
1 

(1) he title of these Regulations is the Payments to Farmers (Controls and Checks) (Wales) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2020.
(2) These Regulations come into force on 14 June 2020.
(3) These Regulations apply in relation to Wales.
(4) In these Regulations—
 “claim year 2020” (“blwyddyn hawlio 2020”) is to be interpreted in accordance with section 1(7) of the Direct Payments to Farmers (Legislative Continuity) Act 2020;
 “Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No. 809/2014” (“Rheoliad Gweithredu’r Comisiwn (EU) Rhif 809/2014”) means the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No. 809/2014 of 17 July 2014 laying down rules for the application of Regulation (EU) No. 1306/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to the integrated administration and control system, rural development measures and cross compliance, as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of section 1 of the Direct Payments to Farmers (Legislative Continuity) Act 2020.
2 
For the purposes of claim year 2020, Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No. 809/2014 has effect as if—
(a) after the first subparagraph of Article 24(4), there were inserted—“By way of derogation from the first subparagraph of this paragraph, the competent authority may, in relation to the checks to be carried out in relation to area-related aid schemes, use photo-interpretation of satellite or aerial ortho-images or other relevant evidence including evidence provided by the beneficiary at the request of the competent authority, including geotagged photos, which could permit definitive conclusions to be drawn to the satisfaction of the competent authority.”;
(b) after the third subparagraph of Article 26(4), there were inserted—“By way of derogation from the first three subparagraphs of this paragraph, the relevant authority may carry out the checks by the use of new technologies, or other relevant evidence, including geotagged photos, in addition to the possibility to use remote sensing in accordance with Article 40.”;
(c) in Article 30(d), for “5%”, there were substituted “3%”;
(d) in Article 31(1)(a), for “5%” in both places it occurs, there were substituted “3%”;
(e) Article 33a has been omitted;
(f) in Article 36(2), for “3%” there were substituted “1%”;
(g) in Article 68(1), for “1%” there were substituted “0.5%”.
Lesley Griffiths
Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs, one of the Welsh Ministers
21 May 2020