Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2019/872 of 26 March 2019 on the clearance of the accounts of the paying agencies in the United Kingdom concerning expenditure financed by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) for financial year 2018 (notified under document C(2019) 2358)

The accounts of the paying agencies of the United Kingdom, ‘Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs’, ‘The Scottish Government Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate’ and ‘Rural Payments Agency’ are hereby cleared as regards expenditure financed by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), in respect of financial year 2018. The amounts recoverable from or payable to the United Kingdom under each rural development programme pursuant to this Decision are set out in Annex I.

For financial year 2018, the accounts of the United Kingdom's paying agency ‘Welsh Government’ in respect of expenditure for Rural Development programmes financed by the EAFRD relating to the 2014-2020 programming period, as set out in Annex II, are not covered by this Decision and shall be the subject of a future clearance of accounts Decision.

The amounts to be charged to the United Kingdom, as a result of the application of Article 54(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013 relating to the 2014-2020 programming period and to the 2007-2013 programming period for EAFRD, are set out in Annex III to this Decision.

This Decision is without prejudice to future conformity clearance decisions that the Commission may take pursuant to Article 52 of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013 to exclude from Union financing expenditure not effected in accordance with Union rules.

This Decision is addressed to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.