Work programme
1. The Programme shall be implemented through multiannual work programmes as referred to in Article 110(2) of the Financial Regulation.
2. In order to ensure the implementation of the Programme, and without prejudice to the Financial Regulation, the Commission shall adopt implementing acts to establish multiannual work programmes. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 17(2).
3. The multiannual work programmes shall aim to achieve the objectives set out in Article 3 through the actions in accordance with Article 7. They shall set out, where appropriate, the total amount of the financing plan for all actions and shall set out:
(a)
for each action:
(i)
the objectives pursued and the expected results, in accordance with the general and specific objectives set out in Article 3;
(ii)
a description of the actions to be financed;
(iii)
where appropriate, an indication of the amount allocated to each action; and
(iv)
the method of implementation and an indicative implementation timetable;
(b)
for grants, the maximum rate of co-financing referred to in Article 10(2), and where appropriate, the essential award criteria to be applied.
Monitoring and reporting
1. Indicators to report on the progress of the Programme towards the achievement of the general and specific objectives set out in Article 3 are listed in Annex II.
2. To ensure effective assessment of the Programme’s progress towards the achievement of its objectives, the Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts, in accordance with Article 16, to amend Annex II with regard to the indicators where considered necessary, as well as to supplement this Regulation with provisions on the establishment of a monitoring and evaluation framework.
3. The performance reporting system shall ensure that data for monitoring the implementation and the results of the Programme are collected efficiently, effectively and in a timely manner. To that end, proportionate reporting requirements shall be imposed on the recipients of Union funds.
Evaluation
1. Evaluations shall be carried out in a timely manner so that they can be used in the decision-making process.
2. An interim evaluation of the Programme shall be carried out by the Commission once there is sufficient information available about its implementation, but no later than four years after the start of that implementation. In its interim evaluation, the Commission shall assess the performance of the Programme, including aspects such as effectiveness, efficiency, coherence, relevance, synergies within the Programme and Union added-value.
3. At the end of the implementation of the Programme, but no later than four years after the end of the period specified in Article 1, a final evaluation of the Programme shall be carried out by the Commission.
4. The Commission shall communicate the conclusions of the evaluations, accompanied by its observations and lessons learned, to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions.
Protection of the financial interests of the Union
Where a third country participates in the Programme by means of a decision adopted pursuant to an international agreement or on the basis of any other legal instrument, the third country shall grant the necessary rights and access required for the authorising officer responsible, OLAF and the Court of Auditors to comprehensively exercise their respective competences. In the case of OLAF, such rights shall include the right to carry out investigations, including on-the-spot checks and inspections, as provided for in Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 883/2013.
Source: EUR-Lex (Publications Office of the EU), © European Union, reuse permitted under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU.
