PART IISPECIFIC PROVISIONS

TITLE IICROSS–BORDER COOPERATION COMPONENT

CHAPTER IIIImplementation

Section 2Cross-border programmes between beneficiary countries and Member States

Sub-section 2Evaluation and monitoring

Article 110Joint monitoring committee

1

The participating countries shall set up a joint monitoring committee for each cross-border programme within three months from the date of the notification to the participating countries of the decision approving the cross-border programme.

The joint monitoring committees shall meet at least twice a year, at the initiative of the participating countries or of the Commission.

In the event of a cross-border programme implemented according to the transitional arrangements referred to in Article 99, for the beneficiary countries where the assistance is implemented on a decentralised basis, the joint monitoring committee fulfils the role of the sectoral monitoring committee referred to in Article 59.

2

Each joint monitoring committee shall draw up its rules of procedure within the institutional, legal and financial framework of the participating countries and in compliance with a joint monitoring committee mandate set out by the Commission, in order to exercise its missions in accordance with the present Regulation. It shall adopt them in agreement with the managing authority and, in the case of a programme implemented according to the transitional arrangements referred to in Article 99, in agreement with the national IPA coordinator(s) of the participating beneficiary country(ies).

3

The joint monitoring committee shall be chaired by a representative of one of the participating countries or the managing authority.

In deciding its composition in accordance with Article 102(3), the participating countries shall take due account of the provisions of Article 87.

4

The Commission shall participate in the work of the joint monitoring committee in an advisory capacity. A representative of the European Investment Bank and the European Investment Fund may participate in an advisory capacity for those cross-border programmes to which the European Investment Bank or the European Investment Fund makes a contribution.

5

The joint monitoring committee shall satisfy itself as to the effectiveness and quality of the implementation of the cross-border programme, in accordance with the following provisions:

a

it shall consider and approve the criteria for selecting the operations financed by the cross-border programme and approve any revision of those criteria in accordance with programming needs;

b

it shall periodically review progress made towards achieving the specific targets of the cross-border programme on the basis of documents submitted by the managing authority and, in the case of a programmes implemented according to the transitional arrangements referred to in Article 99, by the operating structures in the participating beneficiary countries;

c

it shall examine the results of implementation, particularly achievement of the targets set for each priority axis and the evaluations referred to in Article 57(4) and Article 109;

d

it shall consider and approve the annual and final reports on implementation referred to in Article 112 and, in the case of a programme implemented according to the transitional arrangements referred to in Article 99, it shall examine the reports referred to in Article 144;

e

it shall be informed of the annual control report, referred to in Article 105(1)(c) and, as applicable in the case of a programme implemented according to the transitional arrangements referred to in Article 99, of the annual audit activity report(s) referred to in Article 29(2)(b) first indent, and of any relevant comments the Commission may make after examining those reports;

f

it shall be responsible for selecting operations but may delegate this function to a steering committee reporting to it;

g

it may propose any revision or examination of the cross-border programme likely to make possible the attainment of the objectives referred to in Article 86(2) or to improve its management, including its financial management;

h

it shall consider and approve any proposal to amend the content of the cross-border programme.