Council Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006 (repealed)Show full title

Article 37 Operational programmes for the Convergence and Regional competitiveness and employment objectives

1. Operational programmes relating to the Convergence and Regional competitiveness and employment objectives shall contain:

(a) an analysis of the situation of the eligible area or sector in terms of strengths and weaknesses and the strategy chosen in response;

(b) a justification of the priorities chosen having regard to the Community strategic guidelines on cohesion, the national strategic reference framework, as well as the results of the ex ante evaluation referred to in Article 48;

(c) information on the priority axes and their specific targets. Those targets shall be quantified using a limited number of indicators for output and results, taking into account the proportionality principle. The indicators shall make it possible to measure the progress in relation to the baseline situation and the achievement of the targets of the priority axis;

(d) for information purposes, an indicative breakdown by category of the programmed use of the contribution from the Funds to the operational programme in accordance with the implementing rules of this Regulation adopted by the Commission in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 103(3);

(e) a financing plan containing two tables:

(i)

a table breaking down for each year, in accordance with Articles 52, 53 and 54, the amount of the total financial appropriation envisaged for the contribution from each Fund. The financing plan shall show separately within the total annual contribution from the Structural Funds the appropriations provided for regions receiving transitional support. The total contribution from the Funds provided for annually shall be compatible with the applicable financial framework taking into account the phased reduction laid down in paragraph 6 of Annex II;

(ii)

a table specifying, for the whole programming period, for the operational programme and for each priority axis, the amount of the total financial appropriation of the Community contribution and the national counterparts and the rate of contribution from the Funds. Where in accordance with Article 53, the national counterpart is made up of public and private expenditure, the table shall give the indicative breakdown between the public and the private components. Where in accordance with Article 53, the national counterpart is made up of public expenditure, the table shall indicate the amount of the national public contribution. It shall show, for information, the contribution from the EIB and the other existing financial instruments;

(f) information on complementarity with measures financed by the EAFRD and those financed by the EFF, where relevant;

(g) the implementing provisions for the operational programme, including:

(i)

designation by the Member State of all the entities referred to in Article 59 or, if the Member State exercises the option provided for in Article 74, the designation of other bodies and procedures in accordance with the rules laid down in Article 74;

(ii)

a description of the monitoring and evaluation systems;

(iii)

information about the competent body for receiving the payments made by the Commission and the body or bodies responsible for making payments to the beneficiaries;

(iv)

a definition of the procedures for the mobilisation and circulation of financial flows in order to ensure their transparency;

(v)

the elements aiming at ensuring the publicity and the information of the operational programme as referred to in Article 69;

(vi)

a description of the procedures agreed between the Commission and the Member State for the exchange of computerised data to meet the payment, monitoring and evaluation requirements laid down by this Regulation;

(h) an indicative list of major projects within the meaning of Article 39, which are expected to be submitted within the programming period for Commission approval.

2. Operational programmes financed jointly by the ERDF and the Cohesion Fund with respect to transport and the environment shall contain priority axis specific to each Fund and a specific commitment by Fund.

3. Without prejudice to the second subparagraph of Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No 1080/2006, each operational programme under the Regional competitiveness and employment objective shall include a justification for the thematic, geographical and financial concentration on the priorities as laid down respectively in Article 5 of that Regulation and in Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 1081/2006.

4. Operational programmes financed by the ERDF shall contain in addition for the Convergence and Regional competitiveness and employment objectives:

(a) information on the approach to the sustainable urban development where appropriate;

(b) Specific priority axis for the measures financed under the additional allocation referred to in paragraph 20 of Annex II in operational programmes providing assistance in outermost regions;

5. Operational programmes affected by one or more specific allocations referred to in the additional provisions in Annex II shall contain information on the procedures foreseen to allocate and ensure the monitoring of these specific allocations.

6. At the initiative of the Member State, the operational programmes financed by the ERDF may also contain for the Convergence and Regional competitiveness and employment objectives:

(a) the list of cities chosen for addressing urban issues and the procedures for sub-delegation to urban authorities, possibly by means of a global grant;

(b) actions for interregional cooperation with, at least, one regional or local authority of another Member State.

7. At the initiative of the Member State concerned, the operational programmes for the ESF may also contain for the Convergence and Regional Competitiveness and Employment objectives a horizontal approach or a dedicated priority axis for interregional and transnational actions involving the national, regional or local authorities of at least one other Member State.