Checks

1. Member States shall take all necessary measures to ensure compliance with this Regulation. Those measures shall include full administrative checking of aid applications, which shall be supplemented by on-the-spot checks as specified in paragraphs 2 to 9.

2. The authority responsible for checking shall conduct checks on the products entering storage within 30 days from the date of receipt of the information referred to in Article 4(6)(e).

Without prejudice to point (a) of the first subparagraph of paragraph 5 of this Article in order to ensure that the products stored are eligible for aid, a representative sample of at least 5 % of the quantities placed in storage shall be physically checked to ensure that, as regards, inter alia, the weight, identification and nature of products, storage lots conform to the particulars in the application for concluding a contract.

The weight of the products as determined at the start of the contractual period shall be used to determine the payment of the aid. However, aid shall not be paid for a quantity exceeding the one applied for as specified in Article 4(6)(d).

3. Where the Member State can offer duly justified reasons, the 30-day limit laid down in paragraph 2 may be extended by 15 days.

4. If the checks show that the products stored do not correspond with the eligibility criteria laid down in Article 3 and as specified in Article 4(6)(c), the security referred to in Article 4(6)(h) shall be forfeit.

5. The authority responsible for checking shall:

seal the products by contract, storage lot or a smaller quantity at the time of the check provided for in paragraph 2; or

make an unannounced check to ensure that the contractual quantity is present in the storage place.

The check referred to in point (b) of the first subparagraph shall correspond to at least 10 % of the total quantity under the contract and shall be representative. Such checks shall include an examination of the stock records as referred to in Article 7(3) and supporting documents, such as weigh tickets and delivery dockets, and a verification of the presence of the products in store, type of products and their identification relating to at least 5 % of the quantity subject to the unannounced check.

6. At the end of the contractual storage period, the authority responsible for checking shall, in respect of at least one half of the number of contracts, by sampling, verify weight and identification of the products in storage. For the purposes of this check, the contracting party shall inform the competent body, indicating the storage lots involved, at least five working days before:

the end of the maximum contractual storage period; or

the start of removal operations where the products are removed before the expiry of the maximum contractual storage period.

The Member States may accept a shorter time limit than five working days.

7. When verifying the weight of the products during and at the end of the contractual storage for the sake of verifying the presence of the products in store, possible natural loss of weight shall not lead to a reduction of the aid and the forfeiture of the security.

8. Where the option in paragraph 5(a) applies, the presence and integrity of the seals applied shall be verified at the end of the contractual storage period. Sealing and handling costs shall be borne by the contracting party.

9. Any samples taken for verification of the quality and composition of the products shall be taken by the officials of the authority responsible for checking or in their presence.

A physical check or verification of weight shall be conducted in the presence of those officials at the weighing procedure.

For the purposes of audit trail, all stock and financial records and documents checked by those officials shall be stamped or initialled during the control visit. Where computer records are verified, a copy shall be printed and retained on the inspection file.

COMMISSION DELEGATED REGULATION (EU) 2015/1852 of 15 October 2015 opening a temporary exceptional private storage aid scheme for certain cheeses and fixing in advance the amount of aid ANNEX