Questione giuridica chiave
Whether a stricter sanction scheme for repeated animal-welfare violations may apply during an ongoing contribution year.
Decisione estratta
A change in the sanction scheme is a change in administrative practice and may apply immediately, provided the farmer was informed before the controlled period.
Motivazione estratta
The new scheme was made binding on 2001-12-19 during the contribution year. In principle, a new practice applies immediately and everywhere. Prior notice is only required when procedural rights are affected or an existing entitlement is lost. Here, the party had already been warned that noncompliance in 2002 could endanger direct payments even more severely.