1.The Commission shall designate one or more entities or bodies to be entrusted with the budget implementation tasks for innovative actions at Union level pursuant to Article 58(1)(c) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 (hereinafter referred to as ‘entrusted entity’).
In addition to the requirements laid down in Article 60(1) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012, the entrusted entity shall have a demonstrated track record in managing Union funds in several Member States.
2.The Commission shall conclude a delegation agreement with the entrusted entity in accordance with Article 61(3) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 and that delegation agreement shall contain in addition to the requirements set out in Article 40 of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 1268/2012(1) provisions governing:
(a)guidance for applicants and beneficiaries;
(b)an annual work programme for approval by the Commission;
(c)the organisation of calls to select the innovative actions;
(d)the assessment of the eligibility of the applicants;
(e)the setting-up of an expert panel, in agreement with the Commission, to assess and rank the proposals;
(f)the selection of the innovative actions on the basis of the recommendation of the expert panel, in agreement with the Commission;
(g)the requirement that the beneficiary is provided with a document setting out the conditions for support, as specified by the Commission;
(h)the examination of reports submitted by the beneficiaries and payments to the beneficiaries;
(i)the monitoring of individual innovative actions;
(j)the organisation of communication events;
(k)the dissemination of results, in agreement with the Commission;
(l)the audit of individual innovative actions to ensure that they implement the grant according to the principles of sound financial management;
(m)a financial contribution in support of the management tasks of the entrusted entity to be provided in the form of a flat-rate contribution to the operational costs of the entrusted entity and established on the basis of the amount of Union funds for grant support entrusted to that entity.
3.The entrusted entity shall provide the Commission with the documents in accordance with Article 60(5) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 and with all necessary information required for the evaluation of the implementation of the innovative actions.
Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 1268/2012 of 29 October 2012 on the rules of application of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union (OJ L 362, 31.12.2012, p. 1).