Application of the common fisheries policy in Bulgaria, 2007-2013 and 2014-2020

Subject: Application of the common fisheries policy in Bulgaria, 2007-2013 and 2014-2020

How much of the common fisheries policy (CFP) funding earmarked for Bulgaria could not be taken up in the 2007-2013 programming period?

In which Member States did the Commission apply a financial correction comparable to that of EUR 7.2 million imposed on Bulgaria in 2019 in respect of the application of the CFP in the 2014- 2020 period, and what were the amounts involved?

Answer given by Mr Vella on behalf of the European Commission

(16 October 2019)

The operational programme for Bulgaria under the European Fisheries Fund (EFF) for the 2007-2013 programming period was subject to decommitments, in accordance with Article 90 of the EFF Regulation, amounting to EUR 17.2 million. The closure of the Bulgarian EFF Operational Programme is currently being finalised, therefore the final financial absorption has not been established yet.

In accordance with Article 86 of the Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1), operational programmes are subject to an automatic decommitment (N+3 rule) in order to encourage financial discipline. The first decommitment process following the N+3 rule, under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF), was carried out at the end of 2018. At the end of 2018, five Member States had the following amounts decommitted:

Bulgaria — EUR 7 242 895

Hungary — EUR 684 070

Slovakia — EUR 1 884 875

Slovenia — EUR 1 888 988

Spain — EUR 49 992 520

⋅1∙ Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 laying down common provisions on the European Regional

Development Fund, the European Social Fund, the Cohesion Fund, the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and laying down general provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, the Cohesion Fund and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006.