Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2018/162

of 23 November 2017

amending Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Annexes II and III to Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

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

Having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 on support for rural development by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 1698/20051, and in particular Article 58(7) thereof,
Having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 establishing rules for direct payment to farmers under support schemes within the framework of the common agricultural policy and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 637/2008 and Council Regulation (EC) No 73/20092, and in particular Articles 6(3) and 7(3) thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

Article 14(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013 provides that Member States could opt to make a certain percentage of their annual national ceilings for direct payments available as additional support for measures under rural development programming by 31 December 2013 or by 1 August 2014.

(2)

In accordance with the fourth subparagraph of Article 14(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013, France, Lithuania and the Netherlands notified the Commission by 1 August 2017 of their decision to review, for the 2018 and 2019 calendar years, their previous decision to transfer a certain percentage of their annual national ceilings for direct payments to rural development programming, financed under the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD).

(3)

It is therefore necessary to adapt Annexes II and III to Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013 in order to incorporate the proposed amendments to the annual national ceilings and the annual net ceilings for direct payments. It is also necessary to adapt Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013 in order to reflect these amendments in the corresponding annual breakdown by Member State of the Union support for rural development.

(4)

Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013 and Annexes II and III to Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013 should therefore be amended accordingly,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: