### given the high level of unpredictability of fishing activities , exceptional circumstances may cause significant economic losses to fishers . in order to mitigate those consequences , it should be possible for the emff to support a compensation for the extraordinary cessation of fishing activities caused by the implementation of certain conservation measures , i . e . multiannual plans , targets for the conservation and sustainable exploitation of stocks , measures to adapt the fishing capacity of fishing vessels to available fishing opportunities and technical measures , by the implementation of emergency measures , by the interruption , due to reasons of force majeure , of the application of a sustainable fisheries partnership agreement , by a natural disaster or by an environmental incident . support should be granted only if the impact on fishers of such circumstances is significant , i . e . if the commercial activities of the vessel concerned are stopped during at least 90 consecutive days and if the economic losses resulting from the cessation amount to more than 30% of the average annual turnover of the business concerned during a specified period of time . the specificities of eel fisheries should be taken into account in the conditions for granting such support . ### it should be possible for the emff to support a compensation for the temporary cessation of fishing activities caused by the implementation of certain conservation measures , i . e . biological recovery periods , multiannual plans , targets for the conservation and sustainable exploitation of stocks , measures to adapt the fishing capacity of fishing vessels to available fishing opportunities and technical measures , by the implementation of emergency measures , by the interruption , of the application or by the non - renewal of a sustainable fisheries partnership agreement , by a natural disaster or by an environmental incident . the specificities of eel fisheries should be taken into account in the conditions for granting such support .


### it is necessary to establish a european maritime and fisheries fund for the 2021 - 2027 period . that fund should aim to target funding from the union budget to support the common fisheries policy , the union ' s maritime policy and the union ' s international commitments in the field of ocean governance . such funding is a key enabler for sustainable fisheries and the conservation of marine biological resources , for food security through the supply of seafood products , for the growth of a sustainable blue economy and for healthy , safe , secure , clean and sustainably managed seas and oceans . ### it is necessary to establish a european maritime and fisheries fund for the 2021 - 2027 period . that fund should aim to target funding from the union budget to support the full and timely implementation of the common fisheries policy , the marine strategy framework directive , the union ' s maritime policy and the union ' s international commitments in the field of ocean governance . such funding is , combined with responsible fisheries policies , one of the key enablers a key enabler for sustainable fisheries and the conservation of marine biological resources , for food security through the supply of seafood products , for the growth of a sustainable blue economy that develops within ecological limits and for healthy , safe , secure , clean and sustainably managed seas and oceans .


### if the support referred to in paragraph 1 is granted through the compensation for the permanent cessation of fishing activities , the following conditions shall be complied with : ### in exceptional cases , the support referred to in paragraph 1 may be granted through the compensation for the permanent cessation of fishing activities , provided that the following conditions are be complied with :


### support under the emff shall contribute to the achievement of the environmental and climate change mitigation and adaptation objectives of the union . that contribution shall be tracked in accordance with the methodology set out in annex iv . ### support under the emff shall contribute fully to the achievement of the environmental and climate change mitigation and adaptation objectives of the union . that contribution shall be tracked in accordance with the methodology set out in annex iv .


### fostering sustainable fisheries and the conservation of marine biological resources ; ### fostering sustainable fisheries and the protection , restoration and conservation of marine biological resources ;


### the landing obligation is one of the main challenges of the cfp . it has implied significant changes in fishing practices for the sector , sometimes with an important financial cost . it should therefore be possible for the emff to support innovation and investments that contribute to the implementation of the landing obligation , with a higher aid intensity rate than the one that applies to other operations , like investments in selective fishing gears , in the improvement of port infrastructures and in the marketing of unwanted catches . it should also grant a maximum aid intensity rate of 100% to the design , development , monitoring , evaluation and management of transparent systems for exchanging fishing opportunities between member states , in order to mitigate the ' choke species ' effect caused by the landing obligation . ### the landing obligation is a legal obligation and one of the main objectives of the cfp . it has implied the end of the environmentally unacceptable practise of discharging as well as important changes in fishing practices for the sector , sometimes with an important financial cost . the member states should therefore use the emff to provide maximum support for innovation and investments that contribute to the full and timely implementation of the landing obligation , with a substantially higher aid intensity rate than the one that applies to other operations , like investments in selective fishing gears and temporal and spatial selectivity measures , in the improvement of port infrastructures and in the marketing of unwanted catches . it should also grant a maximum aid intensity rate of 100% to the design , development , monitoring , evaluation and management of transparent systems for exchanging fishing opportunities between member states , in order to mitigate the ' choke species ' effect caused by the landing obligation .


### in order to address the specific conditions of the cfp referred to in regulation no 1380 / 2013 and to contribute to the compliance with the rules of the cfp , provisions additional to the rules on interruption , suspension and financial corrections as set out in regulation no [ regulation laying down common provisions ] should be laid down . where a member state or a beneficiary has failed to comply with its obligations under the cfp , or where the commission has evidence that suggests such a lack of compliance , the commission should , as a precautionary measure , be allowed to interrupt payment deadlines . in addition to the possibility of interruption of the payment deadline , and in order to avoid an evident risk of paying out ineligible expenditure , the commission should be allowed to suspend payments and impose financial corrections in cases of serious non - compliance with rules of the cfp by a member state . ### in order to address the specific conditions of the cfp referred to in regulation no 1380 / 2013 and to contribute to the full compliance with the rules of the cfp , provisions additional to the rules on interruption , suspension and financial corrections as set out in regulation no [ regulation laying down common provisions ] should be laid down . where a member state or a beneficiary has failed to comply with its obligations under the cfp , or where the commission has evidence that suggests such a lack of compliance , the commission should , as a precautionary measure , be allowed to interrupt payment deadlines . in addition to the possibility of interruption of the payment deadline , and in order to avoid an evident risk of paying out ineligible expenditure , the commission should be allowed to suspend payments and impose financial corrections in cases of non - compliance with rules of the cfp by a member state .


### in order to address the specific conditions of the cfp referred to in regulation no 1380 / 2013 and to contribute to the compliance with the rules of the cfp , provisions additional to the rules on interruption , suspension and financial corrections as set out in regulation no [ regulation laying down common provisions ] should be laid down . where a member state or a beneficiary has failed to comply with its obligations under the cfp , or where the commission has evidence that suggests such a lack of compliance , the commission should , as a precautionary measure , be allowed to interrupt payment deadlines . in addition to the possibility of interruption of the payment deadline , and in order to avoid an evident risk of paying out ineligible expenditure , the commission should be allowed to suspend payments and impose financial corrections in cases of serious non - compliance with rules of the cfp by a member state . ### in order to address the specific conditions of the cfp referred to in regulation no 1380 / 2013 and to contribute to the compliance with the rules of the cfp , provisions additional to the rules on interruption , suspension and financial corrections as set out in regulation no [ regulation laying down common provisions ] should be laid down . where a member state or a beneficiary has failed to comply with its obligations under the cfp , or where the commission has evidence that proves such a lack of compliance , the commission should be allowed to interrupt payment deadlines provisionally . in addition to the possibility of interruption of the payment deadline , and in order to avoid an evident risk of paying out ineligible expenditure , the commission should be allowed to suspend payments and impose financial corrections in cases of serious non - compliance with rules of the cfp by a member state .


### a pre - condition for granting the union ' s macro - financial assistance shall be that georgia respects effective democratic mechanisms &#8211 ; including a multi - party parliamentary system &#8211 ; and the rule of law , and guarantees respect for human rights . ### a pre - condition for granting the union ' s macro - financial assistance shall be that georgia respects effective democratic mechanisms , &#160 ; including a multi - party parliamentary system and a pluralistic and transparent media environment , &#160 ; and the rule of law , &#160 ; which&#160 ; should be based on a genuinely independent judiciary , &#160 ; and that it guarantees respect for human rights .


### a pre - condition for granting the union’s macro - financial assistance should be that georgia respects effective democratic mechanisms – including a multi - party parliamentary system – and the rule of law , and guarantees respect for human rights . in addition , the specific objectives of the union’s macro - financial assistance should strengthen the efficiency , transparency and accountability of the public finance management systems in georgia , and promote structural reforms aimed at supporting sustainable and inclusive growth , employment creation and fiscal consolidation . both the fulfilment of the preconditions and the achievement of those objectives should be regularly monitored by the commission and the european external action service . ### a pre - condition for granting the union’s macro - financial assistance should be that georgia respects effective democratic mechanisms , including a multi - party parliamentary system and a pluralist and transparent media environment , and the rule of law , which should be based on a genuinely independent judiciary , and that it guarantees respect for human rights . in addition , the specific objectives of the union’s macro - financial assistance should strengthen the efficiency , transparency and accountability of the public finance management systems in georgia , and promote structural reforms aimed at supporting sustainable and inclusive growth , employment creation and fiscal consolidation . both the fulfilment of the preconditions and the achievement of those objectives should be regularly monitored by the commission and the european external action service .


### a pre - condition for granting the union’s macro - financial assistance should be that georgia respects effective democratic mechanisms – including a multi - party parliamentary system – and the rule of law , and guarantees respect for human rights . in addition , the specific objectives of the union’s macro - financial assistance should strengthen the efficiency , transparency and accountability of the public finance management systems in georgia , and promote structural reforms aimed at supporting sustainable and inclusive growth , employment creation and fiscal consolidation . both the fulfilment of the preconditions and the achievement of those objectives should be regularly monitored by the commission and the european external action service . ### a pre - condition for granting the union’s macro - financial assistance should be that georgia fully respects effective democratic mechanisms , including a multi - party parliamentary system and a strict separation of powers , and the rule of law , including the independence of the judiciary , and that it ensures an effective fight against corruption , guarantees respect for human rights , including freedom of expression and free , independent and pluralistic media . in addition , the specific objectives of the union’s macro - financial assistance should strengthen the efficiency , transparency and accountability of the public finance management systems in georgia , and promote structural reforms aimed at supporting sustainable and inclusive growth , employment creation and fiscal consolidation . both the fulfilment of the preconditions and the achievement of those objectives should be regularly monitored by the commission and the european external action service .


### each member state concerned shall ensure that national scientific observers are deployed on at least 20% of pelagic longline vessels targeting mediterranean swordfish . the percentage coverage will be measured in fishing days , number of sets or trips . ### each member state concerned shall ensure that national scientific observers are deployed on at least 5% of pelagic longline vessels targeting mediterranean swordfish . the percentage coverage will be measured in fishing days , number of sets or trips .


### this directive applies to certain unfair trading practices which occur in relation to the sales of food products by a supplier that is a small and medium - sized enterprise to a buyer that is not a small and medium - sized enterprise . ### this directive applies to certain widespread unfair trading practices which occur in relation to the sales of food products by a supplier that is a small and medium - sized enterprise to a buyer that is not a small and medium - sized enterprise .


### paragraph 1 also applies to passengers who hold a travel pass or season ticket . if they encounter recurrent delays or cancellations during the period of validity of the travel pass or season ticket , they may request adequate compensation in accordance with the railway undertaking’s compensation arrangements . these arrangements shall state the criteria for determining delay and for the calculation of the compensation . where delays of less than 60 minutes occur repeatedly during the period of validity of the travel pass or season ticket , the delays shall be counted cumulatively and passengers shall be compensated in accordance with the railway undertaking’s compensation arrangements . ### paragraph 1 also applies to passengers who hold a travel pass or season ticket . if they encounter recurrent delays or cancellations during the period of validity of the travel pass or season ticket , they may request adequate compensation in accordance with the railway undertaking’s compensation arrangements . these arrangements shall state the criteria for determining delay and for the calculation of the compensation . where delays of less than 30 minutes occur repeatedly during the period of validity of the travel pass or season ticket , the delays shall be counted cumulatively and passengers shall be compensated in accordance with the railway undertaking’s compensation arrangements .


### urban , suburban and regional rail passenger services as referred to in directive&#160 ; 2012 / 34 / eu , except cross - border services within the union ; ### urban and suburban rail passenger services as referred to in directive&#160 ; 2012 / 34 / eu , except cross - border services within the union ;


### the handling of complaints ; ### the filing and handling of complaints ;


### users’ rights to rail services include the receipt of information regarding the service both before and during the journey . whenever possible , railway undertakings and ticket vendors should provide this information in advance and as soon as possible . that information should be provided in accessible formats for persons with disabilities or persons with reduced mobility . ### consumers’ rights to rail services include the receipt of information regarding all available rail options and the service before , during and after the journey . railway undertakings , ticket vendors and tour operators should provide that information in advance and in real - time . that information should be provided in accessible formats for persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility and should be available publicly .


### ‘ through - ticket’ means a ticket or tickets representing a single transport contract for successive railway services operated by one or more railway undertakings ; ### ‘ through - ticket’ means a ticket or separate tickets representing successive railway services operated by one or more railway undertakings , purchased from the same ticket vendor , tour operator or railway undertaking for an end - to - end journey ;


### for the purposes of point of paragraph 1 , comparable re - routing may be operated by any railway undertaking and may involve the use of transport of a higher class and alternative modes of transport without generating additional costs to the passenger . railway undertakings shall make reasonable efforts to avoid additional connections . the total travel time when using an alternative mode of transport for the part of the journey not completed as planned shall be comparable to the scheduled travel time of the original journey . passengers shall not be downgraded to transport facilities of a lower class unless such facilities are the only re - routing means available . ### for the purposes of point of paragraph 1 , in case of missed connection due to delay or cancellation , of an earlier leg of the passenger’s journey , the passenger shall be allowed to take the next service available in order to reach his / her final planned destination . comparable re - routing may be operated by any railway undertaking and may involve the use of transport of a higher class and alternative modes of transport without generating additional costs to the passenger . railway undertakings shall make reasonable efforts to avoid additional connections . the total travel time when using an alternative mode of transport for the part of the journey not completed as planned shall be comparable to the scheduled travel time of the original journey . passengers shall not be downgraded to transport facilities of a lower class unless such facilities are the only re - routing means available .


### without prejudice to social tariffs , railway undertakings or ticket vendors shall offer contract conditions and tariffs to the general public without direct or indirect discrimination on the basis of the final customer’s nationality or residence , or the place of establishment of the railway undertaking or ticket vendor within the union . ### without prejudice to social tariffs , railway undertakings or ticket vendors shall offer transport contract and ticketing conditions and tariffs to the general public without direct or indirect discrimination on the basis of the final passenger ' s nationality or residence , or the place of establishment of the railway undertaking or ticket vendor within the union or the means through which passengers bought the ticket .


### users’ rights to rail services include the receipt of information regarding the service both before and during the journey . whenever possible , railway undertakings and ticket vendors should provide this information in advance and as soon as possible . that information should be provided in accessible formats for persons with disabilities or persons with reduced mobility . ### users’ rights to rail services include the receipt of information regarding the service both before , during and after the journey . railway undertakings and ticket vendors should provide this information in advance and as soon as possible . that information should be provided in accessible formats for persons with disabilities or persons with reduced mobility .


### railway undertakings and ticket vendors shall offer tickets and , where available , through - tickets and reservations . they shall make all possible efforts to offer through - tickets , including for journeys across borders and with more than one railway undertaking . ### railway undertakings and ticket vendors shall offer tickets and , where available reservations . they shall offer through - tickets , including for journeys across borders and with more than one railway undertaking , where according to the time schedules known at the time of the purchase of the ticket , there is time for the passenger to transfer between one service to another . ticket vendors and railway undertakings shall make available to station managers , infrastructure managers , and each other the data concerning sold tickets and the related passengers on a real - time basis in a non - discriminatory way , in line with the general data protection regulation 2016 / 679 1a . _________________ 1a regulation 2016 / 679 of the european parliament and of the council of 27 april 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data , and repealing directive 95 / 46 / ec , oj l 119 , 4 . 5 . 2016 .


### passengers shall be entitled to take bicycles on board the train , where appropriate for a reasonable fee . they shall keep their bicycles under supervision during the journey and ensure that no inconvenience or damage is caused to other passengers , mobility equipment , luggage or rail operations . the carriage of bicycles may be refused or restricted for safety or operational reasons , provided that railway undertakings , ticket vendors , tour operators and , where appropriate , station managers inform passengers of the conditions for such a refusal or restriction in accordance with regulation no 454 / 2011 . ### passengers shall be entitled to take bicycles on board the train , where appropriate for a reasonable fee . they shall keep their bicycles under supervision during the journey and ensure that no inconvenience or damage is caused to other passengers , mobility equipment , luggage or rail operations . the carriage of bicycles may be refused or restricted for safety or operational reasons , provided that railway undertakings , ticket vendors , tour operators and , where appropriate , station managers inform passengers , at the latest when purchasing the ticket , of the conditions for such a refusal or restriction in accordance with regulation no 454 / 2011 .


### details of the complaint handling procedure shall be accessible to persons with disabilities and with reduced mobility . ### details of the complaint handling procedure shall be easily available to passengers and accessible to persons with disabilities and with reduced mobility . this information shall be made freely available in writing upon request in the domestic language of the railway undertaking .


### ‘ ticket vendor’ means any retailer of rail transport services concluding transport contracts and selling tickets on behalf of a railway undertaking or for its own account ; ### ‘ ticket vendor’ means any retailer of rail transport services concluding transport contracts and selling tickets and through - tickets on behalf of one or more railway undertakings or for its own account ;


### where a passenger receives separate tickets for a single journey comprising successive railway services operated by one or more railway undertakings , his rights to information , assistance , care and compensation shall be equivalent to those under a through - ticket and cover the whole journey from the departure to the final destination , unless the passenger is explicitly informed otherwise in writing . such information shall in particular state that when the passenger misses a connection , he or she would not be entitled to assistance or compensation based on the total length of the journey . the burden of proof that the information was provided shall lie with the railway undertaking , its agent , tour operator or ticket vendor . ### where passengers receive separate tickets for a single journey comprising successive railway services operated by one or more railway undertakings , their rights to information , assistance , care and compensation shall be equivalent to those under a through - ticket and cover the whole journey from the departure to the final destination .


### rail passengers should be able to submit a complaint to any railway undertaking involved regarding the rights and obligations conferred by this regulation , and be entitled to receive a response within a reasonable period of time . ### rail passengers should be able to submit a complaint to any railway undertaking , ticket vendor , railway station or infrastructure manager involved regarding the rights and obligations conferred by this regulation , and be entitled to receive a response within a reasonable period of time .


### an obligation for the road transport operator established in another member state to send a posting declaration to the national competent authorities at the latest at the commencement of the posting , in electronic form , in an official language of the host member state or in english , containing only the following information : ### an obligation for the road transport operator to send a posting declaration to the european one - stop shop in electronic form , in which the transport undertakings shall register the prior declaration of posting , following a single standardised model posting declaration which shall be made available in all the official languages of the union , requiring transport undertakings to ensure that their posted drivers carry a copy of the aforementioned duly registered declaration containing the following information :


### these checks shall cover each year a large and representative cross - section of mobile workers , drivers , undertakings and vehicles falling within the scope of regulations no 561 / 2006 and no 165 / 2014 and of mobile workers and drivers falling withing the scope of directive 2002 / 15 / ec . ; ### these checks shall cover each year a large and representative cross - section of mobile workers , drivers , undertakings and vehicles of all transport categories falling within the scope of regulations no 561 / 2006 and no 165 / 2014 and of mobile workers and drivers falling within the scope of directive 2002 / 15 / ec ;


### an obligation for the road transport operator to deliver , after the period of posting , in paper or electronic form , copies of documents referred to in points , and , at the request of the authorities of the host member state within a reasonable period of time ; ### an obligation for the employer to deliver , after the period of posting , in paper or electronic form , copies of documents referred to in points , and , at the request of the authorities of the host member state within a reasonable period of time ;


### member state shall submit the information requested by other member states pursuant to paragraph 1 of this article within 25 working days from the receipt of the request in cases requiring in - depth examination or involving checks at premises of the undertakings concerned . a shorter time limit may be mutually agreed between the member states . in urgent cases or cases requiring simple consultation of registers , such as of a risk rating system , the requested information shall be submitted within three working days . ### member state shall submit the information requested by other member states pursuant to paragraph 1 of this article within 10 working days from the receipt of the request in cases requiring in - depth examination or involving checks at premises of the undertakings concerned . a shorter time limit may be mutually agreed between the member states . in urgent cases or cases requiring simple consultation of registers , such as of a risk rating system , the requested information shall be submitted within three working days .


### checks at premises shall be planned in the light of past experience in relation to the various types of transport and undertakings . they shall also be carried out if serious infringements of regulation no 561 / 2006 or no 165 / 2014 or directive 2002 / 15 / ec have been detected at the roadside . ; ### checks at premises shall be planned in the light of past experience in relation to the various types of transport and undertakings . they shall also be carried out if serious infringements of regulation no 561 / 2006 or no 165 / 2014 have been detected at the roadside . ;


### member states shall not apply points and of the first subparagraph of article 3 of directive 96 / 71 / ec to drivers in the road transport sector employed by undertakings referred to in article 1 of that directive , when performing international carriage operations as defined by regulations 1072 / 2009 and 1073 / 2009 where the period of posting to their territory to perform these operations is shorter than or equal to 3 days during a period of one calendar month . ### member states shall not apply directive 96 / 71 / ec to drivers in the road transport sector employed by undertakings referred to in article 1 [ of directive 96 / 71 / ec ] , when performing international carriage operations as defined by regulations no 1072 / 2009 and 1073 / 2009 where the period of posting within their territory to perform these operations is shorter than or equal to [ 10 ] cumulative days during a period of one calendar month . a [ 7 ] day threshold should also apply to cabotage operations as defined by regulations no 1072 / 2009 and 1073 / 2009 .


### in order to create a safe , efficient and socially responsible road transport sector it is necessary to ensure adequate working conditions and social protection for drivers , on the one hand , and suitable business and fair competition conditions for operators , on the other . ### in order to create a safe , efficient and socially responsible road transport sector it is necessary to ensure a balance between free movement of services , adequate working conditions and social protection for drivers and a competitive business environment for operators .


### adequate , effective and consistent enforcement of the working time provisions is crucial for protecting the working conditions of drivers and preventing the distortions of competition resulting from non - compliance . therefore it is desirable to extend the existing uniform enforcement requirements set out in directive 2006 / 22 / ec to controlling compliance with the working time provisions set out in directive 2002 / 15 / eu . ### adequate , effective and consistent enforcement of the working time provisions is crucial for protecting the working conditions of drivers and preventing the distortions of competition resulting from non - compliance . therefore it is desirable to extend the existing uniform enforcement requirements set out in directive 2006 / 22 / ec to controlling compliance with the working time provisions set out in directive 2002 / 15 / eu . the checks laid down in directive 2002 / 15 / eu should be limited at the roadside to the weekly and daily working time , breaks , rest periods and night work . other obligations deriving from directive 2002 / 15 / ec should be checked at the operator’s premises .


### member state shall submit the information requested by other member states pursuant to paragraph 1 of this article within 25 working days from the receipt of the request in cases requiring in - depth examination or involving checks at premises of the undertakings concerned . a shorter time limit may be mutually agreed between the member states . in urgent cases or cases requiring simple consultation of registers , such as of a risk rating system , the requested information shall be submitted within three working days . ### member states shall submit the information requested by other member states pursuant to paragraph 1 of this article within ten working days from the receipt of the request . in cases requiring in - depth examination or involving checks at premises of the undertakings concerned , reasons shall be given to justify this circumstance and the time limit shall be 20 days . a shorter time limit may be mutually agreed between the member states . in urgent cases or cases requiring simple consultation of registers , such as of a risk rating system , the requested information shall be submitted within three working days .


### an obligation for the road transport operator established in another member state to send a posting declaration to the national competent authorities at the latest at the commencement of the posting , in electronic form , in an official language of the host member state or in english , containing only the following information : ### an obligation for the road transport operator established in another member state to send a posting declaration to the national competent authorities at the latest at the commencement of the posting , in a standardised electronic form developed and made available by the commission in all official languages of the union , containing only the following information :


### an obligation for the driver to keep and make available , where requested at the roadside control , in paper or electronic form , a copy of the posting declaration and evidence of transport operation taking place in the host member state , such as an electronic consignment note or evidence referred to in article 8 of regulation no 1072 / 2009 of the european parliament and of the council . ### an obligation for the road transport operator to ensure that the driver has at his disposal , where requested at the roadside control , in paper or electronic form , a copy of the posting declaration and evidence of transport operation taking place in the host member state , such as an electronic consignment note or evidence referred to in article 8 of regulation no 1072 / 2009 of the european parliament and of the council .


### where the requested member state considers that the request is insufficiently reasoned , it shall inform the requesting member state accordingly within 10 working days . the requesting member state shall further substantiate the request . where this is not possible , the request may be rejected by the member state . ### where the requested member state considers that the request is insufficiently reasoned , it shall inform the requesting member state accordingly , giving the reasons , within five working days . the requesting member state shall substantiate the request within five days . if this deadline is not met , the request may be rejected by the member state . if the information is received , the requested member state shall resolve it within ten days .


### member states shall not apply points and of the first subparagraph of article 3 of directive 96 / 71 / ec to drivers in the road transport sector employed by undertakings referred to in article 1 of that directive , when performing international carriage operations as defined by regulations 1072 / 2009 and 1073 / 2009 where the period of posting to their territory to perform these operations is shorter than or equal to 3 days during a period of one calendar month . ### member states shall not apply directive 96 / 71 / ec or directive 2014 / 67 / eu to transit and international transport operations as defined by regulations 1072 / 2009 and 1073 / 2009 .


### in order to ensure effective and efficient enforcement of the sector - specific rules on posting of workers and to avoid disproportionate administrative burdens for non - resident operators sector , specific administrative and control requirements should be established in the road transport sector , taking full advantage of control tools such as the digital tachograph . ### in order to have clear sector - specific rules on posting of workers deriving from directives 96 / 71 / ec [ as amended by cod 2016 / 0070 ] and 2014 / 67 / eu as well as to ensure their effective and efficient enforcement and to avoid disproportionate administrative burdens for non - resident operators sector , standardised forms developed by the commission and reduced specific administrative and control requirements should be established in the road transport sector , taking full advantage of control tools , such as the internal market information system , the gnss portal for road transport and smart tachographs .


### these checks shall cover each year a large and representative cross - section of mobile workers , drivers , undertakings and vehicles falling within the scope of regulations no 561 / 2006 and no 165 / 2014 and of mobile workers and drivers falling withing the scope of directive 2002 / 15 / ec . ; ### these checks shall cover each year a representative cross - section of mobile workers , drivers , undertakings and vehicles falling , where relevant and justified , within the scope of regulations no 561 / 2006 and no 165 / 2014 and of mobile workers and drivers falling within the scope of directive 2002 / 15 / ec . checks of compliance with the provisions of directive 2002 / 15 / ec shall be carried out solely at the premises of undertakings or digitally , via the imi system . '


### having evaluated the effectiveness and efficiency of the current union social legislation in road transport , certain loopholes in the existing provisions and deficiencies in their enforcement were identified . furthermore a number of discrepancies exist between member states in interpretation , application and implementation of the rules . this creates legal uncertainty and unequal treatment of drivers and operators , which is detrimental to the working , social and competition conditions in the sector . ### having evaluated the effectiveness and efficiency of the current union social legislation in road transport , certain loopholes in the existing provisions and deficiencies in their enforcement were identified , as well as illegal practices , such as the use of letterbox companies . additional emphasis should be put on fighting against undeclared work in the transport sector . furthermore a number of discrepancies exist between member states in interpretation , application and implementation of the rules , creating a heavy administrative burden for drivers and operators . this creates legal uncertainty , which is detrimental to the working , social and competition conditions in the sector .


### these checks shall cover each year a large and representative cross - section of mobile workers , drivers , undertakings and vehicles falling within the scope of regulations no 561 / 2006 and no 165 / 2014 and of mobile workers and drivers falling withing the scope of directive 2002 / 15 / ec . ; ### these checks shall cover each year a large and representative cross - section of mobile workers , drivers , undertakings and vehicles falling , where relevant and justified , within the scope of regulations no 561 / 2006 and no 165 / 2014 and in case of checks at the premises of mobile workers and drivers falling within the scope of directive2002 / 15 / ec ' ;


### where it is difficult or impossible to comply with a request for information or to carry out checks , inspections or investigations , the member state in question shall inform the requesting member state accordingly within 10 working days , giving reasons . the member states concerned shall discuss with each other with a view to finding a solution for any difficulty raised . ### where it is difficult or impossible to comply with a request for information or to carry out checks , inspections or investigations , the member state in question shall inform the requesting member state accordingly within five working days , giving reasons . the member states concerned shall discuss with each other with a view to finding a solution for any difficulty raised .


### the commission shall establish a common approach to recording and controlling periods of other work , as defined in point of article 4 of regulation no 561 / 2006 , and periods of at least one week during which a driver is away from the vehicle , by implementing acts . those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in article 12 . ### the commission shall establish a common approach to recording and controlling periods of other work , including the form and specific cases , as defined in point of article 4 of regulation no 561 / 2006 , and periods of at least one week during which a driver is away from the vehicle and is unable to carry out any activities with that vehicle , by implementing acts . those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in article 12 .


### for the purposes of the calculation of the periods of posting referred to in paragraph 2 : ### for the purposes of determining the relevant member state in relation to the application of points and of the first subparagraph of article 3 of directive 96 / 71 / ec and type of operation in paragraph 2 :


### an obligation for the road transport operator established in another member state to send a posting declaration to the national competent authorities at the latest at the commencement of the posting , in electronic form , in an official language of the host member state or in english , containing only the following information : ### an obligation for the road transport operator to send a posting declaration to the european one - stop shop in electronic form , in which the transport undertakings shall register the prior declaration of posting , following a single standardised model posting declaration which shall be made available in all the official languages of the union , requiring transport undertakings to ensure that their posted drivers carry a copy of the aforementioned duly registered declaration containing the following information :


### the strategic planning will help to develop and realise the implementation of policy for the relevant areas covered , at eu level as well as complementing policy and policy approaches in the member states . eu policy priorities will be taken into consideration during the strategic planning process to increase the contribution of research and innovation to the realisation of policy . it will also take into account foresight activities , studies and other scientific evidence and take account of relevant existing initiatives at eu and national level . ### the strategic planning will help to develop and realise the implementation of policy for the relevant areas covered , at eu level as well as complementing policy and policy approaches in the member states . eu policy priorities and the un’s sdgs will be taken into consideration during the strategic planning process to increase the contribution of research and innovation to the realisation of policy . it will also take into account foresight activities , studies and other scientific evidence and take account of relevant existing initiatives at eu and national level .


### in order to further enhance the existing cross - border merger procedure , it is necessary to simplify those merger rules , where appropriate , whilst at the same time ensuring that stakeholders , and in particular employees , are adequately protected . therefore , the existing cross - border merger rules should be modified in order to oblige the management or administrative organs of the merging companies to prepare separate reports detailing the legal and economic aspects of the cross - border merger for both members and for employees . the obligation on the management or administrative organ of the company to prepare the report for the members may however be waived , where those members are already informed about legal and economic aspects of the proposed merger . however , the report prepared for employees may only be waived where the merging companies and their subsidiaries do not have any employees other than those who form part of the management or administrative organ . ### in order to further enhance the existing cross - border merger procedure , it is necessary to simplify those merger rules , where appropriate , whilst at the same time ensuring that stakeholders , and in particular employees , are adequately protected . therefore , the existing cross - border merger rules should be modified in order to oblige the management or administrative organs of the merging companies to prepare a detailed report on the legal and economic aspects of the cross - border merger for both members , especially minority shareholders , and for employees in full respect of the autonomy of the social partners . the obligation on the management or administrative organ of the company to provide certain specific information for the members may however be waived , where those members are already informed about legal and economic aspects of the proposed merger . however , the requirement to provide certain specific information related to employees may only be waived where the merging companies and their subsidiaries do not have any employees other than those who form part of the management or administrative organ .


### in order to provide information to its members , the company being divided should prepare a report . the report should explain and substantiate the legal and economic aspects of the proposed cross - border division , in particular explaining the implications of the cross - border division for members with regard to the future business of the company and the management organs’ strategic plan . it should also include explanations about the exchange ratio , where applicable , the criteria to determine the allocation of shares and potential remedies available to members , where they do not agree with the decision to carry out a cross - border division . ### in order to provide information to its members and employees , the company being divided should prepare a report in full respect of the autonomy of the social partners . with regard to the interests of members and especially minority shareholders , the report should explain and substantiate the legal and economic aspects of the proposed cross - border division , in particular explaining the implications of the cross - border division for members with regard to the future business of the company and the management organs’ strategic plan . it should also include explanations about the exchange ratio , where applicable , the criteria to determine the allocation of shares and potential remedies available to members , where they do not agree with the decision to carry out a cross - border division .


### however , that report shall not be required where all the members of the company carrying out the cross - border conversion have agreed to waive this requirement . ### however , the information referred to in points and of paragraph 1 shall not be required where all the members of the company carrying out the cross - border conversion have agreed to waive this requirement . where a company carrying out the cross - border conversions and its subsidiaries , if any , have no employees other than those who form part of the management or administrative organ , the information referred to in points , and 8f ) of paragraph 1 shall not be required .


### in order to provide information its employees , the company being divided should prepare a report explaining the implications of the proposed cross - border division for employees . the report should explain in particular the implications of the proposed cross - border division on the safeguarding of the jobs of the employees , whether there would be any material change in the conditions of employment and the locations of the companies’ places of business , and how each of these factors would relate to any subsidiaries of the company . the provision of the report should be without prejudice to the applicable information and consultation proceedings instituted at national level following the implementation of directives 2001 / 23 / ec , 2002 / 14 / ec or 2009 / 38 / ec . ### the report should also explain the implications of the proposed cross - border division for employees . it should explain in particular the implications of the proposed cross - border division on the safeguarding of the jobs of the employees , whether there would be any material change in the conditions of employment and the locations of the companies’ places of business , and how each of these factors would relate to any subsidiaries of the company . the provision of the report should be without prejudice to the applicable information and consultation proceedings instituted at national level following the implementation of directives 2001 / 23 / ec , 2002 / 14 / ec or 2009 / 38 / ec .


### in order to provide information to its employees , the company carrying out the cross - border conversion should prepare a report explaining the implications of the proposed cross - border conversion for employees . the report should explain in particular the implications of the proposed cross - border conversion on the safeguarding of the jobs of the employees , whether there would be any material change in the employment relationships and the locations of the companies’ places of business and how each of these factors would relate to any subsidiaries of the company . this requirement should not however apply where the only employees of the company are in its administrative organ . the provision of the report should be without prejudice to the applicable information and consultation proceedings instituted at national level following the implementation of directive 2002 / 14 / ec of the european parliament and of the council43 or directive 2009 / 38 / ec of the european parliament and of the council44 . __________________ 43 directive 2002 / 14 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 11 march 2002 establishing a general framework for informing and consulting employees in the european community . 44 directive 2009 / 38 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 6 may 2009 on the establishment of a european works council or a procedure in community - scale undertakings and community - scale groups of undertakings for the purposes of informing and consulting employees . ### in order to provide information to its employees , this report should also explain the implications of the proposed cross - border conversion for the representatives of the employees . it should explain in particular the implications of the proposed cross - border conversion on the safeguarding of the jobs of the employees , whether there would be any material change in the employment relationships and the locations of the companies’ places of business and how each of these factors would relate to any subsidiaries of the company . the requirement for certain specific information should not however apply where the only employees of the company are in its administrative organ . the provision of the report should be without prejudice to the applicable information and consultation proceedings instituted at national level following the implementation of directive 2002 / 14 / ec of the european parliament and of the council43 or directive 2009 / 38 / ec of the european parliament and of the council44 . __________________ 43 directive 2002 / 14 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 11 march 2002 establishing a general framework for informing and consulting employees in the european community . 44 directive 2009 / 38 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 6 may 2009 on the establishment of a european works council or a procedure in community - scale undertakings and community - scale groups of undertakings for the purposes of informing and consulting employees .


### however , the report referred to in paragraph 1 , shall not be required where all the members of the company being divided have agreed to waive this document . ### however , the information referred to in points to of paragraph 1 , shall not be required where all the members of the company being divided have agreed to waive this document . where the company being divided and all of their subsidiaries , if any , have no employees , other than those who form part of the management or administrative organ , the information referred to in points , and of paragraph 1 shall not be required .


### where appropriate , information on the procedures by which arrangements for the involvement of employees in the definition of their rights to participation in the converted company are determined pursuant to article 86l and on the possible options for such arrangements . ### where they exist , information on the procedures by which arrangements for the involvement of employees in the definition of their rights to participation in the converted company are determined pursuant to article 86l and on the possible options for such arrangements .


### for beneficiaries of refugee status , the residence permit shall have a period of validity of three years and be renewable thereafter for periods of three years . ### for beneficiaries of refugee status , the residence permit shall have a period of validity of five years and be renewable thereafter for periods of five years .


### for beneficiaries of subsidiary protection status , the residence permit shall have a period of validity of one year and be renewable thereafter for periods of two years . ### for beneficiaries of subsidiary protection status , the residence permit shall have a period of validity of three years and be renewable thereafter for periods of five years .


### within the limits set by international obligations , granting of benefits with regard to access to employment , social security shall require the prior issuing of a residence permit . ### within the limits set by international obligations , granting of benefits with regard to access to employment , social security may require the prior issuing of a residence permit .


### in order to facilitate the integration of beneficiaries of international protection into society , beneficiaries of international protection shall have access to integration measures , modalities to be set by the member states . member states may make the participation in such integration measures , such as language courses , civic integration courses , vocational training and other employment - related courses compulsory . ### in order to facilitate the integration of beneficiaries of international protection into society , beneficiaries of international protection shall have access to integration measures , modalities to be set by the member states .


### for beneficiaries of subsidiary protection status , the residence permit shall have a period of validity of one year and be renewable thereafter for periods of two years . ### for beneficiaries of subsidiary protection status , the residence permit shall have a period of validity of five year and be renewable thereafter for periods of five years .


### in addition , especially to avoid social hardship , it is appropriate to provide beneficiaries of international protection with social assistance without discrimination . however , as regards beneficiaries of subsidiary protection , member states should be given some flexibility , to limit such rights to core benefits , which is to be understood as covering at least minimum income support , assistance in the case of illness , or pregnancy , and parental assistance , in so far as those benefits are granted to nationals under national law . in order to facilitate their integration , member states should be given the possibility to make the access to certain type of social assistances specified in national law , for both refugees and beneficiaries of subsidiary protection , conditional on the effective participation of the beneficiary of international protection in integration measures . ### in addition , especially to avoid social hardship , it is appropriate to provide beneficiaries of international protection and of subsidiary protection with social assistance without discrimination .


### areas of high conservation value , including peatlands and wetlands , are identified and protected ; ### areas designated by law or by the relevant competent authority for nature conservation purposes , are identified and protected ;


### for the purposes referred to in points , and of paragraph 1 , member states shall not refuse to take into account , on other sustainability grounds , biofuels and bioliquids obtained in compliance with this article . ### for the purposes referred to in points , and of paragraph 1 , member states shall not refuse to take into account , on other sustainability grounds , biomass fuels , biofuels and bioliquids obtained in compliance with this article .


### to ensure that , despite the growing demand for forest biomass , harvesting is carried out in a sustainable manner in forests where regeneration is ensured , that special attention is given to areas explicitly designated for the protection of biodiversity , landscapes and specific natural elements , that biodiversity resources are preserved and that carbon stocks are tracked , woody raw material should come only from forests that are harvested in accordance with the principles of sustainable forest management developed under international forest processes such as forest europe and are implemented through national laws or the best management practices at the forest holding level . operators should take the appropriate steps in order to minimise the risk of using unsustainable forest biomass for the production of bioenergy . to that end , operators should put in place a risk - based approach . in this context , it is apporpriate for the commission to develop operational guidance on the verification of compliance with the risk based approach , following the consultation of the energy union governance committee , and the standing forestry committee established by council decision 89 / 367 / eec24 . _________________ 24 council decision 89 / 367 / eec of 29 may 1989 setting up a standing forestry committee . ### to ensure that , despite the growing demand for forest biomass , harvesting is carried out in a sustainable manner in forests where regeneration is ensured , that special attention is given to areas explicitly designated for the protection of biodiversity , landscapes and specific natural elements , that biodiversity resources are preserved and that carbon stocks are tracked , woody raw material should come only from forests that are harvested in accordance with the principles of sustainable forest management developed under international forest processes such as forest europe and are implemented through national laws or the best management practices at the supply base level . operators should take the appropriate steps in order to minimise the risk of using unsustainable forest biomass for the production of bioenergy . to that end , operators should put in place a risk - based approach . in this context , it is appropriate for the commission to develop operational guidance on the verification of compliance with the risk based approach , together with the standing forestry committee established by council decision 89 / 367 / eec24 , following the consultation of the energy union governance committee . _________________ 24 council decision 89 / 367 / eec of 29 may 1989 setting up a standing forestry committee .


### when evidence referred to in the first subparagraph is not available , the biofuels , bioliquids and biomass fuels produced from forest biomass shall be taken into account for the purposes referred to in points , and of paragraph 1 if management systems are in place at forest holding level to ensure that carbon stocks and sinks levels in the forest are maintained . ### when evidence referred to in the first subparagraph is not available , the biofuels , bioliquids and biomass fuels produced from forest biomass shall be taken into account for the purposes referred to in points , and of paragraph 1 if additional information is provided based on adequate inventory data to demonstrate maintenance of long - term carbon stocks at the supply base ;


### subject to state aid rules , in order to reach the union target set in article 3 , member states may apply support schemes . support schemes for electricity from renewable sources shall be designed so as to avoid unnecessary distortions of electricity markets and ensure that producers take into account the supply and demand of electricity as well as possible grid constraints . ### subject to state aid rules , in order to reach the&#160 ; targets set in article 3 , member states may apply support schemes . support schemes for electricity from renewable sources , including the financing of the scheme , &#160 ; shall be&#160 ; competitive and market - based , &#160 ; so as to avoid distortion&#160 ; of electricity markets and ensure that producers take into account the supply and demand of electricity as well as possible grid constraints . member states may consider specific characteristics of different renewable energy technologies in the design of support schemes . &#160 ;


### the sustainability criteria set out in paragraphs 2 to 6 and the greenhouse gas emissions saving criteria set out in paragraph 7 shall apply irrespectively of the geographical origin of the biomass . ### the sustainability criteria set out in paragraphs 2 to 6 and the greenhouse gas emissions saving criteria set out in paragraph 7 shall apply irrespectively of the geographical origin of the biomass , whether inside or outside of the union .


### for the calculation of the denominator , that is the energy content of road and rail transport fuels supplied for consumption or use on the market , petrol , diesel , natural gas , biofuels , biogas , renewable liquid and gaseous transport fuels of non - biological origin , waste - based fossil fuels and electricity , shall be taken into account ; ### for the calculation of the denominator , that is the energy content of road and rail transport fuels supplied for consumption or use on the market , petrol , diesel , natural gas , biofuels , biogas , renewable liquid and gaseous transport fuels of non - biological origin and electricity , shall be taken into account ;


### by 31 december 2023 , the commission shall assess whether the criteria set out in paragraphs 5 and 6 effectively minimise the risk of using unsustainable forest biomass and address lulucf requirements , on the basis of available data . the commission shall , if appropriate , present a proposal to modify the requirements laid down in paragraphs 5 and 6 . ### by 31 december 2026 , the commission shall , in collaboration with the standing forestry committee , assess whether the criteria set out in paragraphs 5 and 6 effectively minimise the risk of using unsustainable forest biomass and address lulucf requirements , on the basis of available data . the commission shall , if appropriate , present a proposal for the period after 2030 to modify the requirements laid down in paragraphs 5 and 6 .


### in order to exploit the full potential of biomass to contribute to the decarbonisation of the economy through its uses for materials and energy , the union and the member states should promote greater sustainable mobilisation of existing timber and agricultural resources and the development of new forestry and agriculture production systems . ### in order to exploit the full potential of biomass to contribute to the decarbonisation of the economy through its uses for materials and energy , the union and the member states should promote greater sustainable mobilisation of existing timber and agricultural resources and the development of new forestry and agriculture production systems , and explore the possibility of supporting sustainable forestry in connection with the production of local energy , such as peat , in order to maximize long term greenhouse gas savings .


### ' harvesting permit ' means an official document giving the right to harvest the forest biomass ; ### ' harvesting permit ' means an official right to harvest the forest biomass based on member states ' legislation ;


### the commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with article 32 to further specify the methodology referred to in paragraph 3 of this article to determine the share of biofuel resulting from biomass being processed with fossil fuels in a common process , to specify the methodology for assessing greenhouse gas emission savings from renewable liquid and gaseous transport fuels of non - biological origin and waste - based fossil fuels and to determine minimum greenhouse gas emission savings required for these fuels for the purpose of paragraph 1 of this article . ### the commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with article 32 to further specify the methodology referred to in paragraph 3 of this article to determine the share of biofuel resulting from biomass being processed with fossil fuels in a common process , to specify the methodology for assessing greenhouse gas emission savings from renewable liquid and gaseous transport fuels of non - biological origin and to determine minimum greenhouse gas emission savings required for these fuels for the purpose of paragraph 1 of this article .


### the commission may decide that voluntary national or international schemes setting standards for the production of biomass products contain accurate data for the purposes of article 26 , and / or demonstrate that consignments of biofuels , bioliquids or biomass fuels comply with the sustainability criteria set out in article 26 , , , and , and / or that no materials have been intentionally modified or discarded so that the consignment or part thereof would fall under annex ix . when demonstrating that requirements set out in article 26 and for forest biomass are met , the operators may decide to directly provide the required evidence at the forest holding level . the commission may also recognise areas for the protection of rare , threatened or endangered ecosystems or species recognised by international agreements or included in lists drawn up by intergovernmental organisations or the international union for the conservation of nature for the purposes of article 26 . ### the commission may decide that voluntary national or international schemes setting standards for the production of biomass products contain accurate data for the purposes of article 26 , and / or demonstrate that consignments of biofuels , bioliquids or biomass fuels comply with the sustainability criteria set out in article 26 , , , and , and / or that no materials have been intentionally modified or discarded so that the consignment or part thereof would fall under annex ix . when demonstrating that requirements set out in article 26 and for forest biomass are met , the operators may decide to directly provide the required evidence at the supply base level . the commission may also recognise areas for the protection of rare , threatened or endangered ecosystems or species recognised by international agreements or included in lists drawn up by intergovernmental organisations or the international union for the conservation of nature for the purposes of article 26 .


### for the purposes referred to in points , and of paragraph 1 , member states may place additional sustainability requirements for biomass fuels . ### for the purposes referred to in points , and of paragraph 1 , member states may place additional sustainability requirements for biomass fuels . these additional criteria must be justified taking in to account the functioning of the internal market and be approved by the commission .


### to ensure that , despite the growing demand for forest biomass , harvesting is carried out in a sustainable manner in forests where regeneration is ensured , that special attention is given to areas explicitly designated for the protection of biodiversity , landscapes and specific natural elements , that biodiversity resources are preserved and that carbon stocks are tracked , woody raw material should come only from forests that are harvested in accordance with the principles of sustainable forest management developed under international forest processes such as forest europe and are implemented through national laws or the best management practices at the forest holding level . operators should take the apporpriate steps in order to minimise the risk of using unsustainable forest biomass for the production of bioenergy . to that end , operators should put in place a risk - based approach . in this context , it is appropriate for the commission to develop operational guidance on the verification of compliance with the risk based approach , following the consultation of the energy union governance committee , and the standing forestry committee established by council decision 89 / 367 / eec24 . _________________ 24 council decision 89 / 367 / eec of 29 may 1989 setting up a standing forestry committee . ### to ensure that , despite the growing demand for forest biomass , harvesting is carried out in a sustainable manner in forests where regeneration is ensured , that special attention is given to areas explicitly designated for the protection of biodiversity , landscapes and specific natural elements , that biodiversity resources are preserved and that carbon stocks are tracked , woody raw material should come only from forests that are harvested in accordance with the principles of sustainable forest management developed under international forest processes such as forest europe and are implemented through national laws or the best management practices at the supply base level . operators should take the appropriate steps in order to minimise the risk of using unsustainable forest biomass for the production of bioenergy . to that end , operators should put in place a risk - based approach . in this context , it is appropriate for the commission to develop operational guidance on the verification of compliance with the risk based approach , following the consultation of the energy union governance committee , and the standing forestry committee established by council decision 89 / 367 / eec24 . _________________ 24 council decision 89 / 367 / eec of 29 may 1989 setting up a standing forestry committee .


### in order to exploit the full potential of biomass to contribute to the decarbonisation of the economy through its uses for materials and energy , the union and the member states should promote greater sustainable mobilisation of existing timber and agricultural resources and the development of new forestry and agriculture production systems . ### in order to exploit the full potential of biomass to contribute to the decarbonisation of the economy through its uses for materials and energy , the union and the member states should promote greater sustainable mobilisation of existing timber and agricultural resources and the development of sustainable forestry and agriculture production systems .


### agricultural feedstock for the production of biofuels , bioliquids and biomass fuels should not be produced on peatland as the cultivation of feedstock on peatland would result in significant carbon stock loss if the land was further drained for that purpose while the absence of such drainage cannot be easily verified . ### production of agricultural feedstock for biofuels , bioliquids and biomass fuels should not lead to drainage of undrained peatlands or wetlands as the cultivation of feedstock on peatland or wetland would then result in significant carbon stock loss if the land was further drained for that purpose .


### member states shall assess the effectiveness of their support for electricity from renewable sources at least every four years . decisions on the continuation or prolongation of support and design of new support shall be based on the results of the assessments . ### member states shall assess the effectiveness of their support for electricity from renewable sources at least every four years . the assessment shall also take in to account the effect on investment and the effect possible changes to the support schemes might have on investments . long - tern planning governing the decisions of the support and design of new support shall be based on the results of the assessments .


### the financial envelope for the implementation of the fund for the period 2021 - 2027 shall be eur 2 500 000 000 in current prices . ### the financial envelope for the implementation of the fund for the period 2021 - 2027 shall be eur 2 209 725 000 in 2018 prices .


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


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


### the commission has examined available evidence , which points to the importance of having harmonised union rules in this area to ensure the proper functioning of the internal market and avoid , inter alia , disruptions to the scheduling of transport operations and the functioning of information and communication systems , higher costs to cross - border trade , or lower productivity for goods and services . evidence is not conclusive as to whether the benefits of summer - time arrangements outweigh the inconveniences linked to a biannual change of time . ### the commission has examined available evidence , which points to the importance of having harmonised union rules in this area to ensure the proper functioning of the internal market and avoid , inter alia , disruptions to the scheduling of transport operations and the functioning of information and communication systems , higher costs to cross - border trade , or lower productivity for goods and services .


### this directive should apply from 1 april 2019 , so that the last summer - time period subject to the rules of directive 2000 / 84 / ec should start , in every member state , at 1 . 00 a . m . , coordinated universal time , on 31 march 2019 . member states that , after that summer - time period , intend to adopt a standard time corresponding to the time applied during the winter season in accordance with directive 2000 / 84 / ec should change their standard time at 1 . 00 a . m . , coordinated universal time , on 27 october 2019 , so that similar and lasting changes occurring in different member states take place simultaneously . it is desirable that member states take the decisions on the standard time that each of them will apply as from 2019 in a concerted manner . ### this directive should apply from 29 march 2021 , so that the last summer - time period subject to the rules of directive 2000 / 84 / ec should start , in every member state , at 1 . 00 a . m . , coordinated universal time , on 28 march 2021 . member states that , after that summer - time period , intend to adopt a standard time corresponding to the time applied during the winter season in accordance with directive 2000 / 84 / ec should change their standard time at 1 . 00 a . m . , coordinated universal time , on 31 october 2021 , so that similar and lasting changes occurring in different member states take place simultaneously . it is desirable that member states take the decisions on the standard time that each of them will apply as from 2021 in a concerted manner .


### member states shall adopt and publish , by 1 april 2019 at the latest , the laws , regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this directive . they shall forthwith communicate to the commission the text of those provisions . ### member states shall adopt and publish , by 1 april 2020 at the latest , the laws , regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this directive . they shall forthwith communicate to the commission the text of those provisions .


### they shall apply those provisions from 1 april 2019 . ### they shall apply those provisions from 29 march 2021 .


### notwithstanding paragraph 1 , member states may still apply a seasonal change of their standard time or times in 2019 , provided that they do so at 1 . 00 a . m . , coordinated universal time , on 27 october 2019 . the member states shall notify this decision in accordance with article 2 . ### notwithstanding paragraph 1 , member states may still apply a seasonal change of their standard time or times in 2021 , provided that they do so at 1 . 00 a . m . , coordinated universal time , on 31 october 2021 . the member states shall notify this decision in accordance with article 2 .


### in its resolution of 8 february 2018 , the european parliament called on the commission to conduct an assessment of the summer - time arrangements provided by directive 2000 / 84 / ec and , if necessary , to come up with a proposal for its revision . that resolution also confirmed that it is essential to maintain a harmonised approach to time arrangements throughout the union . ### in its resolution of 8 february 2018 , building on petitions and demands received from the citizens , by the committee on petitions , the european parliament called on the commission to conduct an assessment of the summer - time arrangements provided by directive 2000 / 84 / ec and , if necessary , to come up with a proposal for its revision . that resolution also confirmed that it is essential to maintain a harmonised and co - ordinated approach to time arrangements throughout the union .


### a lively public debate is taking place on summer - time arrangements and some member states have already expressed their preference to discontinue the application of such arrangements . in the light of these developments , it is necessary to continue safeguarding the proper functioning of the internal market and to avoid any significant disruptions thereto caused by divergences between member states in this area . therefore , it is appropriate to put an end in a coordinated way to summer - time arrangements . ### a lively public debate is taking place on summer - time arrangements , as seen by the citizens ' response through the petitions lodged calling for an end to the bi - annual change in time , and the public consultation on eu summertime arrangements , which generated the largest amount of responses ever received in any commission consultation . some member states have already expressed their preference to discontinue the application of such arrangements . in the light of these developments , it is necessary to continue safeguarding the proper functioning of the internal market and to avoid any significant disruptions thereto caused by divergences between member states in this area , which could impact both the economic and political integration of the union . many citizens have advocated putting an end to seasonal clock changes , primarily based on health concerns . in the petitions received by the european parliament , citizens maintain that the clock change has a particularly negative impact on vulnerable groups , such as children and the elderly . furthermore , several studies have shown , that negative consequences exist related to the bi - annual change of time in various areas , such as health issues with effects on the circadian rhythm ; road safety whereas an increase in the accident rate in the days following the change in time has been observed ; and , administrative burdens and additional costs for many sectors within the economy . therefore , it is crucial to have a harmonized approach that is well - coordinated to put an end to the bi - annual changes of time .


### this directive should apply from 1 april 2019 , so that the last summer - time period subject to the rules of directive 2000 / 84 / ec should start , in every member state , at 1 . 00 a . m . , coordinated universal time , on 31 march 2019 . member states that , after that summer - time period , intend to adopt a standard time corresponding to the time applied during the winter season in accordance with directive 2000 / 84 / ec should change their standard time at 1 . 00 a . m . , coordinated universal time , on 27 october 2019 , so that similar and lasting changes occurring in different member states take place simultaneously . it is desirable that member states take the decisions on the standard time that each of them will apply as from 2019 in a concerted manner . ### this directive should enter into force and be applied on the eighteenth month following that of its publication in the official journal of the european union , giving sufficient time for the society and economical actors to adapt to the new situation . for the smooth functioning of the internal market , it is crucial to avoid a patchwork of time arrangements within the internal market . the member states should therefore agree on a harmonised time arrangement of standard times in the eu .


### during the examination of an application for an extension , the competent authority may in justified cases call applicants for an interview and request additional documents . ### during the examination of an application for an extension , the competent authority may in justified cases , and within 10 days at most of the application being lodged , call applicants for an interview and request additional documents .


### in order to guarantee effective protection of the rights of the persons concerned , legal safeguards and the right to an effective remedy in respect of decisions regarding transfers to the member state responsible should be established , in accordance , in particular , with article 47 of the charter of fundamental rights of the european union . an effective remedy should also be provided in situations when no transfer decision is taken but the applicant claims that another member state is responsible on the basis that he has a family member or , for unaccompanied minors , a relative in another member state . in order to ensure that international law is respected , an effective remedy against such decisions should cover both the examination of the application of this regulation and of the legal and factual situation in the member state to which the applicant is transferred . the scope of the effective remedy should be limited to an assessment of whether applicants ' fundamental rights to respect of family life , the rights of the child , or the prohibition of inhuman and degrading treatment risk to be infringed upon . ### in order to guarantee effective protection of the rights of the persons concerned , legal safeguards and the right to an effective remedy in respect of decisions regarding transfers to the member state responsible should be established , in accordance , in particular , with article 47 of the charter of fundamental rights of the european union . an effective remedy should also be provided in situations when no transfer decision is taken but the applicant claims that another member state is responsible on the basis that he has a family member or , for unaccompanied minors , a relative in another member state , provided that such a transfer is in the best interests of the child . in order to ensure that international law is respected , an effective remedy against such decisions should cover both the examination of the application of this regulation and of the legal and factual situation in the member state to which the applicant is transferred .


### in order to ensure full respect for the principle of family unity and for the best interests of the child , the existence of a relationship of dependency between an applicant and his or her child , sibling or parent on account of the applicant’s pregnancy or maternity , state of health or old age , should become a binding responsibility criterion . when the applicant is an unaccompanied minor , the presence of a family member or relative on the territory of another member state who can take care of him or her should also become a binding responsibility criterion . in order to discourage secondary movements of unaccompanied minors , which are not in their best interests , in the absence of a family member or a relative , the member state responsible should be that where the unaccompanied minor first has lodged his or her application for international protection , unless it is demonstrated that this would not be in the best interests of the child . before transferring an unaccompanied minor to another member state , the transferring member state should make sure that that member state will take all necessary and appropriate measures to ensure the adequate protection of the child , and in particular the prompt appointment of a representative or representatives tasked with safeguarding respect for all the rights to which they are entitled . any decision to transfer an unaccompanied minor should be preceded by an assessment of his / her best interests by staff with the necessary qualifications and expertise . ### in order to ensure full respect for the principle of family unity and for the best interests of the child , the existence of a relationship of dependency between an applicant and his or her child , sibling or parent on account of the applicant ' s pregnancy or maternity , state of health or old age , should become a binding responsibility criterion . when the applicant is an unaccompanied minor , the presence of a family member or relative on the territory of another member state who can take care of him or her should also become a binding responsibility criterion , if this is in their best interests . in order to discourage secondary movements and unnecessary transfers of unaccompanied minors , which are not in their best interests , in the absence of a family member or a relative legally present in the territory of a member state , the member state responsible should be that in which the unaccompanied minor is present , provided that this is in the best interests of the minor . before transferring an unaccompanied minor to another member state , the transferring member state should make sure that that member state will take all necessary and appropriate measures to ensure the adequate protection of the child , and in particular the prompt appointment of a guardian tasked with safeguarding respect for all the rights to which they are entitled . any decision to transfer an unaccompanied minor should be preceded by a multidisciplinary assessment of his / her best interests by staff with the necessary qualifications and expertise , which shall involve his or her guardian and legal advisor or counsellor .


### for the costs to transfer an applicant to the member state of allocation , the benefitting member state shall be refunded by a lump sum of eur 500 for each person transferred pursuant to article 38 . this financial support shall be implemented by applying the procedures laid down in article 18 of regulation no 516 / 2014 . ### the costs to transfer an applicant to the member state of allocation by the european union agency for asylum shall be met by the general budget of the union and be refunded by a lump sum of eur 300 for each person transferred pursuant to article 38 .


### - the minor children of couples referred to in the first indent or of the applicant , on condition that they are unmarried and regardless of whether they were born in or out of wedlock or adopted as defined under national law , ### - the children of couples referred to in the first indent or of the applicant , regardless of whether they were born in or out of wedlock or adopted as defined under national law ,


### for the purpose of applying article 10 , the member state where the unaccompanied minor lodged an application for international protection shall , as soon as possible , take appropriate action to identify the family members or relatives of the unaccompanied minor on the territory of member states , whilst protecting the best interests of the child . ### for the purpose of applying articles 10 and 19 , the member state where the unaccompanied minor made an application for international protection shall , as soon as possible , take appropriate action to identify the family members , relatives or any other family relations of the unaccompanied minor on the territory of member states , whilst protecting the best interests of the child .


### before transferring an unaccompanied minor to the member state responsible or , where applicable , to the member state of allocation , the transferring member state shall make sure that the member state responsible or the member state of allocation takes the measures referred to in articles 14 and 24 of directive 2013 / 33 / eu and article 25 of directive 2013 / 32 / eu without delay . any decision to transfer an unaccompanied minor shall be preceded by an assessment of his / her best interests . the assessment shall be based on the factors listed in paragraph 3 . the assessment shall be done swiftly by staff with the qualifications and expertise to ensure that the best interests of the minor are taken into consideration . ### any decision on the member state responsible or , where applicable , on the member state of allocation concerning an unaccompanied minor shall be preceded by a multidisciplinary assessment of his / her best interests . the assessment shall be based on the factors listed in paragraph 3 and the conclusions of the assessment on each of the factors shall be clearly stated in the decision on responsibility . the multidisciplinary assessment shall involve competent staff with expertise in child rights , psychology and development and shall involve , at a minimum , the minor ' s guardian and legal advisor or counsellor . before any transfer of an unaccompanied minor takes place , the transferring member state shall obtain individual guarantees that the member state responsible or the member state of allocation takes the measures referred to in articles 14 and 24 of directive 2013 / 33 / eu and article 25 of directive 2013 / 32 / eu without delay . any decision to transfer an unaccompanied minor to another member state shall be preceded by an assessment of his or her best interests , carried out by the competent judicial or administrative authority according to the national law of the member state .


### the minor’s well - being and social development ; ### the minor’s well - being and social development , taking into particular consideration his or her ethnic , religious , cultural and linguistic background and the need for stability and continuity in the minor ' s care and custodial arrangements and access to health and education services ;


### a key based on the size of the population and of the economy of the member states should be applied as a point of reference in the operation of the corrective allocation mechanism in conjunction with a threshold , so as to enable the mechanism to function as a means of assisting member states under disproportionate pressure . the application of the corrective allocation for the benefit of a member state should be triggered automatically where the number of applications for international protection for which a member state is responsible exceeds 150% of the figure identified in the reference key . in order to comprehensively reflect the efforts of each member state , the number of persons effectively resettled to that member state should be added to the number of applications for international protection for the purposes of this calculation . ### a reference key based on the size of the population and of the economy of the member states should be applied as a point of reference in the operation of the corrective allocation mechanism in conjunction with a threshold , so as to enable the mechanism to function as a means of assisting member states under disproportionate pressure . the application of the corrective allocation for the benefit of a member state should be triggered automatically where the number of applications for international protection for which a member state is responsible exceeds 100 % of the figure identified in the reference key . the corrective allocation should cease to apply when the number of applicants for which a member state is responsible drops below 75 % of the figure identified in the reference key . in order to comprehensively reflect the efforts of each member state , the number of persons effectively resettled to that member state should be added to the number of applications for international protection for the purposes of this calculation .


### where applicable , links to the applications of family members or relatives travelling together ; ### where applicable , links to the applications of family members , relatives or groups of applicants requesting to be registered as travelling together ;


### of the objectives of this regulation and the consequences of making another application in a different member state as well as the consequences of leaving the member state where he or she is obliged to be present during the phases in which the member state responsible under this regulation is being determined and the application for international protection is being examined , in particular that the applicant shall not be entitled to the reception conditions set out in articles 14 to 19 of directive 2013 / 33 / eu in any member state other than the one where he or she is required to be present , with the exception of emergency health care ; ### of the objectives of this regulation and the consequences of making another application in a different member state as well as the consequences of leaving the member state where he or she is obliged to be present during the phases in which the member state responsible under this regulation is being determined and the application for international protection is being examined ;


### in order to provide for supplementary rules , the power to adopt acts in accordance with article 290 of the treaty on the functioning of the european union should be delegated to the commission in respect of the identification of family members or relatives of an unaccompanied minor ; the criteria for establishing the existence of proven family links ; the criteria for assessing the capacity of a relative to take care of an unaccompanied minor , including where family members , siblings or relatives of the unaccompanied minor stay in more than one member state ; the elements for assessing a dependency link ; the criteria for assessing the capacity of a person to take care of a dependent person and the elements to be taken into account in order to assess the inability to travel for a significant period of time . in exercising its powers to adopt delegated acts , the commission shall not exceed the scope of the best interests of the child as provided for under article 8 of this regulation . it is of particular importance that the commission carry out appropriate consultations during its preparatory work , including at expert level and that those consultations be conducted in accordance with the principles laid down in the interinstitutional agreement on better law - making of 13 april 2016 . in particular , to ensure equal participation in the preparation of delegated acts , the european parliament and council receive all documents at the same time as member states ' experts , and their experts systematically have access to meetings of commission expert groups dealing with the preparation of delegated acts . . ### in order to provide for supplementary rules , the power to adopt acts in accordance with article 290 of the treaty on the functioning of the european union should be delegated to the commission in respect of the periodicity and modalities for providing information to applicants on the status of the procedures under this regulation concerning them , the identification of family members , relatives or any other family relations of an unaccompanied minor ; the criteria for establishing the existence of proven family links ; the criteria for assessing the capacity of a relative to take care of an unaccompanied minor , including where family members , siblings or relatives of the unaccompanied minor stay in more than one member state ; the elements for assessing a dependency link ; the criteria for assessing the capacity of a person to take care of a dependent person ; and the elements to be taken into account in order to assess the inability to travel for a significant period of time . in exercising its powers to adopt delegated acts , the commission shall not exceed the scope of the best interests of the child as provided for under article 8 of this regulation . it is of particular importance that the commission carry out appropriate consultations during its preparatory work , including at expert level and that those consultations be conducted in accordance with the principles laid down in the interinstitutional agreement on better law - making of 13 april 2016 . in particular , to ensure equal participation in the preparation of delegated acts , the european parliament and council receive all documents at the same time as member states ' experts , and their experts systematically have access to meetings of commission expert groups dealing with the preparation of delegated acts .