‘Electronic data exchange systems’, as referred to in the first subparagraph of Article 122(3) of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 shall mean mechanisms and instruments allowing the electronic exchange of documents and data, including audiovisual media supports, scanned documents and electronic files.

The exchange of documents and data shall include reporting on progress, payment claims and exchange of information related to management verifications and audits.

The electronic data exchange systems shall enable administrative verification in respect of each application for reimbursement by beneficiaries under Article 125(5) of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 and audits to rely on information and documents available through the electronic data exchange systems, when such information and documents are exchanged in electronic form in compliance with Article 122(3) of that regulation. Paper documents may only be requested by these responsible authorities in exceptional cases, following a risk analysis, and only if paper documents are the true source of the scanned documents uploaded in the electronic data exchange systems.

The electronic data exchange systems shall ensure data security, data integrity, data confidentiality, authentication of the sender in accordance with Articles 122(3), 125(4)(d), 125(8) and 140 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013.

The electronic data exchange systems shall be available and operational during and outside standard office hours, except for technical maintenance activities.

If a Member State, on its own initiative, imposes a compulsory use of electronic data exchange systems upon beneficiaries, it shall ensure that the technical characteristics of those systems will not disrupt smooth implementation of the Funds nor restrict access for any beneficiaries.

This requirement does not apply to electronic data exchange systems for beneficiaries which were made compulsory by a Member State during a previous programming period and comply with other requirements laid down in this Regulation.

The beneficiaries and the authorities referred to in the first subparagraph of Article 122(3) of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013, shall add the documents and data for which they are responsible, and any updates thereto, to the electronic data exchange systems in the electronic format defined by the Member State.

The Member State shall lay down detailed terms and conditions of electronic data exchange in the document setting out the conditions for support for each operation referred to in Article 125(3)(c) of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013.

The date of transmission of documents and data by the beneficiary to the authorities referred to in the first subparagraph of Article 122(3) of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 and vice versa shall be considered to be the date of electronic submission of the information which is stored in the electronic data exchange systems.

Submission of documents and data through the electronic data exchange systems shall be made only once as referred to in the second subparagraph of Article 122(3) of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 as regards the same operation for all authorities implementing the same programme.

These authorities shall work together at legal, organisational, semantic and technical levels ensuring effective communication, as well as the exchange and re-use of information and knowledge.

This is without prejudice of processes allowing the beneficiary to update erroneous or obsolete data or unreadable documents.

The electronic data exchange systems shall be accessible either directly through an interactive user interface (a web application) or via a technical interface that allows for automatic synchronisation and transmission of data between beneficiaries' and Member States' systems.

In cases of force majeure, and in particular of malfunctioning of the electronic data exchange systems or a lack of a lasting data connection, the beneficiary concerned may submit the information required to the competent authorities in the forms and using the means determined by the Member State for such cases. As soon as the cause of the force majeure ceases, the Member State shall ensure that the relevant documents are integrated into the database related to the electronic data exchange systems.

By way of derogation from paragraph 3, the date taken into account for submitting the required information shall be deemed to be the date of sending of the documents in the required forms.

Member States shall ensure that all beneficiaries can use the electronic data exchange systems referred to in Article 122(3) of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013, including the beneficiaries of ongoing operations at the date on which the electronic data exchange systems become operational and to which electronic data exchange applies.