CHAPTER VMonitoring reporting, and evaluation

Article 23Monitoring and reporting

1

The implementing body shall monitor the operation of the Innovation Fund, including the amounts of the disbursed Innovation Fund support.

2

With a view to ensuring that data for monitoring refered to in paragprah 1 and results are collected efficiently, effectively and in a timely manner, proportionate reporting requirements may be imposed on the project proponents. The reports of the project proponents shall include the information on the knowledge-sharing actions undertaken pursuant to Article 27.

3

The implementing body shall regularly report to the Commission on the performance of its tasks.

4

The implementing body shall report to the Commission on the full cycle of the disbursement of support, and in particular on the organisation of the calls for proposals, and on the signatures of contracts with the project proponents.

5

After completion of the each call for proposals, the Commission shall report to the Member States on the implementation of that call for proposals.

6

The Commission shall report annually to the Council and to the European Parliament on the progress of the implementation of the Innovation Fund.

7

Implementing bodies, other than executive agencies, and entities to which the management of the Innovation Fund revenues has been delegated pursuant Article 20(3) shall provide the Commission with the following:

a

by 15 February, unaudited financial statements covering the preceding financial year, which shall run from 1 January to 31 December, in respect of the activities delegated to those implementing bodies and entities;

b

by 15 March of the year of the transmission of the unaudited financial statements, the audited financial statements covering the preceding financial year, which shall run from 1 January to 31 December, in respect of the activities delegated to those implementing bodies and entities.

The Commission shall prepare annual accounts of the Innovation Fund for each financial year, which shall run from 1 January to 31 December on the basis of the financial statements provided pursuant to the first subparagraph. Those accounts shall be subject to an independent external audit.

Any financial statements and accounts provided for in this paragraph shall be drawn up in compliance with the accounting rules referred to in Article 80 of the Financial Regulation.