Quality review of major projects
Article 23
1. The independent experts shall carry out their assessment on the basis of the information referred to in points (a) to (i) of the first paragraph of Article 101 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013. The independent experts may request additional elements relating to this information which they deem necessary for the quality review. The Member State and the independent experts may agree that this work shall be complemented by site visits. The independent experts may, in agreement with the Member States, consult the Commission on relevant State aid issues for the purpose of their assessment. 2. The independent experts shall for the purposes of the quality review undertake the following steps: (a) the independent experts shall verify that the operation is a major project within the meaning of Article 100 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013, that the major project is not a completed operation within the meaning of Articles 2(14) and 65(6) of that Regulation, and that the major project is included within the relevant operational programme; (b) the independent experts shall check the completeness, consistency and accuracy of the information under points (a) to (i) of the first subparagraph of Article 101 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 provided for in the format referred to in the fifth paragraph of Article 101 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013; (c) the independent experts shall appraise the quality of the major project on the basis of the criteria set out in Annex II to this Regulation; (d) the independent experts shall produce an independent quality review report (hereinafter the ‘IQR report’) in the format provided for in the third subparagraph of Article 102(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013. In the IQR report, the independent experts shall formulate and justify their statements in an unambiguous manner for the elements referred to in this paragraph. 3. A major project is appraised positively by the quality review in the meaning of Article 102(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 if the independent experts conclude that all the criteria referred to in Annex II of this Regulation have been fulfilled.