Procedure for issuing, reviewing and withdrawing the accreditation of the coordinating body
Article 3
1. Member States shall designate an authority at ministerial level responsible for the issuing, reviewing and withdrawing of the accreditation of the coordinating body referred to in Article 10 of Regulation (EU) 2021/2116 (hereinafter “the competent authority”). 2. The competent authority shall, by way of a formal act, designate and decide on the issuing or, after review, the withdrawal of the accreditation of the coordinating body on the basis of an examination of the accreditation criteria referred to in Article 2 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/127. This examination on the compliance with the accreditation criteria shall be carried out by the competent authority and it may rely on an examination performed by an audit body. The competent authority shall inform the Commission of issuing and withdrawing the accreditation of the coordinating body without delay. 3. The coordinating body referred to in Article 10 of Regulation (EU) 2021/2116 shall act as the Commission’s sole interlocutor for the Member State concerned for all questions relating to the Funds as regards its tasks. 4. A paying agency may act as a coordinating body provided that the two functions are kept separate. 5. In performing its tasks, the coordinating body may, in accordance with national procedures, call on other administrative bodies or departments, particularly on those with accounting or technical expertise. 6. The confidentiality, integrity and availability of all computer data held by the coordinating body shall be ensured by measures adapted to the administrative structure, staffing and technological environment of each coordinating body. The financial and technological effort shall be proportionate to the actual risks incurred. 7. The communication of information provided for in Article 90, first subparagraph, point (a), of Regulation (EU) 2021/2116 shall be made immediately after the coordinating body is first accredited and, in any case, before any expenditure for which it is responsible is charged to the Funds. That information shall be accompanied by declarations and documents concerning: (a) the responsibilities vested in the coordinating body; (b) the allocation of responsibilities within the coordinating body; (c) the relationship of the coordinating body with other bodies, public or private, which are responsible to collaborate with it on the performance of its tasks; (d) the procedures and systems in place in place to ensure the performance of its tasks; (e) the provisions concerning the security of information systems; (f) the result of the examination on the compliance with the accreditation criteria referred to in paragraph 2. 8. Where the competent authority considers that the coordinating body does not comply with the accreditation criteria, it shall inform the coordinating body of the requirements to be complied with. Pending the implementation of any necessary changes in order to meet the accreditation criteria, accreditation may be: (a) issued provisionally for a new coordinating body; (b) put under probation for an existing coordinating body provided that an action plan is followed to remedy the situation. The accreditation shall be withdrawn if the accreditation criteria have not been fulfilled and the competent authority considers that the coordinating body cannot fulfil its tasks.