Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 760/2012

of 21 August 2012

amending Regulation (EC) No 595/2004 as regards the intensity of controls carried out by Member States in the framework of the milk quota system

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 of 22 October 2007 establishing a common organisation of agricultural markets and on specific provisions for certain agricultural products (Single CMO Regulation)1, and in particular Article 85 in conjunction with Article 4 thereof,

Whereas:

(1)
Article 22 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 595/2004 of 30 March 2004 laying down detailed rules for applying Council Regulation (EC) No 1788/2003 establishing a levy in the milk and milk products sector2, provides for the intensity of controls which are to be performed by Member States on milk delivered under the quota system. If the total adjusted deliveries have been less than 95 % of the deliveries part of the national quota in each of the three preceding 12-month periods, the control intensity on deliveries may be reduced from 2 % to 1 % of the producers and from 40 % to 20 % of the quantity of milk declared after adjustment.
(2)

The administrative complexity of those controls is relatively high and should be simplified.

(3)

Member States have gained years of experience with those controls and use a general control plan on the basis of risk analyses.

(4)

The results of the audits of the Commission in the Member States show that in almost all cases no corrections were required.

(5)

In accordance with Annex IX to Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007, the milk quota system ends in 2015.

(6)

It is therefore appropriate to fix the intensity of the controls on deliveries in all Member States at 1 % of the producers and at 20 % of the quantity of milk delivered declared after adjustment and to double the number of controls only in case of significant irregularities or discrepancies.

(7)

Regulation (EC) No 595/2004 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(8)

As the proposed amendments intend to decrease the intensity of the controls and thus to alleviate the administrative burden for Member States, they should apply in respect of the current 12-month period which has started on 1 April 2012. It is therefore necessary that this Regulation apply as from that date.

(9)

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for the Common Organisation of Agricultural Markets,

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