Reductions in eligible expenditure
Article 9
1. If the authorities concerned fail to comply with the deadlines laid down in Article 6, eligible expenditure may be reduced by up to 5 %, account being taken of the quality of the information collected and the extent of the declared epizootic disease. 2. Failure to meet the deadlines laid down in Article 7(2) shall result in a 25 % reduction in Community financial support per calendar month of delay. 3. Where the authorities concerned make compensation payments outside the period referred to in point (a) of Article 2, the following rules shall apply: (a) 25 % reduction in eligible expenditure for payments made between 91 and 105 days after the slaughter of animals and/or destruction of eggs; (b) 50 % reduction in eligible expenditure for payments made between 106 and 120 days after the slaughter of animals and/or destruction of eggs; (c) 75 % reduction in eligible expenditure for payments made between 121 and 135 days after the slaughter of animals and/or destruction of eggs; (d) 100 % reduction in eligible expenditure for payments made 135 days or more after the slaughter of animals and/or destruction of eggs. However, the Commission may apply a different scale and/or lower, or zero, reduction rates where objective and well-founded justifications are put forward by Member States. 4. In the event of objections to the compensation on the part of recipients, the periods referred to in paragraph 3 shall be suspended in respect of the cases concerned.