1.The body to be designated as the Responsible Authority shall have an administrative organisation and a system of internal control that comply with the criteria set out in the Annex to this Regulation (‘the designation criteria’). The designation criteria concern:
(a)internal environment,
(b)control activities;
(c)internal information and communication;
(d)internal monitoring and reporting.
Member States may lay down further designation criteria to take account of the size, responsibilities and other characteristics of the Responsible Authority.
2.The audit body referred to in Article 26(3) of Regulation (EU) No 514/2014 shall assess whether the prospective Responsible Authority complies with the designation criteria in the Annex and shall document its audit findings, conclusions and opinion in an audit report addressed to the designating authority.
3.If the designating authority is not satisfied that the prospective Responsible Authority complies with the designation criteria, it shall give this body specific instructions to remedy its non-compliances and a deadline for compliance before it may be designated as the Responsible Authority.
Pending compliance, the body may be granted provisional designation as Responsible Authority for no more than 12 months. The length of this provisional period shall be proportionate to the non-compliances identified.
4.Upon designating the Responsible Authority, the Member State shall notify the Commission without delay through SFC 2014. With this notification, the Member State shall transmit documentation setting out:
(a)the main division of responsibilities between the organisational units of the Responsible Authority;
(b)where appropriate, its relationship with delegated authorities, the activities to be delegated, and the main procedures for supervising these delegated activities; and
(c)a summary of the main procedures for processing financial claims from beneficiaries and for authorising and recording expenditure.
1.The designating authority shall supervise the Responsible Authority, in particular on the basis of the information referred to in Article 14(2) of this Regulation, and shall follow up any deficiencies identified.
2.Member States shall ensure that information indicating that the Responsible Authority no longer complies with the designation criteria is reported to the designating authority without delay.
3.When the Responsible Authority no longer fully complies with the designation criteria, or its system of internal control is so deficient as to undermine its ability to fulfil its tasks, the designating authority shall put the Responsible Authority on probation. In such cases, the designating authority shall draw up a remedial plan for the Responsible Authority to implement within a period commensurate with the seriousness of the non-compliance or deficiency. This period shall not exceed 12 months from the start of the probation period.
4.The designating authority shall promptly inform the Commission of any remedial plan drawn up pursuant to paragraph 3 and keep the Commission informed about its progress.
5.If Responsible Authority designation is ended, the designating authority shall promptly designate another Responsible Authority in accordance with Article 26 of Regulation (EU) No 514/2014 and Article 2 of this Regulation to ensure that payments to beneficiaries continue uninterrupted.
6.Where the Commission finds that a Member State has not complied with its obligation to draw up a remedial plan pursuant to paragraph 3, or that the Responsible Authority retains its designation while failing to implement the remedial plan within the imposed time-limit, the Commission shall address any remaining deficiencies through the conformity clearance procedure provided for in Article 47 of Regulation (EU) No 514/2014.