Дело C-132/95: Jensen и Korn- og Foderstofkompagniet/Landbrugsministeriet, Заключение от 27 ноември 1997 г.

1. Does Community law in general preclude a Member State from setting off an amount due to the beneficiary of aid under a Community measure against outstanding debts to a Member State?
2.(a) Is it of any significance for the answer to Question 1 whether the amount of aid under Community law is paid in advance by the Member State which has a claim to be reimbursed for the aid paid out only if the rules of Community law on payment are satisfied, and which must itself defray the expenditure involved in the administration of the support system?
(b) Is it of any significance for the answer to Question 1 that under the Member State's rules on set-off it is a condition for effecting set-off that there be reciprocity between the debtor under the principal claim and the creditor under the counterclaim?
(c) Is it of any significance for the answer to Question 1 that the Member State's practice with regard to certain trade and environmental subsidies is established in such a way as to permit set-off in an amount not exceeding 20% of the said State subsidies?
(d) Is it of any significance for the answer to Question 1 what legal basis exists for the outstanding debt to the State against which set-off is to be effected?
An answer is desired in particular to the question whether the Member States have greater scope to effect set-off if all or part of the sum to be set off constitutes part of the Community's own income.
3. If Questions 1 and 2(a) to 2(d) are answered to the effect that set-off is in general possible, or possible subject to certain conditions, is Article 15(3) of Council Regulation No 1765/92 to be interpreted as meaning that a Member State is precluded from requiring a national intervention agency to effect set-off in the case of a beneficiary of compensatory payments with outstanding debts to the State which could otherwise be involved in set-off?
4. Is Article 10(1) of Council Regulation No 1765/92 to be interpreted as meaning that the compensatory amounts in question are to be paid over immediately the intervention agency has concluded the procedure with regard to the beneficiary's application, or is it permissible to delay the payment for an investigation as to whether the State has outstanding claims against the beneficiary in respect of which it wishes to effect a set-off, provided always that the payment is effected at the latest by 31 December of the relevant support year?