent authority shall determine which applications are to be the subject of on-the-spot on the basis of a risk analysis,  while  ensuring
that a representative sample is selected.

The on-the-spot checks shall relate to:

(a)   the number of the hives declared in the application;

(b)   the implementation of the programme of initiatives.

                                                                    Article 7

1. If aid is paid in error, the competent authority shall recover the amounts paid, plus interest, calculated from the date  of  payment  of  the
aid until its eventual recovery.

The rate of interest applied shall be the rate applicable in the case of similar recovery operations carried out under national law.

2. If aid has to be recovered as a result of an irregularity attributable to the party  concerned,  whether  by  deliberate  act  or  by  serious
negligence, the competent authority shall recover the amounts paid, plus 20 %, without prejudice to the increase  for  interest  referred  to  in
paragraph 1. The party concerned shall not be allowed to benefit under the scheme in respect of the following year.

3. The aid recovered and the interest shall be paid to the paying agencies or authorities concerned and deducted by  them  from  the  expenditure
financed by the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund in proportion to the Community financial contribution.

                                            ê 

                                                                    Article 8

Regulation (EC) No 3063/93 is repealed.

References to the repealed Regulation shall be construed as references to this Regulation and shall be read in accordance  with  the  correlation
table in Annex II.

                                            ê 3063/93

                                                                    Article 9

This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels, […]

      For the Commission
      […]
      Member of the Commission

                                            é

                                                                     ANNEX I

                                                      Repealed Regulation with its amendment

|Commission Regulation (EC) No 3063/93                                       |(OJ L 274, 6.11.1993, p. 5)                           |
|Commission Regulation (EC) No 780/2002                                        |(OJ L 123, 9.5.2002, p. 32)                      |

                                                                  _____________

                                                                     ANNEX II

                                                                Correlation Table

|Regulation (EC) No 3063/93                                         |This Regulation                                                    |
|Article 1                                                          |Article 1                                                          |
|Article 2(1), introductory wording                                 |Article 2(1), introductory wording                                 |
|Article 2(1), first indent                                         |Article 2(1)(a)                                                    |
|Article 2(1), second indent                                        |Article 2(1)(b)                                                    |
|Article 2(1), third indent                                         |Article 2(1)(c)                                                    |
|Article 2(2), first sentence                                       |Article 2(2), first subparagraph                                   |
|Article 2(2), second sentence                                      |Article 2(2), second subparagraph                                  |
|Article 3(1)                                                       |Article 3(1)                                                       |
|Article 3(2), introductory wording                                 |Article 3(2), introductory wording                                 |
|Article 3(2), first indent                                         |Article 3(2)(a)                                                    |
|Article 3(2), second indent                                        |Article 3(2)(b)                                                    |
|Article 3(2), third indent                                         |Article 3(2)(c)                                                    |
|Article 3(3)                                                       |Article 3(3)                                                       |
|Article 4                                                          |Article 4                                                          |
|Article 5, introductory wording                                    |Article 5, introductory wording                                    |
|Article 5, first indent                                            |Article 5, point (a)                                               |
|Article 5, second indent                                           |Article 5, point (b)                                               |
|Article 5, third indent                                            |Article 5, point (c)                                               |
|Article 5, fourth indent                                           |Article 5, point (d)                                               |
|Article 5, fifth indent                                            |Article 5, point (e)                                               |
|Article 6(1)                                                       |Article 6(1)                                                       |
|Article 6(2), first subparagraph                                   |Article 6(2), first subparagraph                                   |
|Article 6(2), second subparagraph                                  |Article 6(2), second subparagraph                                  |
|Article 6(2), third subparagraph, introductory wording             |Article 6(2), third subparagraph, introductory wording             |
|Article 6(2), third subparagraph, first indent                     |Article 6(2), third subparagraph, point (a)                        |
|Article 6(2), third subparagraph, second indent                    |Article 6(2), third subparagraph, point (b)                        |
|Article 7                                                          |Article 7                                                          |
|_____                                                              |Article 8                                                          |
|Article 9                                                          |Article 9                                                          |
|_____                                                              |Annex I                                                            |
|_____                                                              |Annex II                                                           |

                                                                  _____________

                                                             -----------------------
[1]   OJ L 184, 27.7.1993, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 (OJ L 270, 21.10.2003, p. 1).
[2]   OJ L 274, 6.11.1993, p. 5. Regulation as amended by Regulation (EC) No 780/2002 (OJ L 123, 9.5.2002, p. 32).
[3]   See Annex I.