
Article 1 
Article 16(4) of Regulation (EC) No 883/2006 is replaced by the following:
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4. In cases where further checks are required in view of a disagreement, difference of interpretation or inconsistency relating to a declaration of expenditure for a reference period, resulting in particular from the failure to communicate the information required under Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005 and its implementing rules, or in view of evidence that expenditure included in the declaration of expenditure is affected by an irregularity having serious financial consequences or that there are deficiencies in the functioning of the management and control system for rural development, the Member State concerned shall, upon request by the Commission, provide additional information within a period set in that request according to the seriousness of the problem. That additional information shall be provided by means of the secure system for the exchange of information referred to in the second paragraph of Article 15 of this Regulation.The time limit for payment laid down in Article 26(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1290/2005 may be interrupted for all or part of the amount for which payment is claimed, from the date on which the request for information is sent until receipt of the information requested, but no later than the date on which the declaration of expenditure for the following period is submitted.Where the Member State concerned fails to respond to the request for additional information within the period set out in that request or if the response is considered unsatisfactory or demonstrates that the applicable rules have not been complied with or that Union funds have been improperly used, the Commission may suspend or reduce payments in accordance with Article 27(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1290/2005.'.
Article 2 
This Regulation shall enter into force on the seventh day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.Done at Brussels, 30 April 2013.
For the Commission
The President
José Manuel BARROSO