Council Decision of 25 June 2007 establishing the European Fund for the Integration of third-country nationals for the period 2007 to 2013 as part of the General programme ‘Solidarity and Management of Migration Flows’ (2007/435/EC) (repealed)

CHAPTER II PRINCIPLES OF ASSISTANCE

Article 6 Complementarity, consistency and compliance

1. The Fund shall provide assistance which complements national, regional and local actions, integrating into them the priorities of the Community.

In particular, to ensure the consistency of the Community's response to integration of third country nationals, actions financed under this Fund shall be specific and complementary to actions financed under the European Social Fund and the European Refugee Fund.

2. The Commission and the Member States shall ensure that assistance from the Fund and the Member States is consistent with the activities, policies and priorities of the Community. This consistency shall be indicated in particular in the multiannual programme referred to in Article 16.

3. Operations financed by the Fund shall comply with the provisions of the Treaty and of acts adopted thereunder.

Article 7 Programming

1. The objectives of the Fund shall be pursued within the framework of the multiannual programming period from 2007 to 2013, subject to a mid-term review, in accordance with Article 20. The multiannual programming system shall include the priorities and a process of management, decision-making, auditing and certification.

2. The multiannual programmes approved by the Commission shall be implemented by means of annual programmes.

Article 8 Subsidiary and proportional intervention

1. Implementation of multiannual and annual programmes referred to in Articles 17 and 19 shall be the responsibility of Member States at the appropriate territorial level, in accordance with the institutional system specific to each Member State. This responsibility shall be exercised in accordance with this Decision.

2. In relation to audit provisions the means employed by the Commission and the Member States shall vary according to the size of the Community contribution. The same principle shall apply to provisions on evaluation and to the reports on multiannual and annual programmes.

Article 9 Implementation methods

1. The Community budget allocated to the Fund shall be implemented in accordance with Article 53(1)(b) of the Financial Regulation, with the exception of the Community actions referred to in Article 5 and the technical assistance referred to in Article 14. Member States and the Commission shall ensure compliance with the principle of sound financial management.

2. The Commission shall exercise its responsibility for implementing the general budget of the European Union by:

(a) checking the existence and proper functioning of management and control systems in the Member States in accordance with the procedures described in Article 30;

(b) withholding or suspending payments in full or in part in accordance with the procedures described in Articles 39 and 40 if the national management and control systems fail, and applying any other financial correction required, in accordance with the procedures described in Articles 43 and 44.

Article 10 Partnership

1. Each Member State shall organise, in accordance with current national rules and practices, a partnership with the authorities and bodies which are involved in the implementation of the multiannual programme or which, according to the Member State concerned, are able to make a useful contribution to its development.

Such authorities and bodies may include the competent regional, local, urban and other public authorities, international organisations and bodies representing civil society such as non-governmental organisations, including migrant organisations, or social partners.

This partnership shall include at least the implementing authorities designated by Member States for the purpose of the management of the interventions of the European Social Fund and the responsible authority of the European Refugee Fund.

2. Such partnership shall be conducted in full compliance with the respective institutional, legal and financial jurisdiction of each partner category.