Commission Regulation (EC) No 718/2007 of 12 June 2007 implementing Council Regulation (EC) No 1085/2006 establishing an instrument for pre-accession assistance (IPA)

• (c) operations which enhance regional competitiveness and a productive environment, and encourage creation and safeguarding of sustainable employment, involving in particular:
• (i) provision of business and technology services for enterprises, particularly in the fields of management, market research and development and networking;
• (ii) access and use of information and communication technologies;
• (iii) promotion of technological development, research and innovation including through cooperation with tertiary education and research institutions and research and technology centres;
• (iv) development of business networks and clusters;
• (v) creation and development of financing instruments which facilitate access to revolving financing through venture capital, loan and guarantee funds;
• (vi) provision of local infrastructure and services which contribute to facilitate establishment, development and expansion of new and existing business;
• (vii) education and training investments, including for vocational training;
• (viii) investments in health and social infrastructure which contribute to regional and local development.

Technical assistance may also finance preparatory, management, monitoring, evaluation, information and control activities and activities to reinforce the administrative capacity for implementing the assistance under the IPA Regulation provided through this component.

Article 148

Eligibility of expenditure

Article 149

Aid intensities and rate of Community contribution

Article 150

Revenue-generating projects

• (a) operations co-financed under this component, the total cost of which is equal or less than EUR 1 million;

• (b) revenues generated throughout the economic lifetime of the co-financed investments in the case of investments in firms;

• (c) revenues generated within the framework of financing instruments which facilitate access to revolving financing through venture capital, loan and guarantee funds.

Section 2 Human resources development component

Article 151

Areas and forms of assistance

• (a) increase adaptability of workers, enterprises and entrepreneurs, with a view to improving the anticipation and positive management of economic change, in particular by promoting:
• (i) life long learning and increased investment in human resources by enterprises and workers;
• (ii) design and dissemination of innovative and more productive forms of work organisation;

• (b) enhance access to employment and sustainable inclusion in the labour market of job seekers and inactive people, prevent unemployment, in particular long term and youth unemployment, encourage active aging and prolong working lives, increase participation in the labour market notably by promoting:
• (i) creation, modernisation and strengthening of labour market institutions;
• (ii) implementation of active and preventive measures ensuring early identification of needs;
• (iii) improvement of access to employment and increase of sustainable participation and progress of women in employment;
• (iv) increase in migrants’ participation in employment, thereby strengthening their social integration;
• (v) facilitation of geographic and occupational mobility of workers and integration of cross-border labour markets;

• (c) reinforce social inclusion and integration of people at a disadvantage, with a view to their sustainable integration in employment, and combat all forms of discrimination in the labour market, in particular by promoting:
• (i) pathways to integration and re-entry into employment for disadvantaged people;
• (ii) acceptance of diversity in the workplace and non discrimination;

• (d) promote partnerships, pacts and initiatives through networking of relevant stakeholders, such as social partners and non-governmental organisations, at national, regional, local level, in order to mobilise for reforms in the field of employment and labour market inclusiveness;

• (e) expand and enhance investment in human capital, in particular by promoting:
• (i) the design, introduction and implementation of reforms in education and training systems, in order to develop employability and labour market relevance;
• (ii) increased participation in education and training throughout the life-cycle;
• (iii) the development of human potential in research and innovation;
• (iv) networking activities between higher education institutions, research and technological centres and enterprises;

• (f) strengthen institutional capacity and the efficiency of public administrations and public services at national, regional and local level and, where relevant, the social partners and non-governmental organisations with a view to reforms and good governance in the employment, education and training, as well as social fields.

Article 152

Eligibility of expenditure

• (a) depreciation costs under the following cumulative conditions:
• (i) no national or Community grants have contributed to the purchase of the related investment;
• (ii) depreciation costs are calculated with the relevant applicable national accountancy rules;
• (iii) costs relate exclusively to the period of co-financing of the operation concerned;

• (b) in the case of grants, the indirect costs declared on a flat rate basis up to 20 % of the direct costs of an operation, provided they are incurred in accordance with national rules, including accountancy rules;

• (c) purchase of furniture, equipment, adaptation and modernisation of existing infrastructures, provided that:
• (i) the amount concerned for the related operations is subject to a limit of 15 % of the funding under the IPA Regulation for each priority axis of the programme(s) under this component;
• (ii) investments are necessary for the satisfactory implementation of the programme(s) under this component and contribute to increasing the impact of assistance;
• (iii) assessment, carried out under the responsibility of the operating structure, has demonstrated that purchase is preferable to other solutions in terms of the best value for money.

• (a) taxes, including value added taxes, if they are not recoverable by any means and it is established that they are borne by the final beneficiary,

• (b) operating costs, including rental costs, exclusively related to the period of co-financing of the operation,

• (c) rent or leasing, provided that it is exclusively related to the period of co-financing of the operation, and that it is preferable to other solutions in terms of the best value for money,

• (d) costs relating to a bank guarantee or comparable surety to be lodged by the beneficiary of the grant.

Article 153

Aid intensities and rate of Community contribution

CHAPTER II Programming

Article 154

Strategic coherence framework

• (a) a brief analysis, highlighting the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in the eligible sectors and thematic priorities, under the regional development and human resources development components, where the beneficiary country intends to concentrate its assistance;

• (b) a description of the objectives pursued under the regional development and human resources development components, in accordance with the relevant national and Community priorities, as set up in the first multi-annual indicative planning document;

• (c) a list of programmes, with a brief description of the main priority axes under each programme;

• (d) an indicative breakdown of the financial allocations between the underlying programmes, covering a three years period, in accordance with the multi-annual indicative financial framework and the multi-annual indicative planning document, and the indicative budgetary balance between the underlying programmes for the following years, within each component.

• (a) coordination with other national programmes supported by international financial institutions, or other relevant external assistance;

• (b) coordination with other IPA components, in particular the rural development component.

Article 155

Operational programmes

• (a) an assessment of medium term needs and objectives, highlighting the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in the relevant sectors, themes and regions;

• (b) an overview of the consultation of the relevant socio-economic partners and, where relevant, civil society representatives;

• (c) a description of the chosen strategic priorities, having regard to the strategic coherence framework and the sectoral, thematic and/or geographical mechanisms of concentration of assistance, as well as the results from the ex ante evaluation referred to in Article 57(4) and 166;

• (d) information on the priority axis, the related measures and their specific targets. Such targets shall be quantified, when appropriate, using a limited number of result indicators. These indicators shall make it possible to determine the progress for implementing the selected measures, including the effectiveness of the targets attached to the priority axis and measures;

• (e) when some measures are intended to be implemented through aid schemes for enterprises, related modalities shall be described;

• (f) a description of the technical assistance operations, which shall be undertaken under a specific priority axis. Community support for this priority axis can be up to a ceiling of 6 % of the Community contribution allocated to the operational programme. In exceptional cases and when duly justified with regard to the scope of the programme, this ceiling may reach 10 %;

• (g) an identification, for each measure, of the intended final beneficiaries, the expected selection modalities and possible related specific selection criteria;

• (h) a financial table specifying, for each year covered by the applicable multi-annual indicative financial frameworks, for each priority axis and, in an indicative way, for each related measure:
• (i) the total amount of the Community contribution;
• (ii) the national contribution, where applicable identifying other external contributions. Where the Community contribution, under the human resources development component, is calculated with reference to the total expenditure, the table shall give the indicative breakdown of the national contribution between its public and private components;
• (iii) the resulting rate of Community contribution;

• (i) the proposed evaluation and monitoring indicators and modalities, including indicative evaluation activities and timing;

• (j) for the regional development component, an indicative list of major projects, accompanied with their technical and financial features, including the expected financing sources, as well as indicative timetables for their implementation;

• (k) a description of the relevant structures and authorities for the management and control of the operational programme, in accordance with Articles 21 to 26, 28, 29 and 31.

Article 156

Revision of operational programmes

• (a) following significant socio-economic changes;

• (b) in order to take greater or different account of major changes in Community or national priorities;

• (c) following the revision of the multiannual indicative planning document;

• (d) in the light of the evaluations referred to in Article 166(2);

• (e) following implementation difficulties.

Article 157

Major projects under the regional development component

• (a) information on the body to be responsible for implementation;

• (b) information on the nature of the investment and a description of its financial volume and location;

• (c) results of feasibility studies;

• (d) a timetable for the implementation of the project before the closure of the related operational programme;

• (e) an assessment of the overall socio-economic balance of the operation, based on a cost-benefit analysis and including a risk assessment, and an assessment of the expected impact on the sector concerned, on the socio-economic situation of the beneficiary country and, where the operation involves the transfer of activities from a region in a Member State, the socio-economic impact on that region;

• (f) an analysis of the environmental impact;

• (g) the financing plan, showing the total financial contributions expected and the planned contribution under the IPA Regulation, as well as other Community and other external funding. The financing plan shall substantiate the required IPA grant contribution through a financial viability analysis.

CHAPTER III Implementation

Section 1 General rules

Article 158

Selection of operations

The operating structure shall decide whether to approve the results of the selection procedure and state the reasons for its decision.

The composition of the selection committee and its functioning modalities are defined in the relevant financing agreement.

Article 159

Financial engineering instruments

Article 159a

Contribution to a Union trust fund for external action

• (a) a summary assessment of the coherence of that contribution with the objectives of the trust fund;

• (b) for the regional development component, information on the single operation priority axis, also referring to the other priority axes with regard to eligible expenditure which may also cover a share of the management costs of the trust fund, as provided for in Article 187(7) of the Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012;

• (c) for the human resources development component, information on the single operation measure under a given priority axis, also referring to the other measures of that priority axis with regard to eligible expenditure which may also cover a share of the management costs of the trust fund, as provided for in Article 187(7) of the Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012;

• (d) the identification of the trust fund as final beneficiary;

• (e) the amount of the contribution.

The detailed implementing rules shall concern in particular:

• (a) the obligations of the authorities in the beneficiary country;

• (b) reporting, evaluation and monitoring;

• (c) provisions requiring the amount of the contribution or part of it to be returned, as the case may be, to the relevant programme in the event of liquidation of the trust fund, in accordance with Article 187(5) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012.

At closure, the certified statement of expenditure shall present the total amount of the contribution for which a decision on the allocation of funds to individual actions has been taken by the operational board of the trust fund up to 31 December 2017 in pursuing the objectives set out in the relevant programme and within the respective programme area.

The national authorising officer shall certify in the certified statement of expenditure to be submitted by 31 December 2015 that the contribution was paid to the trust fund identified in the relevant programme.

Section 2 Financial management

Article 160

Payments

Article 161

Acceptability of applications for payment

A payment application cannot be accepted if payments have been suspended in accordance with Article 163. The payment application shall certify that all requirements laid down in Article 43(1) and in this paragraph are fulfilled.

The certified statement of expenditure referred to in Article 43(1) shall be drawn up by priority axis and measures. The national authorising officer shall certify that the statement of expenditure is accurate, results from reliable accounting systems and is based on verifiable documents. The national authorising officer shall send this document to the Commission together with:

• (a) a certificate of expenditure, certifying that the expenditure declared complies with applicable Community and national rules and has been incurred in respect of operations selected for funding in accordance with the criteria applicable to the programme and complying with relevant applicable Community and national rules;

• (b) the computerised listing of operations by measure and the corresponding expenditure, including contribution under the IPA Regulation, national public and, when applicable, private contributions;

• (c) the details of amounts recoverable following cancellation of all or part of the Community contribution for an operation;

• (d) the volume of Community funds in the component-specific euro account at the date of the last debit to which this statement refers and the interest earned.

For a payment application to be acceptable, the Community contribution, by priority axis, shall be consistent with the financial table of the operational programme.

The certified statement of expenditure referred to in Article 45(1) shall be drawn up by the national authorising officer and sent to the Commission in accordance with the requirements of paragraph 1 of this Article.

The Commission shall inform the beneficiary country of its conclusions on the content of the audit authority opinion referred to in Article 45(1)(c). This opinion shall be deemed accepted in the absence of observations by the Commission within five months from the date of its receipt.

Article 162

Deadlines for payments

• (a) the Commission has accepted the sectoral final report on implementation in accordance with the provisions of Article 169(4) and (5);

• (b) the Commission has accepted the opinion issued by the audit authority as referred to in Article 45(1)(c) and the related activity report set out in Article 29(2)(b) first indent.

• (a) in a report of a national or Community audit body there is evidence to suggest a significant deficiency in the functioning of the management and control systems; or

• (b) the authorising officer by delegation in the Commission has to carry out additional verifications following information coming to his attention alerting him that expenditure in a certified statement of expenditure is linked to a serious irregularity which has not been corrected; or

• (c) clarifications are needed regarding the information contained in the statement of expenditure.

The national IPA coordinator and the national authorising officer shall be informed immediately of the reasons for the interruption. The interruption shall be ended as soon as the necessary measures have been taken by the beneficiary country.

Article 163

Suspension of payments

The provisions laid down in Article 46 shall apply to all or part of the interim payments at the level of priority axes or programmes.

Article 164

Closure of a programme

The Commission shall inform the beneficiary country about the date of the closure of the operational programme.

Article 165

Re-use of Community contribution

The beneficiary country shall inform the Commission of how it proposes to re-use the funds cancelled in accordance with Article 54 and, where appropriate, to amend the financial plan for assistance, in accordance with the provisions of Article 156.

Section 3 Evaluation and monitoring

Article 166

Evaluation

Ex ante evaluations shall be carried out under the responsibility of the operating structure.

Ex ante evaluations shall aim to optimise the allocation of budgetary resources under operational programmes and improve programming quality. They shall identify and appraise the disparities, gaps and potential for development, the goals to be achieved, the results expected, the quantified targets, the coherence, if necessary, of the strategy proposed and the quality of the procedures for implementation, monitoring, evaluation and financial management.

The ex ante evaluation shall be annexed to the operational programme(s) it relates to.

Article 167

Sectoral monitoring committee

The sectoral monitoring committee shall include the Commission, the national IPA coordinator, the strategic coordinator for the regional development and the human resources development components, the operating structure of the programme. Where appropriate, it shall also include representatives from the civil society and socio-economic partners. A representative of the European Investment Bank may participate in an advisory capacity for those operational programmes to which the European Investment Bank makes a contribution.

• (a) consider and approve the general criteria for selecting the operations, in accordance, where relevant, with Article 155(2)(g) within six months of the entry into force of the financing agreement on the programme and approve any revision of those criteria in accordance with programming needs;

• (b) review at each meeting progress made towards achieving the specific targets of the operational programme on the basis of documents submitted by the operating structure;

• (c) examine at each meeting the results of implementation, particularly the achievement of the targets set for each priority axis and measures and interim evaluations referred to in Article 57; it shall carry out this monitoring by reference to the indicators referred to in Article 155(2)(d);

• (d) examine the sectoral annual and final reports on implementation referred to in Article 169;

• (e) be informed of the annual activity report referred to in the first indent of Article 29(2)(b), or of the part of the report referring to the operational programme concerned, and of any relevant comments the Commission may make after examining that report or relating to that part of the report;

• (f) examine any proposal to amend the financing agreement of the programme.

Article 168

Arrangements for monitoring

Data exchange between the Commission and the beneficiary countries for the purpose of monitoring shall be carried out electronically, as provided for in the financing agreements.

Article 169

Sectoral annual and final reports on implementation

A sectoral final report shall be submitted to the Commission and the national IPA coordinator at the latest six months after the final date of eligibility of expenditure. The sectoral final report shall refer to the whole period of implementation and include the last sectoral annual report.

The sectoral reports shall be established in relation to the programmes concerned.

• (a) the quantitative and qualitative progress made in implementing the operational programme, priority axes, measures and, where relevant, operations or group of operations, in relation to their specific, verifiable targets, with a quantification, when possible, using the indicators referred to in Article 155(2)(d) at the appropriate level. Where relevant under the human resources development component, the statistics shall be broken down by sex;

• (b) the financial implementation of the operational programme, detailing for each priority axis and measure:
• (i) the total expenditure paid out by the final beneficiaries and included in payment applications sent to the Commission by the national fund;
• (ii) the total expenditure actually committed and paid out by the national fund with the corresponding public or public and private contribution; this shall be accompanied by computerised forms listing the operations, so that they can be followed through from budgetary commitment by the beneficiary country to final payments;
• (iii) the total payments received from the Commission. Where appropriate, financial implementation may be presented through the major areas of intervention, referred to in Article 5(3)(f), and the regions where assistance is concentrated;

• (c) for information purposes, the indicative breakdown of the allocation under the IPA Regulation, for the regional development component, by categories, in accordance with the detailed list included in the financing agreement;

• (d) the steps taken by the operating structure or the sectoral monitoring committee to ensure the quality and effectiveness of implementation, in particular:
• (i) the monitoring and evaluation measures, including data collection arrangements;
• (ii) a summary of any significant problems encountered in implementing the operational programme and any subsequent measures taken;
• (iii) the use made of technical assistance;

• (e) the activities to provide information on and publicise the programme, in accordance with Article 62;

• (f) where appropriate for the regional development component, the progress and financing of major projects;

• (g) where appropriate under the human resources development component, a synthesis of the implementation of:
• (i) gender mainstreaming as well as of any gender-specific action;
• (ii) action to increase participation of migrants in employment and thereby strengthen their social integration;
• (iii) action to strengthen integration in employment and thereby improve the social inclusion of minorities;
• (iv) action to strengthen integration in employment and social inclusion of other disadvantaged groups, including people with disabilities.

Information referred to in points (d), (g) of this paragraph shall not be included if there has been no significant modification since the previous report.

TITLE IV RURAL DEVELOPMENT COMPONENT

CHAPTER I Object of assistance and eligibility

Section 1 Object of assistance

Article 170

Additional definitions for the rural development component

For the purposes of this Title, in addition to the definitions laid down in Article 2, the following definitions shall apply:

• 1. ‘Community standards’: the standards laid down by the Community in the fields of environmental protection, public health, animal and plant health, animal welfare and occupational safety;

• 1. ‘Mountain areas’: the areas referred to in the first subparagraph of Article 50(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005 ([^E0015]);

• 1. ‘Young farmer’: a farmer under 40 years of age at the time when the decision to grant support is taken, possessing adequate occupational skills and competence.

Article 171

Areas and forms of assistance

• (a) improving market efficiency and implementation of Community standards;

• (b) preparatory actions for implementation of the agri-environmental measures and local rural development strategies;

• (c) development of the rural economy.

• (a) investments in agricultural holdings to restructure and to upgrade to Community standards;

• (b) support for the setting-up of producer groups;

• (c) investments in the processing and marketing of agriculture and fishery products to restructure those activities and to upgrade them to Community standards.

• (a) actions to improve the environment and the countryside;

• (b) preparation and implementation of local rural development strategies.

• (a) improvement and development of rural infrastructure;

• (b) diversification and development of rural economic activities;

• (c) improvement of training.

Section 2 General requirements on eligibility and aid intensities

Article 172

Eligibility of expenditure

The technical assistance measures eligible under Article 34(2) are those referred to in Article 182.

• (a) the purchase of agricultural production rights, animals, annual plants and their planting;

• (b) any maintenance, depreciation and rental costs;

• (c) any cost incurred by public administration in managing and implementing assistance.

• (a) eligible expenditure shall be limited to the construction or improvement of immovable property;

• (b) the purchase or lease-purchase of new machinery and equipment, including computer software up to the market value of the asset shall be considered as eligible; other costs connected with the leasing contract, such as lessor's margin, interest refinancing costs, overheads and insurance charges, shall not be eligible;

• (c) general costs linked to expenditure referred to in points (a) and (b), such as architects’, engineers’ and other consultation fees, feasibility studies, the acquisition of patent rights and licences shall be eligible up to a ceiling of 12 % of the costs referred to in points (a) and (b).

Detailed provisions for the implementation of this paragraph shall be set out in sectoral agreements as defined in Article 7 or financing agreements as defined in Article 8.

Article 173

Aid intensities and rate of Community contribution

• (a) 55 % for investments in agricultural holdings made by young farmers;

• (b) 60 % for investments in agricultural holdings in mountain areas;

• (c) 65 % for investments in agricultural holdings in mountain areas made by young farmers;

• (d) 75 % for investments referred to in paragraph 4(d) and for investments in agricultural holdings to implement the Council Directive 91/676/EEC ([^E0016]), subject to the existence of a national strategy for its implementation;

• (e) 100 % for investments in infrastructure not of a nature to generate substantial net revenue;

• (f) 100 % for measures referred to under in Article 182.

• (a) 80 % for the measures covered by priority axis 2 referred to in Article 171(3);

• (b) 80 % in the case of activities covered by Article 182, where those activities are not taken at the initiative of the Commission;

• (c) 100 % in the case of activities covered by Article 182, where those activities are taken at the initiative of the Commission;

• (d) 85 % in the case of investment projects carried out in regions where the Commission determines that exceptional natural disasters have occurred.

Section 3 Eligibility and specific requirements for assistance under Priority Axis 1

Article 174

Investments in agricultural holdings

• (a) for which a prospect of economic viability at the end of the realisation of the investment can be demonstrated;

• (b) which comply with national minimum standards regarding environmental protection, public health, animal and plant health, animal welfare and occupational safety at the time when the decision to grant support is taken.

Furthermore, the Commission may, on the basis of duly substantiated request from the beneficiary country, allow derogation from point (b) of paragraph 2 in respect of non-compliance with national minimum standards based on Community standards introduced in the national law up to one year prior to date of submission of the application.

Article 175

Support for the setting-up of producer groups

• (a) adapting the production and output of the members of producer groups to market requirements;

• (b) jointly placing goods on the market, including preparation for sale, centralisation of sale, and supply to bulk buyers;

• (c) establishing common rules on production information, with particular regard to harvesting and availability.

Professional and/or inter-professional organisations representing one or more sectors do not qualify as producer groups.

• (a) amount for the first, second, third, fourth and fifth years to 5 %, 5 %, 4 %, 3 % and 2 % respectively of the value of marketed production up to 1 million euros,

• (b) amount for the first, second, third, fourth and fifth years, to 2,5 %, 2,5 %, 2,0 %, 1,5 % and 1,5 % respectively of the values of marketed production exceeding 1 million euros,

• (c) be subject to a ceiling for each producer organisation of:
• — EUR 100 000 for the first year
• — EUR 100 000 for the second year
• — EUR 80 000 for the third year
• — EUR 60 000 for the fourth year
• — EUR 50 000 for the fifth year.

Article 176

Investments in processing and marketing of agriculture and fishery products

Investments at retail level shall be excluded from support.

• (a) for which the prospect of economic viability at the end of the realisation of the investment can be demonstrated, and

• (b) which comply with the national minimum standards regarding environmental protection, public health, animal and plant health, animal welfare and occupational safety at the time when the decision to grant support is taken.

Furthermore, the Commission may, on the basis of a duly substantiated request from the beneficiary country, allow derogation from point (b) of paragraph 2 in respect of non-compliance with national minimum standards based on Community standards introduced in the national law up to one year prior to date of submission of the application.

• (a) which employ fewer than 250 persons and which have an annual turnover not exceeding EUR 50 million, and/or an annual balance sheet total not exceeding EUR 43 million, giving priority to investments aiming to align the establishment with all the relevant Community standards; or

• (b) which employ fewer than 750 persons or have an annual turnover not exceeding EUR 200 million, where the purpose of the investments is to make the establishment comply with the relevant Community standards.

Section 4 Eligibility and specific requirements under Priority Axis 2

Article 177

Preparation for implementation of actions relating to environment and the countryside

Article 178

Preparation and implementation of local rural development strategies

• (a) the implementation of cooperation projects in accordance with the priorities as referred to in Article 171(1) and within the meaning of Article 65 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005;

• (b) the running of the local private-public partnerships, also referred as ‘local action groups’, acquisition of skills, awareness raising activities and promotional events in a view to achieving the objectives as referred to in Article 171(1).

Section 5 Eligibility and specific requirements under Priority Axis 3

Article 179

Improvement and development of rural infrastructure

• (a) addressing regional disparities and increasing the attractiveness of rural areas for private individuals and entrepreneurial activity;

• (b) providing conditions for the development of the rural economies.

Article 180

Diversification and development of rural economic activities

• (a) raising of the economic activity;

• (b) creation of employment opportunities;

• (c) diversification into non-agricultural activities.

Article 181

Improvement of training

Assistance shall not be granted to courses of instruction or training which form part of normal programmes or systems of education at secondary or higher levels.

Section 6 Technical assistance

Article 182

Scope and implementation

• (a) meetings and other activities necessary to discharge the responsibilities of the sectoral monitoring committee for this component, such as studies contracted and realised via expert assistance;

• (b) information and publicity campaigns;

• (c) translation and interpretation at the request of the Commission, not including those required pursuant to the application of the framework, sectoral and financing agreements;

• (d) visits and seminars;

• (e) activities related to the preparation of measures in the programme to ensure their effectiveness, including those measures whose application is foreseen at a later stage;

• (f) the interim evaluation of the programme;

• (g) the establishment and operation of a national network to coordinate activities developed under Article 178 as well as of a future national rural development network consistent with Article 68 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005.

Article 183

European Network for Rural Development

Beneficiary countries and organisations established in the beneficiary countries and administrations of beneficiary countries active in the field of rural development shall have access to the European Network for Rural Development established by Article 67 of Council Regulation (CE) No 1698/2005. Relevant detailed provisions shall be agreed with beneficiary countries.

CHAPTER II Programming

Article 184

Programmes

• (a) a quantified description of the current situation showing disparities, shortcomings and potential for development, the main results of previous operations undertaken with Community and other bilateral or multilateral assistance, the financial resources deployed and the evaluation of results available;

• (b) a description of the national rural development strategy proposed, based on an analysis of the current situation in the rural areas;

• (c) a description of the strategic priorities of the programme, based on the national rural development strategy and on an analysis of the sectors concerned, involving independent expertise. It shall also include quantified objectives, indicating for each priority axis set out under Article 171(1) the appropriate monitoring and evaluation indicators;

• (d) an explanation of how the overall strategic approach and sectoral strategies identified in the multiannual indicative planning document of the beneficiary country are translated into specific actions within the rural development component;

• (e) an indicative overall financial table summarising the national, Community and, where appropriate, the private financial resources provided for and corresponding to each rural development measure, as well as the EU co-financing rate by axis;

• (f) a description of the measures chosen from Article 171 including:
• — the definition of final beneficiaries,
• — the geographic scope,
• — the eligibility criteria,
• — the ranking criteria for selecting projects,
• — monitoring indicators,
• — quantified target indicators;

• (g) a description of the operating structure for the implementation of the programme, including monitoring and evaluation;

• (h) the names of the authorities and bodies responsible for carrying out the programme;

• (i) the results of consultations and provisions adopted for associating the relevant authorities and bodies as well as appropriate economic, social and environmental partners;

• (j) the results and recommendations of the ex-ante evaluation of the programme, including the description of the follow-up undertaken by the beneficiary countries on recommendations.

Article 185

Adoption and amendments of programmes

• (a) relevant new information and results relating to the implementation of the actions concerned, including the results of monitoring and evaluation, as well as the need to adjust the amounts of aid available,

• (b) the beneficiary country's progress towards accession as indicated in the main accession documents, including the multi-annual indicative planning document.

• (a) the reasons for the proposed amendment;

• (b) the expected effects of the amendment;

• (c) amended financial and measure tables, where the proposed amendments are of a financial nature.

CHAPTER III Implementation

Section 1 Principles and financial management

Article 186

Implementing principles

The provisions shall be consistent with the relevant rules applicable to rural development programmes in the Member States.

Article 187

Calculation of payments

By way of derogation from Article 44, the Community contribution to the programmes under this component shall be calculated by applying the co-financing rate laid down for each priority axis in the financing decision to the eligible expenditure certified in each expenditure declaration, subject to the maximum Community contribution attached to each priority axis.

Article 188

Pre-financing

Article 189

Clearance of accounts

Detailed provisions for the clearance of accounts shall be set out in the sectoral and financing agreements, respectively referred to in Articles 7 and 8. They shall be consistent with the relevant rules applicable to the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development as set out in Council Regulation (EC) No 1290/2005 ([^E0017]) and the regulations laying down detailed rules for its application. They may in particular provide for consultation of the Committee on the Agricultural Funds.

Article 190

Criteria for financial corrections

By way of derogation from Article 51(2), the Commission shall apply, depending on the findings, either flat-rate corrections, or punctual corrections or corrections based on an extrapolation of the findings.

Section 2 Evaluation and monitoring

Article 191

Ex ante, interim and ex post evaluations

Article 192

Sectoral monitoring committee

Article 193

Sectoral annual reports