Decision No. 1576 of 1994 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry on Structural Policy Aid for the Fishing Industry

NB: Unofficial translation © Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Finland Decision of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry on Structural Policy Aids for the Fishing Industry (1576/1994) Section 1 Scope of application (1) This decision concerns financial aids granted for the structural development of the fishing industry in accordance with the regulations of the European Community. Section 2 Competent authority (1) The aids referred to in this decision shall be granted and paid by the rural business district. (2) The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry may, however, decide on granting the aid in individual cases, if the extent of the project so requires. Section 3 Granting aid (1) Aid may also be granted for purposes laid down in the regulations and decisions of the European Community within the framework of the funds the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has allocated for the rural business district. Section 4 Application (1) Aid is applied for from the sphere of responsibility of the fishing industry of that rural business district in whose territory the applicant resides. (2) The clarifications regarded necessary by the aid granting authority shall be annexed to the application. Section 5 Decision (1) The decision concerning the granting of aid shall state at least the total costs of the project, the financing share of the beneficiary of the total costs, the total amount of granted aid as well as separately the share of the European Union and the national share of the granted aid, the use of the aid, the conditions of granting and paying, the time of payment, the payment procedure and the prerequisites of recovering the aid. Section 6 Payment (1) Aid may be paid in one or several instalments, however at the most in four instalments according to the progress of the project. The last instalment, which is at least 20 percent of the total amount of aid, may not, however, be paid until the work is completed in an acceptable manner. (2) When paying aid, it shall be specified which part of the payment comes from the national share and which from the Community's share of the aid. (3) The beneficiary shall be obligated to give the aid granting authority the necessary clarifications concerning payment and the control of the use of aid. (4) The payment of aid may be interrupted, if the beneficiary does not meet the conditions set for payment. Section 7 Accounts related to the progress of the project (1) The beneficiary shall submit to the aid granting authority for the payment of each aid instalment the necessary accounts about the progress of the project to ensure that the prerequisites for payment exist. An account comes into question primarily as a certificate about the progress of the project issued by the authority concerned on the basis of an inspection. Section 8 Monitoring (1) The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and the rural business district or representatives authorized by them shall have the right to inspect the book-keeping of the beneficiary as well as the circumstances that are the conditions for payment to the extent required for the control of the use of the aid. (2) The beneficiary shall, when requested, submit to the authorities referred to in subsection 1 that data which is necessary to clarify the use of the aid and the fulfilment of the aid conditions as well as to check the data presented in the aid application and in connection with the payments. Section 9 Recovery of aid (1) The rural business district shall decide on the recovery of the paid aid on the grounds of the provisions of section 9 of the Act on implementing the Common Fisheries Policy of the European Union (1139/94). (2) For the repaid amount shall be paid an annual interest from the date of payment of each aid instalment as well as interest on arrears when the repayment is delayed as laid down in the Government Decision on General Orders Concerning State Subsidies (490/65). Section 10 Competent rural business authorities (1) The rural business districts referred to in section 4 of the decision of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry on rural business districts shall attend to the duties assigned to the rural business districts referred to in this decision. Section 11 Entry into force (1) This decision enters into force on 1 January 1995