Implementing measures
Article 9
1. The Commission shall implement the Community Assistance in accordance with the Financial Regulation. 2. In order to implement the programme, the Commission shall, within the limits of the general objectives set out in Article 2, adopt an annual work programme specifying its specific objectives, thematic priorities, a description of accompanying measures envisaged in Article 8 and if necessary a list of other actions. 3. The annual work programme shall be adopted in accordance with the procedure set out in Article 10(3). 4. The evaluation and award procedures relating to grants to actions shall take into account, inter alia , the following criteria: (a) conformity with the annual work programme, the general objectives as specified in Article 2 and measures taken in the different domains as specified in Articles 3 and 4; (b) quality of the proposed action regarding its conception, organisation, presentation and expected results; (c) amount requested for Community financing and its appropriateness as to expected results; (d) impact of the expected results on the general objectives defined in Article 2 and on measures taken in the different domains as specified in Articles 3 and 4. 5. The applications for operating grants, referred to in Article 4(b) and (c), shall be assessed in the light of: (a) consistency with the programme objectives; (b) quality of the planned activities; (c) likely multiplier effect on the public of these activities; (d) geographic impact of the activities carried out; (e) citizen involvement in the organisation of the bodies concerned; (f) cost/benefit ratio of the activity proposed. 6. The Decisions related to actions submitted under Article 4(b) and (c) shall be taken by the Commission in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 10(2). 7. Pursuant to Article 113(2) of the Financial Regulation, the principle of gradual reduction shall not apply to the operating grant given to the Conference of the European Constitutional Courts and the Association of the Council of States and Supreme Administrative Jurisdictions of the European Union insofar as they pursue an objective of general European interest.