Financial support to winegrowers and winemakers for participation in quality schemes

 

 

 

 

Support is granted to farmers or groups of farmers participating in the quality schemes set out in Article 2 of 2259/16-3-2018 (Government Gazette 1032 B) joint ministerial decision, in the case of “new participations“.

 

 

1. Eligible quality schemes
   1. Organic production (WW). For the purposes of this sub-measure, the three types of activity of organic production (hereinafter referred to as “types of certification”) are considered distinct:
      1. Crop production
      2. Animal production
      3. Processing.
   2. 1. PDO wines
      2. PGI wines. Pprotected designations of origin and protected geographical indications in the wine sector (PDO/PGI wines. For the purposes of this sub-measure, the two categories of certification of PDO/PGI wines (hereinafter referred to as ‘types of certification’) are considered distinct:

For organic quality schemes, “participation in the quality scheme” means the existence of a valid contract of the producer with a recognized GLP, while for the PDO/PGI wine system, “participation in the quality scheme” means the registration of the producer in the Register of Approved Enterprises of article 7 of 5833/155045/12-12-2013 (Government Gazette 3324 B) joint ministerial decision, as amended.

4. Aid may be granted to a beneficiary for participation in more than one quality scheme/types of certification for the same or different industries

For the purposes of applying the sub-measure, ‘new participations’ in quality schemes shall include participations initiated in the five previous years prior to the application for support.

The date on which a producer’s participation in a quality scheme started shall constitute the producer’s ‘initial participation’ and shall be determined by quality scheme and type of certification, as follows:

a) In the organic production system, the initial participation is defined as the date of signature of the producer’s contract with GLP for the inclusion of the producer (‘operator’) in the organic control system in respect of the selected
type of certification.

b) In the quality scheme of PDO/PGI wines, the initial participation for the selected type of certification is defined as the date of issue of the producer’s first Wine Certificate for that type of certification.

The following shall be taken to check the initial participation per quality scheme/type of certification:

a) For the organic production system, the data kept in the Register of Organic Farmers of article 4 of 2289/161795/19-12-2014 (Government Gazette 3464 B) ministerial decision, as amended and in force.

b) For the quality scheme for PDO/PGI wines, the data kept in the Register of Approved Enterprises, in conjunction with the wine certification statistics, kept by the relevant, in accordance with Articles 7, 13 para. 7 and 22 para. 1 of 5833/155045/12-12-2013 (Government Gazette 3324 B) joint ministerial decision, as amended.

A new contribution from a producer who had previously participated in the same quality scheme/type of certification and whose participation was terminated (the certification contract expired or was terminated or, in the case of PDO/PGI wines, delisted from the relevant register) after the adoption of this Decision shall not be eligible under sub-measure.

Support for the sub-measure is provided for annual periods/”years of implementation”.

The minimum duration of stay in the sub-measure is one (1) year of implementation and the maximum duration of support is five years, i.e. for five years of implementation of the sub-measure or until the date of completion of five (5) years from the initial participation of each beneficiary the quality system/type of certification, if this is earlier.

In the case of initial participation of the beneficiary prior to the application for support, the maximum duration of five years shall be reduced by the number of years elapsed between the initial participation in the quality scheme and the date of submission of the application for support, provided that at the time of submission of the application for support there is at least one (1) year of implementation remaining until five (5) years have passed by
initial participation of the beneficiary in the quality scheme/type of certification.

The first year of implementation shall start on the date of the start of the period for submission of applications for support and end on the date of completion of one calendar year thereafter. Each subsequent year of implementation starts and ends on the same dates of the following years.

For all eligible quality schemes beneficiaries may be active farmers, natural or legal persons, who submit annually a Single Aid Application (SPA).

In addition to types of certification of organic crop and livestock production, for other eligible quality schemes/types of certification, groups of farmers may also be beneficiaries,

Cannot be beneficiaries:

a) Those who have joined the Early Retirement scheme, as well as their spouses.

b) Early retirement successors who are excluded from receiving any agricultural aid for ten years, provided that their exclusion period has not expired at the time of submission of the application for support.
c) For the quality system of organic production, those who have joined sub-measure 11.2 of the RDP 2014-2020 for the same type of certification, regardless of whether they meet the condition of new participation.

d) Farmers who were supported for the same type of organic certification by Measure 132 of the RDP 2007-2013 and completed their commitments, regardless of the industry.
e) Farmers for whom a financial correction decision has been issued for breaches of obligations arising from the inclusion of an operation in Measure 132 of the RDP 2007-2013 and the related reimbursement is pending.

Special conditions of support for organic production

1. Farmers with organic crop or livestock production as a chosen type of certification undertake to integrate into the organic production system one or more branches of production belonging to their holding, as declared annually in their CFC.

2. The type of certification of a farmer’s organic processing may be reinforced by the sub-measure where the beneficiary is certified for the production of both the primary product and the processed product, irrespective of whether the processing activity takes place on the beneficiary’s holding or through a subcontractor. The primary industry must be included in the beneficiary’s holding as declared annually in its CFC, but the primary production activity does not need to be supported for sub-measure.

3. Eligible for aid from the certification costs sub-measure are activities whose output is included in agricultural products listed in Annex I to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), such as those
may be specified in the Call for Expression of Interest.

Special conditions of support for PDO/PGI wines

1. The types of certification of a farmer’s PDO/PGI wines may be supported by the sub-measure if the beneficiary’s holding, as declared annually to the CFC, includes the primary industry, regardless of whether the processing activity takes place on the beneficiary’s holding or through a subcontractor.
   2. Under this sub-measure, the certification of varietal wine is not enhanced.

Beneficiary commitments

The beneficiaries throughout the implementation of the operation are the following:

a) have a valid certification contract with a recognised certification body for the integrated quality scheme/type of certification and, especially for PDO/PGI wines, remain registered in the Register of Approved Enterprises. Any interruption of participation in the quality scheme during the implementation of the operation shall be remedied
within a period of not more than three months.

b) Farmers maintain the status of active farmer for each year of participation in the sub-measure and submit a Single Payment Application (SPA) each year.

c) Groups of farmers must maintain their conditions of recognition and/or registration in the relevant register.

The holding must not be financed directly or indirectly from two different national or Union sources for the same cost. For this reason, they are not supported by this sub-measure:

i. beneficiaries included in actions 11.2 of Measure 11 for the same type of certification,
ii. groups of farmers with an approved operational plan of Reg. (EU) 1308/2013 including a similar action to certify quality products for the same
type of certification,

iii. farmers who are members of groups of farmers with an approved operational plan including a similar quality product certification action and benefit as members from that action for the same type of certification.

If it is established that the beneficiary is included in a framework for financing its eligible costs from another source, at any time during the implementation of its operation, this finding constitutes non-compliance with the conditions for granting the aid and the penalties provided for are imposed.

Eligible costs – Aid amount

1. The eligible costs shall be the fixed costs, i.e. the costs incurred for the introduction of a supported quality system and the annual contribution for participation in that scheme, including, where appropriate, the costs of checks required to verify compliance with the specifications of the scheme.E eligible are the fixed costs for new participation in the quality scheme as defined in Article 3(3). 3 of 2259/16-3-2018 (Government Gazette 1032 B) joint ministerial decision, i.e

2. The annual aid shall be paid to the beneficiary in accordance with Article 3(3). 2 of 2259/16-3-2018 (Government Gazette 1032 B) joint ministerial decision, i.e

The aid shall be granted on the basis of eligible costs and on presentation of the necessary evidence for their realisation (physical and economic purpose).

For each quality system per farm, a maximum annual amount of aid applies, as defined in Table 1 of article 5 of 2259/16-3-2018 (Government Gazette 1032 B) joint ministerial decision.

For beneficiaries supported for more than one type of certification or quality schemes for the same or different industries, the annual aid intensity shall be calculated as the sum of the individual amounts, but may not exceed
maximum aid amount of €3 000 per farm

Eligible costs per quality scheme:

a) Organic production

aa) The maximum amount of aid per type of certification in the organic quality scheme is set at 1.000 €/holding/year for each type of certification and up to 2.020 €/holding/year in total for all types of organic certification.

bb) The eligible costs are the costs related to certification services, excluding any other costs (e.g. interest, issue of certificates, modification of contract, provision of copies, etc.), based on the documents of the cooperating GLP submitted
the beneficiary. For types of certification of organic crop and livestock production, the determination of eligible costs shall take into account the costs of the document attributable to the area or number of animals of the approved activities, as included in the finalised CFC of the producer associated with the year of implementation and certified by GLP for compliance. As regards the type of certification of organic processing, eligible for aid are the costs of the document relating to the certification of the processing activity and its products.

b) Protected designations of origin and protected geographical indications in the wine sector (PDO/PGI wines).

aa) The eligible costs are the costs related to the certification of PDO/PGI wines up to 1.300€/holding/year, and include:

1. The fee paid annually for the completion of the certification process of PDO and/or PGI wines by the competent of the O.E., based on the applicable provisions (5833/155045/12-12-2013 joint ministerial decision, as amended).
2. The cost of supplying test strips for PDO products, up to €1,000/year, corresponding to the total quantity of PDO wine in the wine certificates submitted with the payment application under examination.

The cost of laboratory analyses for a number of samples other than those included in the fees paid is not eligible under the sub-measure.

Certification costs paid for wine reclassification are not eligible.

For each year of implementation, the eligible costs are the fixed costs that relate precisely to the period of the year of implementation based on supporting costs. The costs of documents relating to the provision of permanent services (certification costs for BP quality schemes are apportioned on a pro rata basis (calendar days) in order to be matched with the year of implementation.

7. Value added tax is not eligible.

For the submission of applications for support, a Call for Expression of Interest
for the submission of applications for support in sub-measure 3.1.
Candidates wishing to join the sub-measure submit an online application for support through the State Aid Information System (PSKE). If successfully submitted, they receive a unique code and a date of finalization, from which it is presumed that the electronic submission is on time. The correct registration and submission of the application for support, the completeness of the electronic file and the
Timely finalization is the sole responsibility of the applicant.

After electronic submission, potential beneficiaries must, within a deadline specified in the Call for Expression of Interest, submit to the competent, a file of the application for support, with the required supporting documents, such as these
are defined in the relevant Call.

One application for support per applicant shall be submitted to the DAOK of the Regional Unit where the part of the holding linked to the sub-measure is located.

Source : Decision 8187/2019, Government Gazette B ́ 4721/12.12.2019, Determination of the modalities of implementation of submeasure 3.1 “Support for new participations in quality schemes”, under Measure 3 “Quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs” of the Rural Development Programme (RDP) 2014-2020.