### where a member state intends to introduce or amend a reporting obligation , under its national legislation , which would involve the provision of information other than that included in the emswe data set , that member state shall immediately notify the commission . in this notification , the member state shall precisely identify the information not covered by the emswe data set and indicate the intended time period of application of the reporting obligation in question . ### where a member state or a relevant authority via that member state intends to introduce or amend a reporting obligation , under its national legislation , which would involve the provision of information other than that included in the emswe data set , that member state shall immediately notify the commission . in this notification , the member state shall precisely identify the information not covered by the emswe data set and indicate the intended time period of application of the reporting obligation in question .


### each member state shall establish a national single window where , in accordance with this regulation and without prejudice to article 6 , all information necessary for the fulfilment of reporting obligations shall be provided once , by means of and in compliance with the emswe data set , for the purpose of this information being made available to the relevant authorities of the member states . ### each member state shall establish a national single window where , in accordance with this regulation and without prejudice to article 6 , all information necessary for the fulfilment of reporting obligations shall be provided once , in accordance with article 7 , , by means of and in compliance with the emswe data set , for the purpose of this information being made available to the relevant authorities of the member states .


### national single windows shall also allow declarants to provide information by way of digital spreadsheets , harmonised at union level , and shall include the function of extracting reporting data elements from those spreadsheets . ### national single windows shall also allow declarants to provide the required information , harmonised at union level , and shall include the function of extracting reporting data elements from those spreadsheets .


### the functional and technical specifications , quality control mechanisms and procedures for deploying , maintaining and employing the reporting interface module referred to in paragraph 2 ; ### the functional specifications and quality control mechanisms for the reporting interface module referred to in paragraph 2 ;


### reporting information provided at departure from a port in the union is not requested again during the voyage or at arrival to the next port in the union , provided that the ship has not called to a port outside of the union during the voyage . this point shall not apply to information received pursuant to regulation no 952 / 2013 , unless such possibility is provided for in that regulation ; ### reporting information provided at departure from a port in the union is not requested again at arrival to the next port in the union , provided that it can be reused for operational or administrative purposes and provided that the ship has not called to a port outside of the union during the voyage . this point shall not apply to information received pursuant to regulation no 952 / 2013 , unless such possibility is provided for in that regulation ;


### before adopting a delegated act , the commission shall consult national experts nominated by the member states in accordance with the principles laid down in the interinstitutional agreement on better law - making of 13 april 2016 . ### before adopting a delegated act , the commission shall consult national experts nominated by the member states in accordance with the principles laid down in the interinstitutional agreement on better law - making of 13 april 2016 and relevant experts from the industry .


### the commission shall be assisted by the digital transport and trade facilitation committee . that committee shall be a committee within the meaning of regulation no 182 / 201116 . _________________ 16 oj l 55 , 28 . 2 . 2011 , p . 13 . ### the commission shall be assisted by the digital transport and trade facilitation committee . that committee shall be a committee within the meaning of regulation no 182 / 201116 and shall also involve relevant experts from the industry . _________________ 16 oj l 55 , 28 . 2 . 2011 , p . 13 .


### it is appropriate to provide for rules at union level to approximate the national legislative systems so as to ensure a sufficient and consistent level of redress across the internal market in case of unlawful acquisition , use or disclosure of a trade secret . for this purpose , it is important to establish a homogenous definition of a trade secret without restricting the subject matter to be protected against misappropriation . such definition should therefore be constructed as to cover business information , technological information and know - how where there is both a legitimate interest in keeping confidential and a legitimate expectation in the preservation of such confidentiality . by nature , such definition should exclude trivial information and should not extend to the knowledge and skills gained by employees in the normal course of their employment and which are known among or accessible to persons within the circles that normally deal with the kind of information in question . ### it is appropriate to provide for rules at union level to approximate the national legislative systems so as to ensure a sufficient and consistent level of redress across the internal market in case of unlawful acquisition , use or disclosure of a trade secret regarding goods or services . for this purpose , it is important to establish a homogenous definition of a trade secret without restricting the subject matter to be protected against misappropriation . such definition should therefore be constructed as to cover business information , technological information and know - how where there is both a legitimate interest in keeping confidential and a legitimate expectation in the preservation of such confidentiality . by nature , such definition should exclude trivial information and should not extend to the knowledge and skills gained by employees in the normal course of their employment and which are known among or accessible to persons within the circles that normally deal with the kind of information in question .


### has been subject to reasonable steps under the circumstances , by the person lawfully in control of the information , to keep it secret . ### has been subject to reasonable steps under the circumstances , by the trade secret holder , to keep it secret .


### the use or disclosure of a trade secret shall be considered unlawful whenever carried out , without the consent of the trade secret holder , intentionally or with gross negligence , by a person who is found to meet any of the following conditions : ### the use or disclosure of a trade secret shall be considered unlawful whenever carried out , without the consent of the trade secret holder , by a person who is found to meet any of the following conditions :


### the use or disclosure of a trade secret shall be considered unlawful whenever carried out , without the consent of the trade secret holder , intentionally or with gross negligence , by a person who is found to meet any of the following conditions : ### the use or disclosure of a trade secret shall be considered unlawful whenever carried out , without the consent of the trade secret holder , intentionally , by a person who is found to meet any of the following conditions :


### the use or disclosure of a trade secret shall also be considered unlawful whenever a person , at the time of use or disclosure , knew or should , under the circumstances , have known that the trade secret was obtained from another person who was using or disclosing the trade secret unlawfully within the meaning of the paragraph 3 . ### the acquisition , use or disclosure of a trade secret shall also be considered unlawful whenever a person , at the time of acquisition , use or disclosure , knew or should , under the circumstances , have known that the trade secret was obtained directly or indirectly from another person who was using or disclosing the trade secret unlawfully within the meaning of paragraph 3 .


### for making legitimate use of the right to freedom of expression and information ; ### for making legitimate use of the rights provided for in the charter of fundamental rights of the european union ;


### where in the course of the proceedings , the alleged trade secret is found not to fulfil the requirements set in point of article 2 ; ### where in the course of the proceedings , the alleged trade secret is found not to fulfil the requirements set in point of article 2 in a final judgement ;


### member states shall also ensure that the competent judicial authorities may , on a duly reasoned application by a party , take specific measures necessary to preserve the confidentiality of any trade secret or alleged trade secret used or referred to in the course of the legal proceedings relating to the unlawful acquisition , use or disclosure of a trade secret . ### member states shall also ensure that the competent judicial authorities may , on a reasoned application by a party , take specific measures necessary to preserve the confidentiality of any trade secret or alleged trade secret used or referred to in the course of the legal proceedings relating to the unlawful acquisition , use or disclosure of a trade secret . member states may also authorise the competent judicial authorities to adopt ex officio measures .


### to restrict access to any document containing trade secrets submitted by the parties or third parties , in whole or in part ; ### to restrict access to any document containing trade secrets or alleged trade secrets submitted by the parties or third parties , in whole or in part to a limited number of persons , provided that at least one person from each party , its legal representatives and court officials are given full access to such document ;


### member states shall ensure that the judicial authorities may make the continuation of the alleged unlawful acquisition , use or disclosure of a trade secret subject to the lodging of guarantees intended to ensure the compensation of the trade secret holder . ### member states shall ensure that the judicial authorities may , as an alternative to the measures laid down in paragraph 1 , make the continuation of the alleged unlawful acquisition , use or disclosure of a trade secret subject to the lodging of guarantees intended to ensure the compensation of the trade secret holder .


### member states shall ensure that the competent judicial authorities may make the interim measures referred to in article 9 subject to the lodging by the applicant of adequate security or an equivalent assurance intended to ensure compensation for any prejudice suffered by the respondent and , where appropriate , by any other person affected by the measures . ### .


### member states shall ensure that in deciding on the granting or rejecting of the application and assessing its proportionality , the competent judicial authorities shall be required to take into account the value of the trade secret , the measures taken to protect the trade secret , the conduct of the respondent in acquiring , disclosing or using of the trade secret , the impact of the unlawful disclosure or use of the trade secret , the legitimate interests of the parties and the impact which the granting or rejection of the measures could have on the parties , the legitimate interests of third parties , the public interest and the safeguard of fundamental rights , including freedom of expression and information . ### member states shall ensure that in deciding on the granting or rejecting of the application and assessing its proportionality , the competent judicial authorities shall be required to take into account the value of the trade secret , the measures taken to protect the trade secret , the conduct of the respondent in acquiring , disclosing or using of the trade secret , the impact of the unlawful disclosure or use of the trade secret , the legitimate interests of the parties and the impact which the granting or rejection of the measures could have on the parties , the legitimate interests of third parties , the public interest and the safeguard of fundamental rights .


### member states shall ensure that , in considering a request for the adoption of the injunctions and corrective measures provided for in article 11 and assessing their proportionality , the competent judicial authorities take into account the value of the trade secret , the measures taken to protect the trade secret , the conduct of the infringer in acquiring , disclosing or using of the trade secret , the impact of the unlawful disclosure or use of the trade secret , the legitimate interests of the parties and the impact which the granting or rejection of the measures could have on the parties , the legitimate interests of third parties , the public interest and the safeguard of fundamental rights , including freedom of expression and information . ### member states shall ensure that , in considering a request for the adoption of the injunctions and corrective measures provided for in article 11 and assessing their proportionality , the competent judicial authorities take into account the value of the trade secret , the measures taken to protect the trade secret , the conduct of the infringer in acquiring , disclosing or using of the trade secret , the impact of the unlawful disclosure or use of the trade secret , the legitimate interests of the parties and the impact which the granting or rejection of the measures could have on the parties , the legitimate interests of third parties , the public interest and the safeguard of fundamental rights .


### member states shall ensure that , where a judicial decision is taken finding an unlawful acquisition , use or disclosure of a trade secret , the competent judicial authorities may , at the request of the applicant order against the infringer : ### member states shall ensure that , where a judicial decision is taken finding an unlawful acquisition , use or disclosure of a trade secret , the competent judicial authorities may , at the request of the applicant , order one or more of the following measures against the infringer :


### when the pecuniary compensation is ordered instead of the order referred to in point of article 11 , such pecuniary compensation shall not exceed the amount of royalties or fees which would have been due , had that person requested authorisation to use the trade secret in question , for the period of time for which use of the trade secret could have been prohibited . ### when the pecuniary compensation is ordered instead of the order referred to in points and of article 11 , such pecuniary compensation shall not exceed the amount of royalties or fees which would have been due , had that person requested authorisation to use the trade secret in question , for the period of time for which use of the trade secret could have been prohibited .


### in deciding whether to order a publicity measure and assessing its proportionality , the competent judicial authorities shall take into account the possible harm that such measure may cause to the privacy and reputation of the infringer , whenever the infringer is a natural person , as well as the value of the trade secret , the conduct of the infringer in acquiring , disclosing or using the trade secret , the impact of the unlawful disclosure or use of the trade secret , and the likelihood of further unlawful use or disclosure of the trade secret by the infringer . ### in deciding whether to order one of the measure referred to in paragraph 1 , and assessing its proportionality , the competent judicial authorities shall take into account whether publication of that information would be justified , in particular in the light of the following criteria : the conduct of the infringer in acquiring , disclosing or using the trade secret , the value of the trade secret and the impact of the unlawful acquisition , disclosure or use of the trade secret and the likelihood of further unlawful use or disclosure of the trade secret by the infringer .


### differences in language , definitions , document formats , as well as assessment and qualification validation methods , all pose considerable challenges for individuals , employers and competent authorities . these challenges arise especially where individuals move between countries , including third countries , but also when looking for a new job or engaging in learning . clear information and shared understanding is necessary to address these challenges . ### differences in language , definitions , document formats , as well as assessment and qualification validation methods , all pose considerable challenges for individuals , employers and competent authorities . these challenges arise especially where individuals move between countries , including third countries , but also when looking for a new job or engaging in learning . respect for subsidiarity and diversity , clear information and responsibilities , and a shared understanding are necessary to address these challenges .


### decision no 2241 / 2004 / ec of the european parliament and of the council24 established a framework to address these challenges . it aimed to achieve better transparency of qualifications and competences through a portfolio of documents known as ‘ europass’ , which individuals can use on a voluntary basis . decision no 2241 / 2004 / ec also established national bodies , known as national europass centres , to implement the europass framework . __________________ 24 oj l 390 , 31 . 12 . 2004 , p . 6 . ### decision no 2241 / 2004 / ec of the european parliament and of the council24 established a framework to address these challenges . it clearly determined responsibilities and achieved better transparency of qualifications and competences through a portfolio of documents known as ‘ europass’ , which individuals can use on a voluntary basis . decision no 2241 / 2004 / ec also established national bodies , known as national europass centres , to implement the europass framework . those national europass centres should also be the cornerstone of the new framework . the voluntary character of europass should be preserved . __________________ 24 oj l 390 , 31 . 12 . 2004 , p . 6 .


### a european skills , competences , qualifications and occupations framework has been piloted by the commission as a common language and operational tool for education / training and work30 . esco structures concepts that are relevant for the eu labour market and education and training in three interlinked pillars : i ) occupations , ii ) knowledge , skills and competences and iii ) qualifications . the esco pillars can be complemented by auxiliary vocabularies covering related domains , such as work context , fields of education and training or economic sectors . __________________ 30 the europe 2020 strategy announced that the commission would work on such framework , communication from the commission on ' europe 2020 - a strategy for smart , sustainable and inclusive growth ' , com 2020 final . ### a european skills , competences , qualifications and occupations framework has been piloted by the commission as a common language and operational tool for education / training and work30 . esco structures concepts that are relevant for the eu labour market and education and training in three interlinked pillars : i ) occupations , ii ) knowledge , skills and competences and iii ) qualifications . the esco pillars can be complemented by auxiliary vocabularies covering related domains , such as work context , fields of education and training or economic sectors . it is not possible to use esco classifications as a basis for the europass referencing terminology . esco is an instrument which has not been fully developed , tested or approved by the member states . __________________ 30 the europe 2020 strategy announced that the commission would work on such framework , communication from the commission on ' europe 2020 - a strategy for smart , sustainable and inclusive growth ' , com 2020 final .


### regulation 2016 / 589 of the european parliament and of the council31 establishes european employment services , a network of employment services and a mechanism for an automated matching of people to jobs through the eures common it platform . to enable the exchange and the matching of job vacancies with candidates , this mechanism needs a common and multilingual list of skills , competences and occupations . by developing esco the commission is providing a multilingual classification system of occupations , skills and competences and qualifications that is suited to this purpose . __________________ 31 oj l 107 , 22 . 4 . 2016 , p . 1 . ### regulation 2016 / 589 of the european parliament and of the council31 establishes european employment services , a network of employment services and a mechanism for an automated matching of people to jobs through the eures common it platform . to enable the exchange and the matching of job vacancies with candidates , this mechanism needs a common and multilingual list of skills , competences and occupations . by developing esco the commission is providing a multilingual classification system of occupations , skills and competences and qualifications that might be suitable for this purpose . __________________ 31 oj l 107 , 22 . 4 . 2016 , p . 1 .


### the revised europass framework approach should consider the needs of all potential users , including learners , job seekers , workers , employers , guidance practitioners , public employment services , social partners , education and training providers , youth work organisations and policy makers . ### the revised europass framework approach should respect the voluntary nature of europass and the principle of subsidiarity and should consider the needs of all potential users , including learners , job seekers , workers , employers , guidance practitioners , public employment services , social partners , education and training providers , youth work organisations and policy makers .


### the europass framework established by decision no 2241 / 2004 / ec should therefore be replaced by a new framework to address evolving needs . ### the europass framework established by decision no 2241 / 2004 / ec should therefore be replaced by a new voluntary framework to address evolving needs while preserving national structures and administrative arrangements .


### this decision establishes a european framework , comprising web - based tools , information and the development of open standards to support the transparency and understanding of skills and qualifications . the framework shall be known as ' europass ' . ### this decision establishes a european framework which is founded on a voluntary personal portfolio of documents to make qualifications and competences transparent and interoperable within and between the member states , comprising web - based tools , information and the development of open standards to support the transparency and understanding of skills and qualifications . the framework shall be known as ' europass ' .


### europass shall be managed by the commission and supported by the national skills coordination points . ### europass shall be managed by the commission . it shall be supported by national europass centers , in accordance with national structures and administrative arrangements .


### ' certificate supplement ' means a document attached to a vocational certificate , in order to make it easier for third parties to understand the learning outcomes acquired by the holder of the qualification as well as the nature , level , context , content and status of the studies completed ; ### ' certificate supplement ' means a document attached to a vocational certificate , in order to make it easier for third parties to understand the learning outcomes acquired by the holder of the qualification as well as the nature , level , context , content and status of vocational education and training and studies completed ;


### ' occupation ' means a grouping of jobs involving similar tasks and which require a similar skill set ; ### ' occupation ' means a set of jobs with regard to which the main tasks and duties are characterised by a high degree of similarity ;


### ' organisations ' means employers , recruiters , education and training institutions , and other stakeholders with an interest in education , training and employment issues ; ### ' organisations ' means the social partners , education and training institutions , and other stakeholders such as employers and recruiters with an interest in education , training and employment issues ;


### europass shall provide the following web - based tools : ### europass shall provide the following web - based tools and documentation :


### europass qualification supplement template , as referred to in article 5 ; ### europass diploma and certificate qualification supplements ;


### europass shall provide information on the following : ### europass in cooperation with the member states may provide information on the following :


### analysis of trends in skills supply and demand and other types of skills intelligence including at geographical and sectoral level , using technological means such as big data analysis and web crawling ; ### analysis of trends in skills supply and demand and other types of skills intelligence , using technological means ;


### europass shall support cooperation on the development , use and dissemination of open standards , comprising metadata schemata and semantic assets , to facilitate more effective exchange of information on skills and qualifications at eu level and by member states and third parties . the multilingual classification system esco referred to in article 6 shall be used to support this work . ### europass may support cooperation on the development , use and dissemination of open standards , to facilitate more effective exchange of information on skills and qualifications at eu level and by member states and third parties .


### the information and open standards offered through europass shall be published , free of charge , for reuse by member states and other stakeholders on a voluntary basis . ### the information offered through europass shall be published , free of charge , for reuse by member states and other stakeholders on a voluntary basis .


### the european qualifications framework shall be used as a supporting framework to provide information in europass . the eqf will be referred to in information on qualifications , descriptions of national education and training systems and other relevant topics . ### the european qualifications framework may be used as a supporting framework to provide information in europass . the eqf will be referred to in information on qualifications , descriptions of national education and training systems and other relevant topics .


### europass shall use the european classification of skills / competences , qualifications and occupations established in article 6 to ensure semantic interoperability between the tools for documentation and information . esco shall also provide a platform for interoperability with other relevant services such as those developed by the labour market . ### europass may use the european classification of skills / competences , qualifications and occupations to ensure semantic interoperability between the tools for documentation and information . esco shall also provide a platform for interoperability with other relevant services such as those developed by the labour market .


### europass shall be operated to support and ensure synergies with other instruments and services offered at union level and national level . the development of open metadata schemata shall be compatible with the technical standards applied under regulation 2016 / 589 . ### europass shall be operated to support and ensure synergies with other instruments and services offered at union level and national level .


### all europass qualification supplement documents issued by authorised bodies shall be issued automatically and free of charge in electronic form , in the national language and / or in a major european language , in accordance with the procedures agreed between the issuing bodies and the national skills coordination points referred to in article 8 and in conformity with any procedures agreed between the european commission and stakeholders . ### all europass qualification supplement documents issued by authorised bodies shall be issued automatically and free of charge in electronic form , in the national language and / or in a major european language , in accordance with the procedures agreed between the issuing bodies and the national europass centres and in conformity with any procedures agreed between the european commission and stakeholders .


### support the implementation of article 14 of the regulation 2016 / 589 in relation to the esco classification , and support the continuous update of esco ; ### support the further testing and evaluation of the cost - effectiveness and relevance for the labour market of esco ;


### monitor the activities of the national skills coordination points , the consistency of information they provide for the analysis of trends in skills supply and demand , and the information provided on learning opportunities to the relevant portal at union level ; ### monitor the activities of the national europass centres , and the consistency of information they provide ;


### set up peer reviews and best practice exchanges between member states . ### set up best practice exchanges between member states .


### designate and manage , in accordance with national circumstances , a national skills coordination point , to support coordination and cooperation among the national services referred to in this decision ; ### designate and manage , in accordance with national circumstances , a national europass centre , to support coordination and cooperation of activities referred to in this decision ;


### ensure , through the national skills coordination point , the timely and effective provision of data and information available at national level for the updating of the europass framework ; ### ensure , through the national europass centre , the timely and effective provision of data and information available at national level for the updating of the europass framework ;


### provide europass users with access to the relevant information or data available within the member state , in particular access to information on learning opportunities , qualifications and qualification systems and to semantic assets on national level ; ### provide europass users , in the most cost - efficient way , with access to the relevant information or data available within the member state , in particular access to information on learning opportunities , qualifications and qualification systems and to semantic assets on national level ;


### each national skills coordination point shall : ### each national europass centre shall :


### promote and provide information on guidance for learning and career purposes and make information on learning opportunities publicly available at national level and in the union web - based tool ; ### promote guidance for learning and career purposes and make information on learning opportunities publicly available at national level and in the union web - based tool ;


### monitor the collection and dissemination of evidence based and real - time information on skills at national and regional level ; ### monitor , in the most cost - efficient way , the collection and dissemination of evidence based and real - time information on skills at national and regional level ;


### the national skills coordination points shall be the beneficiary of union financing awarded for the implementation of this decision . ### the national europass centres shall be the beneficiary of union financing awarded for the implementation of this decision .


### the implementation of this decision shall be co - financed through union programmes . annual appropriations shall be authorised by the european parliament and the council within the limits of the financial framework . ### the implementation of this decision shall be provided through multi - annual operation grants to the national europass centres .


### the heads of state and government at the tallinn digital summit , in september 2017 , called for the union to become ' a global leader in cyber - security by 2025 , in order to ensure trust , confidence and protection of our citizens , consumers and enterprises online and to enable a free and law - governed internet . ' ### the heads of state and government at the tallinn digital summit , in september 2017 , called for the union to become ' a global leader in cyber - security by 2025 , in order to ensure trust , confidence and protection of our citizens , consumers and enterprises online and to enable a free , safer and law - governed internet . '


### the competence centre should be the union ' s main instrument to pool investment in cybersecurity research , technology and industrial development and to implement relevant projects and initiatives together with the cybersecurity competence network . it should deliver cybersecurity - related financial support from the horizon europe and digital europe programmes , and should be open to the european regional development fund and other programmes where appropriate . this approach should contribute to creating synergies and coordinating financial support related to cybersecurity research , innovation , technology and industrial development and avoiding duplication . ### the competence centre should be the union ' s main instrument to pool investment in cybersecurity research , technology and industrial development and to implement relevant projects and initiatives together with the cybersecurity competence network . it should deliver cybersecurity - related financial support from the horizon europe and digital europe programmes , and should be open to the european defence fund , european regional development fund and other programmes where appropriate . this approach should contribute to creating synergies and coordinating financial support related to eu initiatives in the field of civil r&d , cybersecurity research , innovation , technology and industrial development and avoiding duplication .


### in order to respond to the needs of both demand and supply side industries , the competence centre ' s task to provide cybersecurity knowledge and technical assistance to industries should refer to both ict products and services and all other industrial and technological products and solutions in which cybersecurity is to be embedded . ### in order to respond to the needs of both demand and supply side industries , the competence centre ' s task to provide cybersecurity knowledge and technical assistance to industries should refer to both ict products , processes and services and all other industrial and technological products and solutions in which cybersecurity is to be embedded .


### contribute to the wide deployment of state - of - the - art cyber security products and solutions across the economy , by carrying out the following tasks : ### contribute dynamically to the wide deployment of state - of - the - art cyber security products and solutions across the economy , by carrying out the following tasks :


### contributing , together with the competence centre , to identifying and addressing sector - specific cyber security industrial challenges ; ### contributing , together with the competence centre , to identifying and addressing sector - specific cyber security industrial challenges , including state - sponsored cyberespionage ;


### the industrial and scientific advisory board shall consist of no more than 16 members . the members shall be appointed by the governing board from among the representatives of the entities of the cybersecurity competence community . ### the industrial and scientific advisory board shall consist of no more than 16 members chosen among entities belonging to the cybersecurity competence community , whereof no more than 10 members shall be appointed from among the representatives of the industry , of which no more than 4 smes , and no more than 6 members shall be appointed from universities and rto . the appointment of the members shall also take into account their commitment to the contractual public - private partnership on cybersecurity .


### to achieve this objective , the commission initiated at the end of 2011 a pilot project aimed at providing grants to support the development of a financial expertise centre to the benefit of consumers , other end - users and stakeholders representing their interests and to enhance their capacity to participate in union policy making in the field of financial services . the main policy objectives were to ensure that union policy - makers , when initiating new legislation , would be provided with views other than those expressed by the financial sector professionals , that the wider public is better informed about issues at stake in financial regulation and that the participation of consumers , is enhanced in union policy - making in the area of financial services , resulting in well - balanced legislation . ### to achieve this objective , and following a cross - party initiative of the european parliament , the commission initiated at the end of 2011 a pilot project aimed at providing grants to support the development of a financial expertise centre to the benefit of consumers , other end - users and stakeholders representing their interests and to enhance their capacity to participate in union policy making in the field of financial services . the main policy objectives were to ensure that union policy - makers , when initiating new legislation , would be provided with views other than those expressed by the financial sector professionals , that the interests of consumers and other financial services end - users would be reflected in that legislation , that the wider public is better informed about issues at stake in financial regulation and that the participation of consumers , is enhanced in union policy - making in the area of financial services , resulting in well - balanced legislation .


### operators of retransmission services , that normally offer multiple programmes which use a multitude of works and other protected subject matter included in the retransmitted television and radio programmes , have a very short time - frame for obtaining the necessary licences and hence also face a significant rights clearing burden . there is also a risk for right holders of having their works and other protected subject matter exploited without authorisation or payment of remuneration . ### operators of retransmission services which retransmit television or radio programmes including works or other protected subject matter perform an act of communication to the public , whether the television or radio programmes are retransmitted using the same technology as that used for the original broadcast or a different one and whether or not the retransmission is performed in the area of reception , actual or intended , of the original broadcast .


### through the principle of contractual freedom it will be possible to continue limiting the exploitation of the rights affected by the principle of country of origin laid down in this regulation , especially as far as certain technical means of transmission or certain language versions are concerned , provided that any such limitations of the exploitation of those rights are in compliance with union law . ### through the principle of contractual freedom it will be possible to continue limiting the exploitation of the rights affected by the principle of country of origin laid down in this regulation , especially as far as certain technical means of transmission or certain language versions are concerned , provided that any such limitations of the exploitation of those rights are in compliance with union law . hence , while maintaining the principle of territoriality and freedom of contract so vital to the long - term viability of europe ' s audio - visual sector , this modernised regulatory framework will support an innovative audio - visual industry and provide an effective legislative basis with which to meet the present and future challenges of the digital single market .


### in order to provide legal certainty to operators of retransmission services offered on satellite , digital terrestrial , closed circuit ip - based , mobile or similar networks , and to overcome disparities in national law regarding such retransmission services , rules similar to those that apply to cable retransmission as defined in directive 93 / 83 / eec should apply . the rules established in that directive include the obligation to exercise the right to grant or refuse authorisation to an operator of a retransmission service through a collective management organisation . this is without prejudice to directive 2014 / 26 / eu18and in particular to its provisions concerning rights of right holders with regard to the choice of a collective management organisation . _________________ 18 directive 2014 / 26 / eu of the european parliament and of the council of 26 february 2014 on collective management of copyright and related rights and multi - territorial licensing of rights in musical works for online use in the internal market , oj l 84 , 20 . 3 . 2014 , p . 72–98 . ### in order to provide legal certainty to operators of retransmission services offered on satellite , digital terrestrial , ip - based , mobile or similar networks , and to overcome disparities in national law regarding such retransmission services , rules similar to those that apply to cable retransmission as defined in directive 93 / 83 / eec should apply . the rules established in that directive include the obligation to exercise the right to grant or refuse authorisation to an operator of a retransmission service through a collective management organisation . this is without prejudice to directive 2014 / 26 / eu and in particular to its provisions concerning rights of right holders with regard to the choice of a collective management organisation . the right of prohibition as such is maintained , and only the way in which it is exercised is regulated to a certain extent . this also implies that it is always possible to decide whether or not to grant the right of retransmission .


### since the objective of this regulation , namely promoting the cross - border provision of ancillary online services and facilitating retransmissions of television and radio programmes originating in other member states , cannot be sufficiently achieved by member states and can therefore , by reason of the scale and effects , be better achieved at union level , the union may adopt measures in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as set out in article 5 of the treaty on european union . in accordance with the principle of proportionality , as set out in that article , this regulation does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve its objective . as concerns the cross - border provision of ancillary online services , this regulation establishes enabling mechanisms to facilitate the clearance of copyright and related rights . this regulation does not oblige broadcasting organisations to provide such services across borders . neither does this regulation oblige operators of retransmission services to include in their services television or radio programmes originating in other member states . this regulation concerns only the exercise of certain retransmission rights to the extent necessary to simplify the licensing of copyright and related rights for such services and only with regard to television and radio programmes originating in other member states of the union , ### since the objective of this regulation , namely promoting the cross - border provision of ancillary online services and facilitating retransmissions of television and radio programmes originating in other member states , cannot be sufficiently achieved by member states and can therefore , by reason of the scale and effects , be better achieved at union level , the union may adopt measures in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as set out in article 5 of the treaty on european union . in accordance with the principle of proportionality , as set out in that article , this regulation does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve its objective . as concerns the cross - border provision of ancillary online services , this regulation establishes enabling mechanisms to facilitate the clearance of copyright and related rights . this regulation does not oblige broadcasting organisations to provide such services across borders . neither does this regulation oblige operators of retransmission services to include in their services television or radio programmes originating in other member states . this regulation concerns the exercise of certain retransmission rights to the extent necessary to simplify the licensing of copyright and related rights with a view to providing such services in any memberstate .


### agreements on the exercise of copyright and related rights relevant for the acts of communication to the public and the making available occurring in the course of provision of an ancillary online service as well as for the acts of reproduction which are necessary for the provision of , the access to or the use of an ancillary online service which are in force on [ the date mentioned in article 7 , to be inserted by opoce ] shall be subject to article 2 as from [ the date mentioned in article 7 + 2 years , to be inserted by opoce ] if they expire after that date . ### agreements on the exercise of copyright and related rights relevant for the acts of communication to the public and the making available of news and current affairs programmes occurring in the course of provision of an ancillary online service as well as for the acts of reproduction of news and current affairs programmes which are necessary for the provision of an ancillary online service which are in force on [ the date mentioned in article 7 , to be inserted by opoce ] shall be subject to article 2 as from [ the date mentioned in article 7 + 2 years , to be inserted by opoce ] if they expire after that date .


### the tallinn digital summit55 of september 2017 and the conclusions of the european council56 of 19 october 2017 indicated the need for europe to invest in digitising our economies and addressing the skills gap to maintain and enhance european competitiveness , our quality of life and social fabric . the european council concluded that the digital transformation offers immense opportunities for innovation , growth and jobs , will contribute to our global competitiveness , and enhance creative and cultural diversity . seizing these opportunities requires collectively tackling some of the challenges posed by the digital transformation and reviewing policies affected by the digital transformation . _________________ 55 https : / / www . eu2017 . ee / news / insights / conclusions - after - tallinn - digital - summit 56 https : / / www . consilium . europa . eu / media / 21620 / 19 - euco - final - conclusions - en . pdf ### the tallinn digital summit55 of september 2017 and the conclusions of the european council56 of 19 october 2017 indicated the need for europe to invest in digitising our economies and addressing the skills gap to maintain and enhance european competitiveness , our quality of life and social fabric . the european council concluded that the digital transformation offers immense opportunities for innovation , growth and jobs , will contribute to our global competitiveness , and enhance creative and cultural diversity . seizing these opportunities requires collectively tackling some of the challenges posed by the digital transformation and reviewing policies affected by the digital transformation . optimally , the financial envelope for this programme , a european level effort , shall be increased by significant private sector funds and contributions from the member states . _________________ 55 https : / / www . eu2017 . ee / news / insights / conclusions - after - tallinn - digital - summit 56 https : / / www . consilium . europa . eu / media / 21620 / 19 - euco - final - conclusions - en . pdf


### the commission’s communication on ‘ a new , modern multiannual financial framework for a european union that delivers efficiently on its priorities post - 2020’57 outlines among the options for the future financial framework a programme for europe’s digital transformations to deliver ‘ strong progress towards smart growth in areas such as high quality data infrastructure , connectivity and cybersecurity’ . it would seek to secure european leadership in supercomputing , next generation internet , artificial intelligence , robotics and big data . it would reinforce the competitive position of industry and businesses in europe across the digitised economy and would have a significant impact on filling the skills gap across the union . _________________ 57 com 98 final ### the commission’s communication on ‘ a new , modern multiannual financial framework for a european union that delivers efficiently on its priorities post - 2020’57 outlines among the options for the future financial framework a programme for europe’s digital transformations to deliver ‘ strong progress towards smart growth in areas such as high quality data infrastructure , connectivity , digitisation of public administrations and cybersecurity’ . it would seek to secure european leadership in supercomputing , next generation internet , artificial intelligence , robotics and big data . it would reinforce the competitive position of industry and businesses in europe across the digitised economy and would have a significant impact on filling the skills gap across the union . _________________ 57 com 98 final


### a central role in the implementation of the programme should be attributed to digital innovation hubs , which should stimulate the broad adoption of advanced digital technologies by industry , by public organisations and academia . a network of digital innovation hubs should ensure the widest geographical coverage across europe59 . a first set of digital innovation hubs will be selected based on member states’ proposals and then the network will be enlarged through an open and competitive process . the digital innovation hubs will serve as access points to latest digital capacities including high performance computing , artificial intelligence , cybersecurity , as well as other existing innovative technologies such as key enabling technologies , available also in fablabs or citylabs . they shall act as single - entry points in accessing tested and validated technologies and promote open innovation . they will also provide support in the area of advanced digital skills . the network of digital innovation hubs should also contribute to the participation of the outermost regions in the digital single market . _________________ 59 as indicated in the communication on digitising european industry 180 final ) ### a central role in the implementation of the programme should be attributed to digital innovation hubs , which should stimulate the broad adoption of advanced digital technologies by industry , by public organisations and academia . a network of digital innovation hubs should ensure the widest geographical coverage across europe59 . a first set of digital innovation hubs will be selected based on member states’ proposals and then the network will be enlarged through an open , transparent and competitive process . the digital innovation hubs will serve as access points to latest digital capacities including high performance computing , artificial intelligence , cybersecurity , as well as other existing innovative technologies such as key enabling technologies , available also in fablabs or citylabs . they shall act as single - entry points in accessing tested and validated technologies and promote open innovation . they will also provide support in the area of advanced digital skills . the network of digital innovation hubs should also contribute to the participation of multiple partners , as employers’ organizations representing smes , entrepreneurs and the self - employed and also public corporations of professionals acting as intermediaries in their relation with public administrations , as administrative managers , at european , national , regional and local level but also in a sectorial perspective . the network of digital innovation hubs should also contribute to the participation of the outermost regions in the digital single market . _________________ 59 as indicated in the communication on digitising european industry 180 final )


### a central role in the implementation of the programme should be attributed to digital innovation hubs , which should stimulate the broad adoption of advanced digital technologies by industry , by public organisations and academia . a network of digital innovation hubs should ensure the widest geographical coverage across europe59 . a first set of digital innovation hubs will be selected based on member states’ proposals and then the network will be enlarged through an open and competitive process . the digital innovation hubs will serve as access points to latest digital capacities including high performance computing , artificial intelligence , cybersecurity , as well as other existing innovative technologies such as key enabling technologies , available also in fablabs or citylabs . they shall act as single - entry points in accessing tested and validated technologies and promote open innovation . they will also provide support in the area of advanced digital skills . the network of digital innovation hubs should also contribute to the participation of the outermost regions in the digital single market . _________________ 59 as indicated in the communication on digitising european industry 180 final ) ### a central role in the implementation of the programme should be attributed to digital innovation hubs , which should stimulate the broad adoption of advanced digital technologies by industry , by public organisations and academia . a network of digital innovation hubs should ensure the widest geographical coverage across europe59 . a first set of digital innovation hubs will be selected based on member states’ proposals and then the network will be enlarged through an open and competitive process . the digital innovation hubs will serve as access points to latest digital capacities including high performance computing , artificial intelligence , cybersecurity , as well as other existing innovative technologies such as key enabling technologies , available also in fablabs or citylabs . they shall act as one - stop shops in accessing tested and validated technologies and promote open innovation and assistance to businesses especially smes and start - ups with regard to their business structure and access to finance . they will also provide support in the area of advanced digital skills . the network of digital innovation hubs should also contribute to the participation of the outermost regions in the digital single market . _________________ 59 as indicated in the communication on digitising european industry 180 final )


### the programme should be implemented through projects reinforcing essential digital capacities and their wide use . this should involve co - investments with member states and , when needed , the private sector . this should notably require reaching a critical mass in procurement to obtain better value for money and guarantee that suppliers in europe stay at the forefront of technology advancements . ### the programme should be implemented through projects reinforcing essential digital capacities and their wide use . to this end the programme should ensure an eu budget of at least 9 . 2 billion euro complemented with co - investments from member states and , when needed , the private sector . this should notably require reaching a critical mass in procurement to obtain better value for money and guarantee that suppliers in europe stay at the forefront of technology advancements .


### the high performance computing and the related data processing capacities in the union should allow to ensure wider use of high performance computing by industry and , more generally , in areas of public interest in order to seize unique opportunities that supercomputers bring to society as regards health , environment and security as well as competitiveness of industry , notably small and medium - sized enterprises . ### the high performance computing and the related data processing capacities in the union should allow to ensure wider use of high performance computing by industry and , more generally , in areas of public interest in order to seize unique opportunities that supercomputers bring to society as regards health , transport and communication , environment and security as well as competitiveness of industry , notably small and medium - sized enterprises .


### the support to the union’s intervention in this area was expressed by the council60 and , by the european parliament61 . moreover , in 2017 nine member states signed the eurohpc declaration62 , a multi - government agreement where they commit to collaborate with the commission to build and deploy state - of - the - art hpc and data infrastructures in europe that would be available across the union for scientific communities , public and private partners . _________________ 60 61 62 ### the support to the union’s intervention in this area was expressed by the council60 and , by the european parliament61 . moreover , in 2017 nine member states signed the eurohpc declaration62 , a multi - government agreement where they commit to collaborate with the commission to build and deploy state - of - the - art hpc and data infrastructures in europe that would be available across the union for scientific communities , public and private partners and would boost the union’s innovative potential . _________________ 60 61 62


### for the high performance computing specific objective a joint undertaking is deemed the most suited implementation mechanism , in particular to coordinate national and union strategies and investments in high performance computing infrastructure and research and development , pool resources from public and private funds , and safeguard the economic and strategic interests of the union63 . moreover , high performance computing competence centres in member states will provide high performance computing services to industry , academia and public administrations . _________________ 63 impact assessment accompanying the document “proposal for a council regulation on establishing the eurohpc joint undertaking” ### for the high performance computing specific objective a joint undertaking is deemed the most suited implementation mechanism , in particular to coordinate national and union strategies and investments in high performance computing infrastructure and research and development , pool resources from public and private funds , and safeguard the economic and strategic interests of the union63 . moreover , high performance computing competence centres in member states will provide high performance computing services to industry , especially smes and start - ups , academia and public administrations . _________________ 63 impact assessment accompanying the document “proposal for a council regulation on establishing the eurohpc joint undertaking”


### in september 2017 , the commission put forward a package of initiatives65 setting out a comprehensive union approach to cybersecurity , with the aim of reinforcing europe’s capacities to deal with cyber - attacks and threats and to strengthen technology and industrial capacity in this field . _________________ 65 https : / / ec . europa . eu / digital - single - market / en / policies / cybersecurity ### in september 2017 , the commission put forward a package of initiatives65 setting out a comprehensive union approach to cybersecurity , with the aim of reinforcing europe’s capacities to deal with cyber - attacks , to increase cyber resilience and threats and to strengthen technology and industrial capacity in this field . _________________ 65 https : / / ec . europa . eu / digital - single - market / en / policies / cybersecurity


### the european council in its conclusions of 19 october 2017 stressed that to successfully build a digital europe , the union needs in particular labour markets , training and education systems fit for the digital age and that there is a need to invest in digital skills , to empower and enable all europeans ; ### the european council in its conclusions of 19 october 2017 stressed that to successfully build a digital europe , the union needs in particular labour markets , life - long learning and innovation - driven training and education systems fit for the potential and challenges of the digital age and that it is crucial to invest in digital skills in order to empower and enable all european citizens and businesses ;


### the advanced digital technologies supported by this programme , such as high performance computing , cybersecurity and artificial intelligence are now sufficiently mature to move beyond the research arena and be deployed , implemented and scaled - up at union level . just as the deployment of these technologies require a union response so does the skills dimension . training opportunities in advanced digital skills need to be scaled up , increased and made accessible throughout the eu . failing this could impede the smooth deployment of advanced digital technologies and hamper the overall competitiveness of union’s economy . the actions supported by this programme are complementary to those supported by the esf , erdf and horizon europe programmes . ### the advanced digital technologies supported by this programme , such as high performance computing , cybersecurity and artificial intelligence are now sufficiently mature to move beyond the research arena and be deployed , implemented and scaled - up at union level . just as the deployment of these technologies require a union response so does the skills dimension . training opportunities in advanced digital skills need to be scaled up , increased and made accessible throughout the eu . failing this could impede the smooth deployment of advanced digital technologies , increase the shortage of a qualified workforce in europe and hamper the overall competitiveness of union’s economy . the actions supported by this programme are complementary to those supported by the esf , erdf and horizon europe programmes .


### modernising public administrations and services through digital means is crucial to reducing administrative burden on industry and on citizens in general by making their interactions with public authorities faster , more convenient and less costly , as well as by increasing the efficiency and the quality of the services provided to citizens and businesses . since a number of services of public interest already have a union dimension , the support to their implementation and deployment at union level should ensure that citizens and businesses will benefit from the access to high quality digital services across europe . ### modernising public administrations and services through digital means is crucial to reducing administrative burden on industry and on citizens in general by making their interactions with public authorities faster , more convenient and less costly , as well as by increasing the efficiency , transparency and the quality of the services provided to citizens and businesses . since a number of services of public interest already have a union dimension , the support to their implementation and deployment at union level should ensure that citizens and businesses will benefit from the access to high quality digital services across europe .


### interoperability of european public services concerns all levels of administration : union , national , regional and local . besides removing barriers to a functioning single market , interoperability facilitates successful implementation of policies and offers great potential to avoid cross - border electronic barriers , further securing the emergence of new , or the consolidation of developing , common public services at union level . in order to eliminate fragmentation of european services , to support fundamental freedoms and operational mutual recognition in the eu , a holistic cross - sector and cross - border approach to interoperability should be promoted in the manner that is the most effective , and the most responsive to end - users . this implies that interoperability is to be understood in a broad sense , spanning from technical to legal layers and encompassing policy elements in the field . accordingly , the span of activities would go beyond the usual lifecycle of solutions to include all the interventions elements that would support the necessary framework conditions for sustained interoperability at large . ### interoperability of european public services concerns all levels of administration : union , national , regional and local . besides removing barriers to a functioning single market , interoperability facilitates successful implementation of policies and offers great potential to avoid cross - border electronic barriers , to cut red tape , further securing the emergence of new , or the consolidation of developing , common public services at union level . in order to eliminate fragmentation of european services , to support fundamental freedoms and operational mutual recognition in the eu , a holistic cross - sector and cross - border approach to interoperability should be promoted in the manner that is the most effective , and the most responsive to end - users . this implies that interoperability is to be understood in a broad sense , spanning from technical to legal layers and encompassing policy elements in the field . accordingly , the span of activities would go beyond the usual lifecycle of solutions to include all the interventions elements that would support the necessary framework conditions for sustained interoperability at large .


### the programme has the following general objective : to support the digital transformation of the european economy and society and bring its benefits to european citizens and businesses . the programme will : ### the programme has the following general objective : to support the digital transformation of the european economy and society , to boost europe ' s innovative capacity and&#160 ; bring its benefits to european citizens and businesses . the programme will :


### the financial intervention by the union under specific objective 4 . advanced digital skills shall support the development of advanced digital skills in areas supported by this programme , thus contributing to increase europe’s talent pool , fostering greater professionalism , especially with regard to high performance computing , big data analytics , cybersecurity , distributed ledger technologies , robotics and artificial intelligence . the financial intervention shall pursue the following operational objectives : ### the financial intervention by the union under specific objective 4 . advanced digital skills shall support the development of advanced digital skills in areas supported by this programme , either by training new workers or upskilling experienced workers in both general and specialised skills , thus contributing to increase europe’s talent pool , fostering greater professionalism , especially with regard to high performance computing , big data analytics , cybersecurity , cloud computing , data protection competencies , distributed ledger technologies , robotics and artificial intelligence . the financial intervention shall pursue the following operational objectives :


### support the design and delivery of long - term trainings and courses for students , it professionals and the workforce ; ### support the design and delivery of long - term trainings and high quality courses for students , teachers , it professionals and the workforce , including public servants , entrepreneurs and the self - employed ;


### support the design and delivery of short - term trainings and courses for entrepreneurs , small business leaders and the workforce ; ### support the design and delivery of short - term trainings and high quality courses for entrepreneurs , self - employed , teachers , small business leaders and the workforce , including public servants ;


### ensure that the public sector and areas of public interests , such as health and care , education , judiciary , transport , energy , environment , cultural and creative sectors , can deploy and access state - of - the - art digital technologies , in particular high performance computing , artificial intelligence and cybersecurity ; ### ensure that the public sector and areas of public interests , such as health and care , education , judiciary , e - government , transport and communication , energy , environment , cultural and creative sectors , can deploy and access state - of - the - art digital technologies , in particular high performance computing , artificial intelligence and cybersecurity ;


### support the uptake of advanced digital and related technologies , including in particular high performance computing , artificial intelligence , cybersecurity and future emerging technologies by the union industry , notably smes ; ### support the uptake of advanced digital and related technologies , including in particular high performance computing , artificial intelligence , cybersecurity , data protection , cloud computing and future emerging technologies by the union industry , notably smes , entrepreneurs and the self - employed ;


### support the design , testing , implementation and deployment of interoperable digital solutions for eu level public services delivered through a data - driven reusable solutions platform , fostering innovation and establishing common frameworks in order to unleash the full potential of the public administrations’ services for european citizens and businesses ; ### support the design , testing , implementation and deployment of interoperable digital solutions for eu level public services delivered through a data - driven reusable solutions platform , fostering innovation and establishing common frameworks in order to unleash the full potential of the public administrations’ services by cutting red tape and increasing transparency for european citizens and businesses ;


### ensure a continuous capacity at the union level to observe , analyse and adapt to fast - evolving digital trends , as well as sharing and mainstreaming best practices ; ### ensure a continuous capacity at the union level to observe , analyse and adapt to fast - evolving digital trends , as well as sharing and mainstreaming best practices between member states ;


### third countries in accordance with the conditions laid down in a specific agreement covering the participation of the third country to any union programme , provided that the agreement ; ### third countries in accordance with the conditions laid down in a specific agreement covering the participation of the third country to any union programme , provided that the commission has undergone a case - by - case assessment that their participation contributes to the achievement of the objectives of the programme in the union and is compliant with the security requirements in accordance with article 12 , and that the agreement ;


### the cooperation with third countries and organisations mentioned in paragraph 1 under specific objective 3 . cybersecurity and trust shall be subject to article [ 12 ] . ### the cooperation with third countries and organisations mentioned in paragraph 1 under specific objective 2 , artificial intelligence , specific objective 3 , cybersecurity and trust shall be subject to article [ 12 ] .


### the programme is designed to be implemented enabling synergies , as further described in annex iii , with other union funding programmes , in particular through arrangements for complementary funding from eu programmes where management modalities permit ; either in sequence , in an alternating way , or through the combination of funds including for the joint funding of actions . ### the programme is designed to be implemented enabling synergies , as further described in annex iii , with other union funding programmes , in particular through arrangements for complementary funding from eu programmes where management modalities permit ; either in sequence , in an alternating way , or through the combination of funds including for the joint funding of actions . the commission shall ensure that when leveraging the complementary character of the programme with other european programmes , in particular esf , erdf , horizon europe and cef - 2 , the achievement of the specific objectives set in articles 4 to 8 are not hampered .


### appropriate mechanisms of coordination between relevant authorities and appropriate monitoring tools shall be established to systematically ensure synergies between the programme and any relevant eu funding instruments . the arrangements shall contribute to avoiding duplications and maximising impact of expenditure . ### appropriate mechanisms of coordination between relevant authorities , and between authorities and the european commission , and appropriate monitoring tools shall be established to systematically ensure synergies between the programme and any relevant eu funding instruments . the arrangements shall contribute to avoiding duplications and maximising impact of expenditure .


### provide digital transformation services - including testing and experimentation facilities - targeted towards smes and midcaps , also in sectors that are slow in the uptake of digital and related technologies ; ### provide digital transformation services - including testing and experimentation facilities - targeted towards smes , midcaps and start - ups , also in sectors that are slow in the uptake of digital and related technologies ;


### transfer expertise and know - how between regions , in particular by networking smes and midcaps established in one region with digital innovation hubs established in other regions which are best suited to provide relevant services ; ### transfer expertise and know - how between regions , in particular by networking smes , midcaps and start - ups established in one region with digital innovation hubs established in other regions which are best suited to provide relevant services ;


### provide thematic services , including services related to artificial intelligence , high performance computing and cybersecurity and trust to the administrations , public sector organisations , smes and midcaps . individual digital innovation hubs may specialise in specific thematic services and do not need to provide all thematic services mentioned in this paragraph ; ### provide thematic services , including services related to artificial intelligence , high performance computing and cybersecurity and trust to the administrations , public sector organisations , smes , midcaps and start - ups . individual digital innovation hubs may specialise in specific thematic services and do not need to provide all thematic services mentioned in this paragraph ;


### when applicable , the economic , social , climate and environmental impact , and accessibility ; ### when applicable , the economic , security , social , climate and environmental impact , and accessibility ;


### the recipients of union funding shall acknowledge the origin and ensure the visibility of the union funding by providing coherent , effective and proportionate targeted information to multiple audiences , including the media and the public . ### the recipients of union funding shall acknowledge the origin and ensure the visibility of the union funding by providing coherent , truthful , effective and proportionate targeted information to multiple audiences , including the media and the public .


### 1take - up of digital public services ### 1frequency of take - up of digital public services


### 2enterprises with high digital intensity score ### 2number of enterprises with high digital intensity score


### 3alignment of the national interoperability framework with the european interoperability framework ### 3extent of alignment of the national interoperability framework with the european interoperability framework


### digital europe will invest in digital capacity building in high performance computing , artificial intelligence , cybersecurity and advanced digital skills ; and national and regional deployment within an eu framework of digital capacities and the latest digital technologies in areas of public interest or market failure ; ### digital europe will invest in digital capacity building in high performance computing , artificial intelligence , cybersecurity and advanced digital skills ; and national , regional and local deployment within an eu framework of digital capacities and the latest digital technologies in areas of public interest or market failure ;


### considering the specific nature of the actions concerning a high level of health for humans , animals and plants along the food chain special eligibility criteria concerning provision of grants and use of public procurement need to be provided in this regulation . in particular , by way of derogation from regulation of the european parliament and of the council61 , as an exception to the principle of non - retroactivity , the costs for the emergency measures , due to their urgent and unforeseeable nature , should be eligible and include also costs incurred as a result of a suspected occurrence of a disease or pest provided that that occurrence is subsequently confirmed and notified to the commission . the corresponding budgetary commitments and the payment of eligible expenditure should be made by the commission , after signature of the legal commitments and after assessment of the payment applications submitted by the member states . costs should also be eligible for protection measures taken in the case of a direct threat to the status of health in the union as a result of the occurrence or development , in the territory of a third country , a member state or overseas countries and territories , of certain animal diseases and zoonoses as well as in respect of protection measures , or other relevant activities , taken in support of the health status of plants in the union . _________________ 61 [ to add ] ### considering the specific nature of the actions concerning a high level of health for humans , animals and plants along the food chain special eligibility criteria concerning provision of grants and use of public procurement need to be provided in this regulation . in particular , by way of derogation from regulation of the european parliament and of the council61 , as an exception to the principle of non - retroactivity , the costs for the emergency measures , due to their urgent and unforeseeable nature , should be eligible and include also costs incurred as a result of a suspected occurrence of a disease or pest provided that that occurrence is subsequently confirmed and notified to the commission . the corresponding budgetary commitments and the payment of eligible expenditure should be made by the commission , after signature of the legal commitments and after assessment of the payment applications submitted by the member states . costs should also be eligible for prevention and protection measures taken in the case of a direct threat to the status of health in the union as a result of the occurrence or development , in the territory of a third country , a member state or overseas countries and territories , of certain animal diseases and zoonoses as well as in respect of protection measures , or other relevant activities , taken in support of the health status of plants in the union . _________________ 61 [ to add ]


### the interim evaluation of the programme shall be performed once there is sufficient information available about the implementation of the programme , but no later than four years after the start of the programme implementation . ### by [ three years after the start of the implementation of the programme ] at the latest , the commission shall establish an interim evaluation report of the programme on the achievement of the objectives of the actions supported under it , on the results and impacts , on the efficiency of the use of resources and on its union added value .


### the commission shall communicate the conclusions of the evaluations accompanied by its observations , to the european parliament , the council , the european economic and social committee and the committee of the regions . ### the commission shall submit the reports referred to in paragraphs 2 and 5 accompanied by its observations , to the european parliament , the council , the european economic and social committee and the committee of the regions and make them publicly available . the results of those evaluations shall be accompanied , where appropriate , by legislative proposals for revision of the programme .


### measures to eradicate a union quarantine pest , taken by the competent authority of a member state pursuant to article 16 of regulation 2016 / 2031 of the european parliament and of the council105or pursuant to the union measures adopted in accordance with article 28 of that regulation ; _________________ 105 regulation 2016 / 2031 of the european parliament and of the council of 26 october 2016 on protective measures against pests of plants , amending regulations no 228 / 2013 , no 652 / 2014 and no 1143 / 2014 of the european parliament and of the council and repealing council directives 69 / 464 / eec , 74 / 647 / eec , 93 / 85 / eec , 98 / 57 / ec , 2000 / 29 / ec , 2006 / 91 / ec and 2007 / 33 / ec . ### measures to prevent , contain and / or eradicate a union quarantine pest , taken by the competent authority of a member state pursuant to article 16 of regulation 2016 / 2031 of the european parliament and of the council105 or pursuant to the union measures adopted in accordance with article 28 of that regulation ; _________________ 105 regulation 2016 / 2031 of the european parliament and of the council of 26 october 2016 on protective measures against pests of plants , amending regulations no 228 / 2013 , no 652 / 2014 and no 1143 / 2014 of the european parliament and of the council and repealing council directives 69 / 464 / eec , 74 / 647 / eec , 93 / 85 / eec , 98 / 57 / ec , 2000 / 29 / ec , 2006 / 91 / ec and 2007 / 33 / ec .


### measures to eradicate a pest , not listed as union quarantine pests , taken by the competent authority of a member state pursuant to article 29 of regulation 2016 / 2031 and which may qualify as union quarantine pests in accordance with the criteria referred to in that article or article 30 of that regulation ; ### measures to prevent , contain and / or eradicate a pest , not listed as union quarantine pests , taken by the competent authority of a member state pursuant to article 29 of regulation 2016 / 2031 and which may qualify as union quarantine pests in accordance with the criteria referred to in that article or article 30 of that regulation ;


### additional protective measures taken against the spread of a pest , against which union measures have been adopted pursuant to article 28 and article 30 of regulation 2016 / 2031 , other than the eradication measures referred to in point of this point and the containment measures referred to in point of this point , where those measures are essential to protect the union against further spread of that pest . ### additional protective measures taken against the spread of a pest , against which union measures have been adopted pursuant to article 28 and article 30 of regulation 2016 / 2031 , other than the measures referred to in points and of this point , where those measures are essential to protect the union against further spread of that pest .


### the 2005 european consensus on development recognised the link between security and development16 . __________________ 16 joint statement by the council and the representatives of the governments of the member states meeting within the council , the european parliament and the commission on european union development policy : ‘ the european consensus’ , oj c 46 , 24 . 2 . 2006 . ### the 2005 european consensus on development recognised the link between security and development16 , and the 2011 agenda for change16 a stressed the correlation between development and security . __________________ 16 joint statement by the council and the representatives of the governments of the member states meeting within the council , the european parliament and the commission on european union development policy : ‘ the european consensus’ , oj c 46 , 24 . 2 . 2006 . 16 a communication from the commission : ‘ increasing the impact of eu development policy : an agenda for change’ , 13 october 2011 637 final ) .


### in order to prevent any risk of fraud , the entitlement to benefit from the additional zero - tariff quotas should be conditional on the compliance by ukraine with the relevant rules of origin of products concerned and the procedures related thereto as well as involvement in close administrative cooperation with the european union as provided for by the agreement ; ### in order to prevent any risk of fraud , the entitlement to benefit from the additional zero - tariff quotas for products listed in annexes i and ii and the partial or full removal of import duties on industrial products listed in annex iii should be conditional on the compliance by ukraine with all the relevant conditions for obtaining benefits under the agreement , including the rules of origin of products concerned and the procedures related thereto as well as involvement in close administrative cooperation with the european union as provided for by the agreement ;


### entitlement to benefit from the tariff - rate quotas introduced by article 1 shall be subject to : ### entitlement to benefit from the tariff - rate quotas and preferential import duties introduced by article 1 shall be subject to :


### abstention by ukraine from introducing new duties or charges having equivalent effect and new quantitative restrictions or measures having equivalent effect for imports originating in the union or from increasing existing levels of duties or charges or from introducing any other restrictions from the day of the entry into force of this regulation ; ### abstention by ukraine from introducing new duties or charges having equivalent effect and new quantitative restrictions or measures having equivalent effect for imports originating in the union or from increasing existing levels of duties or charges or from introducing any other restrictions , including discriminatory behind - the - border regulations , from the day of the entry into force of this regulation ;


### at the request of a member state or on the commission’s initiative , the commission shall take a formal decision to initiate an investigation within a reasonable period of time . where the commission decides to initiate an investigation , it shall publish a notice in the official journal of the european union announcing the investigation . the notice shall provide a summary of the information received and state that any relevant information should be sent to the commission . it shall specify the period , which shall not exceed four months from the date of publication of the notice , within which interested parties may make their views known in writing ### at the request of a member state or upon receipt of a request introduced by any legal person or any association not having legal personality , acting on behalf of union industry as defined in article 1 of regulation no 511 / 2011 of the european parliament and the council of 11 may 2011 implementing the bilateral safeguard clause of the free trade agreement between the european union and its member states and the republic of korea or on the commission’s initiative , the commission shall take a formal decision to initiate an investigation within a reasonable period of time . where the commission decides to initiate an investigation , it shall publish a notice in the official journal of the european union announcing the investigation . the notice shall provide a summary of the information received and state that any relevant information should be sent to the commission . it shall specify the period , which shall not exceed four months from the date of publication of the notice , within which interested parties may make their views known in writing .


### since the cap needs to sharpen its responses to the challenges and opportunities as they manifest themselves at union , international , national , regional , local and farm levels , it is necessary to streamline the governance of the cap and improve its delivery on the union objectives and to significantly decrease the administrative burden . in the cap based on delivery of performance , the union should set the basic policy parameters , such as objectives of the cap and basic requirements , while member states should bear greater responsibility as to how they meet the objectives and achieve targets . enhanced subsidiarity makes it possible to better take into account local conditions and needs , tailoring the support to maximise the contribution to union objectives . ### since the cap needs to sharpen its responses to the challenges and opportunities as they manifest themselves at union , international , national , regional , local and farm levels , it is necessary to streamline the governance of the cap and improve its delivery on the union objectives and to significantly decrease the administrative burden . in the cap based on delivery of performance , the union should set the basic policy parameters , such as objectives of the cap and basic requirements , while member states should bear greater responsibility as to how they meet the objectives and achieve targets . enhanced subsidiarity makes it possible to better take into account local conditions and needs , tailoring the support to maximise the contribution to union objectives . nevertheless , in order to ensure that such subsidiarity does not translate into a renationalisation of the cap , this regulation must include a strong body of european union provisions designed to prevent the distortion of competition and ensure non - discriminatory treatment for all community farmers throughout the territory of the european union .


### since the cap needs to sharpen its responses to the challenges and opportunities as they manifest themselves at union , international , national , regional , local and farm levels , it is necessary to streamline the governance of the cap and improve its delivery on the union objectives and to significantly decrease the administrative burden . in the cap based on delivery of performance , the union should set the basic policy parameters , such as objectives of the cap and basic requirements , while member states should bear greater responsibility as to how they meet the objectives and achieve targets . enhanced subsidiarity makes it possible to better take into account local conditions and needs , tailoring the support to maximise the contribution to union objectives . ### since the cap needs to sharpen its responses to the challenges and opportunities as they manifest themselves at union , international , national , regional , local and farm levels , it is necessary to streamline the governance of the cap and improve its delivery on the union objectives and to significantly decrease the administrative burden . in the cap based on delivery of performance , with funding pegged to productivity , the union should set the basic policy parameters , such as objectives of the cap and basic requirements , while member states should bear greater responsibility as to how they meet the objectives and achieve targets . enhanced subsidiarity makes it possible to better take into account local conditions and needs , tailoring the support to maximise the contribution to union objectives .


### the use of common definitions entirely set at union level has caused certain difficulties for member states to cater their own specificities at national , regional , and local level . member states should therefore be given the flexibility to specify certain definitions in their cap strategic plan . in order to ensure a common level playing field , a certain framework has , however , to be set at union level constituting the necessary essential elements to be included in those definitions . ### member states should be given the flexibility to specify certain definitions in their cap strategic plan . in order to ensure a common level playing field , a certain framework has , however , to be set at union level constituting the necessary common elements to be included in those definitions .


### synergies between the eafrd and horizon europe should encourage that the eafrd makes the best use of research and innovation results , in particular those stemming from projects funded by horizon europe and the european innovation partnership for ‘ agricultural productivity and sustainability’ , leading to innovations in the farming sector and rural areas . ### synergies between the eafrd and horizon europe should encourage that the eafrd makes the best use of research and innovation results , in particular those stemming from projects funded by horizon europe and the european innovation partnership for ‘ agricultural productivity and sustainability’ , leading to innovations that have a positive impact in the farming sector and rural areas .


### in view of further improving the performance of the cap , income support should be targeted to genuine farmers . in order to ensure a common approach at union level for such a targeting of support , a framework definition for ‘ genuine farmer’ displaying the essential elements should be set out . on the basis of this framework , member states should define in their cap strategic plans which farmers are not considered genuine farmers based on conditions such as income tests , labour inputs on the farm , company object and inclusion in registers . it should also not result in precluding support to pluri - active farmers , who are actively farming but who are also engaged in non - agricultural activities outside their farm , as their multiple activities often strengthen the socio - economic fabric of rural areas . ### in view of further improving the performance of the cap , income support should be targeted to genuine farmers . in order to ensure a common approach at union level for such a targeting of support , a framework definition for ‘ genuine farmer’ displaying the common elements should be set out . on the basis of this framework , member states should define in their cap strategic plans which farmers are not considered genuine farmers based on conditions such as income tests , labour inputs on the farm , company object and inclusion in registers . support to pluri - active farmers , who are actively farming but who are also engaged in non - agricultural activities outside their farm , should not be excluded , as their multiple activities often strengthen the socio - economic fabric of rural areas . the framework definition must , in any event , help to preserve the model of family farming that exists in the european union and must be based on a credible agricultural activity .


### in order to give substance to the objectives of the cap as established by article 39 of the treaty on the functioning of the european union , as well as to ensure that the union adequately addresses its most recent challenges , it is appropriate to provide for a set of general objectives reflecting the orientations given in the communication on ‘ the future of food and farming’ . a set of specific objectives should be further defined at union level and applied by the member states in their cap strategic plans . while striking a balance across the dimensions of sustainable development , in line with the impact assessment , these specific objectives should translate the general objectives of the cap into more concrete priorities and take into account relevant union legislation , particularly with regard to climate , energy and environment . ### in order to pursue the objectives of the cap as established by article 39 of the treaty on the functioning of the european union , as well as to ensure that the union adequately addresses its most recent challenges , it is appropriate to provide for a set of general objectives reflecting the orientations given in the communication on ‘ the future of food and farming’ . a set of specific objectives should be further defined at union level and pursued by the member states in their cap strategic plans . while striking a balance across the dimensions of sustainable development , in line with the impact assessment , these specific objectives should translate the general objectives of the cap into more concrete priorities in the economic , environmental and social spheres , with a particular focus on depopulated areas , and take into account relevant union legislation .


### a smarter , modernised and more sustainable cap needs to embrace research and innovation , in order to serve the multi - functionality of union agriculture , forestry and food systems , investing in technological development and digitalisation , as well as improving the access to impartial , sound , relevant and new knowledge . ### a smarter , modernised and more sustainable cap needs to embrace research and innovation , in order to serve the multi - functionality of union agriculture , forestry , food systems and smart villages , by investing in technological development and digitalisation , as well as improving the access to impartial , sound , relevant and new knowledge .