Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland
2021 No. 181
Agriculture
The Direct Payments to Farmers (Controls and Checks) (Coronavirus) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021
Made 24th June 2021
Coming into operation 15th July 2021

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs makes these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by section 50(3)(a) and (d) of, and paragraph 5 of Schedule 6 to, the Agriculture Act 2020.
2020 c. 21.

Citation, commencement and interpretation
1. (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Direct Payments to Farmers (Controls and Checks) (Coronavirus) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 and come into operation on the 15th July 2021.
(2) The Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954 shall apply to these Regulations as it applies to an Act of the Assembly.
1954 c. 33 (N.I.).
(3) In these Regulations, “claim year 2021” means a period of 12 months beginning with 1 January in that year.

Amendment of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No. 809/2014
2. For the purposes of claim year 2021, the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No. 809/2014 of 17 July 2014 laying down rules for the application of Regulation (EU) No. 1306/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to the integrated administration and control system, rural development measures and cross compliance applies as if in Article 68(1) for “1%” there were substituted “0.5%”.
EUR 2014/809 as amended in relation to direct payment schemes by S.I. 2020/90 and 576. EUR 2014/809 is also amended by S.I. 2019/765. However, by virtue of the amendments in The Agriculture (Payments) (Amendment, etc) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020, these amendments do not have effect in relation to direct payment schemes.
Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs on 24th June 2021.
Jason Foy
A senior officer of the
Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs

EXPLANATORY NOTE
(This note is not part of the Regulations)
Regulation 2 modifies the application of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No. 809/2014 laying down rules for the application of Regulation (EU) No. 1306/2013 with regard to the integrated administration and control system, rural development measures and cross compliance for claim year 2021. The minimum percentage of beneficiaries on which on-the-spot checks are to be carried out is reduced from 1% to 0.5%.
An impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument, as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen.