### for parent undertakings of undertakings to be consolidated that together exceed an average number of 500 employees during the financial year , and , on their balance sheet dates , exceed either a balance sheet total of eur 20 million or a net turnover of eur 40 million , the review shall also include a non - financial statement containing information relating to at least environmental , social and employee matters , respect for human rights , anti - corruption and bribery matters , including the following : ### for parent undertakings of undertakings to be consolidated that together exceed an average number of 500 employees during the financial year , and , on their balance sheet dates , exceed either a balance sheet total of eur 20 million or a net turnover of eur 40 million and which have adopted a policy relating to environmental , social and employee matters , respect for human rights , anti - corruption and bribery matters , the review shall also include a non - financial statement containing information including :


### the agency shall issue opinions at request of the national regulatory bodies referred to in article 55 of directive 2012 / 34 / eu [ directive establishing a single european rail area ] concerning safety - related and interoperability - related aspects of matters drawn to their attention . ### the agency shall issue opinions at the request of one or more national regulatory bodies referred to in article 55 of directive 2012 / 34 / eu [ directive establishing a single european rail area ] concerning safety - related and interoperability - related aspects of matters drawn to their attention .


### the agency shall issue single safety certificates in accordance with articles 10 and 11 of directive … [ the safety directive ] . ### the agency shall issue , renew , suspend , amend or revoke single safety certificates in accordance with articles 10 and 11 of directive … [ the safety directive ] .


### the agency shall issue authorisations for placing on the market for railway vehicles in accordance with article 20 of directive … [ the interoperability directive ] . ### the agency shall issue , renew , suspend , amend or revoke authorisations for placing on the market for railway vehicles in accordance with article 20 of directive … [ the interoperability directive ] .


### the national authorities responsible for issuing the licences and certificates referred to in points and of paragraph 2 shall notify the agency within one month of each individual decision to issue , renew , amend or revoke those licenses and certificates . ### the national authorities responsible for issuing the licences and certificates referred to in points and of paragraph 2 shall notify the agency within fifteen days of each individual decision to issue , renew , amend or revoke those licenses and certificates .


### in order to perform its tasks properly , the agency should have legal personality and an autonomous budget funded mainly through a contribution by the union and through fees and charges paid by applicants . in order to ensure independence in its daily management and in the opinions , recommendations and decisions which it issues , the agency’s organisation should be transparent , the executive director should have full responsibility . the agency’s staff should be independent and should represent an appropriate balance of short - term and long - term contracts , in order to maintain its organisational knowledge and business continuity while keeping necessary and on - going exchange of expertise with the railway sector . ### in order to perform its tasks properly , the agency should have legal personality and an autonomous budget funded mainly through a contribution by the union and through fees and charges paid by applicants . the eu contribution will need to be assessed and revised each time new powers are added which are not subject to fees or charges paid by applicants . in order to ensure independence in its daily management and in the opinions , recommendations and decisions which it issues , the agency’s organisation should be transparent , the executive director should have full responsibility . the agency ' s staff should be independent and should represent an appropriate balance of short - term and long - term contracts , in order to maintain its organisational knowledge and business continuity while keeping necessary and on - going exchange of expertise with the railway sector .


### the agency shall issue authorisations for placing on the market for types of vehicles in accordance with article 22 of directive … [ the interoperability directive ] . ### the agency shall issue , renew , suspend , amend or revoke authorisations for placing on the market for types of vehicles in accordance with article 22 of directive … [ the interoperability directive ] .


### the agency may carry out visits to the member states in order to perform its tasks , in particular those referred to in articles 12 , 21 , 22 , 16 , 17 , 27 , 29 , 30 , 31 and 38 , in accordance with the policy defined by the management board . ### the agency may carry out visits to the member states in order to perform its tasks , in particular those referred to in articles 12 , 21 , 22 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 33 and 38 , in accordance with the policy defined by the management board .


### the agency shall contribute to identifying potential railway spare parts to be standardised . to this end , the agency may establish a working party in order to coordinate the stakeholders’ activities and may establish contacts with the european standardisation bodies . the agency shall present the commission with appropriate recommendations . ### the agency shall contribute to identifying potential railway spare parts to be standardised . to this end , the agency shall establish a working party in order to coordinate the stakeholders’ activities and shall establish contacts with the european standardisation bodies . the agency shall present the commission with appropriate recommendations within two years after the entry into force of this regulation and shall submit the results of its work relating to spare parts to the commission in accordance with the procedure under article 75 .


### the agency shall issue single safety certificates in accordance with articles 10 and 11 of directive … [ the safety directive ] . ### the accordance of the safety certificates with the existing national rules and regulations has to be proven und confirmed by the nsa . the era acts as a ' one - stop shop ' and as an intermediary between nsa and applicant . the era gives the final approval and issues the certificate in accordance with articles 10 and 11 of directive . . . [ the safety directive ] .


### the agency may assist the railway undertakings , at their request , in checking the technical and operational compatibility between ertms on - board and trackside subsystems before placing a vehicle in service . ### the agency shall assist the railway undertakings , at their request , in checking the technical and operational compatibility between ertms on - board and trackside subsystems before placing a vehicle in service .


### inform the commission about its negative assessment . ### inform the commission about its negative assessment and forward to it the recommendation addressed to the member state concerned .


### authorisations for placing in service of trackside control - command and signalling sub - systems ### authorisations for placing in service of a trackside ertms sub - system


### the fees paid by applicants for , and holders of , certificates and authorisations issued by the agency in accordance with articles 12 , 16 , 17 and 18 ; ### the fees paid by applicants for , and holders of , certificates and authorisations issued by the agency in accordance with articles 12 , 16 , 17 and 18 . the agency should set different price charging according to the areas of use of certificates and authorisations and type and extent of railway operations ;


### where after the examination referred to paragraph 1 the agency considers that national rules enable the essential requirements for interoperability to be fulfilled , csms to be respected and the csts to be achieved , and that they would not result in arbitrary discrimination or a disguised restriction on rail transport operation between member states , the agency shall inform the commission and the member state concerned about its positive assessment . the commission may validate the rule in the it system referred to in article 23 . ### where after examination and within the deadlines referred to in paragraph 1 the agency considers that national rules enable the essential requirements for interoperability to be fulfilled , csms to be respected and the csts to be achieved , and that they would not result in arbitrary discrimination or a disguised restriction on rail transport operation , the agency shall inform the commission and the member state concerned about its positive assessment . the commission may validate the rule in the it system referred to in article 23 .


### the agency shall establish one or more boards of appeal . ### the agency shall establish one or more independent boards of appeal .


### the agency shall issue opinions at request of the national regulatory bodies referred to in article 55 of directive 2012 / 34 / eu [ directive establishing a single european rail area ] concerning safety - related and interoperability - related aspects of matters drawn to their attention . ### the agency shall issue opinions at the request of the national regulatory bodies referred to in article 55 of directive 2012 / 34 / eu [ directive establishing a single european rail area ] , or of a member of the sector as specified in article 34 , concerning safety - related and interoperability - related aspects of matters drawn to their attention .


### the agency shall issue authorisations for placing in service of the trackside control - command and signalling subsystems located or operated in the entire union in accordance with article 18 of directive … [ the interoperability directive ] . ### the agency shall issue , renew , suspend , amend or revoke authorisations for placing in service of the trackside control - command and signalling subsystems located or operated in the entire union in accordance with article 18 of directive … [ the interoperability directive ] .


### where after the examination referred to paragraph 1 the agency considers that national rules enable the essential requirements for interoperability to be fulfilled , csms to be respected and the csts to be achieved , and that they would not result in arbitrary discrimination or a disguised restriction on rail transport operation between member states , the agency shall inform the commission and the member state concerned about its positive assessment . the commission may validate the rule in the it system referred to in article 23 . ### where after examination referred to in paragraph 1 the agency considers that national rules enable the essential requirements for interoperability to be fulfilled , csms to be respected and the csts to be achieved , and that they would not result in arbitrary discrimination or a disguised restriction on rail transport operation , the agency shall inform the commission and the member state concerned about its positive assessment . the commission may validate the rule in the it system referred to in article 23 .


### the agency shall recommend the adoption of a new version of ertms technical specifications . however , it shall only do so when the previous version has been deployed at a sufficient rate . the development of new versions shall not be detrimental to the rate of deployment of the ertms , the stability of the specifications which is needed to optimise the production of ertms equipment , the return on investment for railway undertakings and efficient planning of the deployment of the ertms . ### the agency shall recommend the adoption of a new version of ertms technical specifications . however , it shall only do so when the previous version has been deployed at a sufficient rate . the development of new versions shall not be detrimental to the rate of deployment of the ertms , the stability of the specifications which is needed to optimise the production of ertms equipment , the return on investment for railway undertakings and keepers and efficient planning of the deployment of the ertms .


### the agency shall contribute to identifying potential railway spare parts to be standardised . to this end , the agency may establish a working party in order to coordinate the stakeholders ' activities and may establish contacts with the european standardisation bodies . the agency shall present the commission with appropriate recommendations . ### the agency shall contribute to identifying potential railway spare parts to be standardised . to this end , the agency shall establish a working party in order to coordinate the stakeholders ' activities and shall establish contacts with the european standardisation bodies . the agency shall present the commission with appropriate recommendations two years after the entry into force of this regulation .


### the agency shall issue audit reports covering the activities referred to in paragraph 3 and send them to the notified conformity assessment body concerned and to the commission . each audit report shall include , in particular , any deficiencies identified by the agency and recommendations for improvement . if the agency considers that these deficiencies prevent the notified body concerned from effectively performing its tasks in relation to railway safety and interoperability , the agency shall adopt a recommendation requesting the member state in which that notified body is established to take appropriate steps within a time limit . ### the agency shall issue audit reports covering the activities referred to in paragraph 3 and send them to the notified conformity assessment body concerned and to the commission . each audit report shall include , in particular , any deficiencies identified by the agency and recommendations for improvement . if the agency considers that these deficiencies prevent the notified body concerned from effectively performing its tasks in relation to railway safety and interoperability , the agency shall adopt a recommendation requesting the member state in which that notified body is established to take appropriate steps within a time limit set by the agency .


### competent national authorities have been normally charging for issuing vehicle authorisations and safety certificates . with the transfer competence to the union level , the agency should be entitled to charge the applicants for issuing the certificates and authorisations mentioned in the preceding recitals . the level of those charges should be equal to or lower than the current average in the union and should be determined in a delegated act to be adopted by the commission . ### competent national authorities have been normally charging for issuing vehicle authorisations and safety certificates . with the transfer competence to the union level , the agency should be entitled to charge the applicants for issuing the certificates and authorisations mentioned in the preceding recitals . the level of those charges should vary according to the extent of operations and area of use specified in the certificate or authorisation and should be determined in a delegated act to be adopted by the commission .


### it is a general objective that the transfer of functions and tasks from the member states to the agency should be done efficiently , without any reduction in the current high levels of safety . the agency should have sufficient resources for its new tasks , and the timing of the allocation of these resources should be based on clearly defined needs . taking into account the know - how of national authorities , in particular the national safety authorities , the agency should be allowed to make appropriate use of that expertise when granting the relevant authorisations and certificates . to this end , secondment of national experts to the agency should be encouraged . ### it is a general objective that the transfer of functions and tasks from the member states to the agency should be done efficiently , without any reduction in the current high levels of safety . the agency should have sufficient resources for its new tasks , and the timing of the allocation of these resources should be based on clearly defined needs . taking into account the know - how of national authorities , in particular the national safety authorities , the agency should be allowed to make appropriate use of that expertise including through contractual agreements when granting the relevant authorisations and certificates . to this end , secondment of national experts to the agency should be strongly encouraged , promoted and facilitated .


### member states shall provide the agency with the data necessary for the impact assessment . ### member states and stakeholders shall provide the agency , as required and at its request , with the data necessary for the impact assessment .


### the term of office of the members and alternates of a board of appeal shall be four years and may be renewed . ### the term of office of the members and alternates of a board of appeal shall be four years and may be renewed once .


### an appeal may be brought before the board of appeal against decisions taken by the agency pursuant to articles 12 , 16 , 17 and 18 . ### an appeal may be brought before the board of appeal against decisions taken by the agency pursuant to articles 12 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 21 and 22 .


### in order to perform its tasks properly , the agency should have legal personality and an autonomous budget funded mainly through a contribution by the union and through fees and charges paid by applicants . in order to ensure independence in its daily management and in the opinions , recommendations and decisions which it issues , the agency ' s organisation should be transparent , the executive director should have full responsibility . the agency ' s staff should be independent and should represent an appropriate balance of short - term and long - term contracts , in order to maintain its organisational knowledge and business continuity while keeping necessary and on - going exchange of expertise with the railway sector . ### in order to perform its tasks properly , the agency should have legal personality and an autonomous budget funded mainly through a contribution by the union and through fees and charges paid by applicants . in order to ensure independence in its daily management and in the opinions , recommendations and decisions which it issues , the agency ' s organisation should be transparent , the executive director should have full responsibility . the agency ' s staff should be independent and should represent an appropriate balance of short - term and long - term contracts , of seconded national experts and permanent officials , in order to maintain its organisational knowledge and business continuity while keeping necessary and on - going exchange of expertise with the railway sector .


### address recommendations to member states concerning the application of articles 21 , 22 and 30 ; ### address recommendations to member states concerning the application of articles 21 , 22 and 30 and to the national safety authorities concerning the application of article 29 ;


### the agency shall issue recommendations to the commission on the common safety methods and the common safety targets provided for in articles 6 and 7 of directive &#8230 ; [ the railway safety directive ] . the agency shall also issue recommendations on periodic revision of csms and csts&#160 ; to the commission . ### the agency shall issue recommendations to the commission on the common safety methods , the common safety indicators and the common safety targets provided for in articles 6 and 7 of directive &#8230 ; [ the railway safety directive ] . the agency shall also issue recommendations on periodic revision of csms and csts&#160 ; to the commission .


### manufacturers shall ensure that the receivers in the in - vehicle systems are compatible with the positioning services provided by satellite navigation systems including the galileo and the egnos systems . ### manufacturers shall ensure that the receivers in the in - vehicle systems are compatible with the operational positioning services provided by satellite navigation systems , for example the galileo and the egnos systems .


### the time limit for the retention of data in the in - vehicle system ; ### the time limit for the retention of data in the embedded in - vehicle appliance ;


### vehicle manufacturers should be allowed sufficient time to adapt to the technical requirements of this regulation . ### vehicle manufacturers should be allowed 36 months from the date of publication of this regulation and its delegated acts in the official journal of the european union to adapt to the technical requirements of this regulation .


### manufacturers shall ensure that the receivers in the in - vehicle systems are compatible with the positioning services provided by satellite navigation systems including the galileo and the egnos systems . ### manufacturers shall ensure that the receivers in the embedded in - vehicle appliance are compatible with the operational positioning services provided by satellite navigation systems including the galileo and the egnos systems .


### in order to ensure open choice for customers and fair competition , as well as encourage innovation and boost the competitiveness of the union’s information technology industry on the global market , the ecall in - vehicle system should be accessible free of charge and without discrimination to all independent operators and based on an interoperable and open - access platform for possible future in - vehicle applications or services . ### in order to ensure open choice for customers and fair competition , as well as encourage innovation and boost the competitiveness of the union ' s information technology industry on the global market , the ecall in - vehicle system should be accessible free of charge and without discrimination to all independent operators and based on an interoperable and open - access platform taking due account of existing in - vehicle systems for possible future in - vehicle applications or services .


### the provision of accurate and reliable positioning information is an essential element of the effective operation of the ecall in - vehicle system . therefore , it is appropriate to require its compatibility with the services provided by satellite navigation programmes , including the systems established under the galileo and egnos programmes set out in regulation no 683 / 2008 of the european parliament and of the council of 9 july 2008 on the further implementation of the european satellite navigation programmes 8 . __________________ 8 oj l 196 , 24 . 7 . 2008 , p . 1 . ### the provision of accurate and reliable positioning information is an essential element of the effective operation of the ecall in - vehicle system . therefore , it is appropriate to require its compatibility with the operational services provided by satellite navigation programmes , for example the systems established under the galileo and egnos programmes set out in regulation no 683 / 2008 of the european parliament and of the council of 9 july 2008 on the further implementation of the european satellite navigation programmes 8 . __________________ 8 oj l 196 , 24 . 7 . 2008 , p . 1 .


### anyone who has suffered harm caused by an infringement of union or national competition law shall be able to claim full compensation for that harm . ### anyone who has suffered harm caused by an infringement of union or national competition law shall be able to claim full compensation for that harm from the infringing parties in either a direct or a follow - on private case .


### member states shall ensure that , in the case of a cartel infringement , it shall be presumed that the infringement caused harm . the infringing undertaking shall have the right to rebut this presumption . ### member states shall ensure that , in the case of a cartel infringement , it shall be presumed that the infringement caused harm within the market . the infringing undertaking shall have the right to rebut this presumption .


### this directive sets out certain rules necessary to ensure that anyone who has suffered harm caused by an infringement of article 101 or 102 of the treaty or of national competition law , can effectively exercise the right to full compensation for that harm . it also sets out rules fostering undistorted competition in the internal market and removing obstacles to its proper functioning by ensuring equivalent protection throughout the union for anyone who has suffered such harm . ### this directive sets out certain rules necessary to ensure that anyone who has suffered harm caused by an infringement of article 101 or 102 of the treaty or of national competition law by an undertaking or group of undertakings , can effectively exercise the right to claim full compensation for that harm from those infringing parties . it also sets out rules fostering undistorted competition in the internal market and removing obstacles to its proper functioning by ensuring equivalent protection throughout the union for anyone who has suffered such harm .


### the destruction of relevant evidence , provided that , at the time of destruction : ### the destruction of relevant evidence ;


### the rules laid down in this chapter shall be without prejudice to the right of an injured party to claim compensation for loss of profits . ### the rules laid down in this chapter shall be without prejudice to the right of an injured party to claim compensation for loss of profits , actual loss , and interest from the time the harm occurred until the compensation in respect of that harm has been paid .


### member states shall ensure that , for the purpose of actions for damages , national courts can order the disclosure of the following categories of evidence only after a competition authority has closed its proceedings or taken a decision referred to in article 5 of regulation no 1 / 2003 or in chapter iii of regulation no 1 / 2003 : ### member states shall ensure that , for the purpose of actions for damages , national courts can order the disclosure of the following only after a competition authority has closed its proceedings or taken a decision referred to in article 5 of regulation no 1 / 2003 or in chapter iii of regulation no 1 / 2003 :


### article 5 disclosure of evidence member states shall ensure that , where a claimant has presented reasonably available facts and evidence showing plausible grounds for suspecting that he , or those he represents , has suffered harm caused by the defendant ' s infringement of competition law , national courts can order the defendant or a third party to disclose evidence , regardless of whether or not this evidence is also included in the file of a competition authority , subject to the conditions set out in this chapter . member states shall ensure that courts are also able to order the claimant or a third party to disclose evidence on request of the defendant . this provision is without prejudice to the rights and obligations of national courts under council regulation no 1206 / 2001 . 2 . member states shall ensure that national courts order the disclosure of evidence referred to in paragraph 1 where the party requesting disclosure has shown that evidence in the control of the other party or a third party is relevant in terms of substantiating his claim or defence ; and specified either pieces of this evidence or categories of this evidence defined as precisely and narrowly as he can on the basis of reasonably available facts . 3 . member states shall ensure that national courts limit disclosure of evidence to that which is proportionate . in determining whether any disclosure requested by a party is proportionate , national courts shall consider the legitimate interests of all parties and third parties concerned . they shall , in particular , consider : the likelihood that the alleged infringement of competition law occurred ; the scope and cost of disclosure , especially for any third parties concerned ; whether the evidence to be disclosed contains confidential information , especially concerning any third parties , and the arrangements for protecting such confidential information ; and in cases where the infringement is being or has been investigated by a competition authority , whether the request has been formulated specifically with regard to the nature , object or content of such documents rather than by a non - specific request concerning documents submitted to a competition authority or held in the file of such competition authority . 4 . member states shall ensure that national courts have at their disposal effective measures to protect confidential information from improper use to the greatest extent possible whilst also ensuring that relevant evidence containing such information is available in the action for damages . 5 . member states shall take the necessary measures to give full effect to legal privileges and other rights not to be compelled to disclose evidence . 6 . member states shall ensure that , to the extent that their courts have powers to order disclosure without hearing the person from whom disclosure is sought , no penalty for non - compliance with such an order may be imposed until the addressee of such an order has been heard by the court . 7 . evidence shall include all types of evidence admissible before the national court seised , in particular documents and all other objects containing information , irrespective of the medium on which the information is stored . 8 . without prejudice to the obligation laid down in paragraph 4 and the limits laid down in article 6 , this article shall not prevent the member states from maintaining or introducing rules which would lead to wider disclosure of evidence . ### article 5 disclosure of evidence member states shall ensure that in a proceeding relating to an action for damages before a national court in the union upon request of a claimant who has presented a reasoned justification containing available facts and evidence sufficient to support the plausibility of its claim for damages , national courts can order the defendant or a third party to disclose relevant evidence , [ . . . ] subject to the conditions set out in this chapter . member states shall ensure that courts are also able to order the claimant or a third party to disclose evidence upon request of the defendant . this provision is without prejudice to the rights and obligations of national courts under council regulation no 1206 / 2001 . 1a . member states shall ensure that national courts request the disclosure of evidence from the national competition authority where the defendant does not provide the evidence requested . 2 . member states shall ensure that national courts can order the disclosure of specified pieces of evidence or categories thereof , circumscribed as precisely and as narrowly as possible on the basis of reasonably available facts in the reasoned justification , which are in control of the other party or a third party and are necessary for the purpose of estimating the harm caused , pursuant to article 2 of this directive . 3 . member states shall ensure that national courts limit disclosure of evidence to that which is proportionate and which relates to an action for damages in the union . in determining whether any disclosure requested by a party is proportionate , national courts shall consider the public interests involved and the legitimate interests of all private parties and third parties concerned . they shall , in particular , consider : the likelihood that the alleged infringement of competition law occurred ; the need to safeguard the effectiveness of the public enforcement of competition law ; the scope and cost of disclosure , especially for any third parties concerned , also to prevent fishing expeditions ; whether the evidence to be disclosed contains confidential information , especially concerning any third parties , and the arrangements for protecting such confidential information ; and in cases where the infringement is being or has been investigated by a competition authority , whether the request has been formulated specifically with regard to the nature , object or content of such documents [ . . . ] submitted to a competition authority or held in the file of such competition authority . 4 . member states shall ensure that national courts have the power to order disclosure of evidence containing confidential information when they consider it relevant for the action for damages . member states shall ensure that , when ordering disclosure of such information , national courts have at their disposal effective measures to protect such information . 5 . member states shall ensure that national courts give full effect to applicable legal professional privileges under national or union law when ordering the disclosure of evidence . the interest that undertakings have to avoid actions for damages following an infringement shall not constitute a commercial interest worthy of protection . 5a . member states shall ensure that interested parties in possession of a document requested for disclosure are heard before a national court orders disclosure under this article regarding information derived from the specified documents . 6 . member states shall ensure that , to the extent that their courts have powers to order disclosure without hearing the person from whom disclosure is sought , no penalty for non - compliance with such an order may be imposed until the addressee of such an order has been provided with the possibility to be heard by the national court 7 . evidence shall include all types of evidence admissible before the national court seized , in particular documents and all other objects containing information , irrespective of the medium on which the information is stored . 8 . without prejudice to the obligation laid down in paragraph 4 and the limits laid down in article 6 , this article shall not prevent member states from maintaining or introducing rules which would lead to wider disclosure of evidence .


### this objective will be measured in particular through the level of information flow and cooperation within the consumer protection cooperation network and the activity of the european consumer centres . ### this objective will be measured in particular through the level of information flow and the effectiveness of cooperation within the consumer protection cooperation network and the activity of the european consumer centres , how well known they are to consumers and how satisfied consumers are with the assistance they received during the most recent dispute resolution procedure .


### enhancing the transparency of consumer markets and consumer information ; ### enhancing the transparency of consumer markets and consumer information , particularly through comparison websites providing comparable , reliable and easily accessible data , including for cross - border cases ;


### capacity building for regional , national and european consumer organisations , notably through training and exchange of best practice and expertise for staff members , in particular for consumer organisations in member states which demonstrate a relatively low level of consumer confidence and awareness as evidenced by monitoring of consumer markets and the consumer environment in the member states ; ### capacity building for local , regional , national and european consumer organisations , notably through training available in various languages and throughout the european union and exchange of best practice and expertise for staff members , in particular for consumer organisations in member states where they are not sufficiently developed or which demonstrate a relatively low level of consumer confidence and awareness as evidenced by monitoring of consumer markets and the consumer environment in the member states ;


### objective 2 - information and education : to improve consumers ' education , information and awareness of their rights , to develop the evidence base for consumer policy and to provide support to consumer organisations ### objective 2 - information and education , and support to consumer organisations : to improve consumers ' education , information and awareness of their rights , to develop the evidence base for consumer policy and to provide support to consumer organisations


### objective 3 - rights and redress : to consolidate consumer rights in particular through regulatory action and improving access to redress including alternative dispute resolution . this objective will be measured in particular through the recourse to alternative dispute resolution to solve cross - border disputes and through the activity of a union - wide on - line dispute resolution system . ### objective 3 - rights and redress : to strengthen consumer rights in particular through smart regulatory action and improving access to affordable alternative dispute resolution . this objective will be measured in particular through the recourse to alternative dispute resolution to solve domestic and cross - border disputes and through the activity of a union - wide on - line dispute resolution system .


### the financial envelope for the implementation of the programme shall be eur 197 , 000 , 000 in current prices . ### the financial envelope for the implementation of the programme shall be [ eur 206 850 000 - indicative amount ] in current prices .


### capacity building for regional , national and european consumer organisations , notably through training and exchange of best practice and expertise for staff members , in particular for consumer organisations in member states which demonstrate a relatively low level of consumer confidence and awareness as evidenced by monitoring of consumer markets and the consumer environment in the member states ; ### capacity building for local , regional , national and european consumer organisations , notably through training available in various languages and throughout the european union , and exchange of best practice and expertise for staff members , in particular for consumer organisations in cross - border areas , or in member states where they are not sufficiently developed , or which demonstrate a relatively low level of consumer confidence and awareness as evidenced by monitoring of consumer markets and the consumer environment in the member states ;


### it is important to improve consumer protection . to achieve this general objective , specific objectives should be set as regards safety , consumer information and education , rights and redress as well as enforcement in respect of consumer rights . the value and impact of the measures taken under the programme should regularly be monitored and evaluated . for the purposes of evaluating consumer policy indicators should be developed . ### it is important to improve consumer protection . to achieve this general objective , specific objectives should be set as regards safety , consumer information and education and support for consumer organisations , rights and redress as well as enforcement in respect of consumer rights . the value and impact of the measures taken under the programme should regularly be monitored and evaluated . to evaluate consumer policy , indicators should be developed that may be supplemented by background details .


### rights and redress : to consolidate consumer rights in particular through regulatory action and improving access to redress including alternative dispute resolution ### rights and redress : to develop and strengthen consumer rights in particular through regulatory action and improving access to redress including alternative dispute resolution


### facilitating access to and monitoring of the functioning and the effectiveness of dispute resolution mechanisms for consumers , in particular of alternative dispute resolution schemes , including on - line , also through the development and maintenance of relevant it tools ; ### facilitating access to dispute resolution mechanisms for consumers , in particular of alternative dispute resolution schemes , including on - line , paying particular attention to specific measures for vulnerable persons , such as the elderly and / or the less educated who are less inclined to make use of legal remedies ;


### building the evidence base for policy - making in areas affecting consumers ; ### building the evidence base for policy - making in areas affecting consumers , for designing smart and targeted regulations and for detecting any market malfunctioning or changes in consumers’ needs ;


### exchanges of enforcement officials and training ; ### exchanges of enforcement officials and training focusing in particular on high - risk sectors ;


### objective 3 - rights and redress : to consolidate consumer rights in particular through regulatory action and improving access to redress including alternative dispute resolution . this objective will be measured in particular through the recourse to alternative dispute resolution to solve cross - border disputes and through the activity of a union - wide on - line dispute resolution system . ### objective 3 - rights and redress : to develop and enhance consumer rights in particular through regulatory action and improving access to individual and , where appropriate , collective redress including alternative dispute resolution . this objective will be measured in particular through the recourse to alternative dispute resolution to solve cross - border disputes and through the activity of a union - wide on - line dispute resolution system , and by the percentage of consumers taking action in response to a problem encountered .


### the electronic identification means are issued by , on behalf of or under the responsibility of the notifying member state ; ### the electronic identification means are recognized by , issued by or on behalf of the notifying member state ;


### the commission may , by means of implementing acts , define the circumstances , formats and procedures for the report referred to in paragraph 3 . those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in article 39 . ### the commission may , by means of implementing acts , define the formats and procedures for the report referred to in paragraph 3 . those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in article 39 .


### when an electronic identification using an electronic identification means and authentication is required under national legislation or administrative practice to access a service online , any electronic identification means issued in another member state falling under a scheme included in the list published by the commission pursuant to the procedure referred to in article 7 shall be recognised and accepted for the purposes of accessing this service . ### when an electronic identification using an electronic identification means and authentication is required under national legislation or administrative practice to access a service online , electronic identification means of the same or higher security assurance level issued in another member state , notified pursuant to the procedure referred to in article 7 , shall be recognised for the purposes of accessing this service online six months following the publication of the list of notified schemes by the commission .


### a document bearing a qualified electronic signature or a qualified electronic seal of the person who is competent to issue the relevant document , shall enjoy legal presumption of its authenticity and integrity provided the document does not contain any dynamic features capable of automatically changing the document . ### a document bearing a qualified electronic signature or a qualified electronic seal shall enjoy legal presumption of its authenticity and integrity provided the document does not contain any dynamic features capable of automatically changing the document .


### the commission may , by means of implementing acts , define the circumstances , procedures and formats applicable for the purpose of paragraphs 1 , 2 and 4 . those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in article 39 . ### the commission may , by means of implementing acts , define the procedures and formats applicable for the purpose of paragraphs 1 , 2 and 4 . those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in article 39 .


### the supervisory body concerned may also inform the public or require the trust service provider to do so , where it determines that disclosure of the breach is in the public interest . ### the supervisory body concerned , in consultation with the trust service provider , may also inform the public or require the trust service provider to do so , where it determines that disclosure of the breach is in the public interest .


### qualified trust service providers shall be audited by a recognised independent body once a year to confirm that they and the qualified trust services provided by them fulfil the requirements set out in this regulation , and shall submit the resulting security audit report to the supervisory body . ### qualified trust service providers shall be audited by a recognised independent body every two years and following any significant technological or organizational changes to confirm that they and the qualified trust services provided by them fulfil the requirements set out in this regulation , and shall submit the resulting compliance audit report to the supervisory body .


### once the relevant documents are submitted to the supervisory body according to paragraph 1 , the qualified service providers shall be included in the trusted lists referred to in article 18 indicating that the notification has been submitted . ### once the relevant documents are submitted according to paragraph 1 , the supervisory body shall verify the compliance of the trust service provider and of the trust services to be provided by it with the requirements of this regulation . if the verification process confirms compliance , the supervisory body shall grant the status of a qualified trust service provider and the qualified trust service provider may start to provide the qualified trust service .


### trust services providers from third countries ### qualified trust services providers from third countries


### trust services provided and end user products used in the provision of those services shall be made accessible for persons with disabilities whenever possible . ### trust services provided and end user products used in the provision of those services shall be made accessible for persons with disabilities in accordance with eu law .


### this regulation applies to electronic identification provided by , on behalf or under the responsibility of member states and to trust service providers established in the union . ### this regulation applies to electronic identification recognized by , issued by or on behalf of member states and to trust service providers established in the union .


### information on by whom the registration of the unambiguous person identifiers is managed ; ### information on by which entity the registration of the person identifiers is managed ;


### if an electronic signature with a security assurance level below qualified electronic signature is required , in particular by a member state for accessing a service online offered by a public sector body on the basis of an appropriate assessment of the risks involved in such a service , all electronic signatures matching at least the same security assurance level shall be recognised and accepted . ### if an electronic signature with a security assurance level below qualified electronic signature is required by a member state for accessing a service online offered by a public sector body , on the basis of an appropriate assessment of the risks involved in such a service , all electronic signatures matching at least the same security assurance level shall be recognised .


### this regulation ensures that trust services and products which comply with this regulation are permitted to circulate freely in the internal market . ### this regulation ensures that qualified and non - qualified trust services and products which comply with this regulation are permitted to circulate freely in the internal market .


### this regulation does not apply to the provision of electronic trust services based on voluntary agreements under private law . ### this regulation does not apply to the provision of electronic trust services that are only provided for internal purposes within a closed group of parties . any third party wishing to contest the validity of such a trust service may not do so solely on the grounds that the trust service did not fulfil the requirements of this regulation .


### a qualified electronic seal shall enjoy the legal presumption of ensuring the origin and integrity of the data to which it is linked . ### a qualified electronic seal ensures the identity of the creator and integrity of the data to which it is linked .


### a qualified electronic seal shall be recognised and accepted in all member states . ### a qualified electronic seal shall be recognised in all member states .


### this regulation lays down rules for electronic identification and electronic trust services for electronic transactions with a view to ensuring the proper functioning of the internal market . ### this regulation lays down rules for electronic identification and trust services for electronic transactions with a view to ensuring the proper functioning of the internal market , guaranteeing a high level of security for identification means and trust services and boosting public trust in the digital world .


### a qualified electronic signature shall have the equivalent legal effect of a handwritten signature . ### a qualified electronic signature shall satisfy the legal requirements of a signature in relation to data in electronic form in the same manner as a handwritten signature satisfies those requirements in relation to paper - based data ;


### qualified trust service providers shall notify the supervisory body of their intention to start providing a qualified trust service and shall submit to the supervisory body a security audit report carried out by a recognised independent body , as provided for in article 16 . qualified trust service providers may start to provide the qualified trust service after they have submitted the notification and security audit report to the supervisory body . ### trust service providers shall notify the supervisory body of their intention to provide a qualified trust service and shall submit to the supervisory body a security audit report carried out by a recognised independent body , as provided for in article 16 .


### qualified trust service providers shall notify the supervisory body of their intention to start providing a qualified trust service and shall submit to the supervisory body a security audit report carried out by a recognised independent body , as provided for in article 16 . qualified trust service providers may start to provide the qualified trust service after they have submitted the notification and security audit report to the supervisory body . ### qualified trust service providers shall notify the supervisory body of their intention to start providing a qualified trust service and shall submit to the supervisory body a security audit report carried out by a recognised independent body , as provided for in article 16 .


### the provisions on data protection set out in the council framework decision 2008 / 977 / jha of 27 november 2008 on the protection of personal data processed in the framework of police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters3 shall apply to personal data processed under this directive . 3 oj l 350 , 30 . 12 . 2008 , p . 60 . ### the provisions on data protection set out in directive 95 / 46 / ec of the european parliament and the council of 24 october 1995 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data3 shall apply to personal data processed under this directive . this information shall be sent solely for the purposes of this directive , and , upon conclusion of proceedings , all data must be verifiably deleted . 3 oj l 281 , 23 . 11 . 1995 , p . 31 .


### the provisions on data protection set out in the council framework decision 2008 / 977 / jha of 27 november 2008 on the protection of personal data processed in the framework of police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters9 shall apply to personal data processed under this directive . ### the provisions on data protection set out in directive 95 / 46 / ec shall apply to personal data processed under this directive . the competent authorities of the other member states shall not store the information sent by the member state of the offence . that information shall be sent and used solely for the purposes of this directive , and , upon conclusion of proceedings , all data must be verifiably deleted . the member state of registration shall record only the date and the competent authority of the member state of the offence to whom the information was sent .


### a deviation from prudent fiscal policy making shall be considered significant if the following conditions occur : an excess over the expenditure growth consistent with prudent fiscal policy - making , not offset by discretionary revenue - increasing measures ; or discretionary revenue - decreasing measures not offset by reductions in expenditure ; and the deviation has a total impact on the government balance of at least 0 . 5 % of gdp in one single year or of at least 0 . 25 % of gdp on average per year in two consecutive years . ### an observed deviation from the adjustment path towards the medium - term objective shall be considered significant if the following conditions occur : an excess of expenditure growth over the reference medium - term rate of potential gdp growth , not offset by discretionary revenue - increasing measures ; or discretionary revenue - decreasing measures not offset by reductions in expenditure ; and the deviation from the annual improvement of the government balance required under article 5 . 1 has a total impact on the government balance of at least 0 . 5 % of gdp in one single year or of at least 0 . 25 % of gdp on average per year in two consecutive years .


### in the event of a significant deviation from prudent fiscal - policy a warning should be addressed to the member state concerned and in case the significant deviation persists or is particularly serious , a recommendation should be addressed to the member state concerned to take the necessary corrective measures . ### in the event of a significant deviation from prudent fiscal - policy a warning should be addressed to the member state concerned and in case the significant deviation persists or is particularly serious , a recommendation should be addressed to the member state concerned to take the necessary corrective measures . the european parliament may invite the member state concerned to explain its policies in this respect before its competent committee .


### the council shall carry out the examination of the stability programme within at most three months of the submission of the programme . the council , on a recommendation from the commission and after consulting the economic and financial committee , shall , if necessary , deliver an opinion on the programme . where the council , in accordance with article 121 of the treaty , considers that the objectives and the content of the programme should be strengthened with particular reference to prudent fiscal policy - making , the council shall , in its opinion , invite the member state concerned to adjust its programme . ### the commission shall examine the stability programme within three months of the submission of the programme . after consulting the economic and financial committee , the commission shall , if necessary , deliver an opinion on the programme . if the commission considers that the objectives and the content of the programme should be strengthened with particular reference to prudent fiscal policy - making , the commission shall , in its opinion , invite the member state concerned to adjust such programme . the council may reject such a commission opinion by qualified majority . the commission opinion shall be made public .


### fiscal - policy making shall be considered prudent and thereby conducive to the achievement of the medium - term budgetary objective and its maintenance over time if the following conditions are satisfied : ### fiscal - policy making shall be considered sustainable and thereby conducive to the achievement of the medium - term budgetary objective and its sustainability over time if the following conditions are satisfied :


### a deviation from prudent fiscal policy making shall be considered significant if the following conditions occur : an excess over the expenditure growth consistent with prudent fiscal policy - making , not offset by discretionary revenue - increasing measures ; or discretionary revenue - decreasing measures not offset by reductions in expenditure ; and the deviation has a total impact on the government balance of at least 0 . 5% of gdp in one single year or of at least 0 . 25% of gdp on average per year in two consecutive years . ### an observed deviation from the adjustment path towards the medium - term objective shall be considered significant if the following conditions occur : an excess of expenditure growth over the reference medium - term rate of potential gdp growth , not offset by discretionary revenue - increasing measures ; or discretionary revenue - decreasing measures not offset by reductions in expenditure ; and the deviation from the annual improvement of the government balance required under article 9 . 1 has a total impact on the government balance of at least 0 . 5% of gdp in one single year or of at least 0 . 25% of gdp on average per year in two consecutive years .


### as part of multilateral surveillance in accordance with article 121 of the treaty , the council shall monitor the implementation of stability programmes , on the basis of information provided by participating member states and of assessments by the commission and the economic and financial committee , in particular with a view to identifying actual or expected significant divergences of the budgetary position from the medium - term budgetary objective , or from the appropriate adjustment path towards it ensuing from deviations from prudent fiscal - policy making . ### as part of multilateral surveillance in accordance with article 121 tfeu , the council and the commission shall monitor the implementation of stability programmes , on the basis of information provided by participating member states and of assessments by the commission and the economic and financial committee , in particular with a view to identifying actual or expected significant divergences of the budgetary position from the medium - term budgetary objective , or from the appropriate adjustment path towards it ensuing from deviations from prudent fiscal - policy making .


### with a view to ensuring that the medium - term budgetary objective is effectively achieved and maintained , the council shall verify that the growth path of government expenditure , taken in conjunction with the effect of the measures being taken or proposed on the revenue side , is consistent with prudent fiscal - policy making . ### with a view to ensuring that the medium - term budgetary objective is effectively achieved and maintained , the council and the commission shall verify that the growth path of government expenditure , taken in conjunction with the effect of the measures being taken or proposed on the revenue side , is consistent with prudent fiscal - policy making .


### fiscal policy - making shall be considered prudent and thereby conducive to the achievement of the medium - term budgetary objective and its maintenance over time if the following conditions are satisfied : ### fiscal policy - making shall be considered prudent and thereby conducive to the achievement of the medium - term budgetary objective and its sustainability over time if the following conditions are satisfied :


### in periods of severe economic downturn of a general nature member states may be allowed to temporarily depart from the adjustment path implied by prudent fiscal - policy making referred to in the fourth subparagraph . ### only in periods of a severe economic downturn or a severe rise in unemployment , including its aftermath and the period in which the economy is still operating below potential member states shall be allowed to temporarily depart from the adjustment path implied by efficient and sustainable fiscal - policy making referred to in the fourth subparagraph .


### for member states that have not yet reached their medium - term budgetary objective , annual expenditure growth does not exceed a rate below a prudent medium - term rate of gdp growth , unless the excess is matched by discretionary revenue measures . the size of the shortfall of the growth rate of government expenditure compared to a prudent medium - term rate of gdp growth is set in such a way as to ensure an appropriate adjustment towards the medium - term budgetary objective ; ### for member states that have not yet reached their medium - term budgetary objective , annual expenditure growth does not exceed a rate below a sustainable medium - term rate of gdp growth , unless the excess is matched by discretionary revenue measures . the size of the shortfall of the growth rate of government expenditure compared to a sustainable medium - term rate of gdp growth is set in such a way as to ensure an appropriate and sustainable adjustment towards the medium - term budgetary objective ;


### for member states that have not yet reached their medium - term budgetary objective , annual expenditure growth does not exceed a rate below a prudent medium - term rate of gdp growth , unless the excess is matched by discretionary revenue measures . the size of the shortfall of the growth rate of government expenditure compared to a prudent medium - term rate of gdp growth is set in such a way as to ensure an appropriate adjustment towards the medium - term budgetary objective ; ### for member states that have not yet reached their medium - term budgetary objective , annual expenditure growth does not exceed a rate below a prudent medium - term rate of gdp growth , unless the excess is matched by discretionary revenue measures . the size of the shortfall of the growth rate of government expenditure compared to a prudent medium - term rate of gdp growth is set in such a way as to ensure an appropriate and sustainable adjustment towards the medium - term budgetary objective ;


### the prudent medium - term of growth should be assessed on the basis of projections over a ten - year horizon updated at regular intervals . ### the prudent medium - term of growth should be assessed on the basis of projections over a ten - year horizon updated at regular intervals . the commission shall make public a transparent , independent and reasoned assessment of the methodology of those projections .


### in the event that the significant deviation from prudent fiscal - policy making persists or is particularly serious , the council , on a recommendation from the commission , shall address a recommendation to the member state concerned to take the necessary adjustment measures . the council , on a proposal from the commission , shall make the recommendation public . ### in the event that the significant deviation from prudent fiscal - policy making persists or is particularly serious , the commission shall address a recommendation to the member state concerned to take the necessary adjustment measures . the council may reject such a commission recommendation by qualified majority . the council shall make the recommendation public and the european parliament may invite the member state concerned to explain its policies before its competent committee .


### with a view to ensuring that the medium - term budgetary objective is effectively achieved and maintained , the council shall verify that the growth path of government expenditure , taken in conjunction with the effect of measures being taken or planned on the revenue side , is consistent with prudent fiscal policy - making . ### with a view to ensuring that the medium - term budgetary objective is effectively achieved and maintained , the council and the commission shall verify that the growth path of government expenditure , taken in conjunction with the effect of measures being taken or planned on the revenue side , is consistent with prudent fiscal policy - making .


### in the event of a significant deviation from prudent fiscal - policy a warning should be addressed to the member state concerned and in case the significant deviation persists or is particularly serious , a recommendation should be addressed to the member state concerned to take the necessary corrective measures . ### in the event of a significant deviation from the adjustment path towards the medium - term objective , the commission may request additional reporting from the member state and a warning should be addressed to the member state concerned and , a recommendation should be addressed to the member state concerned setting a deadline to take the necessary corrective measures . the european parliament may invite the member state concerned to explain its policies in this respect before its competent committee .


### in the event of a significant deviation from prudent fiscal - policy making referred in the fourth subparagraph of article 5 of this regulation , and in order to prevent the occurrence of an excessive deficit , the commission , in accordance with article 121 of the treaty may address a warning to the member state concerned . ### in the event of a significant deviation from prudent fiscal - policy making referred in the fourth subparagraph of article 5 of this regulation , and in order to prevent the occurrence of an excessive deficit , the commission , in accordance with article 121 tfeu may address a warning to the member state concerned . such a warning shall be made public and the european parliament may invite the member state concerned to explain its policies before its competent committee . in the event of such significant deviation , the commission may require additional reporting from the member state concerned . the council shall , within one month of any significant deviation as referred to in the first subparagraph , adopt a recommendation for policy measures setting a deadline of no more than five months , for addressing the deviation , on the basis of a commission recommendation , based on article 121 tfeu . in the event of a particularly significant deviation or in a particularly serious situation , the deadline shall be no more than three months . the council , on a proposal from the commission , shall make the recommendation public . the commission shall monitor the measures contained in the recommendation on the basis of surveillance visits in accordance with article 6a and prepare a report to the council . that report may be made public . if the member state concerned fails to take appropriate action within the deadline specified in a council recommendation under the second subparagraph , the council shall immediately adopt a final recommendation setting out the non - compliance of the member state on the basis of a further commission recommendation in accordance with article 121 tfeu . at the same time , the council , on a proposal from the commission , shall address a formal report to the european council . the process from the council recommendation referred to in the second subparagraph to the final council recommendation and report to the european council referred to in the fourth subparagraph shall be no longer than six months .


### on the basis of a report of the commission accompanied , if appropriate , by a legislative proposal , the european parliament and the council shall , by …* , re - examine the collection rate of 45 % and the related deadline referred to in paragraph 1 with a view inter alia to possibly setting individual collection rates for one or more categories set out in annex iii , particularly for temperature exchange equipment and for lamps containing mercury . _______ *note to oj : please insert the date - 3 years from the date of entry into force of this directive . ### on the basis of a report of the commission accompanied , if appropriate , by a legislative proposal , the european parliament and the council shall , by 31 december 2012 , re - examine the collection rate and the deadlines referred to in paragraph 1 with a view inter alia to setting individual collection rates for one or more categories set out in annex iii , particularly for temperature exchange equipment , lamps , including light bulbs , and small appliances , including small it and telecommunications devices .


### regarding all weee separately collected in accordance with article 5 and sent for treatment in accordance with articles 8 , 9 and 10 , member states shall ensure that producers meet the minimum targets set out in annex v . ### regarding all weee separately collected and sent for treatment in accordance with articles 8 , 9 and 10 , member states shall ensure that producers meet the following minimum targets as from . . . * : for weee falling under categories 1 and 4 of annex iii , – 85 % shall be recovered and – 75 % shall be recycled ; for weee falling under category 2 of annex iii , – 80 % shall be recovered and – 65 % shall be recycled ; for weee falling under category 3 of annex iii , – 75 % shall be recovered and – 50 % shall be recycled ; for weee falling under category 5 of annex iii , – 75 % shall be recovered and – 50 % shall be recycled ; for weee falling under category 6 of annex iii , – 85 % shall be recovered and – 75 % shall be recycled ; for gas discharge lamps , 80% shall be recycled . _______ * the date of entry into force of this directive .


### regarding all weee separately collected in accordance with article 5 and sent for treatment in accordance with articles 8 , 9 and 10 , member states shall ensure that producers meet the minimum targets set out in annex v . ### regarding all weee separately collected and sent for treatment in accordance with articles 8 , 9 and 10 , member states shall ensure that producers meet the following minimum targets as from &#8230 ; * : for weee falling under categories 1 and 4 of annex iii , – 85 % shall be recovered , – 75 % shall be recycled and – 5 % shall be prepared for reuse ; for weee falling under category 2 of annex iii , – 80 % shall be recovered , – 65 % shall be recycled and – 5 % shall be prepared for reuse ; for weee falling under category 3 of annex iii , – 75 % shall be recovered and – 50 % shall be recycled ; for weee falling under category 5 of annex iii , – 75 % shall be recovered , – 50 % shall be recycled and – 5 % shall be prepared for reuse ; for weee falling under category 6 of annex iii , – 85 % shall be recovered , – 75 % shall be recycled and – 5 % shall be prepared for reuse ; for gas discharge lamps , 80 % shall be recycled ; for photovoltaic panels , 80 % shall be recycled . _______ * the date of entry into force of this directive .


### regarding all weee separately collected in accordance with article 5 and sent for treatment in accordance with articles 8 , 9 and 10 , member states shall ensure that producers meet the minimum&#160 ; targets set out in annex v . ### regarding all weee separately collected and sent for treatment in accordance with articles 8 , 9 and 10 , member states shall ensure that producers meet the following minimum targets as from &#8230 ; * : for weee falling under categories 1 and 4 of annex iii , – 85% shall be recovered , – 75% shall be recycled and – 5% shall be prepared for reuse ; for weee falling under category 2 of annex iii , – 80% shall be recovered , – 65% shall be recycled and – 5% shall be prepared for reuse ; for weee falling under category 3 of annex iii , –75% shall be recovered and –50% shall be recycled ; for weee falling under category 5 of annex iii , –75% shall be recovered , –50% shall be recycled and –5% shall be prepared for reuse ; for weee falling under category 6 of annex iii , – 85% shall be recovered , – 75% shall be recycled and – 5% shall be prepared for reuse ; for gas discharge lamps , 80% shall be recycled . _______ * the date of entry into force of this directive .


### the fight against poverty remains the primary objective of the european union’s development policy , as laid down in article 21 of the treaty on european union and article 208 of the treaty on the functioning of the european union . ### poverty reduction remains the primary objective of the european union’s development policy , as laid down in article 21 of the treaty on european union and article 208 of the treaty on the functioning of the european union .


### the commission should examine a citizens ' initiative and set out its conclusions and the actions it envisages to take in response to it , within a period of four months . ### the commission should examine a citizens ' initiative and respond to it in a clear , comprehensible and detailed manner and within a time frame corresponding to its handling of legislative initiatives of the european parliament under article 225 of the treaty on the functioning of the european union . thus , as a first step , the commission should after three months inform the organisers of a successful initiative of how it intends to act on the initiative . as a second step , citizens should have the assurance that a successful citizens ' initiative will be the subject of an official public hearing at european union level . the commission , as the addressee of an initiative , should ensure that such a hearing takes place and that it will be represented at an appropriate level . the european parliament , through its committee responsible , should always be invited to participate in the organising of such hearings . as a third step , the commission should come forward with its final response to the initiative after one year , either by proposing legislation accordingly or by explaining in a detailed manner its reasons for not acting on the initiative . the commission should also give a thorough explanation in the event that the legislative proposal diverges significantly from the citizens ' initiative .


### required information for registering a proposed citizens’ initiative the following information shall be provided in order to register a proposed citizens’ initiative on the commission ' s register : the title of proposed citizens ' initiative in no more than 100 characters ; 2 . the subject - matter , in no more than 200 characters ; 3 . the description of the objectives of the proposal on which the commission is invited to act , in no more than 500 characters ; 4 . the legal base of the treaties which would allow the commission to act ; 5 . the full name , postal address and e - mail address of the organiser or , in the case of a legal entity or organisation , its legal representative ; 7 . all sources of funding and support for the proposed initiative at the time of registration . organisers may provide more detailed information on the subject , objectives and background to the proposed citizens ' initiative in an annex . they may also , if they wish , submit a draft legislative text . ### required information for a proposed citizens’ initiative the following information shall be provided for the commission ' s register : the title of the proposed citizens ' initiative in no more than 100 characters ; 2 . the subject - matter , in no more than 200 characters ; 3 . the description of the objectives of the proposal on which the commission is invited to act , in no more than 500 characters ; 4 . the treaty provision considered relevant by the organisers for the proposed action ; 5 . the full name , postal address and e - mail address of the organisers and the contact persons ; 6 . all sources of support and funding for the proposed initiative at the time of registration organisers may provide more detailed information on the subject , objectives , and background to the proposed citizens ' initiative in an annex . they may also , if they wish , submit a draft legislative text .


### proposed citizens ' initiatives which can be reasonably regarded as improper because they are abusive or devoid of seriousness will not be registered . ### the commission shall register a proposed initiative within two months from its receipt when the following conditions are fulfilled : the citizens ' committee has been formed and the contact persons have been designated ; there are no manifest , significant inconsistencies between the linguistic versions of the title , subject - matter and objectives of the proposed initiative ; the initiative does not manifestly fall outside the scope of the commission’s power under the treaties to submit a proposal for the requested legal act ; the proposed initiative is not manifestly abusive , frivolous or vexatious ; the proposed initiative is not manifestly contrary to the values of the union as set out in article 2 of the treaty on european union .


### it is necessary to establish the minimum number of member states from which citizens must come . in order to ensure that a citizens ' initiative is representative of a union interest , this number should be set at one third of member states . ### it is necessary to establish a minimum number of member states from which citizens must come . this threshold should ensure that a citizens ' initiative is representative of a union interest but the requirements should not be too cumbersome . it therefore should be set at one fifth of the member states .


### in one third of member states , signatories shall comprise at least the minimum number of citizens set out in annex i . ### in one fifth of member states , signatories shall comprise at least the minimum number of citizens set out in annex i .


### after having obtained the certificates provided for in article 9 , and provided that all relevant procedures and conditions set out in this regulation have been complied with , the organiser may submit the citizens’ initiative to the commission . ### after having obtained the certificates provided for in article 9 , and provided that all relevant procedures and conditions set out in this regulation have been complied with , the organisers may submit the citizens’ initiative to the commission , accompanied by information regarding any support and funding received for the initiative . the amount of support and funding received from natural persons in excess of which information is to be provided shall be determined by the commission by means of delegated acts .


### ' citizens ' initiative ' means an initiative , submitted to the commission in accordance with the present regulation , inviting the commission , within the framework of its powers , to submit any appropriate proposal on matters where citizens consider that a legal act of the union is required for the purpose of implementing the treaties , which has received the support of at least one million eligible signatories coming from at least one third of all member states ; ### ' citizens ' initiative ' means an initiative , submitted to the commission in accordance with the present regulation , inviting the commission , within the framework of its powers , to submit any appropriate proposal on matters where citizens consider that a legal act of the union is required for the purpose of implementing the treaties , which has received the support of at least one million eligible signatories coming from at least one fifth of all member states ;


### prior to initiating the collection of statements of support from signatories for a proposed citizens ' initiative , the organiser shall be required to register it with the commission , providing the information set out in annex ii , in particular on the subject - matter and objectives as well as on the sources of funding and support for the proposed citizens ' initiative . this information shall be provided in one of the official languages of the union , in an online register made available for that purpose by the commission . ### prior to initiating the collection of statements of support from signatories for a proposed citizens ' initiative , the organisers shall be required to register it with the commission , providing the information set out in annex ii , in particular on the subject - matter and objectives of the proposed citizens ' initiative . the organisers shall provide , for the register defined in the third subparagraph and where appropriate on their website , regularly updated information on the sources of support and funding for the initiative . this information shall be provided in one or more official languages of the union , in an online register made available for that purpose by the commission . information in an official language other the language in which it was originally provided may be provided subsequently for entry in the register . the translation of the initiative into other official languages of the union shall be the responsibility of the organisers .


### in order to ensure coherence and transparency in relation to proposed citizens ' initiatives , it should be mandatory to register such initiatives on a website made available by the commission prior to collecting the necessary statements of support from citizens ; proposals that are abusive or devoid of seriousness should not be registered and the commission should reject the registration of proposals which would be manifestly against the values of the union . the commission should deal with registration in accordance with the general principles of good administration . ### in order to ensure coherence and transparency in relation to proposed citizens ' initiatives and to avoid a situation in which signatures are collected for a proposal which does not fall within the scope of this regulation , it should be mandatory to register such initiatives on a website made available by the commission prior to collecting the necessary statements of support from citizens . proposals that are not citizens ' initiatives within the meaning of this regulation should not be registered . registration is an administrative procedure aimed at selecting those initiatives that fall within the scope of this regulation ; therefore any refusal of registration should be based only on legal grounds and not , on any account , on grounds of political expediency . the commission should deal with registration in accordance with the general principles of good administration , and should therefore be obliged to inform the organisers of an initiative of the reasons for any refusal to register that initiative and of all possible judicial and extrajudicial remedies available to them . it should also be made clear by the commission that registration and the collection of the required number of statements of support will not necessarily result in the commission adopting a proposal for a legal act and that the registration of an initiative does not constitute a formal decision on competence issues .


### prior to initiating the collection of statements of support from signatories , the organiser shall ensure that the online collection system used for that purpose complies with the provisions of paragraph 4 . the organiser may , at any time , ask the relevant competent authority of the member state in which the data collected is or will be stored , to certify that the online collection system complies with those provisions . the organiser shall , in any case , request that certification prior to submitting statements of support for verification in accordance with article 9 . ### prior to initiating the collection of statements of support from signatories , the organisers shall ensure that the online collection system used for that purpose complies with the provisions of paragraph 4 . the organisers may , at any time , ask the relevant competent authority of the member state in which the data collected is or will be stored , to certify that the online collection system complies with those provisions . the organisers shall , in any case , request that certification prior to starting the collection of statements of support . the organiser shall make a copy of the certificate issued in that regard publicly available on the website used for the online collection system . within six months following the entry into force of this regulation , the commission shall make available an open - source software incorporating some of the technical and security features necessary for compliance with the provisions of this regulation regarding the online collection systems . the software shall be freely made available to organisers .


### it is appropriate to fix a minimum age for supporting a citizens ' initiative . this should be set as the age at which citizens are entitled to vote in the european parliament elections . ### it is appropriate to fix a minimum age for supporting a citizens ' initiative . in order to foster the participation of younger citizens in the democratic life of the union , this should be set at the age of 16 .


### this regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the official journal of the european union . ### this regulation shall enter into force on the first day of the month following its publication in the official journal of the european union . it shall start to apply six months after its entry into force .


### the signatories of a citizens ' initiative shall come from at least one third of member states . ### the signatories of a citizens ' initiative shall come from at least one fifth of member states .


### the treaty on european union reinforces the citizenship of the union and enhances further the democratic functioning of the union by providing inter alia that every citizen shall have the right to participate in the democratic life of the union and that not less than one million citizens who are nationals of a significant number of member states may take the initiative of inviting the european commission , within the framework of its powers , to submit any appropriate proposal on matters where citizens consider that a legal act of the union is required for the purpose of implementing the treaties . ### the treaty on european union reinforces the citizenship of the union and enhances further the democratic functioning of the union by providing inter alia that every citizen shall have the right to participate in the democratic life of the union by way of a european citizens ' initiative . that procedure affords citizens the possibility of directly approaching the commission , conferring on them a right of initiative similar to that exercised by the european parliament and the council .


### five years after the entry into force of this regulation , the commission shall present a report to the european parliament and the council on the implementation of this regulation . ### three years after the entry into force of this regulation , and every three years thereafter , the commission shall present a report to the european parliament and the council on the implementation of this regulation , with special emphasis on online collection systems and the application of transparency requirements concerning the funding of initiatives , together , if appropriate , with a legislative proposal for amendment of this regulation .


### in order to be eligible to support a proposed citizens ' initiative , signatories shall be citizens of the union and shall be of the age to be entitled to vote in the european elections . ### in order to be eligible to support a proposed citizens ' initiative , signatories shall be citizens of the union and shall be at least 16 years old .


### where the commission receives a citizens ' initiative in accordance with article 10 it shall : publish the citizens ' initiative without delay on its website ; b . examine the citizens ' initiative and , within 4 months , set out in a communication its conclusions on the initiative , the action it intends to take , if any , and its reasons for doing so . ### where the commission receives a citizens ' initiative in accordance with article 10 it shall : publish the citizens ' initiative without delay on its website ; b . examine the citizens ' initiative and , within three months , set out in a communication its initial conclusions on the initiative ; c . organise a public hearing , if appropriate jointly with the european parliament , at which the organisers shall have the opportunity to explain in detail the matters raised by the initiative ; d . come forward with a legislative proposal within one year or include the proposal in its next year ' s work programme . if the commission does not present such a proposal it shall give the organisers as well as the european parliament and the council detailed explanations of its reasons for not acting on the initiative .


### development of physical capital , the improvement of connections with union and regional networks . ### development of physical capital , the improvement of connections with union and regional networks , including accessible environment to increase physical mobility of people with reduced mobility .


### ‘ traditional’ means proven usage on the domestic market for a time period allowing transmission between generations ; this time period should be the one generally ascribed to two generations , at least 50 years ; ### ' traditional ' means proven usage on the domestic market for a time period allowing transmission between generations ; this time period should be the one generally ascribed to one generation , that is , at least 25 years ;


### the production steps of which all take place in the defined geographical area ; ### the production , processing and preparation of which take place in the defined geographical area ;


### ‘ traditional’ means proven usage on the domestic market for a time period allowing transmission between generations ; this time period should be the one generally ascribed to two generations , at least 50 years ; ### ‘ ' traditional ' means proven usage on the domestic market for a period allowing transmission between generations ; this time period should be the one generally ascribed to one generation , that is , at least 25 years ;


### the pharmacovigilance risk assessment advisory committee shall assess the matter which has been submitted . for the purposes of that assessment , it may hold a public hearing . ### the pharmacovigilance risk assessment advisory committee shall assess the matter which has been submitted . for the purposes of that assessment , it may hold a public hearing , together with representatives from the committee for medicinal products for human use . the agency , in consultation with stakeholders , shall develop guidelines for the organisation and conduct of public hearings . the public hearing should also consider the effectiveness and benefits of the product as well as prior evaluations of benefit / risk carried out by the committee for medicinal products or the coordination group under the procedure for granting marketing authorisation as described in paragraph 107l .


### to appeal to the average consumer and to serve the informative purpose for which it is introduced , and given the current level of knowledge on the subject of nutrition , the information provided should be simple and easily understood . research has indicated that consumers find the information in the principal field of view or ‘ front of pack’ is useful when making purchasing decisions . therefore , to ensure that consumers can readily see the essential nutrition information when purchasing foods such information should be in the principal field of view of the label . ### to appeal to the average consumer and to serve the informative purpose for which it is introduced , and given the current level of knowledge on the subject of nutrition , the information provided should be simple , easily understood and legible , without providing an excessive amount of information . research has indicated that consumers find the information in the principal field of view or ‘ front of pack’ is useful when making purchasing decisions . therefore , to ensure that consumers can readily see the essential nutrition information when purchasing foods such information should be in the principal field of view of the label .


### member states should retain the right , depending on local practical conditions and circumstances , to lay down rules in respect of the provision of information concerning non - prepacked foods . although in such cases the consumer demand for other information is limited , information on potential allergens is considered very important . evidence suggests that most food allergy incidents can be traced back to non - prepacked food . therefore such information should always be provided to the consumer . ### information about non - prepacked foods and about mass catering wares should in principle be provided voluntarily . although in such cases the consumer demand for other information is limited , information on potential allergens is considered very important . evidence suggests that most food allergy incidents can be traced back to non - prepacked food . therefore the provision of such information should be mandatory in accordance with this regulation .


### the amount of energy and nutrients referred to in paragraph 1 shall be expressed per 100 g or per 100 ml or , subject to article 32 and , per portion . ### the amount of energy and nutrients referred to in paragraph 1 shall be expressed per 100 g or per 100 ml or per portion . if the food is prepacked as an individual portion , the energy and nutrition values referred to in paragraph 1 must also be indicated per portion . in addition , the amount of energy and nutrients may be indicated per portion if information is provided per portion , the number of portions which the package contains shall be indicated , the portion size must be realistic and the information shall be presented or explained in a manner which is comprehensible to the average consumer . in cooperation with food enterprises and the competent authorities of the member states , the commission shall develop guidelines for the indication of realistic portion sizes . these measures designed to amend non - essential elements of this regulation shall be adopted in accordance with the regulatory procedure with scrutiny referred to in article 49 .


### the mandatory nutrition declaration shall be expressed , as appropriate , as a percentage of the reference intakes set out in part b of annex xi in relation to per 100 g or per 100 ml or per portion . when provided , the declaration on vitamins and minerals shall also be expressed as a percentage of the reference intakes set out in point 1 of part a of annex xi . ### voluntary additional labelling to indicate nutrition values shall be executed in table form , expressing the values as a percentage of the reference intakes set out in part b of annex xi per 100 g or per 100 ml and , pursuant to article 31 , per portion . when provided , labelling indications concerning vitamins and minerals shall at least be expressed as a percentage of the reference intakes set out in point 1 of part a of annex xi .


### in addition to the forms of expression referred to in article&#160 ; 31 and , the nutrition declaration may be given by other forms of expression provided that the following essential requirements are met : the form of expression aims to facilitate consumer understanding of the contribution or importance of the food to the energy and nutrient content of a diet ; and it is based either on harmonised reference intakes , or in their absence , on generally accepted scientific advice on intakes for energy or nutrients ; and it is supported by evidence of understanding of and use of the presentation of the information by the average consumer . 2 . such additional forms of expression referred to in paragraph 1 shall be identified under a national scheme referred to in article 44 . ### in addition to the forms of expression referred to in article&#160 ; 31 and , the nutrition declaration may be given by graphic forms of expression provided that the following essential requirements are met : the form of expression aims to facilitate consumer understanding of the contribution or importance of the food to the energy and nutrient content of a diet ; and it is based on the reference intakes indicated in annex xi , part b , in relation to 100 g or 100 ml . if a product is prepacked as an individual portion or if it is supplied in quantities of less than 100 g / ml , an indication per portion relating to the quantity supplied shall be sufficient . in the absence of such reference intakes , the nutrition declaration is based on generally accepted scientific advice on intakes for energy or nutrients and it is supported by evidence of understanding of and use of the presentation of the information by the average consumer . 2 . model graphic presentations are shown in annex xiii , part ca .


### the mandatory nutrition declaration shall be expressed , as appropriate , as a percentage of the reference intakes set out in part b of annex xi in relation to per 100 g or per 100 ml or per portion . when provided , the declaration on vitamins and minerals shall also be expressed as a percentage of the reference intakes set out in point 1 of part a of annex xi . ### the nutrition declaration for the following nutritional values shall in addition be expressed , as appropriate , as a percentage of the reference intakes set out in part b of annex xi in relation to per 100 g or per 100 ml or , pursuant to article 31 , per portion . when provided , the declaration on vitamins and minerals shall also be expressed as a percentage of the reference intakes set out in point 1 of part a of annex xi .