Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/697 of 14 February 2019 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

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 of 17 December 2013 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) and Article 68b(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council (2).

(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) Czechia, France, Croatia, Italy, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom have submitted methods for amending existing standard scales of unit costs or 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).

(4) Malta has submitted a method for defining lump sums.

(5) Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/2195 should therefore be amended accordingly,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

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

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

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

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

(4) Annex VI is replaced by the text in Annex IV to this Regulation;

(5) Annex IX is replaced by the text in Annex V to this Regulation;

(6) Annex XVI is replaced by the text in Annex VI to this Regulation;

(7) Annex XIX is replaced by the text in Annex VII to this 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.

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

Done at Brussels, 14 February 2019.

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).