Question écrite de
M. Raffaele FITTO
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Commission européenne
Subject: EAFRD Apulia 2014-2020
AGEA has published its ‘Report on expenditure incurred for RDPs’, which sets out the data on the progress of the expenditure planned and incurred by the Regions and Autonomous Provinces as at 30 October 2021, and the relevant automatic EAFRD decommitment update.
For some regions, which have already given their approval, the overall budget for the programme has been updated with EAFRD funds for 2021-2022 and EURI funds.
Apulia has recorded a 39.18% take-up of funding, which is significantly lower than the national average (58.62%) and that of the southern regions (57.45%).
In addition, it had a 0.00% take-up of funding in commitment year 2018 (N +3 rule), compared to the national average (76.32%) and the southern average (57.52%).
The amount of public funding at risk of decommitment on 31/12/2021 is EUR 231 303 817, of which EUR 139 938 809 is from the EAFRD.
Given that in 2020 and 2021 the Commission had already granted Apulia derogations with regard to the use of the funds and that in March 2021 it had given a specific timetable for the 2017 annual resources, can the Commission answer the following questions:
1. What is the take-up of funding for the year 2017 in relation to the proposed timetable?
2. As regards the 2018 commitment year, is it aware of the current delays and what measures will it take to ensure that spending is stepped up, thereby avoiding the automatic decommitment procedure?
Answer given by Mr Wojciechowski on behalf of the European Commission (21 January 2022)
The timetable set by the Commission in March 2021 for the utilisation of the 2017 budgetary commitment has not been respected as regards the deadline of 31 March 2021.
Indeed, for this deadline, there has been a shortfall in payments equal to around EUR 10.4 million (EAFRD (1) share), which will be subject to the decommitment procedure (2). The other deadlines set by the Commission for the 2017 budget commitment have been respected.
Based on the expenditure so far declared, the commitment for 2018 has not been used by 15 October 2021. According to the Agricultural Payments Agency (AGEA), additional payments of about EUR 39.2 million (EAFRD share) were made, in the period from 16 October to 30 November 2021.
This would mean that further payments of around EUR 90.1 million (EAFRD share) would have to be made in the month of December 2021, in order to avoid the initiation of the decommitment procedure for the 2018 commitments.
The Commission is well aware of the state of payments for the rural development programme in Apulia and of the risks of automatic decommitments. As in previous years, it has closely monitored the evolution of expenditure for the programme, provided support and facilitated the necessary adjustments to the programme.
The monitoring activity included several ad hoc meetings and exchanges of correspondence, in addition to those ordinarily provided for by the EU legislation. It remains the case that responsibility for implementing the expenditure lies with the Italian authorities.
The Commission is also aware of the intensive work on the side of the Apulia Managing Authority and AGEA to reduce as much as possible financial loss. The final result will be known at the beginning of 2022.
⋅1∙ European agricultural fund for rural development.
⋅2∙ Article 38 of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013.