PART TWOCOMMON PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO THE ESI FUNDS

TITLE VMONITORING AND EVALUATION

CHAPTER IMonitoring

Section IIStrategic progress

Article 53Reporting by the Commission and debate on the ESI Funds

1

The Commission shall transmit each year from 2016 to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, a summary report in relation to ESI Fund programmes based on the annual implementation reports of the Member States submitted under Article 50 as well as a synthesis of the findings of the available evaluations of programmes. In 2017 and 2019 the summary report shall form a part of the strategic report referred to in paragraph 2.

2

In 2017 and 2019, the Commission shall prepare a strategic report summarising the progress reports of the Member States, which by 31 December 2017 and 31 December 2019, respectively, it shall submit to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions and those institutions shall be invited to hold a debate on it.

3

The Council shall debate the strategic report in particular with regard to the contribution of the ESI Funds to the achievement of the Union strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth and shall be invited to provide input to the spring meeting of the European Council.

4

Every two years from 2018, the Commission shall include in its Annual Progress Report to the spring meeting of the European Council a section summarising the most recent of the reports referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2, in particular with regard to the contribution of the ESI Funds to progress made towards the Union strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth.