### measures in and in relation to third countries supported through the fund should be implemented in full synergy and coherence with and should complement other actions outside the union supported through the union’s external financing instruments . in particular , in implementing such actions , full coherence should be sought with the principles and general objectives of the union’s external action and foreign policy related to the country or region in question . in relation to the external dimension , the fund should enhance cooperation with third countries in areas of interest to the union’s internal security , such as countering terrorism and radicalisation , cooperation with third country law enforcement authorities in the fight against terrorism , serious and organised crime and corruption , trafficking in human beings and migrant smuggling . ### measures in and in relation to third countries supported through the fund should be implemented in full synergy and coherence with and should complement other actions outside the union supported through the union’s external financing instruments . in particular , in implementing such actions , full coherence should be sought with the principles and general objectives of external action , the union’s foreign policy and development aid policy related to the country or region in question . in relation to the external dimension , the fund should enhance cooperation with third countries in areas of interest to the union’s internal security , such as countering terrorism and radicalisation , cooperation with third country law enforcement authorities in the fight against terrorism , trafficking , in particular of arms , drugs , endangered species and cultural goods , serious and organised crime and corruption , trafficking in human beings and migrant smuggling .


### in accordance with the financial regulation , regulation no 883 / 2013 of the european parliament and of the council19 , council regulation no 2988 / 9520 , council regulation no 2185 / 9621 and council regulation 2017 / 193922 , the financial interests of the union are to be protected through proportionate measures , including the prevention , detection , correction and investigation of irregularities and fraud , the recovery of funds lost , wrongly paid or incorrectly used and , where appropriate , the imposition of administrative sanctions . in particular , in accordance with regulation no 883 / 2013 and regulation no 2185 / 96 , the european anti - fraud office may carry out administrate investigations , including on - the - spot checks and inspections , with a view to establishing whether there has been fraud , corruption or any other criminal offences affecting the financial interests of the union . in accordance with council regulation 2017 / 1939 , the european public prosecutor’s office may investigate and prosecute fraud and other illegal activities affecting the financial interests of the union as provided for in directive 2017 / 1371 of the european parliament and of the council23 . in accordance with the financial regulation , any person or entity receiving union funds is to fully cooperate in the protection of the union’s financial interests to grant the necessary rights and access to the commission , olaf , the eppo and the european court of auditors and to ensure that any third parties involved in the implementation of union funds grant equivalent rights . __________________ 19 regulation no 883 / 2013 of the european parliament and of the council of 11 september 2013 concerning investigations conducted by the european anti - fraud office and repealing regulation no 1073 / 1999 of the european parliament and of the council and council regulation no 1074 / 1999 . 20 council regulation no 2988 / 95 of 18 december 1995 on the protection of the european communities financial interests . 21 council regulation no 2185 / 96 of 11 november 1996 concerning on - the - spot checks and inspections carried out by the commission in order to protect the european communities’ financial interests against fraud and other irregularities . 22 council regulation 2017 / 1939 of 12 october 2017 implementing enhanced cooperation on the establishment of the european public prosecutor’s office . 23 directive 2017 / 1371 of the european parliament and of the council of 5 july 2017 on the fight against fraud to the union’s financial interests by means of criminal law . ### in accordance with the financial regulation , regulation no 883 / 2013 of the european parliament and of the council19 , council regulation no 2988 / 9520 , council regulation no 2185 / 9621 and council regulation 2017 / 193922 , the financial interests of the union are to be protected through proportionate measures , including the prevention , detection , correction and investigation of irregularities and fraud , the recovery of funds lost , wrongly paid or incorrectly used and , where appropriate , the imposition of administrative and / or criminal sanctions . in particular , in accordance with regulation no 883 / 2013 and regulation no 2185 / 96 , the european anti - fraud office may carry out administrate investigations , including on - the - spot checks and inspections , with a view to establishing whether there has been fraud , corruption or any other criminal offences affecting the financial interests of the union . in accordance with council regulation 2017 / 1939 , the european public prosecutor’s office may investigate and prosecute fraud and other illegal activities affecting the financial interests of the union as provided for in directive 2017 / 1371 of the european parliament and of the council23 . in accordance with the financial regulation , any person or entity receiving union funds is to fully cooperate in the protection of the union’s financial interests to grant the necessary rights and access to the commission , olaf , the eppo and the european court of auditors and to ensure that any third parties involved in the implementation of union funds grant equivalent rights . member states must cooperate fully and give all the necessary assistance to the union’s institutions , agencies and bodies in order to protect the union’s financial interests . __________________ 19 regulation no 883 / 2013 of the european parliament and of the council of 11 september 2013 concerning investigations conducted by the european anti - fraud office and repealing regulation no 1073 / 1999 of the european parliament and of the council and council regulation no 1074 / 1999 . 20 council regulation no 2988 / 95 of 18 december 1995 on the protection of the european communities financial interests . 21 council regulation no 2185 / 96 of 11 november 1996 concerning on - the - spot checks and inspections carried out by the commission in order to protect the european communities’ financial interests against fraud and other irregularities . 22 council regulation 2017 / 1939 of 12 october 2017 implementing enhanced cooperation on the establishment of the european public prosecutor’s office . 23 directive 2017 / 1371 of the european parliament and of the council of 5 july 2017 on the fight against fraud to the union’s financial interests by means of criminal law .


### whenever a member state decides to implement projects with or in a third country , with the support of the fund , the member state concerned shall consult the commission prior to the start of the project . ### whenever a member state decides to implement projects with or in a third country with the support of the fund , the member state concerned shall request the approval of the commission prior to the start of the project . before giving its approval , the commission shall ensure the complementarity and coherence of the planned projects with other union and member state actions taken vis - à - vis the third country concerned . the commission shall also verify the conformity of the planned projects with the requirements concerning fundamental rights set out in article 3 .


### to preserve the schengen acquis and to strengthen its functioning , member states have , since 6 april 2017 , been obliged to carry out systematic checks against relevant databases on eu citizens who are crossing the eu’s external borders . furthermore , the commission issued a recommendation to member states to make better use of police checks and cross - border cooperation . solidarity among member states , clarity about the division of tasks , respect for fundamental rights and freedoms and the rule of law , a strong attention to the global perspective and the necessary coherence with the external dimension of security should be key principles guiding the union and member states’ action towards the development of an effective and genuine security union . ### to preserve the schengen acquis and to strengthen its functioning , member states have , since 6 april 2017 , been obliged to carry out systematic checks against relevant databases on eu citizens who are crossing the eu’s external borders . furthermore , the commission issued a recommendation to member states to make better use of police checks and cross - border cooperation .


### the policy objective of the fund shall be to contribute to ensuring a high level of security in the union , in particular by tackling terrorism and radicalisation , serious and organised crime and cybercrime and by assisting and protecting victims of crime . ### the policy objective of the fund shall be to contribute to ensuring a high level of security in the union by reinforcing cooperation , among other things , in particular by tackling terrorism and radicalisation , serious and organised crime and cybercrime and by assisting and protecting victims of crime .


### legal entities established in a third country are exceptionally eligible to participate where this is necessary for the achievement of the objectives of a given action . ### legal entities established in a third country are exceptionally authorised by the commission to participate where this is necessary for the achievement of the objectives of a given action .


### support provided under this regulation shall complement national , regional and local intervention , and shall focus on bringing added value to the objectives of this regulation . ### support provided under this regulation shall complement national , regional and local intervention , and shall focus on bringing european added value to the objectives of this regulation .


### actions funded shall be implemented in full respect for fundamental rights and human dignity . in particular , actions shall comply with the provisions of the charter of fundamental rights of the european union , union data protection law and the european convention for the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms . in particular , wherever possible , special attention shall be given by member states when implementing actions to the assistance and protection of vulnerable persons , in particular children and unaccompanied minors . ### actions funded shall be implemented in full respect for the values set out in article 2 of the treaty on european union , fundamental rights and human dignity . in particular , actions shall comply with the provisions of the charter of fundamental rights of the european union , union data protection law and the european convention for the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms . in particular , wherever possible , special attention shall be given by member states when implementing actions to the assistance and protection of vulnerable persons , in particular children and unaccompanied minors .


### eur 1 000 000 000 shall be allocated to the thematic facility . ### eur 883 890 in 2018 prices shall be allocated to the thematic facility .


### in the rome declaration signed on 25 september 2017 , leaders of 27 member states affirmed their determination to a safe and secure europe and to build a union where all citizens feel safe and can move freely , where the external borders are secured , with an efficient , responsible and sustainable migration policy , respecting international norms , as well as a europe determined to fight terrorism and organised crime . ### in the rome declaration signed on 25 march 2017 , leaders of 27 member states affirmed their determination to a safe and secure europe and to build a union where all citizens feel safe and can move freely , where the external borders are secured , with an efficient , responsible and sustainable migration policy , respecting international norms , as well as a europe determined to fight terrorism and organised crime .


### a maximum of 15 % of the allocation of a member state programme may be used for the purchase of equipment , means of transport or the construction of security - relevant facilities . this ceiling may be exceeded only in duly justified cases . ### a maximum of 15 % of the allocation of a member state programme may be used for the purchase of equipment , means of transport or the construction of security - relevant facilities . this ceiling may be exceeded only in duly justified cases and after approval by the commission .


### –projects which aim at improving the interoperability of it systems and communication networks41 . __________________ 41 in line with the commission communication on stronger and smarter information systems for borders and security com 205 . ### –projects which aim at improving police and judicial cooperation and the interoperability of it systems and communication networks41 . __________________ 41 in line with the commission communication on stronger and smarter information systems for borders and security com 205 .


### regulation no x [ cpr ] establishes the framework for action by the european regional development fund , the european social fund plus , the cohesion fund , the european maritime and fisheries fund , the asylum and migration fund , internal security fund and the instrument for border management and visa , as a part of the integrated border management fund , and it lays down , in particular , the rules concerning programming , monitoring and evaluation , management and control for eu funds implemented under shared management . additionally it is necessary to specify the objectives of the internal security fund in this regulation , and to lay down specific provisions concerning the activities that may be financed with the support of this fund . ### regulation no x [ cpr ] establishes the framework for action by the european regional development fund , the european social fund plus , the cohesion fund , the european maritime and fisheries fund , the asylum , migration and integration fund , internal security fund and the instrument for border management and visa , as a part of the integrated border management fund , and it lays down , in particular , the rules concerning programming , monitoring and evaluation , management and control for eu funds implemented under shared management . additionally it is necessary to specify the objectives of the internal security fund in this regulation , and to lay down specific provisions concerning the activities that may be financed with the support of this fund .


### eur 1 500 000 000 shall be allocated to the programmes implemented under shared management ; ### eur 1 325 835 000 in 2018 prices shall be allocated to the programmes implemented under shared management ;


### in order to increase the added value of the appeal committee its role should therefore be strengthened by providing for the possibility of holding a further meeting of the appeal committee whenever no opinion is delivered . the appropriate level of representation at the further meeting of the appeal committee should be ministerial level , to ensure a political discussion . to allow the organisation of such a further meeting the timeframe for the appeal committee to deliver an opinion should be extended . ### in order to increase the added value of the appeal committee its role should therefore be strengthened by providing for the possibility of holding a further meeting of the appeal committee , at the earliest opportunity , whenever no opinion is delivered . the appropriate level of representation at the further meeting of the appeal committee should be ministerial level , to ensure a political discussion . to allow the organisation of such a further meeting the timeframe for the appeal committee to deliver an opinion should be extended .


### where no opinion is delivered in the appeal committee pursuant to the second subparagraph of article 6 , the chair may decide that the appeal committee shall hold a further meeting , at ministerial level . in such cases the appeal committee shall deliver its opinion within 3 months of the initial date of referral . ### where no opinion is delivered in the appeal committee pursuant to the second subparagraph of article 6 , the chair may decide that the appeal committee shall hold a further meeting , at ministerial level and at the earliest possible opportunity . in such cases the appeal committee shall deliver its opinion within 3 months of the initial date of referral . the commission may decide in exceptional and duly justified cases to reduce the time limits provided for in this paragraph .


### reflecting the importance of tackling climate change in line with the union ' s commitments to implement the paris agreement and the united nations sustainable development goals , the investeu programme will contribute to mainstream climate actions and to the achievement of an overall target of 25 % of the union budget expenditures supporting climate objectives . actions under the investeu programme are expected to contribute 30 % of the overall financial envelope of the investeu programme to climate objectives . relevant actions will be identified during the investeu programme ' s preparation and implementation and reassessed in the context of the relevant evaluations and review processes . ### reflecting the importance of tackling climate change in line with the union ' s commitments to implement the paris agreement and the united nations sustainable development goals , the investeu programme will contribute to mainstream climate actions and to the achievement of an overall target of 30 % of the union budget expenditures supporting climate objectives . actions under the investeu programme shall contribute 40 % of the overall financial envelope of the investeu programme to climate and environmental objectives . relevant actions will be identified during the investeu programme ' s preparation and implementation and reassessed in the context of the relevant evaluations and review processes . the climate tracking methodology used shall be in line with international standards of multilateral development banks and the eib .


### reflecting the importance of tackling climate change in line with the union ' s commitments to implement the paris agreement and the united nations sustainable development goals , the investeu programme will contribute to mainstream climate actions and to the achievement of an overall target of 25 % of the union budget expenditures supporting climate objectives . actions under the investeu programme are expected to contribute 30 % of the overall financial envelope of the investeu programme to climate objectives . relevant actions will be identified during the investeu programme ' s preparation and implementation and reassessed in the context of the relevant evaluations and review processes . ### reflecting the importance of tackling climate change in line with the union ' s commitments to implement the paris agreement and the united nations sustainable development goals , the investeu programme will contribute to mainstream climate actions and to the achievement of an overall target of 30 % of the union budget expenditures supporting climate objectives . actions under the investeu programme are expected to contribute 35 % of the overall financial envelope of the investeu programme to climate objectives . relevant actions will be identified during the investeu programme ' s preparation and implementation and reassessed in the context of the relevant evaluations and review processes .


### financing and investment operations under the sustainable infrastructure policy window referred to in point of paragraph shall be subject to climate , environmental and social sustainability proofing with a view to minimise detrimental impacts and maximise benefits on climate , environment and social dimension . for that purpose , promoters requesting financing shall provide adequate information based on guidance to be developed by the commission . projects below a certain size defined in the guidance shall be excluded from the proofing . ### financing and investment operations under the policy windows referred to in points to of paragraph shall be subject to climate , environmental and social sustainability proofing with a view to minimise detrimental impacts and maximise benefits on climate , environment and social dimension . for that purpose , promoters requesting financing shall provide adequate information based on guidance to be adopted by the commission in accordance with paragraph 6 . projects below a certain size defined in the guidance shall be excluded from the proofing .


### production and supply of synthetic fuels from renewable / carbon - neutral sources ; alternative fuels ; ### production and supply of synthetic fuels from renewable / carbon - neutral non - fossil sources ; alternative fuels ;


### in paragraph 3 , point is replaced by the following : ### in paragraph 3 , point is deleted .


### applications may be lodged no more than six months , and for seafarers in the performance of their duties , no more than nine months before the start of the intended visit and , as a rule , no later than 15 calendar days before that start . ; ### applications may be lodged no more than nine months before the start of the intended visit and , as a rule , no later than 15 calendar days before that start . in justified individual cases of urgency , including when it is necessary on professional grounds , on humanitarian grounds , for reasons of national interest or because of international obligations , the consulate may waive the latter time limit . ;


### three years after&#160 ; [ the date of entry into force of this regulation ] , the commission shall produce an evaluation of the application&#160 ; of this regulation . this overall evaluation shall include an examination of the results achieved against objectives and of the implementation of the provisions of this regulation . ### two years after [ the date of entry into force of this regulation ] , the commission shall produce an evaluation of the application of this regulation . this overall evaluation shall include an examination of the results achieved against objectives and of the implementation of the provisions of this regulation .


### in case of lack of cooperation of certain third countries to readmit their nationals apprehended in an irregular situation and failure of those third countries to cooperate effectively in the return process , a restrictive and temporary application of certain provisions of regulation no 810 / 2009 should on the basis of a transparent mechanism based on objective criteria , be applied to enhance a given third country ' s cooperation on readmission of irregular migrants . ### in case of satisfactory cooperation or a lack of cooperation by certain third countries to readmit their nationals apprehended in an irregular situation and either satisfactory willingness or failure of those third countries to cooperate effectively in the return process , a restrictive and temporary application of certain provisions of regulation no 810 / 2009 should on the basis of a transparent mechanism based on objective criteria , be applied to enhance a given third country ' s cooperation on readmission of irregular migrants , or to encourage its continuation .


### ensure a common translation of the application form , where relevant ; ### ensure a common translation of the application form , and of the standard form for notifying and giving reasons for refusal , annulment or revocation of a visa , where relevant ;


### to ensure that nationals of third countries subject to the visa requirement can lodge their visa application in their place of residence even if no member state is present for the purpose of collecting applications , external service providers should be enabled to provide the necessary service for a fee exceeding the general maximum level . ### to ensure that nationals of third countries subject to the visa requirement can lodge their visa application as close as possible to their place of residence , external service providers should be enabled to collect applications for a fee exceeding the general maximum level .


### that period may be extended up to a maximum of 45 calendar days in individual cases , notably when further scrutiny of the application is needed . ### that period may be extended up to a maximum of 30 calendar days in individual cases , notably when further scrutiny of the application is needed .


### if the visit includes more than one destination , or if several separate visits are to be carried out within a period of two months , the member state whose territory constitutes the main destination of the visit in terms of the length of stay , counted in days ; or ; ### if the visit includes more than one destination , or if several separate visits are to be carried out within a period of two months , the member state where the host organisation or undertaking is located , if applicable , or the member state whose territory constitutes the main destination of the visit in terms of the length of stay , counted in days or , if the main destination cannot be ascertained , the member states through whose external border the applicant intends to enter the territory of the member states ;


### extending the scope of the directive by including practices such as lease , rental and hire - purchase of vehicles , as well as contracts for public road transport services , special purpose road transport passenger services , non - scheduled passenger transport and hire of buses and coaches with drivers as well as specific postal and courier services and waste refusal services ensures that all relevant procurement practices are covered . ### extending the scope of the directive by including practices such as lease , rental and hire - purchase of vehicles , as well as contracts for public road transport services , special purpose road transport passenger services , non - scheduled passenger transport and hire of buses and coaches with drivers as well as specific postal and courier services and waste refusal services ensures that all relevant procurement practices are covered , with keeping in mind the possibility to extend its scope to the rail sector in the future . however the existing contracts should not be retroactively affected by this directive .


### setting minimum targets for clean vehicle procurement by 2025 and by 2030 at member state level should contribute to policy certainty for markets where investments in low - and zero - emission mobility are warranted . the minimum targets support market creation throughout the union . they provide time for the adjustment of public procurement processes and give a clear market signal . the impact assessment notes that member states increasingly set targets , depending on their economic capacity and how serious the problem is . different targets should be set for different member states in accordance with their economic capacity and exposure to pollution . minimum procurement targets should be complemented by the obligation of the contracting authorities , entities and operators to consider relevant energy and environmental aspects in all their procurement procedures . the territorial impact assessment of this amended directive illustrated that the impact will be evenly distributed among regions in the union . ### setting minimum targets for clean vehicle procurement by 2025 and by 2030 at member state level should contribute to policy certainty for markets where investments in low - and zero - emission mobility are warranted . the minimum targets support market creation throughout the union . they provide time for the adjustment of public procurement processes and give a clear market signal . the impact assessment notes that member states increasingly set targets , depending on their economic capacity and how serious the problem is . different targets should be set for different member states in accordance with their economic capacity and exposure to pollution . considering that these parameters are quite often not uniform within a member state , an assessment of their reliability will be necessary so that the methodology can eventually be complemented . minimum procurement targets should be complemented by the obligation of the contracting authorities , entities and operators to consider relevant energy and environmental aspects in all their procurement procedures . the territorial impact assessment of this amended directive illustrated that the impact will be evenly distributed among regions in the union .


### this directive lays down rules on a common framework for conducting proportionality assessments before introducing new legislative , regulatory or administrative provisions restricting access to or pursuit of regulated professions , or amending existing ones , with a view to ensuring the proper functioning of the internal market . ### this directive lays down rules on a common framework for conducting proportionality assessments before introducing new legislative , regulatory or administrative provisions restricting access to or pursuit of regulated professions , or amending existing ones , with a view to ensuring the proper functioning of the internal market . it does not affect the member states ' prerogative and margin of discretion to decide whether and how to regulate a profession within the limits of the principles of non - discrimination and proportionality .


### the nature of the risks related to the public interest objectives pursued , in particular the risks to consumers , to professionals or third parties ; ### the nature of the risks related to the public interest objectives pursued , in particular the risks to consumers , service recipients , including patients , professionals or third parties ;


### the extended efsi should address remaining market failures and sub - optimal investment situations and continue to mobilise private sector financing in investments crucial for europe’s future job creation – including for the youth – , growth and competitiveness with strengthened additionality . they include investments in the areas of energy , environment and climate action , social and human capital and related infrastructure , healthcare , research and innovation , cross - border and sustainable transport , as well as the digital transformation . in particular , the contribution of operations supported by the efsi to achieving the union ' s ambitious targets set at the paris climate conference should be reinforced . energy interconnection priority projects and energy efficiency projects should also be increasingly targeted . in addition , efsi support to motorways should be avoided , unless it is needed to support private investment in transport in cohesion countries or in cross - border transport projects involving at least one cohesion country . for reasons of clarity , although they are already eligible , it should be explicitly laid down that projects in the fields of agriculture , fishery and aquaculture come within the general objectives eligible for efsi support . ### the extended efsi should address remaining market failures and sub - optimal investment situations and continue to mobilise new private sector financing in investments crucial for europe’s future job creation – including for the youth – , growth and competitiveness with strengthened additionality vis - à - vis other existing union instruments and the eib’s main operations . they include investments in the areas of energy , bio - economy , environment and climate action , social and human capital and related infrastructure , healthcare , research and innovation , cross - border and sustainable transport and cross - border networks , as well as the digital transformation in all sectors . in particular , the contribution of operations supported by the efsi to achieving the union ' s ambitious targets set at the paris climate conference should be reinforced . energy interconnection priority projects and energy efficiency projects should also be increasingly targeted . in addition , efsi support to motorways and carbon - intensive transport projects should be avoided , unless it is crucially needed to support private investment in transport projects . for reasons of clarity , although they are already eligible , it should be explicitly laid down that projects in the fields of agriculture , fishery and aquaculture come within the general objectives eligible for efsi support .


### in order to reinforce the take - up of the efsi in less - developed and transition regions , the scope of the general objectives eligible for efsi support should be enlarged . ### in order to reinforce the take - up of the efsi in all regions , including in less - developed , remote and transition regions , and to tackle the geographical and sectorial imbalance of efsi support , the scope of the general objectives eligible for efsi support should be enlarged with an increased use of the european advisory hub to provide technical assistance for the project generation at regional and local levels across the union as well as to ensure better communication and visibility .


### the european investment advisory hub should be enhanced and its activities should focus on needs not covered adequately under current arrangements . it should pay particular attention to supporting the preparation of projects involving two or more member states and projects that contribute to achieving the objectives of cop21 . notwithstanding its objective to build upon existing advisory services of the eib and the commission , so to act as a single technical advisory hub for project financing within the union , the eiah should also contribute actively to the objective of sectorial and geographical diversification of the efsi and support the eib where needed in originating projects . it should also actively contribute to the establishment of investment platforms and provide advice on the combination of other sources of union funding with the efsi . ### the european investment advisory hub should be enhanced , including the possibility to increase its budget if and when justified , and its activities should focus on needs not covered adequately under current arrangements . it should pay particular attention to supporting the preparation of projects involving two or more member states and projects that contribute to achieving the objectives of the europe 2020 strategy and of cop21 . notwithstanding its objective to build upon existing advisory services of the eib and the commission , so to act as a single technical advisory hub for project financing within the union , the eiah should also contribute actively to the objective of sectorial and geographical diversification of the efsi and support the eib where needed in originating projects . it should also actively contribute to the establishment of investment platforms and provide advice on the combination of other sources of union funding with the efsi .


### additionality , a key feature of the efsi , should be strengthened in the selection of projects . in particular , operations should only be eligible for efsi support if they address clearly identified market failures or sub - optimal investment situations . operations in infrastructure under the infrastructure and innovation window linking two or more member states , including e - infrastructure , should be considered additional given their inherent difficulty and their high added value for the union . ### additionality , a key feature of the efsi , should be strengthened in the selection of projects . in particular , operations should only be eligible for efsi support if they address clearly identified market failures or sub - optimal investment situations . the purpose of additionality should be limited to ensuring that selected projects are those that could not have otherwise obtained financing on the market due to a higher risk profile . additionality as a term must be kept simple and create other more easily measurable criterion for the funding . operations in infrastructure under the infrastructure and innovation window linking two or more member states , including e - infrastructure , should be considered additional given their inherent difficulty and their high added value for the union .


### leveraging local knowledge to facilitate efsi support across the union and contributing where possible to the objective of sectorial and geographical diversification of the efsi referred to in section 8 of annex ii by supporting the eib to originate operations ; ### leveraging local , regional and national knowledge to facilitate efsi support across the union and contributing where possible to the objective of sectorial and geographical diversification of the efsi referred to in section 8 of annex ii by supporting the eib to originate operations ;


### to better address market failures or sub - optimal investment situations , eib special activities supported by the efsi shall typically have features such as subordination , participation in risk - sharing instruments , cross - border characteristics , exposure to specific risks or other identifiable aspects as further described in annex ii . ### to better address market failures or sub - optimal investment situations , eib special activities supported by the efsi shall be considered as vectors of additionality compared to other eib , eif or union financial instruments and typically have features such as subordination , participation in risk - sharing instruments , cross - border characteristics , exposure to specific risks or other identifiable aspects as further described in annex ii .


### the commission shall ensure the financial management of the fund . the commission shall manage and invest the resources of the guarantee fund in accordance with the principle of sound financial management and shall follow appropriate prudential rules . ; ### the commission shall ensure the financial management of the fund . the commission shall manage and invest the resources of the guarantee fund in accordance with the principle of sound financial management and shall follow appropriate prudential rules , while taking into account the principles guiding the union ' s external action ;


### electronic visa application systems developed by member states help to facilitate application procedures for applicants and consulates . a common solution allowing full digitisation should be developed , making full use of the recent legal and technological developments . ### electronic visa application systems developed by member states help to facilitate application procedures for applicants and consulates . a common solution ensuring full digitisation should be developed , making full use of the recent legal and technological developments . electronic visa application system should be fully accessible for the people with disabilities . straightforward and streamlined procedural guarantees should be strengthened and uniformly applied .


### if the authority becomes aware of a decision of a supervisory authority within the meaning of point 21 of article 4 of regulation 2016 / 679 of the european parliament and of the council17 finding that a natural or legal person has infringed applicable rules on the protection of personal data and if it follows from that decision , or where there are otherwise reasonable grounds to believe , that the infringement is linked to political activities by a european political party or a european political foundation in the context of elections to the european parliament , the authority shall refer this matter to the committee of independent eminent persons established by article 11 . the committee shall give an opinion as to whether the european political party or the european political foundation concerned has deliberately influenced or attempted to influence the outcome of elections to the european parliament by taking advantage of that infringement . the authority shall request the opinion without undue delay and no later than 1 month after the decision of the supervisory authority . the committee shall deliver its opinion within a short , reasonable deadline set by the authority . __________________ 17 regulation 2016 / 679 of the european parliament and of the council of 27 april 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data , and repealing directive 95 / 46 / ec , . ### if the authority becomes aware of a final decision of a supervisory authority within the meaning of point 21 of article 4 of regulation 2016 / 679 of the european parliament and of the council adopted pursuant to article 58 of regulation 2016 / 679 or of a final decision of the european data protection supervisor established in accordance with article [ 52 ] of regulation [ 2018 / xxxx ] of the european parliament and of the council adopted pursuant to [ article 58 ] of regulation [ 2018 / xxxx ] finding that a natural or legal person has infringed applicable rules on the protection of personal data and if it follows from that final decision that the infringement is linked to political activities by a european political party or a european political foundation in the context of elections to the european parliament , the authority shall refer this matter to the committee of independent eminent persons established by article 11 . the committee shall give an opinion as to whether the european political party or the european political foundation concerned has deliberately influenced or attempted to influence the outcome of elections to the european parliament by taking advantage of that infringement . the authority shall request the opinion without undue delay and no later than 1 month after the decision of the supervisory authority . the committee shall deliver its opinion within a short , reasonable deadline set by the authority . __________________ 17 regulation 2016 / 679 of the european parliament and of the council of 27 april 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data , and repealing directive 95 / 46 / ec , .


### to that end , a verification procedure should be established whereby the authority must , in certain circumstances , ask the committee of independent eminent persons to assess whether a european political party or a european political foundation has deliberately influenced or attempted to influence the outcome of elections to the european parliament by taking advantage of an infringement of the applicable rules on protection of personal data . where the committee finds that to be the case , the authority should impose sanctions in line with the effective , proportionate and dissuasive sanctioning system established by the regulation no 1141 / 2014 . ### to that end , a verification procedure should be established whereby the authority must , following a final decision by the supervisory authority or european data protection supervisor , ask the committee of independent eminent persons to assess whether a european political party or a european political foundation has deliberately influenced or attempted to influence the outcome of elections to the european parliament by taking advantage of an infringement of the applicable rules on protection of personal data . where the committee finds that to be the case , the authority should impose sanctions in line with the effective , proportionate and dissuasive sanctioning system established by the regulation no 1141 / 2014 .


### in order to ensure a wide geographic outreach of the advisory services across the union and to successfully leverage local knowledge about the investeu fund , a local presence of the investeu advisory hub should be ensured , where needed , taking into account existing support schemes , with a view to provide tangible , proactive , tailor - made assistance on the ground . ### in order to ensure a wide geographic outreach of the advisory services across the union and to successfully leverage local knowledge about the investeu fund , a local presence of the investeu advisory hub should be ensured in each member state , with a particular focus on ensuring a presence in regions that face difficulties in developing projects under the investeu fund , taking into account existing support schemes , with a view to provide tangible , proactive , tailor - made assistance on the ground .


### for the eu compartment , the eligible counterparts shall have expressed their interest and shall be able to cover financing and investment operations in at least three member states . the implementing partners may also cover together financing and investment operations in at least three member states by forming a group . ### for the eu compartment , the eligible counterparts shall have expressed their interest and shall be able to cover financing and investment operations in at least two member states . the implementing partners may also cover together financing and investment operations in at least two member states by forming a group .


### sustainable infrastructure policy window : comprises sustainable investment in the areas of transport , energy , digital connectivity , supply and processing of raw materials , space , oceans and water , waste , nature and other environment infrastructure , equipment , mobile assets and deployment of innovative technologies that contribute to the environmental or social sustainability objectives of the union , or to both , or meet the environmental or social sustainability standards of the union ; ### sustainable infrastructure policy window : comprises sustainable investment in the areas of transport , energy , digital connectivity , supply and processing of raw materials , space , oceans , inland water , waste , nature and other environment infrastructure , equipment , mobile assets and deployment of innovative technologies that contribute to the environmental or social sustainability objectives of the union , or to both , or meet the environmental or social sustainability standards of the union ;


### small and medium - sized enterprises play a crucial role in the union . however , they face challenges when accessing finance because of their perceived high risk and lack of sufficient collateral . additional challenges arise from smes ' need to stay competitive by engaging in digitisation , internationalisation and innovation activities and skilling up their workforce . moreover , compared to larger enterprises , they have access to a more limited set of financing sources : they typically do not issue bonds , have only limited access to stock exchanges or large institutional investors . the challenge in accessing finance is even greater for those smes whose activities focus on intangible assets . smes in the union rely heavily on banks and debt financing in the form of bank overdrafts , bank loans or leasing . supporting smes that face the above challenges and providing more diversified sources of funding is necessary for increasing the ability of smes to finance their creation , growth and development , withstand economic downturns , and for making the economy and the financial system more resilient during economic downturn or shocks . this is also complementary to the initiatives already undertaken in the context of the capital markets union . the investeu fund should provide an opportunity to focus on specific , more targeted financial products . ### small and medium - sized enterprises play a crucial role in the union . however , they face challenges when accessing finance because of their perceived high risk and lack of sufficient collateral . additional challenges arise from smes ' need to stay competitive by engaging in digitisation , internationalisation and innovation activities and skilling up their workforce . moreover , compared to larger enterprises , they have access to a more limited set of financing sources : they typically do not issue bonds , have only limited access to stock exchanges or large institutional investors . the challenge in accessing finance is even greater for those smes whose activities focus on intangible assets . smes in the union rely heavily on banks and debt financing in the form of bank overdrafts , bank loans or leasing . supporting smes that face the above challenges by simplifying their access to finance and providing more diversified sources of funding is necessary for increasing the ability of smes to finance their creation , growth and development , withstand economic downturns , and for making the economy and the financial system more resilient during economic downturn or shocks . this is also complementary to the initiatives already undertaken in the context of the capital markets union . programmes such as cosme and h2020 have been important for smes in that they facilitated access to finance in all phases of their lifecycle , and that this was added to by efsi for which there was a quick sme uptake . the investeu fund should provide an opportunity to focus on specific , more targeted financial products .


### where point of article 5 applies , in relation to the offer of information society services directly to a child , the processing of the personal data of a child shall be lawful where the child is at least 13 years old . where the child is below the age of 13 years , such processing shall be lawful only if and to the extent that consent is given or authorised by the holder of parental responsibility over the child . ### where point of article 5 applies , in relation to the offer of information society services directly to a child , the processing of the personal data of a child shall be lawful where the child is at least 16 years old . where the child is below the age of 16 years , such processing shall be lawful only if and to the extent that consent is given or authorised by the holder of parental responsibility over the child .


### union institutions and bodies shall ensure the confidentiality of electronic communications , in particular by securing their electronic communication networks . ### union institutions and bodies shall ensure the confidentiality of electronic communications in accordance with regulation 2017 / xxxx .


### union institutions and bodies may decide to keep their records of processing activities in a central register . in this case , they may also decide to make the register publicly accessible . ### union institutions and bodies shall keep their records of processing activities in a central register . for reasons of transparency , they should also make such a register public so that the individual concerned can consult it without prejudice to the rights of other concerned parties .


### legal acts adopted on the basis of the treaties or internal rules of union institutions and bodies may impose restrictions concerning specific principles and the rights of information , access to and rectification or erasure of personal data , the right to data portability , confidentiality of electronic communications as well as the communication of a personal data breach to a data subject and certain related obligations of the controllers , as far as necessary and proportionate in a democratic society to safeguard public security , the prevention , investigation and prosecution of criminal offences or the execution of criminal penalties , including the safeguarding against and the prevention of threats to public security , including the protection of human life especially in response to natural or manmade disasters , internal security of union institutions and bodies , other important objectives of general public interest of the union or of a member state , in particular an important economic or financial interest of the union or of a member state , the keeping of public registers kept for reasons of general public interest or the protection of the data subject or the rights and freedoms of others , including social protection , public health and humanitarian purposes . ### legal acts adopted on the basis of the treaties may impose restrictions concerning specific principles and the rights of information , access to and rectification or erasure of personal data , the right to data portability as well as the communication of a personal data breach to a data subject and certain related obligations of the controllers , as far as necessary and proportionate in a democratic society to safeguard public security , the prevention , investigation and prosecution of criminal offences or the execution of criminal penalties , including the safeguarding against and the prevention of threats to public security , including the protection of human life especially in response to natural or manmade disasters , internal security of union institutions and bodies , other important objectives of general public interest of the union or of a member state , in particular an important economic or financial interest of the union or of a member state , the keeping of public registers kept for reasons of general public interest or the protection of the data subject or the rights and freedoms of others , including social protection , public health and humanitarian purposes .


### the european parliament and the council shall appoint the european data protection supervisor by common accord for a term of five years , on the basis of a list drawn up by the commission following a public call for candidates . the call for candidates shall enable all interested parties throughout the union to submit their applications . the list of candidates drawn up by the commission shall be public . on the basis of the list drawn up by the commission , the competent committee of the european parliament may decide to hold a hearing in order to enable it to express a preference . ### the european parliament and the council shall appoint the european data protection supervisor by common accord for a term of five years , on the basis of a list drawn up jointly by the european parliament , the council and the commission following a public call for candidates . the call for candidates shall enable all interested parties throughout the union to submit their applications . the list of candidates shall be public and shall consist of at least five candidates . the competent committee of the european parliament may decide to hold a hearing of the listed candidates in order to enable it to express a preference .


### the data protection officer may be a staff member of the union institution or body , or fulfil the tasks on the basis of a service contract . ### the data protection officer shall be a staff member of the union institution or body , or fulfil the tasks on the basis of a service contract .


### legal acts adopted on the basis of the treaties or , in matters relating to the operation of the union institutions and bodies , internal rules laid down by the latter may restrict the application of articles 14 to 22 , 34 and 38 , as well as article 4 in so far as its provisions correspond to the rights and obligations provided for in articles 14 to 22 , when such a restriction respects the essence of the fundamental rights and freedoms and is a necessary and proportionate measure in a democratic society to safeguard : ### legal acts adopted on the basis of the treaties may restrict the application of articles 14 to 22 , 34 and 38 , as well as article 4 in so far as its provisions correspond to the rights and obligations provided for in articles 14 to 22 , when such a restriction respects the fundamental rights and freedoms and is a necessary and proportionate measure in a democratic society to safeguard :


### the union law including the internal rules referred to in this regulation should be clear and precise and its application should be foreseeable to persons subject to it , in accordance with the case - law of the court of justice of the european union and the european court of human rights . ### the union law should be clear and precise and its application should be foreseeable to persons subject to it , in accordance with the case - law of the court of justice of the european union and the european court of human rights .


### where the founding act of a union agency carrying out activities which fall within the scope of chapters 4 and 5 of title v of the treaty lays down a standalone data protection regime for the processing of operational personal data such regimes should be unaffected by this regulation . however , the commission should , in accordance with article 62 of directive 2016 / 680 , by 6 may 2019 review union acts which regulate processing by the competent authorities for the purposes of the prevention , investigation , detection or prosecution of criminal offences or the execution of criminal penalties , including the safeguarding against and the prevention of threats to public security and , where appropriate , make the necessary proposals to amend those acts to ensure a consistent approach to the protection of personal data in the area of judicial cooperation in criminal matters and police cooperation . ### where the founding act of a union agency carrying out activities which fall within the scope of chapters 4 and 5 of title v of the treaty lays down a standalone data protection regime for the processing of operational personal data such regimes should be unaffected by this regulation , as long as they are consistent with the provisions of regulation 2016 / 679 . however , the commission should , in accordance with article 62 of directive 2016 / 680 , by 6 may 2019 review union acts which regulate processing by the competent authorities for the purposes of the prevention , investigation , detection or prosecution of criminal offences or the execution of criminal penalties , including the safeguarding against and the prevention of threats to public security and , where appropriate , make the necessary proposals to amend those acts to ensure a consistent approach to the protection of personal data in the area of judicial cooperation in criminal matters and police cooperation .


### draft legislative resolution ### approves its statement annexed to this resolution ;


### in case of any change concerning information referred to in the first subparagraph , parcel delivery service providers shall inform the national regulatory authority of this change within 30 days . ### in case of any change concerning information referred to in paragraph 1 , parcel delivery service providers shall inform the national regulatory authority of this change within 30 days .


### in order to improve the affordability of cross - border parcel delivery services , especially for users in remote or sparsely populated areas , it is necessary to improve the transparency of public lists of tariffs for a limited set of cross - border parcel delivery services offered by universal service providers , which are mostly used by small and medium - sized enterprises and individuals . transparency of public lists is also necessary to address the issue of high tariffs of cross - border delivery services and to reduce , where applicable , unjustified tariff differences between national and cross - border parcel delivery services . ### in order to improve the affordability of cross - border parcel delivery services , especially for users in remote or sparsely populated areas and for those who are disabled or with reduced mobility , it is necessary to improve the transparency of tariffs and terminal rates for a limited set of cross - border parcel delivery services offered by parcel delivery service providers , which are mostly used by small and medium - sized enterprises and individuals . transparency is also necessary to address the issue of high tariffs of cross - border delivery services and to reduce , where applicable , unjustified tariff differences between domestic and cross - border parcel delivery services .


### when providing information to the national regulatory authority , it should be taken into account that parcel delivery service providers may have already provided certain information to the same national regulatory authority . parcel delivery services are important for small and medium - sized enterprises and individuals and they should be able to compare easily between different providers . therefore , the services for which tariffs should be provided by universal service providers should be clearly defined . those tariffs should be published by the commission on a dedicated webpage and should , together with the confidential regular provision of the underlying terminal rates , constitute the basis for the national regulatory authorities to assess the affordability of tariffs for cross - border parcel delivery services . parcel delivery service providers other than universal service providers may voluntarily provide , in a comparable form , their national regulatory authority with the tariffs for the same items provided that such items are delivered at the home or the premises of the addressee . ### when providing information to the national regulatory authority , it should be taken into account that parcel delivery service providers may have already provided certain information to that national regulatory authority . parcel delivery services are important for small and medium - sized enterprises and individuals and they should be able to compare easily between different providers . therefore , the services for which tariffs should be provided by parcel delivery service providers should be clearly defined . those tariffs should be published by the commission on a dedicated webpage .


### terminal rates are based on multilateral and bilateral agreements between universal service providers and ensure that the destination universal service provider is remunerated for the costs of the service provided to the originating universal service provider . terminal rates should be defined in such a way that it includes both terminal dues , as defined in point 15 of article 2 of directive 97 / 67 / ec that are applied for letter mail items and inward land rates that are applied to parcels . ### terminal rates are based on multilateral and bilateral agreements between parcel delivery service providers and ensure that the destination parcel delivery service provider is remunerated for the costs of the service provided to the originating parcel delivery service provider . terminal rates should be defined in such a way that they include both terminal dues , as defined in point 15 of article 2 of directive 97 / 67 / ec that are applied for letter mail items and inward land rates that are applied to parcels .


### the commission shall , by means of an implementing act , establish a form for the submission of the information referred to in paragraph 1 of this article . those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in article 9 . ### the commission shall adopt delegated acts in accordance with article 9a establishing a form for the submission of the information referred to in paragraph 1 and 3 of this article .


### significant differences between domestic and cross - border tariffs for parcel delivery services should be justified by objective criteria , such as additional costs for transport and a reasonable profit margin . universal service providers providing parcel delivery services should be required to provide such justification without delay . ### significant differences between domestic and cross - border tariffs for parcel delivery services should be justified by objective criteria , such as , for example , additional costs for transport and a reasonable profit margin . parcel delivery service providers providing cross - border parcel delivery services should be required to provide such justification without delay .


### the nature of the services offered by the provider ; ### the detailed description of the parcel delivery services offered by the parcel delivery services provider , including precise information on options for users ;


### the name of the provider , its legal status and form , registration number in a trade or similar register , vat number , the address of the establishment and a contact person ; ### the name of the parcel delivery service provider , its legal status and form , registration number in a trade or similar register , vat identification number , the address of the establishment and a contact person ;


### the universal service provider shall provide the national regulatory authority with the information and / or justification referred to in paragraph 2 within 15 working days of receipt of the request . ### the provider referred to in article 4 shall provide the national regulatory authority with the information and / or justification referred to in paragraph 2 within 15 working days of receipt of the request .


### whether the affordability of cross - border parcel delivery services has improved , including for users located in remote or sparsely populated areas ; ### whether the transparency of cross - border tariffs and the affordability of cross - border parcel delivery services have improved , including for individuals and small businesses , especially for those located in remote or sparsely populated areas ;


### in order to improve the affordability of cross - border parcel delivery services , especially for users in remote or sparsely populated areas , it is necessary to improve the transparency of public lists of tariffs for a limited set of cross - border parcel delivery services offered by universal service providers , which are mostly used by small and medium - sized enterprises and individuals . transparency of public lists is also necessary to address the issue of high tariffs of cross - border delivery services and to reduce , where applicable , unjustified tariff differences between national and cross - border parcel delivery services . ### in order to improve the affordability of cross - border parcel delivery services , especially for individuals and small businesses , including in remote or sparsely populated areas , it is necessary to improve the transparency of public lists of single piece tariffs for a limited set of cross - border parcel delivery services offered by parcel delivery service providers , which are mostly used by small and medium - sized enterprises and individuals . transparency of public lists is also necessary to address the issue of high tariffs of cross - border delivery services and to reduce , where applicable , unjustified tariff differences between national and cross - border parcel delivery services .


### before xx / xx / 2019 , and thereafter every four years , the commission shall submit to the european parliament , the council and the economic and social committee an evaluation report on the application of this regulation accompanied where appropriate by a proposal for its review . ### by . . . [ two years after the entry into force of this regulation ] , and thereafter every three years , the commission shall submit to the european parliament , the council and the economic and social committee an evaluation report on the application of this regulation accompanied where appropriate by a legislative proposal for its review . the report shall be produced following consultation with all appropriate stakeholders , including the european social dialogue committee for the postal sector .


### therefore , it is important to provide a clear definition of parcel delivery services and to specify which postal items are covered by that definition . this concerns in particular postal items , other than items of correspondence , which because of their weight are commonly used for sending goods and merchandise . this regulation should therefore cover , in line with consistent practice , postal items weighing up to 31 . 5 kg , as heavier items cannot be handled by a single average individual without mechanical aids . in line with current practice and directive 97 / 67 / ec , each step in the postal chain , i . e . clearance , sorting and delivery should be considered parcel delivery services . transport alone that is not undertaken in conjunction with one of those steps should fall outside the scope of parcel delivery services as it can in this case be assumed that this activity is part of the transport sector . ### therefore , it is important to provide a clear definition of parcels and parcel delivery services and to specify which postal items are covered by those definitions . this concerns in particular postal items , other than items of correspondence , which because of their weight are commonly used for sending goods and merchandise . this regulation should therefore cover , in line with consistent practice , postal items weighing up to 31 . 5 kg , as heavier items cannot be handled by a single average individual without mechanical aids . in line with current practice and in accordance with directive 97 / 67 / ec , each step in the postal chain , i . e . clearance , sorting , transport and distribution , should be considered as a parcel delivery service .


### the number of postal items other than items of correspondence and not exceeding 31 , 5 kg handled in the member state in which the provider is established in the previous calendar year , broken down into national , incoming and outgoing cross - border postal items . ### the number of parcels handled over the previous calendar year in the member state in which the parcels delivery service provider is established , broken down into domestic , incoming and outgoing cross - border postal items .


### postal items for which the public list of national and all cross - border tariffs to other member states shall be notified to the national regulatory authorities : ### single piece postal items for which the public list of national and all cross - border tariffs to other member states shall be notified to the national regulatory authorities :


### in order to ensure uniform conditions for the implementation of the obligation for parcel delivery providers to submit information to national regulatory authorities , implementing powers should be conferred on the commission to establish a form for the submission of such information . those powers should be exercised in accordance with regulation no 182 / 2011 of the european parliament and of the council50 . __________________ 50 regulation 182 / 2011 of the european parliament and of the council of 16 february 2011 laying down the rules and general principles concerning mechanisms for control by the member states of the commission ' s exercise of implementing powers . ### in order to establish the specific obligations for all parcel delivery service providers with regard to the provision of information to the national regulatory authorities , the power to adopt acts in accordance with article 290 tfeu should be delegated to the commission in respect of the form for the submission of the information provided by parcel delivery service providers to the national regulatory authorities . it is of particular importance that the commission carry out appropriate consultations during its preparatory work , including at expert level , and that those consultations be conducted in accordance with the principles laid down in the interinstitutional agreement of 13 april 2016 on better law - making* . in particular , to ensure equal participation in the preparation of delegated acts , the european parliament and the council receive all documents at the same time as member states ' experts , and their experts systematically have access to meetings of commission expert groups dealing with the preparation of delegated acts . __________________ * oj l 123 , 12 . 5 . 2016 , p . 1 .


### it is necessary that national regulatory authorities have knowledge and information for statistical purposes about parcel delivery service providers active on the market . however , in order to limit the administrative burden for small parcel delivery service providers who are only active on a national or regional market , a threshold should be applied , based on the number of persons working for the service provider and involved in the provision of parcel delivery services . ### it is necessary that national regulatory authorities have knowledge and information for statistical purposes about parcel delivery service providers active on the market . due to the labour intensive nature of the sector and in order to limit the administrative burden for small parcel delivery service providers or subcontractors who are only active on a regional or domestic market , a threshold should be applied , based on the number of persons working on average for the parcel delivery service provider over the previous calendar year and involved in the provision of parcel delivery services in the member state in which the provider is established , unless that provider is established in more than one member state . the threshold should however be established in a way that those working in the sector other than on a full - time , permanent basis , are properly included .


### therefore , it is important to provide a clear definition of parcel delivery services and to specify which postal items are covered by that definition . this concerns in particular postal items , other than items of correspondence , which because of their weight are commonly used for sending goods and merchandise . this regulation should therefore cover , in line with consistent practice , postal items weighing up to 31 . 5 kg , as heavier items cannot be handled by a single average individual without mechanical aids . in line with current practice and directive 97 / 67 / ec , each step in the postal chain , i . e . clearance , sorting and delivery should be considered parcel delivery services . transport alone that is not undertaken in conjunction with one of those steps should fall outside the scope of parcel delivery services as it can in this case be assumed that this activity is part of the transport sector . ### therefore , it is important to provide a clear definition of parcel , parcel delivery services and parcel delivery service provider and to specify which postal items are covered by those definitions . this concerns in particular postal items , other than items of correspondence , which because of their weight are commonly used for sending goods and merchandise . this regulation should therefore cover , in line with consistent practice , postal items weighing up to 31 . 5 kg , as heavier items cannot be handled by a single average individual without mechanical aids . in line with current practice and directive 97 / 67 / ec , each step in the postal chain , i . e . clearance , sorting and delivery should be considered parcel delivery services . transport alone that is not undertaken in conjunction with one of those steps should fall outside the scope of parcel delivery services as it can in this case be assumed that this activity is part of the transport sector . undertakings involved only in the self provision of services which forms part of the sales contract as defined by point 5 , article 2 of directive 2011 / 83 / eu should fall outside the scope of parcel delivery service provider .


### currently , postal services are regulated by directive 97 / 67 / ec of the european parliament and of the council49 . this directive establishes common rules governing the provision of postal services and the universal postal service in the union . it focuses primarily , but not exclusively , on national universal services and does not address regulatory oversight of parcel delivery service providers , transparency of tariffs and terminal rates for certain cross - border parcel delivery services , the assessment of the affordability of tariffs for certain cross - border parcel delivery services and transparent and non - discriminatory access to certain cross - border parcel delivery services and / or infrastructure . this regulation therefore complements , insofar as cross - border parcel delivery services are concerned , the rules set out in directive 97 / 67 / ec . __________________ 49 directive 97 / 67 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 15 december 1997 on common rules for the development of the internal market of community postal services and the improvement of quality of service . ### currently , postal services are regulated by directive 97 / 67 / ec of the european parliament and of the council49 . that directive establishes common rules governing the provision of postal services and the universal postal service in the union . this regulation , therefore , complements , in so far as cross - border parcel delivery services are concerned , the rules set out in directive 97 / 67 / ec . however , the provisions of this regulation are without prejudice to the rights and guarantees set out in that directive including in particular the continued provision of a universal postal service to users . __________________ 49 directive 97 / 67 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 15 december 1997 on common rules for the development of the internal market of community postal services and the improvement of quality of service .


### assessing affordability of tariffs ### assessing single piece tariffs


### uniform tariffs for cross - border deliveries to two or more member states may be important in the interest of protecting regional and social cohesion . in this context it should be considered that e - commerce offers new opportunities for sparsely populated areas to participate in the economic life . it is therefore necessary to take any uniform tariffs fully into account when assessing the affordability of parcel delivery services . ### uniform tariffs for cross - border deliveries to two or more member states may be important in the interest of protecting regional and social cohesion . in this context it should be considered that e - commerce offers new opportunities for sparsely populated areas to participate in the economic life . it is therefore necessary to take any uniform tariffs fully into account when assessing the tariffs of parcel delivery services .


### the number of persons working for the provider and involved in the provision of parcel delivery services in the member state in which the provider is established in the previous calendar year ### the average number of persons employed directly or indirectly by the parcel delivery service provider and involved in the provision of parcel delivery services in the member state in which that provider is established over the previous calendar year , and an overview of the working conditions for all persons working for the provider ; the number of persons is to be calculated on the basis of the average annual number of full - time , part - time , and temporary employees and the self - employed , as well as persons working for subcontractors or companies to which the parcel delivery service provider outsources clearance , sorting , transport or distribution of parcels and shall include any person who , during the previous calendar year , who have performed services related to any step of the value chain for and under the direction of a parcel services provider or its subsidiaries in return for which he receives remuneration ;


### the commission shall , by means of an implementing act , establish a form for the submission of the information referred to in paragraph 1 of this article . those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in article 9 . ### the commission shall adopt delegated acts in accordance with article 9a establishing a form for the submission of the information referred to in paragraph 1 and 3 of this article .


### terminal rates are based on multilateral and bilateral agreements between universal service providers and ensure that the destination universal service provider is remunerated for the costs of the service provided to the originating universal service provider . terminal rates should be defined in such a way that it includes both terminal dues , as defined in point 15 of article 2 of directive 97 / 67 / ec that are applied for letter mail items and inward land rates that are applied to parcels . ### terminal rates are based on multilateral and bilateral agreements between parcel delivery service providers and ensure that the destination parcel delivery service provider is remunerated for the costs of the service provided to the originating parcel delivery service provider . terminal rates should be defined in such a way that they include both terminal dues , as defined in point 15 of article 2 of directive 97 / 67 / ec that are applied for letter mail items and inward land rates that are applied to parcels .


### the tariffs corresponding to the postal items shall not contain any special discounts on the basis of volumes or on any other special treatment . ### the tariffs corresponding to the postal items shall not contain any special discounts on the basis of volumes or on any other special treatment and shall be for single piece tariff .


### when national regulatory authorities annually assess the affordability of tariffs , they should base themselves on objective criteria , such as the domestic tariffs of the originating universal service providers and the destination universal service providers and the level of terminal rates . those common criteria may be complemented by other criteria of particular relevance for explaining the tariffs in question , such as specific transportation or handling costs and bilateral volumes between different cross - border parcel delivery service providers . ### when national regulatory authorities annually assess that tariffs are affordable , they should base themselves on objective criteria , such as the domestic tariffs of the originating universal service providers and the destination universal service providers and the level of terminal rates . those common criteria may be complemented by other criteria of particular relevance for explaining the tariffs in question , such as specific transportation or handling costs and bilateral volumes between different cross - border parcel delivery service providers .


### universal service providers providing parcel delivery services shall provide the national regulatory authority of the member state in which they are established with the public list of tariffs applicable on 1 january of each calendar year for the delivery of postal items falling within the categories listed in the annex . that information shall be provided by 31 january of each calendar year at the latest . ### all cross - border parcel delivery service providers and their subsidiaries falling within the scope of article 3 , with the exception of subcontractors , shall provide the national regulatory authority of the member state where they are established with the public list of cross - border tariffs applicable on 1 january of each calendar year for the delivery of postal items falling within the categories listed in the annex . that information shall be provided by 31 january of each calendar year and shall be delivered in an electronic , machine readable format .


### to strengthen the visibility of the esrb as a body that is separate from its individual members , the chair of the esrb should be able to delegate tasks related to the external representation of the esrb to the head of the esrb secretariat . ### the accountability , transparency and independency of the esrb should be fully ensured and guaranteed . it is also necessary to enhance the esrb ' s autonomy and visibility . such enhancement could be achieved through the establishment of the esrb as an independent , reliable , macro - prudential authority . to strengthen the visibility of the esrb as a body that is separate from its individual members , the chair of the esrb should be able to delegate tasks related to the external representation of the esrb to the head of the esrb secretariat or to the vice - chairs of the esrb .


### the power to adopt delegated acts referred to in article 29 shall be conferred on the commission for an indeterminate period of time from [ date of entry into force of this decision ] . ### the power to adopt delegated acts referred to in article 29 shall be conferred on the commission for a period of five years from [ date of entry into force of this decision ] . the delegation of power shall be tacitly extended for periods of an identical duration , unless the european parliament or the council opposes such extension not later than three months before the end of each period . the commission shall draw up a report in respect of the delegation of power not later than nine months before the end of the five - year period . the report shall be submitted to the european parliament and council .


### the power to adopt delegated acts referred to in article 13 shall be conferred on the commission for an indeterminate period of time from the date of entry into force of this directive . ### the power to adopt delegated acts referred to in article 13 shall be conferred on the commission for a period of five years from the date of entry into force of this directive . the delegation of power shall be tacitly extended for periods of an identical duration , unless the european parliament or the council opposes such extension not later than three months before the end of each period . the commission shall draw up a report in respect of the delegation of power not later than nine months before the end of the five - year period . the report shall be submitted to the european parliament and council .


### the power to adopt delegated acts referred to in article 13 shall be conferred on the commission for an indeterminate period of time from the date of entry into force of this directive . ### the power to adopt delegated acts referred to in article 13 shall be conferred on the commission for a period of five years from [ date of entry into force of this decision ] . the commission shall draw up a report in respect of the delegation of power not later than nine months before the end of the five - year period . the delegation of power shall be tacitly extended for periods of an identical duration , unless the european parliament or the council opposes such extension not later than three months before the end of each period .


### the power to adopt delegated acts referred to in article 29 shall be conferred on the commission for an indeterminate period of time from [ date of entry into force of this decision ] . ### the power to adopt delegated acts referred to in article 29 shall be conferred on the commission for a period of five years from [ date of entry into force of this decision ] . the commission shall draw up a report in respect of the delegation of power not later than nine months before the end of the five - year period . the delegation of power shall be tacitly extended for periods of an identical duration , unless the european parliament or the council opposes such extension not later than three months before the end of each period .


### data collections in the domains of time use and consumption are currently carried out voluntarily by many member states , on the basis of agreed general guidelines . these two domains should be modernised , so as to take full advantage of new technological advances . data collections in these two domains should be organized in accordance with this regulation so as to open possibilities and create opportunities for further developments in the future , ensuring data that are more timely and relevant , and produced more efficiently . in the meantime , the member states’ current approaches should not be changed . ### data collections in the domains of time use and consumption are currently carried out voluntarily by many member states , on the basis of agreed general guidelines . research based on the time use survey has shown its utmost importance in assessing among others gender equality in sharing work and care responsibilities . the gender dimension is also of high importance in the field of household consumption . therefore , among others , gender equality as fundamental principle of the union , provides for another reason to integrate those two surveys fully into the set of european social statistics . these two domains should be modernised , so as to take full advantage of new technological advances . data collections in these two domains should be organized in accordance with this regulation so as to open possibilities and create opportunities for further developments in the future , ensuring data that are more timely and relevant , and produced more efficiently .


### regulation no 223 / 2009 provides a reference framework for european statistics and requires member states to comply with the statistical principles and quality criteria specified in the regulation . quality reports are essential for assessing , improving and communicating on the quality of european statistics . the european statistical system committee has endorsed an ess standard for quality reports structure , in accordance with article 12 of regulation no 223 / 2009 . this should contribute to the harmonisation of quality reporting under this regulation . ### european statistics shall have a comprehensive and harmonized approach of the european union and go beyond the european commission ' s political priorities in order to provide accurate data , which would help in further integration processes in the union . to this respect , regulation no 223 / 2009 provides a reference framework for european statistics and requires member states to comply with the statistical principles and quality criteria specified in the regulation . quality reports are essential for assessing , improving and communicating on the quality of european statistics . the european statistical system committee has endorsed an ess standard for quality reports structure , in accordance with article 12 of regulation no 223 / 2009 . this should contribute to the harmonisation of quality reporting under this regulation .


### in 2011 , the european statistical system endorsed in wiesbaden its memorandum on a new conceptual design for household and social statistics . in its view , the european surveys that provide data relating to persons and households should be streamlined , and additional , less frequent microdata collections should be used to complement those core social surveys . furthermore , there should be better access to administrative data , and the re - use of existing data sources and access to new data sources should be developed at national and eu level . ### in 2011 , the european statistical system endorsed in wiesbaden its memorandum on a new conceptual design for household and social statistics . in its view , the european surveys that provide data relating to persons and households should be streamlined , and additional , less frequent microdata collections should be used to complement those core social surveys . furthermore , there should be better access to administrative data , an increased user - friendliness of eurostat website and the re - use of existing data sources and access to new data sources should be developed at national and eu level .


### where necessary to achieve a high level of comparability for employment and unemployment data in the labour market domain , the methodology to be used to collect the data . this may include , where necessary , the order and placing of the questions in the questionnaire . this necessity shall be duly justified . ### to achieve a high level of comparability the methodology to be used to collect the data for employment and unemployment data in the labour market domain and for material deprivation data in the income and living conditions domain , including the order and placing of the questions in the questionnaire .


### this regulation shall apply to by - catch stocks caught in the western mediterranean sea when fishing for the stocks referred to in paragraph 1 . it shall also apply to any other demersal stocks caught in the western mediterranean sea and for which sufficient data are not available . ### this regulation shall apply to by - catch stocks caught in the western mediterranean sea when fishing for the stocks referred to in paragraph 1 and shall ensure that exploitation of all living marine biological resources restores and maintains populations of harvested species above levels which can produce the maximum sustainable yield , in line with article 2 of regulation no 1380 / 2013 . it shall also apply to any other demersal stocks caught in the western mediterranean sea and for which sufficient data are not available .


### if , on the basis of the scientific advice or evidence , it is necessary for the achievement of the objectives laid down in article 3 in mixed fisheries ; ### if , on the basis of the best available scientific advice , it is necessary for the achievement of the objectives laid down in article 3 in mixed fisheries ;


### where the scientific advice shows that recreational fisheries have a significant impact on the fishing mortality of a particular stock , the council may limit recreational fisheries when setting fishing opportunities in order to avoid exceeding the total target of fishing mortality . ### where the best available scientific advice shows that recreational fisheries have a significant impact on the fishing mortality of a particular stock , the council may limit recreational fisheries when setting fishing opportunities in order to avoid exceeding the total target of fishing mortality .


### the objective of the plan provided for in this regulation should be to contribute to the achievement of the cfp , and in particular , reaching and maintaining msy for the target stocks , implementing the landing obligation for demersal stocks subject to minimum conservation reference size , and promoting a fair standard of living for those who depend on fishing activities , bearing in mind coastal fisheries and socio - economic aspects . it should also implement the ecosystem - based approach to fisheries management in order to minimise negative impacts of fishing activities on the marine ecosystem . it should be coherent with the union’s environmental legislation , in particular the objective of achieving good environmental status by 2020 and the objectives of directive 2009 / 147 / ec29 and council directive 92 / 43 / eec30 . _________________ 28 directive 2008 / 56 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 17 june 2008 establishing a framework for community action in the field of marine environmental policy 29 directive 2009 / 147 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 30 november 2009 on the conservation of wild birds . 30 council directive 92 / 43 / eec of 21 may 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora . ### the objective of the plan provided for in this regulation should be to achieve the objectives of the cfp , and in particular , restoring and maintaining fish stocks above levels of biomass capable of producing msy for all stocks , implementing the landing obligation for demersal stocks subject to minimum conservation reference size , and promoting a fair standard of living for those who depend on fishing activities , bearing in mind coastal fisheries and socio - economic aspects . it should also implement the ecosystem - based approach to fisheries management by reducing , and when possible eliminating , the negative effects of fishing activities in the marine environment . that plan should also contribute to the achievement of good environmental status , as laid down in directive 2008 / 56 / ec28 and to the achievement of favourable conservation status for habitats and species as required by directive 2009 / 147 / ec of the european parliament and of the council 29 and the council directive 92 / 43 / ec30 respectively .


### the plan shall implement the ecosystem - based approach to fisheries management in order to ensure that negative impacts of fishing activities on the marine ecosystem are minimised . it shall be coherent with union environmental legislation , in particular with the objective of achieving good environmental status by 2020 as set out in article 1 of directive 2008 / 56 / ec and the objectives set out in articles 4 and 5 of directive 2009 / 147 / ec and articles 6 and 12 of council directive 92 / 43 / eec . ### the plan shall implement the ecosystem - based approach to fisheries management in order to ensure that negative impacts of fishing activities on the marine ecosystem are minimised . it shall be coherent with union environmental legislation , in particular with the objective of achieving good environmental status by 2020 as set out in article 1 of directive 2008 / 56 / ec and the objectives set out in articles 4 and 5 of directive 2009 / 147 / ec and articles 6 and 12 of council directive 92 / 43 / eec . the maximum sustainable yield exploitation rates shall be achieved as soon as possible and on a progressive , incremental basis by 2020 at the latest for allstocks to wich this regulation applies , and maintained thereafter , as set out in article 2 of regulation no 1380 / 2013 .


### each year , in accordance with the scientific advice , the council shall set a maximum allowable fishing effort for each effort group by member state . ### each year , in accordance with the best available scientific advice , the council shall set a maximum allowable fishing effort for each effort group by member state .