1.The programmes under the rural development component shall be adopted by the Commission within six months of submission of the proposal of the programme, provided that all relevant information is available. In particular, the Commission shall appraise the proposed programme to determine whether it is consistent with this Regulation.
2.The programme may, if necessary, be amended to take due account of:
(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.
3.Any proposal for amendments shall be submitted to the Commission by the beneficiary country and shall be duly substantiated, and shall include the following information:
(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.
4.Substantial changes with the meaning of Article 14(4) of the IPA Regulation include amendments which involve changes of financial breakdowns among priority axes as referred in Article 171(1) or the co-financing rate by axis or the inclusion of new measures.
5.The Commission may request beneficiary countries to present a proposal for amending the programme where relevant Community legislation has been amended.