10.10.2006 |
EN |
Official Journal of the European Union |
L 278/24 |
COMMISSION DECISION
of 3 October 2006
on the financial treatment to be applied, in the context of clearance of expenditure financed by the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Section, in certain cases of irregularity by operators
(notified under document number C(2006) 4324)
(Only the Spanish, German, English, French, Italian, Dutch and Portuguese texts are authentic)
(2006/678/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 8(2) thereof,
After consulting the Fund Committee,
Whereas:
(1) |
Article 8(1)(c) of Regulation (EEC) No 729/70 provides for the Member States to take the measures necessary to recover sums lost as a result of irregularities or negligence. Pursuant to Article 8(2) of Regulation (EEC) No 729/70, in the absence of total recovery, the financial consequences of irregularities or negligence are to be borne by the Community, with the exception of the consequences of irregularities or negligence attributable to administrative authorities or other bodies of the Member States. |
(2) |
In its judgments in Cases C-34/89, Italy v Commission (2), C-54/95, Germany v Commission (3) and C-277/98 France v Commission (4), the Court of Justice has held that the Member States must take steps to rectify irregularities promptly. It follows in particular from the judgment in Case C-34/89 that a Member State cannot be inactive for a period of four years from the moment of the first indication of an irregularity (5). Within that period the investigation should generally be conducted and a decision be taken on the initiation of recovery procedure. In Case C-54/95 the Court indicated that, in principle, the Member States have to start the recovery procedure within one year after the all relevant facts are known with regard to the irregularity. |
(3) |
To date, the Commission has evaluated the recovery proceedings carried out by the Member States as regards irregularities communicated under Council Regulation (EEC) No 595/91 of 4 March 1991 concerning irregularities and the recovery of sums wrongly paid in connection with the financing of the common agricultural policy and the organisation of an information system in this field and repealing Regulation (EEC) No 283/72 (6) before 1 January 1999 and involving amounts of more than EUR 500 000 in order to decide on the financial consequences of those irregularities in accordance with Article 8(2) of Regulation (EEC) No 729/70. In so doing, the Commission has followed the procedure set out in Article 5 of that Regulation and in Article 8 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 (7). |
(4) |
The verifications and the bilateral discussions with the Member States have shown that in certain cases the Member States did not act with the necessary promptness and diligence. Therefore, the financial consequences of non-recovery should in such cases not be borne by the Community budget. |
(5) |
In all other cases the financial consequences of the irregularities examined should be borne by the Community budget. |
(6) |
Cases notified under Regulation (EEC) No 595/91 in which undue payments have been recovered in full or for which it has been found that no undue payment was made should be removed from the list of notifications provided for in Articles 3 and 5 of that Regulation. |
(7) |
The Commission has informed the Member States in a summary report of the amounts to be excluded from the Community financing and of the grounds on which such exclusion should be decided, |
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
The cases listed in Annex I are hereby cleared and the corresponding amounts charged to the Member State concerned.
Article 2
The cases listed in Annex II are hereby cleared and the corresponding amounts charged to the Community budget.
Article 3
The cases listed in Annex III are removed from the list of notifications provided for in Articles 3 and 5 of Regulation (EEC) No 595/91.
Article 4
This Decision is addressed to the Federal Republic of Germany, the Kingdom of Spain, the French Republic, the Italian Republic, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Portuguese Republic and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Done at Brussels, 3 October 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 Regulation (EC) No 1287/95 (OJ L 125, 8.6.1995, p. 1).
(2) Judgment of 11.10.1990, ECR 1990, p. I-3603.
(3) Judgment of 21.1.1999, ECR 1999, p. I-35.
(4) Judgment of 13.11.2001, ECR 2001, p. I-8453.
(5) Points 12 and 13.
(6) OJ L 67, 14.3.1991, p. 11.
(7) 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).
ANNEX I
Amounts to be charged to the Member States
(budget item
)
Germany |
|
Case |
Amount in EUR |
DE/1998/247 |
686 190,80 |
Spain |
|
Case |
Amount in EUR |
ES/1996/092 |
1 489 982,69 |
ES/1996/123 |
963 758,23 |
Total |
2 453 740,92 |
France |
|
Case |
Amount in EUR |
FR/1998/020 |
789 514 |
FR/1998/117 |
551 743 |
Total |
1 341 257 |
United Kingdom |
|
Case |
Amount in GBP |
UK/1998/202/M |
360 758 |
UK/1998/202/P |
749 039 |
UK/1998/202/T |
274 045 |
Total |
1 383 842 |
Italy |
|
Case |
Amount in EUR |
IT/1982/009 |
1 408 128,65 |
IT/1982/012 |
1 366 417,81 |
IT/1982/013 |
629 935,56 |
IT/1982/017 |
910 013,88 |
IT/1984/004 |
41 316,55 |
IT/1985/001 |
1 910 890,53 |
IT/1985/013 |
601 357,97 |
IT/1985/028 |
700 525,75 |
IT/1985/034 |
519 830,66 |
IT/1985/037 |
1 719 677,84 |
IT/1986/017 |
1 249 635,88 |
IT/1986/035 |
436 082,41 |
IT/1986/046 |
1 051 645,09 |
IT/1986/048 |
2 346 406,28 |
IT/1987/009 |
942 061,74 |
IT/1987/106 |
2 964 559,78 |
IT/1987/118 |
952 185,05 |
IT/1987/119 |
886 233,53 |
IT/1987/129 |
3 134 051,95 |
IT/1987/130 |
3 019 712,80 |
IT/1988/029 |
3 092 803,26 |
IT/1988/059 |
2 707 017,35 |
IT/1988/067 |
13 944 336,28 |
IT/1988/069 |
16 860 045,01 |
IT/1988/123 |
1 139 567,43 |
IT/1989/003(A) |
3 166 518,37 |
IT/1989/010 |
4 451 687,38 |
IT/1989/011 |
880 239,40 |
IT/1989/012 |
954 560,47 |
IT/1989/013 |
1 756 811,95 |
IT/1989/017 |
1 151 573,35 |
IT/1989/049 |
607 978,47 |
IT/1989/052 |
801 021,02 |
IT/1989/055 |
729 996,93 |
IT/1989/062 |
533 048,34 |
IT/1989/076 |
7 190 795,74 |
IT/1989/078 |
3 702 297,02 |
IT/1989/087 |
2 763 062,49 |
IT/1989/094 |
873 448,66 |
IT/1989/097 |
883 185,79 |
IT/1989/109 |
882 625,37 |
IT/1989/120 |
505 074,81 |
IT/1989/130 |
952 185,05 |
IT/1989/141 |
2 353 482,58 |
IT/1989/184 |
585 745,67 |
IT/1989/185 |
3 153 808,48 |
IT/1989/187 |
1 182 320,05 |
IT/1989/188 |
5 015 307,87 |
IT/1989/208 |
1 528 863,48 |
IT/1990/001 |
1 893 038,98 |
IT/1990/002 |
648 746,26 |
IT/1990/004 |
889 279,64 |
IT/1990/021 |
560 702,00 |
IT/1990/053 |
531 953,50 |
IT/1990/059 |
8 384 948,04 |
IT/1990/064 |
2 139 322,74 |
IT/1990/066 |
667 339,28 |
IT/1990/077 |
13 964 478,09 |
IT/1990/079 |
652 412,16 |
IT/1990/080 |
997 851,72 |
IT/1990/081 |
2 950 584,42 |
IT/1990/083 |
1 226 694,20 |
IT/1990/084 |
695 687,06 |
IT/1990/086 |
1 037 481,54 |
IT/1990/092 |
0,00 |
IT/1990/094 |
3 064 059,49 |
IT/1991/002(A) |
2 421 612,13 |
IT/1991/004 |
3 004 248,14 |
IT/1991/006 |
1 799 675,37 |
IT/1991/008 |
3 052 599,57 |
IT/1991/009 |
1 208 081,21 |
IT/1991/014 |
1 593 129,84 |
IT/1991/017 |
790 899,43 |
IT/1991/024 |
329 539,37 |
IT/1991/056 |
1 078 101,49 |
IT/1991/071 |
688 707,00 |
IT/1991/075 |
1 021 325,69 |
IT/1992/006 |
87 000,11 |
IT/1992/011 |
619 240,02 |
IT/1992/012 |
371 440,00 |
IT/1992/060 |
2 187 059,94 |
IT/1992/061 |
417 761,97 |
IT/1992/071 |
535 447,07 |
IT/1992/098 |
1 428 011,50 |
IT/1992/117 |
895 504,86 |
IT/1992/118 |
1 363 978,00 |
IT/1992/230 |
1 456 448,72 |
IT/1992/232 |
2 422 558,12 |
IT/1992/237 |
3 814 620,91 |
IT/1992/239 |
4 420 095,25 |
IT/1992/245 |
1 715 396,91 |
IT/1992/249 |
1 022 645,34 |
IT/1992/253 |
1 878 926,73 |
IT/1992/254 |
844 269,29 |
IT/1992/256 |
1 031 347,46 |
IT/1992/257 |
950 810,66 |
IT/1992/258 |
609 296,43 |
IT/1992/264 |
558 279,79 |
IT/1992/272 |
107 354,19 |
IT/1992/275 |
431 051,94 |
IT/1992/284 |
5 284 145,77 |
IT/1992/285 |
82 039,00 |
IT/1992/338 |
342 141,68 |
IT/1994/047 |
744 987,49 |
IT/1994/063 |
11 726 016,74 |
IT/1994/092 |
1 202 986,10 |
IT/1994/095 |
1 776 176,16 |
IT/1994/151 |
654 664,50 |
IT/1994/224 |
866 412,91 |
IT/1994/235 |
824 501,93 |
IT/1994/245 |
1 540 155,94 |
IT/1994/246 |
519 777,15 |
IT/1994/250 |
187 310,38 |
IT/1994/419 |
8 760 422,48 |
IT/1994/439 |
757 184,91 |
IT/1994/445 |
2 540 892,25 |
IT/1995/031 |
1 043 415,42 |
IT/1995/053 |
5 230 746,31 |
IT/1995/054 |
3 235 621,62 |
IT/1995/060 |
1 725 150,04 |
IT/1995/099 |
1 197 629,77 |
IT/1995/103 |
2 595 717,93 |
IT/1995/117 |
808 330,66 |
IT/1995/120 |
647 980,61 |
IT/1995/160 |
941 259,59 |
IT/1995/259 |
1 252 608,76 |
IT/1995/277 |
951 752,36 |
IT/1995/342 |
570 807,35 |
IT/1995/350 |
849 611,86 |
IT/1995/363 |
623 105,53 |
IT/1995/390 |
1 040 032,33 |
IT/1995/391 |
538 652,15 |
IT/1996/004 |
871 048,24 |
IT/1996/006 |
3 450 089,59 |
IT/1996/009 |
5 708 680,07 |
IT/1996/019 |
70 153,80 |
IT/1996/022 |
3 645 678,08 |
IT/1996/025 |
513 677,10 |
IT/1996/067 |
2 852 184,42 |
IT/1996/189 |
691 863,13 |
IT/1996/205 |
5 615 994,15 |
IT/1996/207 |
650 060,45 |
IT/1996/210 |
1 078 676,85 |
IT/1996/254 |
71 572,77 |
IT/1996/271 |
6 856 477,88 |
IT/1996/282 |
666 899,01 |
IT/1996/301 |
3 524 942,01 |
IT/1996/302 |
2 247 646,99 |
IT/1996/388 |
1 425 735,47 |
IT/1997/074 |
583 123,58 |
IT/1997/123 |
729 996,93 |
IT/1997/193 |
5 513 248,86 |
IT/1998/037 |
2 286 015,73 |
IT/1998/059 |
1 175 865,75 |
IT/1998/070 |
881 768,99 |
IT/1998/103 |
503 889,09 |
IT/1998/114 |
570 848,01 |
Total |
310 849 495,98 |
ANNEX II
Amounts to be charged to the EAGGF Guarantee Fund
Germany |
|
Case number |
Amount in EUR |
DE/1995/174 |
3 644 689,38 |
DE/1996/210 |
102 911,19 |
Total |
3 747 600,57 |
Spain |
|
Case number |
Amount in EUR |
ES/1995/069 |
145 393,60 |
ES/1996/073 |
71 481,48 |
ES/1996/085 |
1 617 401,34 |
ES/1997/255 |
2 275 730,27 |
ES/1998/056 |
509 809,96 |
Total |
4 619 816,55 |
Netherlands |
|
Case number |
Amount in EUR |
NL/1997/066 |
532 080 |
NL/1998/038 |
1 922 727 |
Total |
2 454 807 |
Portugal |
|
Case number |
Amount in EUR |
PT/1996/014 |
1 654 408,37 |
PT/1998/015 |
608 155,28 |
PT/1998/038 |
1 417 853,86 |
Total |
3 680 417,51 |
Italy |
|
Case number |
Amount in EUR |
IT/1981/014 |
598 645,14 |
IT/1982/011 |
858 791,39 |
IT/1988/008 |
6 951 704,49 |
IT/1988/013 |
1 628 505,84 |
IT/1988/023 |
4 121 803,13 |
IT/1988/068 |
1 792 260,77 |
IT/1988/078 |
124 280,67 |
IT/1989/001 |
4 926 732,53 |
IT/1989/016 |
538 117,76 |
IT/1990/028 |
202 927,48 |
IT/1990/037 |
2 174 169,20 |
IT/1991/002(S) |
2 451 649,46 |
IT/1993/004 |
500 852,00 |
IT/1994/004 |
617 469,18 |
IT/1994/005 |
29 851 834,89 |
IT/1994/008 |
41 760 653,21 |
IT/1994/253 |
10 089 425,06 |
IT/1994/449 |
1 500 425,25 |
IT/1995/057 |
2 144 502,97 |
IT/1995/384 |
1 283 089,70 |
IT/1995/387 |
1 698 575,15 |
IT/1996/007 |
10 949 621,58 |
IT/1996/015 |
1 040 113,00 |
IT/1996/020 |
491 865,00 |
IT/1996/211 |
6 322 642,50 |
IT/1996/303 |
25 206 583,61 |
IT/1997/022 |
950 412,40 |
IT/1997/159 |
516 228,65 |
IT/1998/014 |
531 544,83 |
Total |
161 825 426,84 |
ANNEX III
Irregularity cases to be removed from the list under Regulation (EEC) No 595/91
Germany
Case number
|
DE/1996/016 |
|
DE/1996/144 |
|
DE/1996/260 |
|
DE/1997/015 |
|
DE/1997/095 |
|
DE/1997/136 |
|
DE/1998/040 |
|
DE/1998/195 |
|
DE/1998/214 |
Spain
Case number
|
ES/1995/066 |
|
ES/1995/071 |
|
ES/1996/089 |
|
ES/1997/002 |
|
ES/1997/040 |
|
ES/1997/041 |
|
ES/1997/062 |
France
Case number
|
FR/1996/031 |
|
FR/1996/056 |
|
FR/1998/010 |
|
FR/1998/024 |
Netherlands
Case number
|
NL/1995/127 |
|
NL/1997/059 |
|
NL/1998/078 |
Portugal
Case number
PT/1995/036
United Kingdom
Case number
UK/1998/271
Italy
Case number
|
IT/1986/019(D) |
|
IT/1986/040 |
|
IT/1986/043 |
|
IT/1987/020 |
|
IT/1987/091 |
|
IT/1987/092 |
|
IT/1988/024 |
|
IT/1988/053(D) |
|
IT/1988/070 |
|
IT/1989/075 |
|
IT/1989/106 |
|
IT/1989/136 |
|
IT/1989/140 |
|
IT/1989/183 |
|
IT/1990/016 |
|
IT/1990/018 |
|
IT/1990/019 |
|
IT/1990/024 |
|
IT/1990/025 |
|
IT/1990/040 |
|
IT/1990/048 |
|
IT/1990/052 |
|
IT/1990/065 |
|
IT/1990/071 |
|
IT/1990/075 |
|
IT/1991/003(A) |
|
IT/1991/011 |
|
IT/1991/012 |
|
IT/1991/053 |
|
IT/1991/055 |
|
IT/1991/060 |
|
IT/1991/063 |
|
IT/1992/005 |
|
IT/1992/021 |
|
IT/1992/022 |
|
IT/1992/023 |
|
IT/1992/024 |
|
IT/1992/025 |
|
IT/1992/026 |
|
IT/1992/048 |
|
IT/1992/065 |
|
IT/1992/066 |
|
IT/1992/067 |
|
IT/1992/084 |
|
IT/1992/097 |
|
IT/1992/102 |
|
IT/1992/103 |
|
IT/1992/234 |
|
IT/1992/263 |
|
IT/1992/274 |
|
IT/1992/276 |
|
IT/1992/300 |
|
IT/1992/322 |
|
IT/1992/323 |
|
IT/1992/325 |
|
IT/1992/339 |
|
IT/1992/343 |
|
IT/1992/345 |
|
IT/1992/346 |
|
IT/1993/008 |
|
IT/1994/006 |
|
IT/1994/007 |
|
IT/1994/068(D) |
|
IT/1994/142 |
|
IT/1994/217 |
|
IT/1994/219 |
|
IT/1994/233 |
|
IT/1994/392 |
|
IT/1994/430 |
|
IT/1994/431 |
|
IT/1994/433 |
|
IT/1994/450 |
|
IT/1995/004 |
|
IT/1995/020 |
|
IT/1995/023 |
|
IT/1995/034 |
|
IT/1995/035 |
|
IT/1995/036 |
|
IT/1995/037 |
|
IT/1995/038 |
|
IT/1995/118 |
|
IT/1995/158 |
|
IT/1995/293 |
|
IT/1995/296 |
|
IT/1995/329 |
|
IT/1995/336 |
|
IT/1995/356 |
|
IT/1995/365 |
|
IT/1995/385 |
|
IT/1995/386 |
|
IT/1996/002 |
|
IT/1996/008(A) |
|
IT/1996/008(S) |
|
IT/1996/014 |
|
IT/1996/015(D) |
|
IT/1996/277 |
|
IT/1996/289 |
|
IT/1996/292 |
|
IT/1996/304 |
|
IT/1996/387 |
|
IT/1997/004 |
|
IT/1997/008 |
|
IT/1997/158 |
|
IT/1997/167 |
|
IT/1997/192 |
|
IT/1998/006 |
|
IT/1998/020 |
|
IT/1998/021 |
|
IT/1998/025 |
|
IT/1998/026 |
|
IT/1998/027 |
|
IT/1998/032 |
|
IT/1998/036 |
|
IT/1998/045 |
|
IT/1998/056 |
|
IT/1998/062 |
|
IT/1998/068 |
|
IT/1998/071 |
|
IT/1998/426 |
|
IT/2000/059 |