Amendments to operational programmes
Article 34
1. Producer organisations may request amendments to operational programmes, including their duration, for subsequent years. Member States shall set deadlines for the submission and approval of such requests so that the approved amendments apply as from 1 January of the following year. For duly justified reasons, such requests may be approved after the deadlines set by Member States, but no later than 20 January following the year of the request. The approval decision may provide that expenditure is eligible from 1 January following the year of the request. 2. Member States may authorise amendments to operational programmes during the year, under conditions to be determined by them. The decisions on those amendments shall be taken by 20 January of the year following the year on which amendments are requested. Producer organisations may be authorised by Member States, during the year to: (a) implement their operational programmes in part only; (b) change the content of the operational programmes; (c) increase the amount of the operational fund by a maximum of 25 %, and decrease it by a percentage to be fixed by Member States, of the amount initially approved, provided that the overall objectives of the operational programme are maintained; (d) add national financial assistance to the operational fund in case of application of Article 53. Member States shall determine the conditions under which operational programmes may be amended during the year without prior approval by the competent authority of the Member State. Those amendments shall only be eligible for aid if they are notified by the producer organisation to the competent authority without delay. Member States may modify the percentages referred to in point (c) of the second subparagraph in case of mergers of producer organisations as referred to in Article 15(1). 3. Requests for amendments shall be accompanied by supporting documents giving the reason, nature and implications of the changes.