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PART TWO U.K. COMMON PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO THE ESI FUNDS

TITLE VIU.K. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

Article 58U.K.Technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission

1.At the initiative of the Commission, the ESI Funds may support the preparatory, monitoring, administrative and technical assistance, evaluation, audit and control measures necessary for implementing this Regulation.

The measures referred to in the first subparagraph may be implemented either directly by the Commission or indirectly, by entities and persons other than Member States in accordance with [F1Article 154 of the Financial Regulation].

The measures referred to in the first subparagraph may include in particular:

(a)assistance for project preparation and appraisal, including with the EIB;

(b)support for institutional strengthening and administrative capacity-building for the effective management of the ESI Funds;

(c)studies linked to the Commission's reporting on the ESI Funds and the cohesion report;

(d)measures related to the analysis, management, monitoring, information exchange and implementation of the ESI Funds, as well as measures relating to the implementation of control systems and technical and administrative assistance;

(e)evaluations, expert reports, statistics and studies, including those of a general nature, concerning the current and future operation of the ESI Funds, which may be carried out where appropriate by the EIB;

[F1(f) actions to disseminate information, support networking, carry out communication activities with particular attention to the results and added value of support from the ESI Funds, raise awareness and promote cooperation and exchange of experience, including with third countries;]

(g)the installation, operation and interconnection of computerised systems for management, monitoring, audit, control and evaluation;

(h)actions to improve evaluation methods and the exchange of information on evaluation practices;

(i)actions related to auditing;

(j)the strengthening of national and regional capacity regarding investment planning, needs assessment, preparation, design and implementation of financial instruments, joint action plans and major projects, including joint initiatives with the EIB;

(k)the dissemination of good practices in order to assist Member States to strengthen the capacity of the relevant partners referred to in Article 5 and their umbrella organisations;

[F2(l) actions financed under Regulation (EU) 2017/825 in order to contribute to delivering the Union strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth.]

[F1The Commission shall dedicate at least 15 % of the resources referred to in this Article to bring about greater efficiency in communication to the public and stronger synergies between the communication activities undertaken at the initiative of the Commission, by extending the knowledge base on results, in particular through more effective data collection and dissemination, evaluations and reporting, and especially by highlighting the contribution of the ESI Funds to improving people’s lives, and by increasing the visibility of support from the ESI Funds as well as by raising awareness about the results and the added value of such support. Information, communication and visibility measures on results and added value of support from the ESI Funds, with particular focus on operations, shall be continued after the closure of the programmes, where appropriate. Such measures shall also contribute to the corporate communication of the political priorities of the Union as far as they are related to the general objectives of this Regulation.]

[F3Depending on their purpose, the measures referred to in this Article can be financed either as operational or administrative expenditure.]

2.The Commission shall set out each year its plans on the type of actions related to the measures listed in paragraph 1, when a contribution from the ESI Funds is envisaged, by means of implementing acts.

Textual Amendments