Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013 of the European Parliament and of the CouncilShow full title

TITLE VI U.K. MANAGEMENT, CONTROL AND PUBLICITY

Article 64 U.K. Responsibilities of the Commission

To ensure, in the context of shared management, sound financial management in accordance with Article 317 TFEU, the Commission shall carry out the measures and controls laid down in Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013.

Article 65 U.K. Responsibilities of the Member States

1. Member States shall adopt all the legislative, statutory and administrative provisions in accordance with Article 58(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013 in order to ensure that the Union's financial interests are protected effectively.

2. Member States shall designate, for each rural development programme, the following authorities:

(a) the Managing Authority, which may be either a public or private body acting at national or regional level, or the Member State itself when it carries out that task, to be in charge of the management of the programme concerned;

(b) the accredited paying agency within the meaning of Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013;

(c) the certification body within the meaning of Article 9 of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013.

3. Member States shall ensure, for each rural development programme, that the relevant management and control system has been set up in such a way that ensures a clear allocation and separation of functions between the Managing Authority and other bodies. Member States shall be responsible for ensuring that the systems function effectively throughout the programme period.

4. Member States shall clearly define the tasks of the Managing Authority, the Paying Agency and the local action groups under LEADER as regards to the application of eligibility and selection criteria and the project selection procedure.

Article 66 U.K. Managing Authority

1. The Managing Authority shall be responsible for managing and implementing the programme in an efficient, effective and correct way and in particular for:

(a) ensuring that there is an appropriate secure electronic system to record, maintain, manage and report statistical information on the programme and its implementation required for the purposes of monitoring and evaluation and, in particular, information required to monitor progress towards the defined objectives and priorities;

(b) providing the Commission, by 31 January and 31 October in each year of the programme, with relevant indicator data on operations selected for funding, including information on output and financial indicators;

(c) ensuring that beneficiaries and other bodies involved in the implementation of operations:

(i)

are informed of their obligations resulting from the aid granted, and maintain either a separate accounting system or an adequate accounting code for all transactions relating to the operation;

(ii)

are aware of the requirements concerning the provision of data to the Managing Authority and the recording of outputs and results;

(d) ensuring that the ex ante evaluation referred to in Article 55 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 conforms to the evaluation and monitoring system and accepting and submitting it to the Commission;

(e) ensuring that the evaluation plan referred to in Article 56 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 is in place, that the ex post programme evaluation referred to in Article 57 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 is conducted within the time limits laid down in that Regulation, ensuring that such evaluations conform to the monitoring and evaluation system and submitting them to the Monitoring Committee and the Commission;

(f) providing the Monitoring Committee with the information and documents needed to monitor implementation of the programme in the light of its specific objectives and priorities;

(g) drawing up the annual progress report, including aggregate monitoring tables, and, after approval by the Monitoring Committee, submitting it to the Commission;

(h) ensuring that the paying agency receives all necessary information, in particular on the procedures operated and any controls carried out in relation to operations selected for funding, before payments are authorised;

(i) ensuring publicity for the programme, including through the national rural network, by informing potential beneficiaries, professional organisations, the economic and social partners, bodies involved in promoting equality between men and women, and the non-governmental organisations concerned, including environmental organisations, of the possibilities offered by the programme and the rules for gaining access to programme funding as well as by informing beneficiaries of the Union contribution and the general public on the role played by the Union in the programme.

2. The Member State or the Managing Authority may designate one or more intermediate bodies including local authorities, regional development bodies or non-governmental organisations, to carry out the management and implementation of rural development operations.

When a part of its tasks is delegated to another body, the Managing Authority shall retain full responsibility for the efficiency and correctness of management and implementation of those tasks. The Managing Authority shall ensure that appropriate provisions are in place to allow the other body to obtain all necessary data and information for execution of these tasks.

3. Where a thematic sub-programme, as referred to in Article 7, is included in the rural development programme, the Managing Authority may designate one or more intermediate bodies, including local authorities, local action groups or non-governmental organisations, to carry out the management and implementation of that strategy. Paragraph 2 shall apply in this case.

The managing authority shall ensure that operations and outputs of this thematic sub-programme are identified separately for the purposes of the monitoring and evaluation system referred to in Article 67.

4. Subject to the role of the paying agencies and other bodies as set out in Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013, where a Member State has more than one programme, a coordinating body may be designated with the purpose of ensuring consistency in the management of the funds and of providing a link between the Commission and the national management authorities.

5. The Commission shall adopt implementing acts, laying down uniform conditions for the application of the information and publicity requirements referred to in point (i) of paragraph 1.