TITLE IVPROGRAMMING
CHAPTER I Programming for measures financed under shared management
Article 17Preparation of operational programmes
1.
Each Member State shall draw up a single operational programme to implement the Union priorities set out in Article 6 which are to be co–financed by the EMFF.
2.
The operational programme shall be established by the Member State following close cooperation with the partners referred to in Article 5 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013.
3.
For the section of the operational programme referred to in point (o) of Article 18(1), the Commission shall, by 31 May 2014, adopt implementing acts laying down the actual priorities of the Union for enforcement and control policy. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the advisory procedure referred to in Article 127(2).
Article 18Content of the operational programme
1.
In addition to the elements referred to in Article 27 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013, the operational programme shall include:
(a)
an analysis of the situation in terms of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats and the identification of the needs that require to be addressed in the geographical area, including, where relevant, sea basins covered by the programme.
The analysis shall be structured around the relevant Union priorities set out in Article 6 of this Regulation and, where applicable, shall be consistent with the multiannual national strategic plan for aquaculture referred to in Article 34 of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 and the progress made in achieving good environmental status through the development and implementation of a marine strategy referred to in Article 5 of Directive 2008/56/EC. Specific needs concerning jobs, the environment, the mitigation of, and adaptation to, climate change, and the promotion of innovation shall be assessed in relation to the Union priorities, with a view to identifying the most relevant responses at the level of each of the priorities related to the relevant area;
(b)
a description of the strategy within the meaning of Article 27 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013, which shall demonstrate that:
- (i)
appropriate targets are set for each of the Union priorities that are included in the programme, on the basis of common indicators referred to in Article 109 of this Regulation;
- (ii)
the selection of relevant measures follows logically from each Union priority selected in the programme, taking into account the conclusions of the ex ante evaluation and the analysis referred to in point (a) of this paragraph. As regards the measures for the permanent cessation of fishing activities under Article 34 of this Regulation, the description of the strategy shall include the targets and measures to be taken for the reduction of the fishing capacity in accordance with Article 22 of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013. A description of the method for the calculation of the compensation to be granted under Articles 33 and 34 of this Regulation shall also be included;
- (iii)
the allocation of financial resources to the Union priorities included in the programme is justifiable and adequate to achieve the targets set;
(c)
(d)
the assessment of the specific ex ante conditionalities referred to in Article 9 of and in Annex IV to this Regulation and, where required, the actions referred to in Article 19(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013;
(e)
a description of the performance framework within the meaning of Article 22 of and Annex II to Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013;
(f)
a list of measures selected organised by Union priorities;
(g)
a list of criteria applied for selecting the fisheries and aquaculture areas under Chapter III of Title V;
(h)
a list of selection criteria for community-led local development strategies under Chapter III of Title V;
(i)
in Member States where over 1 000 vessels can be considered small-scale coastal fishing vessels, an action plan for the development, competitiveness and sustainability of small-scale coastal fishing;
(j)
the evaluation requirements and the evaluation plan referred to in Article 56 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 and actions to be taken to address identified needs;
(k)
a financing plan which is to be designed by taking into account Article 20 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 and in accordance with the Commission implementing act referred to in Article 16(2) of this Regulation, comprising:
- (i)
a table setting out the total EMFF contribution planned for each year;
- (ii)
a table setting out the applicable EMFF resources and co-financing rate under the Union priorities set out in Article 6 of this Regulation and for technical assistance; by way of derogation from the general rule laid down in Article 94(2) of this Regulation, that table shall, where applicable, indicate separately the EMFF resources and the co-financing rates which apply for the support referred to in Articles 33, 34, Article 41(2), Articles 67 and 70, points (a) to (d) and (f) to (l) of Article 76(2), point (e) of Article 76(2) and Article 77 of this Regulation;
(l)
information on the complementarity and coordination with ESI Funds and other relevant Union and national funding instruments;
(m)
implementing arrangements of the operational programme including:
- (i)
identification of the authorities referred to in Article 123 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 and, for information purposes, a summary describing the management and control system;
- (ii)
a description of the respective roles of the FLAGs, the managing authority or designated body for all implementation tasks relating to the community-led local development strategy;
- (iii)
a description of the monitoring and evaluation procedures, as well as the general composition of the monitoring committee referred to in Article 48 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013;
- (iv)
the provisions to ensure that the programme is publicised in accordance with Article 119 of this Regulation;
(n)
a list of the partners referred to in Article 5 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 and the results of the consultation of those partners;
(o)
for the objective of ensuring increased compliance through control referred to in Article 6(3)(b), and in accordance with the actual priorities adopted by the Commission pursuant to Article 17(3):
- (i)
a list of the bodies implementing the control, inspection and enforcement system and a brief description of their human and financial resources available for fisheries control, inspection and enforcement, and their major equipment available for fisheries control, inspection and enforcement, in particular the number of vessels, aircraft and helicopters;
- (ii)
the overall objectives of the control measures to be implemented, using common indicators to be set in accordance with Article 109;
- (iii)
specific objectives to be achieved in accordance with the Union priorities set out in Article 6 and a detailed indication by category over the entire programming period;
(p)
for the objective of collection of data for sustainable fisheries management referred to in point (a) of Article 6(3), and in accordance with the multiannual Union programme referred to in Article 3 of Regulation (EC) No 199/2008:
- (i)
a description of the activities of data collection, in accordance with Article 25(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013;
- (ii)
a description of the data storage methods, data management and data use;
- (iii)
a description of the capability to achieve sound financial and administrative management of the data collected.
The section of the operational programme referred to in point (p) shall be supplemented in accordance with Article 21 of this Regulation.
2.
The operational programme shall include the methods for calculating the simplified costs referred to in points (b), (c) and (d) of Article 67(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 and additional costs or income foregone in accordance with Article 96 of this Regulation, and the method for calculating compensation in accordance with relevant criteria identified for each of the activities deployed under Article 40(1), Articles 53, 54 and 55, point (f) of Article 56(1) and Article 67 of this Regulation. Where relevant, information on advance payments to FLAGs under Article 62 of this Regulation shall also be included.
3.
The Commission shall adopt implementing acts laying down rules for the presentation of the elements described in paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Article. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 127(3).
Article 19Approval of the operational programme
1.
Subject to Article 29 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013, the Commission shall adopt implementing acts approving the operational programme.
2.
For the purpose of adopting the implementing acts referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article, the Commission shall examine whether the measures referred to in point (b)(ii) of Article 18(1) are likely to effectively remove the overcapacity identified.
Article 20Amendment of the operational programme
1.
The Commission shall adopt implementing acts approving any amendments to an operational programme
2.
In order to adapt to the evolving needs of control, the Commission may, every two years, adopt implementing acts detailing any changes in the priorities of the Union in the enforcement and control policy as referred to in Article 17(3) and the corresponding eligible operations which are to be prioritised. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the advisory procedure referred to in Article 127(2).
3.
Member States may submit an amendment to their operational programme, taking into account new priorities laid down in implementing acts referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article. In accordance with the principle of proportionality, such amendments to the operational programme shall be subject to a simplified procedure to be adopted in accordance with Article 22(2).
Article 21Work plans for data collection
1.
For the purpose of application of point (p) of Article 18(1) of this Regulation, Member States shall submit to the Commission by electronic means work plans for data collection in accordance with Article 4(4) of Regulation (EC) No 199/2008 by 31 October of the year preceding the year from which the work plan is to apply, unless an existing plan still applies, in which case they shall notify the Commission thereof. The content of those plans shall be consistent with Article 4(2) of that Regulation.
2.
The Commission shall adopt implementing acts approving the work plans referred to in paragraph 1 by 31 December of the year preceding the year from which the work plan is to apply.
Article 22Rules on procedures and timetables
1.
The Commission may adopt implementing acts laying down rules on procedures, format and timetables for:
(a)
the approval of operational programmes;
(b)
the submission and approval of amendments to operational programmes, including their entry into force and frequency of submission during the programming period;
(c)
the submission and approval of amendments as referred to in Article 20(3);
(d)
the submission of work plans for data collection.
Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 127(3).
2.
The procedures and timetables shall be simplified in the case of:
(a)
amendments to operational programmes concerning a transfer of funds between Union priorities, provided that the funds transferred do not exceed 10 % of the amount allocated to the Union priority;
(b)
amendments to operational programmes concerning the introduction or withdrawal of measures or types of relevant operations and related information and indicators;
(c)
amendments to operational programmes concerning changes in the description of measures, including changes of eligibility conditions;
X1(d)
amendments referred to in Article 20(3), as well as in the case of any other amendments to the section of the operational programme referred to in point (o) of Article 18(1) F1;
F2(e)
amendments to operational programmes concerning the support referred to in point (d) of Article 33(1), Article 35, Article 44(4a), point (b) of Article 55(1), Articles 57, 66 and 67 and Article 69(3), including the reallocation of financial resources thereto to address the consequences of the COVID‐19 outbreak.
F13.
Paragraph 2 shall not apply to the support referred to in points (a), (b) and (c) of Article 33(1), Article 34 and Article 41(2).
CHAPTER II Programming for measures financed under direct management
Article 23Annual work programme
1.
In order to implement Title VI, the Commission shall adopt implementing acts laying down annual work programmes in accordance with the objectives set out in the respective Chapters. For Chapters I and II of Title VI, those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 127(3).
2.
The annual work programmes shall include:
(a)
a description of the activities to be financed and the objectives to be pursued for each activity which shall be in accordance with the objectives laid down in Articles 82 and 85. It shall also contain an indication of the amount allocated to each activity, an indicative implementation timetable, as well as information on their implementation;
(b)
for grants and related measures, the essential evaluation criteria, which shall be set in a manner that best achieves the objectives pursued by the operational programme, and the maximum rate of co-financing.