CHAPTER IU.K. GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1U.K.Subject matter

This Regulation lays down rules for the implementation of Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 and Decision 2009/470/EC as regards the arrangements for the granting of Union financial aid provided for in Article 32(7) of Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 and Article 31(1) of Decision 2009/470/EC for the activities of EU reference laboratories (‘laboratories’) other than the Joint Research Centre, including for the organisation of workshops, and the conditions according to which that aid is granted.

This Regulation shall apply to all EU reference laboratories whose framework partnership agreements come to an end in 2011 and for EU reference laboratories whose framework partnership agreements are terminated by mutual agreement. For EU laboratories whose framework partnership agreements are not terminated, Regulation (EC) No 1754/2006 remains applicable.

Article 2U.K.Work programme and estimated budget

1.The laboratories shall, by 1 September of each calendar year ‘n’:

(a)set out the Union activities planned during calendar year ‘n + 1’, including the organisation of workshops, (‘the work programme’) in collaboration with the Commission’s services;

(b)submit to the Commission:

(i)

the work programme;

(ii)

the estimated budget per activity concerning the work programme’s expenditure (‘the estimated budget’).

2.Laboratories shall provide the estimated budget in computerised form in accordance with Annexes I(a) and I(b).

Article 3U.K.Exchange rate

For estimated budgets in a currency other than the euro, the Commission shall apply the first exchange rate fixed in September of year ‘n’, as published in the C series of the Official Journal of the European Union.

Article 4U.K.Approval

The Commission shall adopt an annual financing decision (‘the annual financing decision’) approving the work programmes and the corresponding budgets for all laboratories.

Any amendment to work programmes shall be subject to the Commission’s prior written agreement.

Article 5U.K.Pre-financing

Following the adoption by the Commission of the annual financing decision, laboratories may request pre-financing amounting to 70 % of the total aid for their work programme.

[F1Article 6 U.K. Payment of the aid

The balance of Union financial aid for work programmes shall be paid to laboratories following their submission of the financial and technical reports referred to in Article 11(1) and the approval of those reports by the Commission.]

Article 7U.K.Supporting documents

1.Laboratories shall record the work programme’s expenditure in their cost accounting system and keep all original documents or certified copies for 7 years for financial control purposes.

2.Laboratories shall keep all original supporting documents or certified copies of the supporting documents relating to the work programme receiving Union financial aid.

3.The supporting documents, evidencing all the expenditure referred to in the application for reimbursement, shall be sent to the Commission on request.

Article 8U.K.Checks

For financial control purposes, Articles 9, 36 and 37 of Regulation (EC) No 1290/2005 shall apply.