CHAPTER IIIMAIN PRINCIPLES AND GOOD PRACTICES CONCERNING THE INVOLVEMENT OF RELEVANT PARTNERS IN THE PREPARATION OF THE F1PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT AND PROGRAMMES

Article 5Consultation of relevant partners in the preparation of the F2Partnership Agreement and programmes

1.

In order to ensure transparent and effective involvement of relevant partners, F3Member States and managing authorities F3the relevant authority shall consult them on the process and timetable of the preparation of the F4Partnership Agreement and programmes. In doing so, they shall keep them fully informed of their content and any changes thereof.

2.

As regards the consultation of relevant partners, F5Member States F5the relevant authority shall take account of the need for:

(a)

timely disclosure of and easy access to relevant information;

(b)

sufficient time for partners to analyse and comment on key preparatory documents and F6on the draft Partnership Agreement and draft programmes;

(c)

available channels through which partners may ask questions, may provide contributions and will be informed of the way in which their proposals have been taken into consideration;

(d)

the dissemination of the outcome of the consultation.

3.

As regards the rural development programmes, F7Member States F7the relevant authority shall take account of the role that the national rural networks established in accordance with Article 54 of the Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council5 can play involving relevant partners.

4.

Where formal agreements have been established between the different tiers of government below national level, the F8Member State F8relevant authority shall take account of these multi-level governance agreements in accordance with its institutional and legal framework.

F9Article 6Preparation of the Partnership Agreement

Member States shall involve relevant partners, in accordance with their institutional and legal framework, in the preparation of the Partnership Agreement, and in particular concerning:

  1. (a)

    the analysis of disparities, development needs and growth potential with reference to the thematic objectives, including those addressed by the relevant country-specific recommendations;

  2. (b)

    summaries of the ex ante conditionalities of the programmes and key findings of any ex ante evaluations of the Partnership Agreement undertaken at the Member State’s initiative;

  3. (c)

    the selection of the thematic objectives, the indicative allocations of the ESI Funds and their main expected results;

  4. (d)

    the list of programmes and the mechanisms at national and regional level to ensure coordination of the ESI Funds with one another and with other Union and national funding instruments and with the European Investment Bank;

  5. (e)

    the arrangements for ensuring an integrated approach to the use of ESI Funds for the territorial development of urban, rural, coastal and fisheries areas and areas with particular territorial features;

  6. (f)

    the arrangements for ensuring an integrated approach to addressing the specific needs of geographical areas most affected by poverty and of target groups at the highest risk of discrimination or exclusion, with special regard to marginalised communities;

  7. (g)

    the implementation of the horizontal principles referred to in Articles 5, 7 and 8 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013.

F10Article 7Information on the involvement of relevant partners in the Partnership Agreement

Member States shall provide for the Partnership Agreement at least the following information:

  1. (a)

    the list of partners involved in the preparation of the Partnership Agreement;

  2. (b)

    the actions taken to ensure the active participation of the partners, including actions taken in terms of accessibility, in particular for persons with disabilities;

  3. (c)

    the role of the partners in the preparation of the Partnership Agreement;

  4. (d)

    the results of the consultation with partners and a description of its added value in the preparation of the Partnership Agreement.

Article 8Preparation of programmes

F11Member States F11The relevant authority shall involve relevant partners, in accordance with their institutional and legal framework, in the preparation of programmes, and in particular concerning:

  1. (a)

    the analysis and identification of needs;

  2. (b)

    the definition or selection of priorities and related specific objectives;

  3. (c)

    the allocation of funding;

  4. (d)

    the definition of programmes’ specific indicators;

  5. (e)

    the implementation of the horizontal principles as defined in Articles 7 and 8 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013;

  6. (f)

    the composition of the monitoring committee.

Article 9Information on the involvement of relevant partners in programmes

F12Member States F12The relevant authority shall provide for programmes at least the following information:

  1. (a)

    the actions taken to involve the relevant partners in the preparation of the programmes and their amendments;

  2. (b)

    the planned actions to ensure the participation of the partners in the implementation of the programmes.