Article 1Amendments to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/892

Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/892 is amended as follows:

  1. (1)

    The following new Article 8a is inserted:

    ‘Article 8aImplementation of increase of the limit of the Union financial assistance from 50 % to 60 %

    1.

    The increase of the limit of the Union financial assistance from 50 % to 60 % for an operational programme or part of an operational programme of a recognised producer organisation as referred to in Article 34(3)(f) of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 shall be granted if:

    (a)

    the conditions as referred to in Article 34(3)(f) of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 are met in each year of implementation of the operational programme and subject to the procedure referred to Article 9(2)(g) of this Regulation;

    (b)

    a request is made by a recognised producer organisation at the time of submission of its operational programme.

    2.

    For the purposes of the increase of the limit of the Union financial assistance from 50 % to 60 % for an operational programme or part of it, the rate of marketing of fruit and vegetable production by producer organisations referred to in Article 34(3)(f) of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 shall be calculated for each year of the duration of operational programme, as a portion of the value of production marketed by producer organisations in a given Member State, of the total value of the production of fruit and vegetables marketed in the given Member State for the reference period set out in Article 23(1) of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/891.

    However, Member States applying the alternative method set out in Article 23(3) of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/891 shall calculate the rate of marketing of fruit and vegetable production by producer organisations referred to in Article 34(3)(f) of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 for each year of the duration of operational programme, as a portion of the value of production marketed by producer organisations in a given Member State, of the total value of the production of fruit and vegetables marketed in the given Member State for the period from 1 January until 31 December of the year preceding the year in which the aid is approved according to Article 8 of this Regulation.

    3.

    Member States shall notify the requesting producer organisation of the approved amount of aid, including the amount of the increase granted pursuant to Article 34(3)(f) of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013, at the latest by 15 December of the year preceding the implementation of the operational programme, as set out in Article 8 of this Regulation.

    4.

    Member States shall verify each year of the duration of the operational programme that the conditions for increase of the limit of the Union financial assistance from 50 % to 60 % as referred to in Article 34(3)(f) of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 are met.’;

  2. (2)

    In Article 4, paragraph (1)(a) is amended as follows:

    ‘(a)

    a description of the initial situation, based, where relevant, on the indicators listed in Table 4.1 of Annex II;’;

  3. (3)

    In Article 9, paragraphs 6 and 7 are replaced by the following:

    ‘6.

    Producer organisations shall submit an application for aid regarding actions that are implemented at the level of the producer organisations in the Member State where they are recognised. If they are members of a transnational association of producer organisations, the producer organisations shall provide the Member State where the transnational association of producer organisations has its headquarters with a copy of the application.

    7.

    Transnational associations of producer organisations shall submit an application for aid regarding actions implemented at the level of the transnational association in the Member State where that association has its headquarters. Member States shall ensure that there is no double funding risk.’;

  4. (4)

    In Article 14, paragraph 1 is replaced by the following:

    ‘1.

    Member States shall adopt provisions on the conditions to be fulfilled by promotion and communication measures, including actions and activities aimed at diversification and consolidation on the fruit and vegetable markets, whether those measures relate to crisis prevention or crisis management. Those provisions shall allow for the rapid application of the measures when required.

    The principal aim of those measures shall be enhancing the competitiveness of the products marketed by the producer organisations and their associations in the case of serious market disturbance, loss of consumer confidence or other related problems.

    The specific objectives of the promotion and communication measures implemented by the producer organisations and their associations shall be:

    (a)

    increasing awareness about the quality of agricultural products produced in the Union and about the high quality standards applicable to their production in the Union;

    (b)

    increasing the competitiveness and consumption of agricultural products and of certain processed products produced in the Union and raising awareness about their quality both inside and outside the Union;

    (c)

    increasing awareness about Union quality schemes both inside and outside the Union;

    (d)

    increasing the market share of agricultural products and certain processed products produced in the Union, focusing on the markets in third countries that have the highest growth potential; and

    (e)

    contributing to the recovery of normal market conditions in the Union market in the event of serious market disturbance, loss of consumer confidence or other related problems.’;

  5. (5)

    Chapter III is deleted;

  6. (6)

    Article 21 is replaced by the following:

    ‘Article 21Information and annual reports from producer groups, producer organisations and associations of producer organisations and annual reports from Member States

    At the request of a competent authority of a Member State, producer groups formed pursuant to Article 125e of Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007, recognised producer organisations, associations of producer organisations, transnational associations of producer organisations and producer groups shall provide any relevant information needed for drawing up of the annual report referred to in Article 54(b) of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/891.The structure of the annual report is set out in Annex II to this Regulation.

    Member States shall take the measures necessary to gather information on the number of members, the volume and the value of marketed production of producer organisations which have not submitted operational programmes. Producer organisations and producer groups referred to in Article 27 of Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013 shall be requested to provide the number of members, the volume and the value of the marketed production.’;

  7. (7)

    In Article 33, paragraphs 3 and 4 are replaced by the following:

    ‘3.

    The Member State in which the transnational association of producer organisations has its head office shall:

    (a)

    have overall responsibility for the organisation of checks in respect of actions of the operational programme implemented at the level of the transnational association and of the operational fund of the transnational association and for the application of administrative penalties where such checks demonstrate that obligations have not been met; and

    (b)

    ensure the coordination of checks and payments in respect of the actions of the operational programme of the transnational association implemented outside the territory of the Member State where its head office is.

    4.

    The actions of the operational programmes shall comply with the national rules and with the national strategy of the Member State where, in accordance with Article 9, paragraphs 6 and 7, the application for aid is submitted.

    However, environmental and phytosanitary measures and crisis prevention and management measures shall be subject to the rules of the Member State where these measures and actions are actually carried out.’;

  8. (8)

    In Article 39, paragraph 1 is replaced by the following:

    ‘1.

    An additional import duty as referred to in Article 182(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 may be applied to the products and during the periods listed in Annex VII to this Regulation. That additional import duty shall apply if the quantity of any of the products put into free circulation for any of the periods of application set out in that Annex exceeds the trigger volume for that product unless the imports are unlikely to disturb the Union market, or the effects of the additional import duty would be disproportionate to the intended objective.’;

  9. (9)

    Annexes I and II are replaced by the text set out in the Annex to this Regulation.