Regulation (EC) No 58/2003 empowers the Commission to delegate powers to the executive agencies to implement all or part of a Union programme or project, on its behalf and under its responsibility.

The purpose of entrusting the executive agencies with programme implementation tasks is to enable the Commission to focus on its core activities and functions which cannot be outsourced, without relinquishing control over, and ultimate responsibility for, activities managed by those executive agencies.

The delegation of tasks related to programme implementation to an executive agency requires a clear separation between the programming stages involving a large measure of discretion in making choices driven by policy considerations, this being carried out by the Commission, and programme implementation, which should be entrusted to the executive agency.

By Decision 2007/60/EC2, the Commission created the Trans-European Transport Network Executive Agency and entrusted it with the management of Community actions in the field of the trans-European transport network.

Subsequently, by Decision 2008/593/EC3, the Commission extended the period of operation of the Trans-European Transport Network Executive Agency and redefined its objectives and tasks so that it became responsible also for the implementation of financial aid from the trans-European transport network budget under the 2007-2013 Multiannual Financial Framework.

The Trans-European Transport Network Executive Agency has demonstrated to be a well-organised agency which performs its mandated tasks in an effective and efficient manner in compliance with the legal framework governing its activities. The interim evaluation of the agency has shown that it holds sound productivity indicators and performs its technical and financial management to the satisfaction of stakeholders. The agency has successfully contributed to the implementation of the trans-European transport network programme and has allowed the Commission to focus on and improve the management of its policy and institutional tasks. The interim evaluation has also shown that the agency is a more cost-efficient option for the management of the trans-European transport network programme, as compared to the Commission in-house management scenario. Savings resulting from the delegation of tasks to the agency have been estimated at some EUR 8,66 million over the period of years 2008 to 2015.

In its Communication of 29 June 2011‘A budget for Europe 2020’4, the Commission proposed to use the option of more extensive recourse to existing executive agencies for the implementation of Union programmes in the 2014-2020 Multiannual Financial Framework.

The cost-benefit analysis carried out in accordance with Article 3(1) of Regulation (EC) No 58/2003 has shown that delegation to the Trans-European Transport Network Executive Agency of the management of parts of the Connecting Europe Facility programme in the fields of transport, energy and telecommunications5, as well as parts of transport and energy research under the Horizon 2020 programme6, would make it possible to implement such programmes efficiently at a lower cost than in the Commission. Such delegation of programme management to the agency is estimated to deliver efficiency gains in the order of EUR 54 million over the 2014-2020 Multiannual Financial Framework. The analysis has also shown that bringing together the management of infrastructure and research projects in the fields of transport and energy in the same agency would result in significant economies of scale and synergies between such activities. The extension of the agency’s mandate would allow the Commission and stakeholders to benefit from the agency’s expertise and high quality of programme management and service delivery. It would also ensure business continuity for the beneficiaries of the trans-European transport network programme and a high level of visibility of the Union as the promoter of the programmes managed by the agency. In addition, the analysis has also shown that for the trans-European transport network7 and Marco Polo8 programmes the return to an in-house management arrangement would be disruptive and result in efficiency losses.

In order to give executive agencies a coherent identity, the Commission has, as far as possible, grouped work by thematic policy areas in establishing their new mandates.

• the new programme Connecting Europe Facility; the management of this programme involves implementation of technical projects which do not entail political decision-making and requires a high level of technical and financial expertise throughout the project cycle,

• parts of Part III Societal Challenges of the Horizon 2020 Specific Programme; the management of this programme involves implementation of technical projects which do not entail political decision-making and requires a high level of technical and financial expertise throughout the project cycle,

• the legacy of the trans-European transport network programme, which was already delegated to the Trans-European Transport Network Executive Agency under the 2000-2006 Multiannual Financial Framework (as of 2007) and the 2007-2013 Multiannual Financial Framework; the management of this programme involves implementation of technical projects which do not entail political decision-making and requires a high level of technical and financial expertise throughout the project cycle,

• the legacy of the Marco Polo programme, which under the 2007-2013 Multiannual Financial Framework has been managed by the Executive Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation; the management of this programme involves implementation of technical projects which do not entail political decision-making and requires a high level of technical and financial expertise throughout the project cycle.

In order to ensure a consistent implementation in time of this Decision and of the programmes concerned, it is necessary to ensure that the Agency shall exercise its tasks linked to the implementation of those programmes subject to and from the date on which those programmes enter into force.

The Innovation and Networks Executive Agency should be established. It should replace and succeed the Trans-European Transport Network Executive Agency established by Decision 2007/60/EC as amended by Decision 2008/593/EC. It should operate in accordance with the general statute laid down by Regulation (EC) No 58/2003.

Decision 2007/60/EC and Decision 2008/593/EC should therefore be repealed and transitional provisions should be set out.

The measures provided for by this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee for Executive Agencies,