Quality assessment of the area monitoring system
Article 5
1. The annual quality assessment referred to in Article 70(2) of Regulation (EU) 2021/2116 shall assess the reliability of the implementation of the area monitoring system, provide diagnostic information on the sources of incorrect decisions at the level of interventions and eligibility conditions and in particular assess the correctness of the information provided for the reporting on the indicators referred to in Article 7 of Regulation (EU) 2021/2115. 2. The quality assessment shall be carried out by means of visits in situ or analysis of imagery of the same calendar year and where relevant, with at least the same quality as required for the quality assessment referred to in Article 68(3) of Regulation (EU) 2021/2116. In situ visits can be carried out at any time during the year and shall, to the extent possible, cover all eligibility conditions relevant for a given beneficiary during the same visit. The imagery used by the Member States for the quality assessment shall be able to provide conclusive and reliable results in respect to the actual situation on the ground. Where Member States use geo-tagged photos for observation, tracking and assessment of agricultural activities as data with at least equivalent value to Copernicus Sentinels satellite data, Member States may carry out the quality assessment of the decisions based on geo-tagged photos by means of non-automated analysis of the geo-tagged photos, provided they offer conclusive and reliable results. 3. At the level of interventions, the quality assessment shall comprise of the following: (a) quantification of errors due to incorrect decisions on eligibility conditions on parcels under an area-based intervention, irrespective whether the relevant decision was stemming from the area monitoring system or not. The result shall be expressed in hectares; (b) quantification of the number of parcels where the area monitoring system found a non-compliance with eligibility conditions and of the number of parcels not meeting the eligibility conditions after the latest date for amendments of aid applications. 4. The reports due by 15 February 2025 and 15 February 2027 shall also comprise verification that all eligibility conditions of area-based interventions that are considered monitorable, were subject to area monitoring system in years 2024 and 2026, respectively. Remedial actions may be necessary following the assessment of the results of these reports. 5. The quality assessment shall be carried out by checking all eligibility conditions of all the interventions applied for on a representative sample of parcels. 6. For simplification purposes and given that the sample of the quality assessment of the area monitoring system provides adequate level of assurance in respect to the fulfilment of eligibility conditions per intervention, Member State may decide to take the quality assessments referred in Articles 4 and 5 of this Regulation into account in respect to the obligation to set up a control system laid down in Article 72 of Regulation (EU) 2021/2116. 7. Member States shall ensure that all area-based interventions managed by the integrated system are included in the sample of parcels and verified in the quality assessment process, irrespective of the possibility to set up the area monitoring system gradually, referred to in Article 70(1) of Regulation (EU) 2021/2116. 8. In case the results of the quantifications referred to in paragraph 3, points (a) and (b), reveal deficiencies, Member State shall propose adequate remedial actions. 9. Remedial actions for non-monitored or non-conclusively monitored eligibility conditions may include the performance of in situ visits. In cases where remedial actions are necessary following the results of the quality assessment for the calendar year concerned, additional details may have to be included in the quality assessment report of the following year as regards the deficiencies to be remedied.