Implementing regulation 2020/600 - Commission Implementing Regulation 2020/600 derogating from Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/892, Implementing Regulation (EU) 2016/1150, Implementing Regulation (EU) No 615/2014, Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/1368 and Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/39 as regards certain measures to address the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic - Main contents

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 140/40

Due to the current pandemic of COVID-19 and the resulting extensive movement restrictions, exceptional difficulties have been encountered by farmers, wine growers, olive oil producers and beekeepers in all Member States. Logistical problems and shortage of workforce have made them vulnerable to the economic disruption caused by the pandemic. In particular, they experience financial difficulties and cash-flow problems. In view of the unprecedented nature of those combined circumstances, it is necessary to alleviate those difficulties by derogating from certain provisions of different Implementing Regulations applicable in the area of the common agricultural policy.

Pursuant to Article 9(1) of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/892 (2) an application for aid, or for the balance thereof, is to be submitted by producer organisations, to the competent authority of the Member State for each operational programme for which aid is requested by 15 February of the year following the year for which the aid is requested. Pursuant to Article 9(3) of that Regulation, the aid applications may cover expenditure programmed but not incurred if certain elements are proved. Those elements include that the operations concerned could not be carried out by 31 December of the year of the implementation of the operational programme, for reasons beyond control of the producer organisation concerned and that those operations can be carried out by 30 April of the year following the year for which the aid is requested. In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is necessary to derogate from Article 9(3)(b) of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/892 and provide that the aid applications to be submitted by 15 February 2021 may cover expenditure for operations programmed for the year 2020 but not carried out by 31 December 2020, if those operations can be carried out by 15 August 2021. For the same reason, it is also necessary to derogate from Article 9(3)(b) of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/892 and provide that the aid applications submitted by 15 February 2020 may cover expenditure for operations programmed for the year 2019 but not carried out by 31 December 2019, if those operations can be carried out by 15 August 2020.

The measures taken by governments over the last months to address the crisis due to the pandemic of COVID-19, especially the closure of hotels, bars and restaurants, the limitation of circulation of people and goods to the essential, the closure of certain borders within the Union, are having a negative impact on the Union wine sector. It is estimated that the closure of hotels, bars and restaurants directly affects 30 % of the volumes of wine consumed in the Union, corresponding to 50 % of the value of wine consumed in the Union. Furthermore, the labour shortage and the logistical difficulties caused by the pandemic are putting pressure on wine growers and the whole wine sector. Wine growers are facing increasing...