Article 29
The authorising officer shall be responsible for implementing revenue and expenditure in accordance with the principles of sound financial management and for ensuring that the requirements of legality and regularity are complied with. He shall conserve the supporting documents relating to operations carried out for a period of five years from the date of the decision granting discharge in respect of implementation of the budget. The authorising officer by delegation shall put in place, in compliance with the relevant minimum standards adopted by the Commission for its own departments and having due regard to the specific risks associated with his/her management environment, the organisational structure and the internal management and control procedures suited to the performance of his/her duties, including where appropriate ex post verifications. Depending on the nature and scope of the duties, the authorising officer may establish within his/her departments an expertise and advice function designed to help him/her control the risks involved in his/her activities. Before an operation is authorised, the operational and financial aspects shall be verified by members of staff other than the one who initiated the operation. Initiation and the ex ante and ex post verification of an operation shall be separate functions. The authorising officer shall report to the management board on the performance of his duties in the form of an annual activity report, in accordance with Article 9(7) of Regulation (EC) No 58/2003, by 15 March of the financial year in question.