Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/2416 of 20 October 2017 amending Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/2195 on supplementing Regulation (EU) No 1304/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European Social Fund, regarding the definition of standard scales of unit costs and lump sums for reimbursement of expenditure by the Commission to Member States, and correcting that Delegated Regulation

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1304/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European Social Fund and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 1081/2006 (1), and in particular Article 14(1) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) With a view to simplifying the use of the European Social Fund ‘ESF’ and reducing the administrative burden for beneficiaries, it is appropriate to increase the scope of standard scales of unit costs and lump sums available for reimbursement to Member States. The standard scales of unit costs and lump sums for reimbursement to Member States should be established on the basis of data submitted by Member States or published by Eurostat and on the basis of methods commonly agreed, including the methods set out in Article 67(5) of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council (2) and Article 14(2) and (3) of Regulation (EU) No 1304/2013.

(2) Taking into account the significant disparities between Member States regarding the level of costs for a particular type of operation, the definition and amounts of standard scales of unit costs and lump sums may differ according to the type of operation and the Member State concerned in order to reflect their specificities.

(3) Cyprus has submitted methods for defining standard scales of unit costs for reimbursement of expenditure by the Commission.

(4) Germany has submitted methods for defining additional standard scales of unit costs for reimbursement by the Commission concerning types of operation not yet covered by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/2195 (3).

(5) France has submitted data for amending the standard scales of unit costs currently set out in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/2195.

(6) Sweden submitted data for amending the standard scales of unit costs currently set out in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/2195. The Commission accordingly amended the rates set out in Annex I to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/2195 for operations supported under priority axis 1 ‘Supply of skills’ of the Operational Programme (Nationellt socialfondsprogram för investering för tillväxt och sysselsättning 2014-2020) (CCI- 2014SE05M9OP001) in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/2016 (4). However, the Commission erred by not also amending the rates set out for priority axes 2 and 3 of the same operational programme. The amounts for these priority axes should also be amended, and the amounts set out for Sweden should be applicable as of the date of entry into force of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/2016.

(7) Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/2195 should therefore be amended and corrected accordingly,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/2195 is corrected and amended as follows:

(1) Annex I is replaced by the text in Annex I to this Regulation;

(2) Annex II is replaced by the text in Annex II to this Regulation;

(3) Annex VIII is replaced by the text in Annex III to this Regulation;

(4) Annex XV is added as set out in Annex IV to the Regulation.

Article 2

This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Article 1 (1) shall apply from 5 December 2017.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels, 20 October 2017.

For the Commission The President Jean-Claude JUNCKER

(1) OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 470.

(2) Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 laying down common provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, the Cohesion Fund, the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and laying down general provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, the Cohesion Fund and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006 (OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 320).

(3) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/2195 of 9 July 2015 on supplementing Regulation (EU) No 1304/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European Social Fund, regarding the definition of standard scales of unit costs and lump sums for reimbursement of expenditure by the Commission to Member States (OJ L 313, 28.11.2015, p. 22).

(4) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/2016 of 29 August 2017 amending Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/2195 on supplementing Regulation (EU) No 1304/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European Social Fund, regarding the definition of standard scales of unit costs and lump sums for reimbursement of expenditure by the Commission to Member States (OJ L 298, 15.11.2017, p. 1).