Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 428/2014Show full title

Article 1

1. Lithuania is authorised to grant aid in respect of the slaughtering of the following animals:

(a) piglets covered by CN code 0103 91 10;

(b) pigs covered by CN code 0103 92 19;

(c) sows covered by CN code 0103 92 11.

2. The aid provided for in paragraph 1 shall only be granted if the following conditions are met:

(a) the animals were reared in the areas listed in the Annex to Implementing Decisions 2014/43/EU or 2014/93/EU or in part II of the Annex to implementing Decision 2014/178/EU for the relevant periods, or in any other Commission Implementing Decision adopted in this regard, and the live pigs including piglets reared in those areas, as well as the pigmeat from animals reared in those areas, are submitted to certain marketing restrictions due to African swine fever;

(b) the animals were present in the areas referred to in point (a) on 17 February 2014 or they were born and reared after that date in those areas;

(c) the additional preventive measures established by the Order of Director of the State Food and Veterinary Service of Lithuania No B1-60 of 17 February 2014 on the extension of the buffer zone for African Swine Fever, or any other national rules adopted in this regard and submitting live pigs and pigmeat to marketing restrictions due to African swine fever, apply in the area where those animals were reared on the date they are delivered to a slaughterhouse;

(d) the rules set by Implementing Decisions referred to in point (a) and the preventive measures referred to in point (c) are respected;

(e) producers of pigmeat who apply for the aid provided for in paragraph 1 of this Article do not benefit from the financial contribution for early slaughter referred to in Article 1(3) of the Implementing Decision 2014/236/EU.

Article 2

The aid provided for in Article 1 (the aid) shall be considered to be exceptional market support measures as provided for in Article 4(1)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council(1).

Article 3

1. Producers of pigmeat may apply for the aid in respect of animals slaughtered from 17 February 2014 until 16 May 2014.

2. The aid is expressed as an amount of EUR 10,8 per head for piglets referred to in Article 1(1)(a) delivered and of EUR 30 per 100 kilograms of carcass weight recorded for the animals referred to in Article 1(1)(b) and (c) delivered. The Commission may adapt these amounts to take into account market developments.

3. The aid for animals referred to in Article 1(1)(b) and (c) with a carcass weight of more than 100 kilograms shall not exceed the amount of the aid fixed in paragraph 2 for pigs with a carcass weight of 100 kilograms.

4. Fifty per cent of the expenditure for the aid, covering a maximum total of 7 600 piglets referred to in Article 1(1)(a) and of 700 tonnes of pig carcasses of animals referred to in Article 1(1)(b) and (c), shall be financed by the Union budget.

5. Expenditure shall only be eligible for Union financing if it has been paid by Lithuania to the beneficiary by 31 August 2014.

6. The aid shall be paid by Lithuania after the slaughter of the animals referred to in Article 1(1) and after the completion of the controls in accordance with Article 4.

Article 4

1. Lithuania shall take all measures necessary, including exhaustive administrative and physical controls, to ensure compliance with the conditions laid down in this Regulation. Furthermore, the Lithuanian authorities shall:

(a) supervise the transport of the animals from the holding to the slaughterhouse using standardised checklists incorporating weighing and counting sheets, including origin and destination of the animals;

(b) ensure that the meat derived from animals for which aid is granted comply with the restrictions applicable to the territories referred to in point (a) of Article 1(2);

(c) perform at least once per calendar month, administrative and accounting controls at each participating slaughterhouse to ensure that all animals delivered, and for which an application of aid can be lodged, since 17 February 2014 or since the last such control, as well as the meat derived from have been handled in accordance with this Regulation;

(d) provide for on-the-spot checks and detailed reports on those checks indicating in particular:

(i)

the weight and number of piglets, pigs and sows per batch transported from the farm, the date and time of their transport to and arrival at a slaughterhouse;

(ii)

the number of piglets, pigs and sows slaughtered by the slaughterhouse, the animal movement permit, and for pigs and sows the weight of each carcass, as well as, for the animals slaughtered from the entry into force of this Regulation, the seal numbers of the transport means for those animals.

2. The controls and checks referred to in paragraph 1 shall be carried out before payment of the aid. Lithuania shall inform the Commission of the measures and controls introduced in accordance with this Article not later than 10 days after the entry into force of this Regulation.

Article 5

1. Lithuania shall communicate the following information to the Commission, each Wednesday in respect of the previous week:

(a) the number of piglets, the number of sows and the number of other pigs delivered for slaughter in accordance with this Regulation, as well as the overall carcass weight in respect of sows and pigs referred to in Article 1(1)(b) and (c);

(b) the estimated financial costs for each category of animals referred to in Article 1(1).

The first communication shall cover animals delivered for slaughter since 17 February 2014 in accordance with this Regulation. The obligation referred to in the first subparagraph shall apply until 21 May 2014.

2. No later than 30 June 2014, Lithuania shall send to the Commission a detailed report on the implementation of this Regulation including details as regards the execution of the controls, checks and supervision undertaken in accordance with Article 4.

Article 6

In Article 1(2) of Implementing Regulation (EU) No 324/2014 the following point (d) is added:

‘(d)

producers of pigmeat who apply for the aid provided for in paragraph 1 of this Article do not benefit from the financial contribution for early slaughter referred to in Article 1(3) of the Commission Implementing Decision 2014/236/EU(2).’.

Article 7

This Regulation shall enter into force on the 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, 25 April 2014.

For the Commission

The President

José Manuel Barroso