### support schemes for electricity generated from renewable sources have proved to be an effective way of fostering deployment of renewable electricity . if and when member states decide to implement support schemes , such support should be provided in a form that is as non - distortive as possible for the functioning of electricity markets . to this end , an increasing number of member states allocate support in a form where support is granted in addition to market revenues . ### support schemes for electricity generated from renewable sources have proved to be an effective way of fostering deployment of renewable electricity . if and when member states decide to implement support schemes , such support should be provided in a form that is as non - distortive as possible for the functioning of electricity markets , while taking into account the particularities of different technologies and the different abilities of small and large producers to respond to market signals .


### it should be possible for imported electricity , produced from renewable energy sources outside the union to count towards member states’ renewable energy shares in order to guarantee an adequate effect of energy from renewable sources replacing conventional energy in the union as well as in third countries it is appropriate to ensure that such imports can be tracked and accounted for in a reliable way . agreements with third countries concerning the organisation of such trade in electricity from renewable energy sources will be considered . if , by virtue of a decision taken under the energy community treaty18 to that effect , the contracting parties to that treaty are bound by the relevant provisions of this directive , the measures of cooperation between member states provided for in this directive should be applicable to them . __________________ 18 oj l 198 , 20 . 7 . 2006 , p . 18 . ### it should be possible for imported electricity , produced from renewable energy sources outside the union to count towards member states’ renewable energy shares in order to guarantee an adequate effect of energy from renewable sources replacing conventional energy in the union as well as in third countries it is appropriate to ensure that such imports can be tracked and accounted for in a reliable way and that they are in full respect of international law . agreements with third countries concerning the organisation of such trade in electricity from renewable energy sources will be considered . if , by virtue of a decision taken under the energy community treaty18 to that effect , the contracting parties to that treaty are bound by the relevant provisions of this directive , the measures of cooperation between member states provided for in this directive should be applicable to them . __________________ 18 oj l 198 , 20 . 7 . 2006 , p . 18 .


### it is appropriate to allow for the development of decentralised renewable energy technologies under non - discriminatory conditions and without hampering the financing of infrastructure investments . the move towards decentralised energy production has many benefits , including the utilisation of local energy sources , increased local security of energy supply , shorter transport distances and reduced energy transmission losses . such decentralisation also fosters community development and cohesion by providing income sources and creating jobs locally . ### it is appropriate to allow for the development of decentralised renewable energy technologies under favourable conditions and without hampering the financing of infrastructure investments . the move towards decentralised energy production has many benefits , including the utilisation of local energy sources , increased local security of energy supply , shorter transport distances and reduced energy transmission losses . such decentralisation also fosters community development and cohesion by providing income sources and creating jobs locally .


### financial support for electricity from renewable sources ### support for electricity from renewable sources


### one or more member states may cooperate with one or more third countries on all types of joint projects regarding the production of electricity from renewable energy sources . such cooperation may involve private operators . ### one or more member states may cooperate with one or more third countries on all types of joint projects regarding the production of electricity from renewable energy sources . such cooperation may involve private operators and must take place in full respect of international law .


### the single administrative contact point shall guide the applicant through the application process in a transparent manner , provide the applicant with all necessary information , coordinate and involve , where appropriate , other authorities , and deliver a legally binding decision at the end of the process . ### the single administrative contact point shall guide the applicant through the application process in a transparent manner , provide the applicant with all necessary information , support coordinate and involve , where appropriate , other authorities , and deliver , in the case of small - scale projects and renewable self - consumers and energy communities , a legally binding decision at the end of the process .


### a greener , low - carbon europe by promoting clean and fair energy transition , green and blue investment , the circular economy , climate adaptation and risk prevention and management ; ### a greener , low - carbon europe by promoting a viable environment , clean and fair energy transition , green and blue investment , the circular economy , climate adaptation and risk prevention and management ;


### a more social europe implementing the european pillar of social rights ; ### a more social and cohesive europe implementing the european pillar of social rights and combating in particular inequalities , poverty , social exclusion and unemployment ;


### a europe closer to citizens by fostering the sustainable and integrated development of urban , rural and coastal areas and local initiatives . ### a europe closer to citizens by fostering the sustainable , integrated and balanced development of urban , rural and coastal areas and local initiatives .


### member states shall provide information on the support for environment and climate objectives using a methodology based on types of intervention for each of the funds . that methodology shall consist of assigning a specific weighting to the support provided at a level which reflects the extent to which such support makes a contribution to environmental objectives and to climate objectives . in the case of the erdf , the esf + and the cohesion fund weightings shall be attached to dimensions and codes for the types of intervention established in annex i . ### member states shall provide in due time information on the support for environment and climate objectives using a methodology based on types of intervention for each of the funds . that methodology shall consist of assigning a specific weighting to the support provided at a level which reflects the extent to which such support makes a contribution to environmental objectives and to climate objectives . in the case of the erdf , the esf + and the cohesion fund weightings shall be attached to dimensions and codes for the types of intervention established in annex i .


### the member state may transfer during the programming period an amount of up to 5 % of the initial allocation of a priority and no more than 3 % of the programme budget to another priority of the same fund of the same programme . for the programmes supported by the erdf and esf + , the transfer shall only concern allocations for the same category of region . ### the member state may transfer during the programming period on due justification an amount of up to 5 % of the initial allocation of a priority and no more than 5 % of the programme budget to another priority of the same fund of the same programme . for the programmes supported by the erdf and esf + , the transfer shall only concern allocations for the same category of region .


### the records referred to in paragraph 1 shall be made available to the public for each calendar year , within three months of the end of the relevant calendar year , in a consolidated format as laid down in the annex to commission decision 94 / 741 / ec** or another format provided pursuant to article 17 . ### the records referred to in paragraph 1 shall be made available and easy accessible to the public for each calendar year , within three months of the end of the relevant calendar year , in a consolidated format as laid down in the annex to commission decision 94 / 741 / ec** or another format provided pursuant to article 17 .


### information on the methods of treatment and the results of the analyses shall be released upon request to the competent authorities . ### information on the methods of treatment and the results of the analyses shall be released to the competent authorities .


### the commission is empowered to lay down , by means of an implementing act , a format in accordance with which member states are to provide information on the implementation of directive 86 / 278 / eec as required by article 10 of this directive . that implementing act shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in article 15 . the commission services shall publish a union - wide overview including maps on the basis of the data made available by the member states pursuant to articles 10 and 17 . . ### the commission is empowered to lay down , by means of an implementing act , a format in accordance with which member states are to provide information in due time on the implementation of directive 86 / 278 / eec as required by article 10 of this directive . that implementing act shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in article 15 . the commission services shall publish a union - wide overview including maps on the basis of the data made available by the member states pursuant to articles 10 and 17 . .


### member states shall ensure that the strategic noise maps they have made , and where appropriate adopted , and the action plans they have drawn up are made available and disseminated to the public in accordance with relevant eu legislation , in particular directive 2003 / 4 / ec of the european parliament and of the council* and directive 2007 / 2 / ec of the european parliament and of the council ** , and in conformity with annexes iv and v to directive 2002 / 49 / ec , including by means of available information technologies . ### member states shall ensure that the strategic noise maps they have made , and where appropriate adopted , and the action plans they have drawn up are made without delay available and disseminated to the public in accordance with relevant eu legislation , in particular directive 2003 / 4 / ec of the european parliament and of the council* and directive 2007 / 2 / ec of the european parliament and of the council ** , and in conformity with annexes iv and v to directive 2002 / 49 / ec , including by means of available information technologies .


### member states shall ensure that adequate and up - to - date information , at least on imminent threats of damage is available to the public in an open data format online , in accordance with annex vi of this directive and with article 7 of directive 2003 / 4 / ec of the european parliament and of the council* . for each incident , the information listed in annex vi of this directive shall be provided as a minimum . ### member states shall ensure that adequate and up - to - date information , inter alia on imminent threats of damage is directly available to the public in an open data format online , in accordance with annex vi of this directive and with article 7 of directive 2003 / 4 / ec of the european parliament and of the council* . for each incident , the information listed in annex vi of this directive shall be provided as a minimum .


### member states shall by 30 september 2023 , and every 5 years thereafter , send the information on the implementation of this directive and in particular articles 10 , 26 , 28 , 34 , 38 , 39 , 43 and 46 thereof . ### member states shall by 30 september 2023 , and every 5 years thereafter , send without delay the information on the implementation of this directive and in particular articles 10 , 26 , 28 , 34 , 38 , 39 , 43 and 46 thereof .


### member states shall submit and publish that data , by electronic transfer in a format established by the commission in accordance with paragraph 4 . ### member states shall submit and publish that data without delay , by electronic transfer in a format established by the commission in accordance with paragraph 4 .


### member states shall collect and make publicly available , on an annual basis , statistical information on the use of animals in procedures , including information on the actual severity of the procedures and on the origin and species of non - human primates used in procedures . ### member states shall collect and make publicly available , on an annual basis , and without delay statistical information on the use of animals in procedures , including information on the actual severity of the procedures and on the origin and species of non - human primates used in procedures .


### member states shall submit that statistical information to the commission , at the latest by 30 september of the following year , by electronic transfer , in a non - summarised format established by the commission in accordance with paragraph 4 . ### member states shall submit that statistical information to the commission , at the latest by 30 september of the following year , by electronic transfer , in a summarised and non - summarised format established by the commission in accordance with paragraph 4 .


### the operator of each facility that undertakes one or more of the activities specified in annex i , above the applicable capacity thresholds specified therein , shall communicate by electronic means to its competent authority the information identifying the facility in accordance with the format referred to in article 7 unless that information is already available to the competent authority . ; ### the operator of each facility that undertakes one or more of the activities specified in annex i , above the applicable capacity thresholds specified therein , shall communicate without delay by electronic means to its competent authority the information identifying the facility in accordance with the format referred to in article 7 unless that information is already available to the competent authority . ;


### member states shall make available to the public and the commission , by 30 april of each year information on the application of this regulation during the previous calendar year . the commission may establish , by means of implementing acts , the format and procedure for member states to make available such information . those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in article 18 . ### member states shall make available to the public and the commission , at the latest by 30 april of each year information on the application of this regulation during the previous calendar year . the commission may establish , by means of implementing acts , the format and procedure for member states to make available such information . those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in article 18 .


### based on the information referred to in paragraph 1 , the commission services shall make publicly available , on an annual basis , a union - wide overview on the basis of the data submitted by the member states . in preparing the overview , the commission services shall have regard to the progress made in respect of the conclusion and operation of the flegt vpas pursuant to regulation no 2173 / 2005 and their contribution to minimising the presence of illegally harvested timber and timber products derived from such timber on the internal market . ### based on the information referred to in paragraph 1 , the commission services shall make without delay publicly available , on an annual basis , a union - wide overview on the basis of the data submitted by the member states . in preparing the overview , the commission services shall have regard to the progress made in respect of the conclusion and operation of the flegt vpas pursuant to regulation no 2173 / 2005 and their contribution to minimising the presence of illegally harvested timber and timber products derived from such timber on the internal market .


### member states shall make available to the public and the commission , by 30 april of each year , information on the application of this regulation during the previous calendar year . ### member states shall make available to the public and the commission , at the latest by 30 april of each year , information on the application of this regulation during the previous calendar year .


### the demand for accessible products and services is high and the number of citizens with disabilities and / or functional limitations will increase significantly with the ageing of the european union ' s population . an environment where products and services are more accessible allows for a more inclusive society and facilitates independent living . ### the demand for accessible products and services is high and the number of persons with disabilities and persons with age related or any other impairments will increase significantly with the ageing of the european union ' s population . an environment where products and services are more accessible allows for a more inclusive society and is prerequisite for independent living .


### the disparities between the laws and administrative measures adopted by the member states in relation to accessibility of products and services for persons with functional limitations including persons with disabilities create barriers to the free movement of such products and services and distort effective competition in the internal market . economic operators , in particular small and medium - sized enterprises , are particularly affected by those barriers . ### the disparities between the laws and administrative measures adopted by the member states in relation to accessibility of products and services for persons with disabilities , with age related or any other impairments , create barriers to the free movement of such products and services and distort effective competition in the internal market . economic operators , in particular small and medium - sized enterprises , are particularly affected by those barriers .


### the benefits of harmonising accessibility requirements for the internal market have been demonstrated by the application of directive 2014 / 33 / eu of the european parliament and of the council regarding lifts1 and regulation no 661 / 2009 of the european parliament and of the council2 in the area of transport . ____________________ 1 directive 2014 / 33 / eu of the european parliament and of the council of 26 february 2014 on the harmonisation of the laws of the member states relating to lifts and safety components for lifts . 2 regulation no 661 / 2009 of the european parliament and of the council of 13 july 2009 concerning type - approval requirements for the general safety of motor vehicles , their trailers and systems , components and separate technical units intended therefor . ### the benefits of harmonising accessibility requirements for the internal market have been demonstrated by the application of directive 2014 / 33 / eu of the european parliament and of the council regarding lifts1 and regulation no 661 / 2009 of the european parliament and of the council2 in the area of transport – nevertheless , members states are not fully implementing that directive and are not fully applying that regulation and where this is done it is not done in the same way . ____________________ 1 directive 2014 / 33 / eu of the european parliament and of the council of 26 february 2014 on the harmonisation of the laws of the member states relating to lifts and safety components for lifts . 2 regulation no 661 / 2009 of the european parliament and of the council of 13 july 2009 concerning type - approval requirements for the general safety of motor vehicles , their trailers and systems , components and separate technical units intended therefor .


### this directive respects the fundamental rights and observes the principles recognised in particular by the charter of fundamental rights of the european union . in particular , this directive seeks to ensure full respect for the rights of persons with disabilities to benefit from measures designed to ensure their independence , social and occupational integration and participation in the life of the community and to promote the application of article 26 of the charter of fundamental rights of the european union . ### this directive respects the fundamental rights and observes the principles recognised in particular by the charter of fundamental rights of the european union . in particular , this directive seeks to ensure full respect for the rights of persons with disabilities and persons with age related or any other impairments to benefit from measures designed to ensure their independence , social and occupational integration and participation in the life of the community and to promote the application of article 25 and 26 of the charter of fundamental rights of the european union .


### the overall aim of the ' digital single market strategy ' , is to deliver sustainable economic and social benefits from a connected digital single market . union consumers still do not enjoy the full benefits of prices and choice that the single market can offer , because cross - border online transactions are still very limited . fragmentation also limits demand for cross - border e - commerce transactions . there is also a need for concerted action to make sure that new electronic content is also fully available to persons with disabilities . it is therefore necessary to harmonise accessibility requirements across the digital single market and to ensure that all union citizens regardless of their abilities can enjoy its benefits . ### the overall aim of the ' digital single market strategy ' , is to deliver sustainable economic and social benefits from a connected digital single market . union consumers still do not enjoy the full benefits of prices and choice that the single market can offer , because cross - border online transactions are still very limited . fragmentation also limits demand for cross - border e - commerce transactions . there is also a need for concerted action to make sure that new electronic content is also fully available to persons with disabilities and persons with age related or any other impairments . it is therefore necessary to harmonise accessibility requirements across the digital single market and to ensure that all union citizens regardless of their abilities can enjoy its benefits .


### the entry into force of the convention in the member states’ legal orders entails the need to adopt additional national provisions on accessibility of products and services which without union action would further increase disparities between national provisions . ### the entry into force of the convention in the member states’ legal orders entails the need to adopt additional national provisions including for the built environment related to the provision of products and services which without union action would further increase disparities between national provisions .


### products and services falling within the scope of this directive are the result of a screening exercise , carried out during the preparation of the impact assessment that identified those relevant products and services for persons with functional limitations , including persons with disabilities and older persons , for which member states have adopted or are likely to adopt diverging national accessibility requirements . ### products and services falling within the scope of this directive are the result of a screening exercise , carried out during the preparation of the impact assessment that identified those relevant products and services for persons with disabilities and persons with age related or any other impairment for which member states have adopted or are likely to adopt diverging national accessibility requirements .


### it is necessary to introduce the accessibility requirements in the least burdensome manner for the economic operators and the member states , notably by only including in the scope the products and services which have been thoroughly selected . ### it is necessary to introduce the accessibility requirements which enable all people to make full use of the products , and services and infrastructure covered by this directive in the least burdensome manner for the economic operators and the member states .


### it is therefore necessary to specify accessibility requirements for the placing on the market of products and services which fall within the scope of this directive in order to ensure their free circulation in the internal market . ### it is therefore necessary to specify accessibility requirements for the placing on the market of products and services as well as the built environment connected to the provision of those products and services , which fall within the scope of this directive in order to ensure their free circulation in the internal market and persons’ mobility .


### it is necessary to provide that , for legislative acts of the union establishing accessibility obligations without providing accessibility requirements or specifications , accessibility is defined by reference to the accessibility requirements of this directive . that is the case of directive 2014 / 23 / eu of the european parliament and of the council , 1 directive 2014 / 24 / eu of the european parliament and of the council , 2 and directive 2014 / 25 / eu of the european parliament and of the council , 3 which require that technical specifications and technical or functional requirements of the concessions , works or services falling within their scope take into account accessibility criteria for persons with disabilities or ' design for all ' users . ____________________ 1directive 2014 / 23 / eu of the european parliament and of the council of 26 february 2014 on the award of concession contracts . 2directive 2014 / 24 / eu of the european parliament and of the council of 26 february 2014 on public procurement and repealing directive 2004 / 18 / ec . ### it is necessary to provide that , for legislative acts of the union establishing accessibility obligations without providing accessibility requirements or specifications , accessibility is defined by reference to the accessibility requirements of this directive . that is the case of directive 2014 / 23 / eu of the european parliament and of the council , 1 directive 2014 / 24 / eu of the european parliament and of the council , 2 and directive 2014 / 25 / eu of the european parliament and of the council , 3 which require that technical specifications and technical or functional requirements of the concessions , works or services falling within their scope take into account accessibility criteria for persons with disabilities or ' design for all ' users . likewise directive 2010 / 13 / eu of the european parliament and of the council 3a , directive 2011 / 83 / eu of the european parliament and of the council3b as well as any other existing union legislation must take into account accessibility for the persons with disabilities and persons with age related or any other impairments . any other future union legislation referencing accessibility for persons with disabilities should help consumers to make informed decisions and the union institutions should take accessibility into account when revising union legislation . ____________________ 1directive 2014 / 23 / eu of the european parliament and of the council of 26 february 2014 on the award of concession contracts . 2directive 2014 / 24 / eu of the european parliament and of the council of 26 february 2014 on public procurement and repealing directive 2004 / 18 / ec . 3a directive 2010 / 13 / eu of the european parliament and of the council of 10 march 2010 on the coordination of certain provisions laid down by law , regulation or administrative action in member states concerning the provision of audiovisual media services . 3b directive 2011 / 83 / eu of the european parliament and of the council of 25 october 2011 on consumer rights , amending council directive 93 / 13 / eec and directive 1999 / 44 / ec of the european parliament and of the council and repealing council directive 85 / 577 / eec and directive 97 / 7 / ec of the european parliament and of the council


### the manufacturer having detailed knowledge of the design and production process is best placed to carry out the complete conformity assessment procedure . the obligations for conformity assessment should rest with the manufacturer . ### the manufacturer having detailed knowledge of the design and production process is best placed to carry out the complete conformity assessment procedure . the obligations for conformity assessment should not rest only with the manufacturer . a strengthened market surveillance authority could play a crucial role in this procedure .


### for reasons of proportionality , accessibility requirements should only apply to the extent that they do not impose a disproportionate burden on the economic operator concerned , or require a change in the products and services which would result in their fundamental alteration in accordance with the specified criteria . ### for reasons of proportionality , accessibility requirements should only apply to the extent that they do not impose a disproportionate burden on the economic operator concerned , or require a change in the products and services which would result in their fundamental alteration in accordance with the specified criteria . control mechanisms nevertheless have to be in place in order to verify , where necessary , the rightful exception from the accessibility requirements application .


### this directive should follow the principle of ' think small first ' and should take account of the administrative burdens that smes are faced with . it should set light rules in terms of conformity assessment and should establish safeguard clauses for economic operators , rather than providing for general exceptions and derogations for those enterprises . consequently , when setting up the rules for the selection and implementation of the most appropriate conformity assessment procedures , the situation of smes should be taken into account and the obligations to assess conformity of accessibility requirements should be limited to the extent that they do not pose a disproportionate burden on smes . in addition , market surveillance authorities should operate in a proportionate manner in relation to the size of undertakings and to the small serial or non - serial nature of the production concerned , without creating unnecessary obstacles for smes and without compromising the protection of public interests . ### this directive should follow the principle of ' think small first ' and should take account of the administrative burdens that smes are faced with . this directive should be wide - reaching , while also taking account of the administrative burdens that smes are faced with . it should set light , precise and effective rules in terms of conformity assessment and should establish safeguard clauses for economic operators , rather than providing for general exceptions and derogations for those enterprises . exceptions to the rules of conformity assessment should be interpreted restrictively . consequently , when setting up the rules for the selection and implementation of the most appropriate conformity assessment procedures , the situation of smes should be taken into account and the obligations to assess conformity of accessibility requirements should be limited to the extent that they do not pose a disproportionate burden on smes . in addition , market surveillance authorities should operate in a proportionate manner in relation to the size of undertakings and to the small serial or non - serial nature of the production concerned , without creating unnecessary obstacles for smes and without compromising the protection of public interests .


### in order to facilitate conformity assessment with applicable requirements it is necessary to provide for a presumption of conformity for products and services which are in conformity with voluntary harmonised standards that are adopted in accordance with regulation no 1025 / 2012 of the european parliament and of the council1 for the purpose of expressing detailed technical specifications of those requirements . the commission has already issued a number of standardisation requests to the european standardisation organisations on accessibility which would be relevant for the preparation of harmonised standards . ____________________ regulation no 1025 / 2012 of 25 october 2012 of the european parliament and of the council on european standardisation , amending council directives 89 / 686 / eec and 93 / 15 / eec and directives 94 / 9 / ec , 94 / 25 / ec , 95 / 16 / ec , 97 / 23 / ec , 98 / 34 / ec , 2004 / 22 / ec , 2007 / 23 / ec , 2009 / 23 / ec and 2009 / 105 / ec of the european parliament and of the council and repealing council decision 87 / 95 / eec and decision no 1673 / 2006 / ec of the european parliament and of the council ### in order to facilitate conformity assessment with applicable requirements it is necessary to provide for a presumption of conformity for products and services which are in conformity with voluntary harmonised standards that are adopted in accordance with regulation no 1025 / 2012 of the european parliament and of the council1 for the purpose of expressing detailed technical specifications of those requirements . the commission has already issued a number of standardisation requests to the european standardisation organisations on accessibility which would be relevant for the preparation of harmonised standards . the issuing of further standardisation requests on specific issues related to this directive should be considered by the commission because harmonised standards can significantly facilitate the implementation of this directive by the member states and the private sector . in that regard , organizations for persons with disabilities should be directly involved or consulted in the development of those standards . ____________________ regulation no 1025 / 2012 of 25 october 2012 of the european parliament and of the council on european standardisation , amending council directives 89 / 686 / eec and 93 / 15 / eec and directives 94 / 9 / ec , 94 / 25 / ec , 95 / 16 / ec , 97 / 23 / ec , 98 / 34 / ec , 2004 / 22 / ec , 2007 / 23 / ec , 2009 / 23 / ec and 2009 / 105 / ec of the european parliament and of the council and repealing council decision 87 / 95 / eec and decision no 1673 / 2006 / ec of the european parliament and of the council


### in the absence of harmonised standards and where needed for market harmonisation purposes , the commission should be able adopt implementing acts establishing common technical specifications for the accessibility requirements set in this directive . ### in the absence of harmonised standards and where needed for market harmonisation purposes , the commission should be able adopt implementing acts establishing common technical specifications for the accessibility requirements set in this directive with the involvement of organizations for persons with disabilities .


### for services , the information necessary to assess the conformity with the accessibility requirements should be provided in the general terms and conditions , or equivalent document . ### for services , the information necessary to assess the conformity with the accessibility requirements should be provided in the general terms and conditions , or equivalent document in accessible formats for people with disabilities and persons with age related or any other impairments . .


### the ce marking , indicating the conformity of a product with the accessibility requirements of this directive , is the visible consequence of a whole process comprising conformity assessment in a broad sense . this directive should follow the general principles governing the ce marking of regulation no 765 / 2008 of the european parliament and of the council1 setting out the requirements for accreditation and market surveillance relating to the marketing of products . ____________________ 1regulation no 765 / 2008 of the european parliament and of the council of 9 july 2008 setting out the requirements for accreditation and market surveillance relating to the marketing of products and repealing regulation no 339 / 93 . ### the ce marking , indicating the conformity of a product with the accessibility requirements of this directive , is the visible consequence of a whole process comprising conformity assessment in a broad sense . this directive should follow the general principles governing the ce marking of regulation no 765 / 2008 of the european parliament and of the council1 setting out the requirements for accreditation and market surveillance relating to the marketing of products . a separate marking system should be introduced in order to be clearer for all consumers , including persons with disabilities , with aged related or any other impairments that concrete products and services comply with this directive . the ce marking will thus be complemented by information on the packaging to indicate accessibility to the users . ____________________ 1regulation no 765 / 2008 of the european parliament and of the council of 9 july 2008 setting out the requirements for accreditation and market surveillance relating to the marketing of products and repealing regulation no 339 / 93 .


### in accordance with regulation no 765 / 2008by affixing the ce marking to a product , the manufacturer declares that the product is in conformity with all applicable accessibility requirements and that he takes full responsibility therefor . ### in accordance with regulation no 765 / 2008by affixing the ce marking to a product , and complementary information for products and services that meet the accessibility requirements the manufacturer declares that the product is in conformity with all applicable accessibility requirements and that he takes full responsibility therefor .


### e - commerce ### e - commerce , media and news websites online platforms and social media ;


### e - commerce ### e - commerce , websites of products and services providers , media and news websites , online platforms and social media


### &#8220 ; accessible products and services&#8221 ; are products and services that are perceptible , operable and understandable for persons with functional limitations , including persons with disabilities , on an equal basis with others ; ### &#8220 ; accessible products and services&#8221 ; are products and services that are perceptible , operable and understandable for persons with disabilities , including persons handicapped by age or other factors , on an equal basis with others ;


### general purpose computer hardware and operating systems shall comply with the requirements set out in section i of annex i . ### general purpose computer hardware and operating systems as well as household appliances operated by a user interface shall comply with the requirements set out in section i of annex i .


### telephony services , including emergency services and the related consumer terminal equipment with advanced computing capability , shall comply with the requirements set out in section iii of annex i . ### telephony services , including emergency services and the related consumer terminal equipment with advanced computing capability , shall comply with the requirements set out in section iii of annex i . member states shall ensure the availability of at least one text based relay service and one video based relay service , within the entire territory of the member state and continuously , in consultation with users’ organisations , including organisations representing persons with disabilities , that these relay services are interoperable with the telephony services . member states shall also ensure the availability of audio , video and real - time text communication with national , regional , and local emergency services .


### banking services , the websites , the mobile device - based banking services , self - service terminals , including automatic teller machines used for provision of banking services shall comply with the requirements set out in section vi of annex i . ### banking services , the websites , the mobile device - based banking services , self - service terminals , including automatic teller machines used for provision of banking services and payment terminals shall comply with the requirements set out in section vi of annex i .


### e - commerce shall comply with the requirements set out in section viii of annex i . ### e - commerce , media and news websites , online platforms and social media shall comply with the requirements set out in section viii of annex i .


### manufacturers shall , further to a reasoned request from a competent national authority , provide it with all the information and documentation necessary to demonstrate the conformity of the product , in a language which can be easily understood by that authority . they shall cooperate with that authority , at its request , on any action taken to eliminate the risks posed by products which they have placed on the market and to ensure compliance with the requirements referred to in article 3 . ### manufacturers shall , be in the position further to a reasoned request from a competent national authority , provide it with all the information and documentation necessary to demonstrate the conformity of the product at any given moment , in a language which can be easily understood by that authority . they shall cooperate with that authority , at its request , on any action taken to eliminate the risks posed by products which they have placed on the market and to ensure compliance with the requirements referred to in article 3 .


### the burden shall not be deemed disproportionate where it is compensated by funding from other sources than the economic operator’s own resources , whether public or private . ### the burden shall not be deemed disproportionate where it is compensated by funding from other sources than the economic operator’s own resources , whether public or private . lack of priority , time or knowledge shall not be considered as legitimate reasons to claim the disproportionate burden .


### the assessment of whether compliance with accessibility requirements regarding products or services imposes a fundamental alteration or disproportionate burden shall be performed by the economic operator . ### the initial assessment of whether compliance with accessibility requirements regarding products or services imposes a fundamental alteration or disproportionate burden shall be performed by the economic operator .


### member states shall establish , implement and periodically update adequate procedures in order to : ### member states shall establish , implement and periodically update detailed and comprehensive adequate procedures in order to :


### the assessment of whether compliance with accessibility requirements referred to in article 21 imposes a disproportionate burden shall be performed by the competent authorities concerned . ### the assessment of whether compliance with accessibility requirements referred to in article 21 imposes a disproportionate burden shall be performed by the competent authorities concerned . lack of priority , time or knowledge shall not be considered as legitimate reasons to claim a disproportionate burden .


### they shall apply those provisions from [ … insert date - six years after the entry into force of this directive ] . ### they shall apply those measures from : - three years after the date of entry into force of this directive for products referred to in point of article 1 – general purpose computer hardware and operating systems ; - five years after the date of entry into force of this directive for products referred to in point of article 1– self - service terminals ; - four years after the date of entry into force of this directive for products referred to in point of article 1 - consumer terminal equipment with advanced computing capability related to telephony services ; - four years after the date of entry into force of this directive for products referred to in point of article 1 - consumer terminal equipment with advanced computing capabilities related to audiovisual media services ; - four years after the date of entry into force of this directive for products referred to in point of article 1 - household appliances operated by a user interface ; - four years after the date of entry into force of this directive for services referred to in point of article 1 – telephony services ; - six years after the date of entry into force of this directive for services referred to in point of article 1 – audiovisual media services ; - three years after the date of entry into force of this directive for services referred to in point of article 1 – air , bus , rail and waterborne passenger transport services ; - five years after the date of entry into force of this directive for services referred to in point of article 1 – air , bus , rail and waterborne passenger transport services ; - 10 years after the date of entry into force of this directive for services under referred to in point of article 1 – air , bus , rail and waterborne passenger transport services ; - five years after the date of entry into force of this directive for services referred to in point of article 1 – banking services and payment terminals ; - three years after the date of entry into force of this directive for services referred to in point of article 1 – banking services and payment terminals ; - three years after the date of entry into force of this directive for services referred to in point of article 1 – e - books ; - three years after the date of entry into force of this directive for services referred to in point of article 1– e - commerce , social media and news websites , and online platforms ; - three years after the date of entry into force of this directive for services referred to in point of article 1– accommodation services ; - three years after the date of entry into force of this directive for services referred to in point of article 1accommodation services .


### general purpose computer hardware and operating systems ### general purpose computer hardware , operating systems and household appliances operated by user interface


### the design and production of products in order to maximise their foreseeable use by persons with functional limitations , including persons with disabilities and those with age related impairments , shall be achieved by making accessible the following : ### the design and production of products in order to maximise their foreseeable use by persons with disabilities and persons with age related or other impairments , shall be achieved by complying with the following accessibility requirements :


### the design and production of products in order to maximise their foreseeable use by persons with functional limitations , including persons with disabilities and those with age related impairments , shall be achieved by making accessible the following : ### the design and production of products in order to maximise their foreseeable use by persons with disabilities and persons with age related or any other impairments shall be achieved by complying with the following accessibility requirements :


### the design and production of products in order to maximise their foreseeable use by persons with functional limitations , including persons with disabilities and those with age related impairments , shall be achieved by making accessible the following : ### the design and production of products in order to maximise their foreseeable use by persons with disabilities and persons with age related or any other impairments , shall be achieved by complying with the following accessibility requirements :


### products ### products shall comply with section i


### the information on the use of the product provided on the product itself , which : must be available by more than one sensory channel ; must be understandable ; must be perceivable ; shall have an adequate size of fonts in foreseeable conditions of use ; ### the information on the use of the product provided on the product itself , which : shall be understandable ; shall be perceivable ; shall have an adequate size and type of fonts with sufficient contrast between the characters and their background in order to maximise its readability in foreseeable conditions of use ; shall be made available in accessible web format and electronic non - web documents by making them perceivable , operable , understandable and robust .


### the information on the use of the product provided on the product itself , which : must be available by more than one sensory channel ; must be understandable ; must be perceivable ; shall have an adequate size of fonts in foreseeable conditions of use ; ### the information on the use of the product provided on the product itself , which : shall be available by more than one sensory channel ; shall be understandable shall be perceivable ; shall list and explain how to activate and use the accessibility features of the product and its compatibility with assistive technologies ; shall have an adequate size and type of fonts with sufficient contrast between the characters and their background in order to maximise its readability in foreseeable conditions of use ;


### the information on the use of the product provided in the product itself , which : must be available by more than one sensory channel ; must be understandable ; must be perceivable ; shall have an adequate size of fonts in foreseeable use conditions ; ### the information on the use of the product provided on the product itself , which : shall be understandable ; shall be perceivable ; shall have an adequate size and type of fonts with sufficient contrast between the characters and their background in order to maximise its readability in foreseeable use conditions ; shall be made available in accessible web format and electronic non - web documents by making them perceivable , operable ; understandable and robust ;


### the information on the use of the product provided in the product itself , which : must be available by more than one sensory channel ; must be understandable ; must be perceivable ; shall have an adequate size of fonts in foreseeable use conditions ### the information on the use of the product provided on the product itself , which : shall be understandable ; shall be perceivable ; shall have an adequate size and type of fonts with sufficient contrast between the characters and their background in order to maximise its readability in foreseeable conditions of use ; shall be made available in accessible web format and electronic non - web documents by making them perceivable , operable , understandable and robust .


### the packaging of the product including the information provided in it ; ### the packaging of the product including the information provided in it which : shall meet the requirements laid down in point shall in simple and precise way inform the users ;


### the packaging of the product including the information provided in it ; ### the packaging of the product including the information provided in it which : shall meet the requirements laid down in point ; shall in simple and precise way inform the users that the product incorporates accessibility features and its compatibility with assistive technologies ;


### the product instructions for use , installation and maintenance , storage and disposal of the product which shall comply with the following : the content of instruction shall be available in text formats that can be used for generating alternative assistive formats to be presented in different ways and via more than one sensory channel , and the instructions shall provide alternatives to non - text content ; ### the product instructions for use , installation and maintenance , storage and disposal of the product , which shall comply with the following : shall be made available in accessible web format and electronic non - web document by making them perceivable , operable , understandable and robust shall list and explain how to use the accessibility features of the product and its compatibility with a variety of assistive technologies available at union and international level shall be provided on alternate non - electronic formats upon request . the alternate non - electronic formats may include large print , braille , or easy - to - read .


### the product instructions for use , installation and maintenance , storage and disposal of the product which shall comply with the following : content of instruction shall be available in text formats that can be used for generating alternative assistive formats to be presented in different ways and via more than one sensory channel , and instructions shall provide alternatives to non - text content ; ### the product instructions for use , installation and maintenance , storage and disposal of the product , whether provided separately or integrated within the product , which shall comply with the following : shall be made available in accessible web format and electronic non - web document by making them perceivable , operable , understandable and robust ; shall list and explain how to use the accessibility features of the product and its compatibility with a variety of assistive technologies available at union and international level ; shall be provided on alternate non - electronic formats upon request . the alternate non - electronic formats may include large print , braille , or easy - to - read ;


### the product instructions for use , installation and maintenance , storage and disposal of the product which shall comply with the following : content of instruction shall be available in text formats that can be used for generating alternative assistive formats to be presented in different ways and via more than sensory channel , and instructions shall provide alternatives to non - text content ; ### the product instructions for use , installation and maintenance , storage and disposal of the product , whether provided separately or integrated within the product , which shall comply with the following : shall be made available in accessible web format and electronic non - web document by making them perceivable , operable , understandable and robust ; shall list and explain how to use the accessibility features of the product and its compatibility with a variety of assistive technologies available at union and international level shall be provided on alternate non - electronic formats upon request . the alternate non - electronic formats may include large print , braille , or easy - to - read


### user interface and functionality design : ### functionality requirements for user interface and design of the product :


### user interface and functionality design ### functionality requirements for user interface and design of the product


### user interface and functionality design ### functionality requirements for user interface and design of the product :


### provide for sequential control and alternatives to fine motor control ; ### provide for sequential control and alternatives to fine motor control including where the product requires manual actions , the product shall provide features that enable users to make use of the product through alternative modes of operation not requiring fine motor control like manipulation or hand strength , nor operation of more than one control at the same time ;


### self - service terminals : automatic teller machines , ticketing machines and check - in machines ### self - service terminals : automatic teller machines , ticketing machines , check - in machines and payment terminals


### the functionality of the product by providing functions aimed to address the needs of persons with functional limitations , in accordance with point 2 ; ### the functionality of the product by providing functions aimed to address the needs of persons with disabilities and persons with age related or any other impairments in accordance with point 2 ;


### the provision of services in order to maximise their foreseeable use by persons with functional limitations , including persons with disabilities , shall be achieved by ### the provision of services in order to maximise their foreseeable use by persons with disabilities and persons with age related or any other impairments shall be achieved by :


### the provision of services in order to maximise their foreseeable use by persons with functional limitations , including persons with disabilities , shall be achieved by : ### the provision of services in order to maximise their foreseeable use by persons with disabilities and persons with age related or any other impairments , shall be achieved by :


### providing information about the functioning of the service and about its accessibility characteristics and facilities as follows : the information content shall be available in text formats that can be used to generate alternative assistive formats to be presented in different ways by the users and via more than one sensory channel alternatives to non - text content shall be provided ; the electronic information , including the related online applications needed in the provision of the service shall be provided in accordance with point . ### providing information about the functioning of the service and about its accessibility characteristics and facilities as follows : shall be made available in accessible web format and electronic non - web document by making them perceivable , operable , understandable and robust in accordance with point shall be provided on alternate non - electronic formats upon request . the alternate non - electronic formats may include large print , braille , or easy - to - read .


### providing information about the functioning of the service and about its accessibility characteristics and facilities as follows : the information content shall be available in text formats that can be used to generate alternative assistive formats to be presented in different ways by the users and via more than one sensory channel ; alternatives to non - text content shall be provided ; the electronic information , including the related online applications needed in the provision of the service shall be provided in accordance with point . ### providing information about the functioning of the service and about its accessibility characteristics and facilities which : shall be made available in accessible web format and within the electronic programming guides by making them perceivable , operable , understandable and robust , in accordance with point shall list and explain how to use the accessibility features of the service in combination with the related terminal equipment , and its compatibility with assistive technologies shall provide accessible information to facilitate complementarities with other access services provided by a third party .


### providing information about the functioning of the service and about its accessibility characteristics and facilities as follows : the information content shall be available in text formats that can be used to generate alternative assistive formats to be presented in different ways by the users and via more than one sensory channel , alternatives to non - text content shall be provided ; the electronic information , including the related online applications needed in the provision of the service shall be provided in accordance with point . ### providing information about the functioning of the service and about its accessibility characteristics and facilities as follows : shall be made available in accessible web format and electronic non - web document by making them perceivable , operable , understandable and robust in accordance with point shall list and explain how to use the accessibility features of the service including accessibility of vehicles and surrounding infrastructure and built environment as well as information about assistance provided according to regulation 1107 / 2006 , regulation 1177 / 2010 , regulation 1371 / 2007 , and regulation 181 / 2011 . shall be provided on alternative non - electronic formats upon request . the alternate non - electronic formats may include large print , braille , or easy - to - read .


### providing information about the functioning of the service and about its accessibility characteristics and facilities as follows : the information content shall be available in text formats that can be used to generate alternative assistive formats to be presented in different ways by the users and via more than one sensory channel ; alternatives to non - text content shall be provided the electronic information , including the related online applications needed in the provision of the service shall be provided in accordance with point . ### providing information about the functioning of the service and about its accessibility characteristics and facilities as follows : shall be made available in accessible web format and electronic non - web document by making them perceivable , operable , understandable and robust in accordance with point shall list and explain how to use the accessibility features of the service in combination with the related terminal equipment shall be provided on alternate non - electronic formats upon request . the alternate non - electronic formats may include large print , braille , or easy - to - read shall be understandable , without exceeding a level of complexity superior to level b2 of the council of europe’s common european framework of reference for languages .


### providing information about the functioning of the service and about its accessibility characteristics and facilities as follows : the information content shall be available in text formats that can be used to generate alternative assistive formats to be presented in different ways by the users and via more than one sensory channel ; alternatives to non - text content shall be provided the electronic information , including the related online applications needed in the provision of the service shall be provided in accordance with point . ### providing information about the functioning of the service and about its accessibility characteristics and facilities as follows : shall be made available in accessible web format and electronic non - web document by making them perceivable , operable , understandable and robust in accordance with point shall list and explain how to use the accessibility features of the service in combination with the related terminal equipment and its compatibility with assistive technologies shall be provided on alternate non - electronic formats upon request . the alternate non - electronic formats may include large print , braille , or easy - to - read


### providing information about the functioning of the service and about its accessibility characteristics and facilities as follows : the information content shall be available in text formats that can be used to generate alternative assistive formats to be presented in different ways by the users and via more than one sensory channel ; alternatives to non - text content shall be provided the electronic information , including the related online applications needed in the provision of the service shall be provided in accordance with point . ### providing information about the functioning of the service and about its accessibility characteristics and facilities as follows : shall be made available in accessible web format by making them perceivable , operable , understandable and robust in accordance with point shall list and explain how to use the accessibility features of the service and its complementarity with a variety of assistive technologies .


### making websites accessible in a consistent and adequate way for users’ perception , operation and understanding , including the adaptability of content presentation and interaction , when necessary providing an accessible electronic alternative ; and in a way which facilitates interoperability with a variety of user agents and assistive technologies available at union and international level ; ### making websites accessible and online applications needed for the provision of the service in a consistent and adequate way for users’ perception , operation and understanding , including the adaptability of content presentation and interaction , when necessary providing an accessible electronic alternative ; and in a robust way which facilitates interoperability with a variety of user agents and assistive technologies available at union and international level ;


### making websites accessible in a consistent and adequate way for users’ perception , operation and understanding , including the adaptability of content presentation and interaction , when necessary providing an accessible electronic alternative ; and in a way which facilitates interoperability with a variety of user agents and assistive technologies available at union and international level ; ### making websites and online applications needed for the provision of the service accessible in a consistent and adequate way for users’ perception , operation and understanding , including the adaptability of content presentation and interaction , when necessary providing an accessible electronic alternative ; and in a robust way which facilitates interoperability with a variety of user agents and assistive technologies available at union and international level ;


### making websites accessible in a consistent and adequate way for users’ perception , operation and understanding , including the adaptability of content presentation and interaction , when necessary providing an accessible electronic alternative ; and in a way which facilitates interoperability with a variety of user agents and assistive technologies available at union and international level ; ### making websites including online applications needed for the provision of the service accessible in a consistent and adequate way for users’ perception , operation and understanding , including the adaptability of content presentation and interaction , when necessary providing an accessible electronic alternative ; and in a robust way which facilitates interoperability with a variety of user agents and assistive technologies available at union and international level ;


### making websites accessible in a consistent and adequate way for users’ perception , operation and understanding , including the adaptability of content presentation and interaction , when necessary providing an accessible electronic alternative ; and in a way which facilitates interoperability with a variety of user agents and assistive technologies available at union and international level ; ### making websites and online applications accessible in a consistent and adequate way for users’ perception , operation and understanding , including the adaptability of content presentation and interaction , when necessary providing an accessible electronic alternative ; and in a robust way which facilitates interoperability with a variety of user agents and assistive technologies available at union and international level ;


### making websites accessible in a consistent and adequate way for users’ perception , operation and understanding , including the adaptability of content presentation and interaction , when necessary providing an accessible electronic alternative ; and in a way which facilitates interoperability with a variety of user agents and assistive technologies available at union and international level ### making websites and online applications needed for the provision of the service accessible in a consistent and adequate way for users’ perception , operation and understanding , including the adaptability of content presentation and interaction , when necessary providing an accessible electronic alternative ; and in a robust way which facilitates interoperability with a variety of user agents and assistive technologies available at union and international level ;


### including functions , practices , policies and procedures and alterations in the operation of the service targeted to address the needs of persons with functional limitations . ### including functions , practices , policies and procedures and alterations in the operation of the service targeted to address the needs of persons with disabilities and persons with age related or any other impairments :


### including functions , practices , policies and procedures and alterations in the operation of the service targeted to address the needs of persons with functional limitations . ### including functions , practices , policies and procedures and alterations in the operation of the service targeted to address the needs of persons with disabilities and persons with age related or any other impairments , the service provider shall provide at least the following access services : subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing ; audio description ; spoken subtitles ; sign language interpretation ,


### including functions , practices , policies and procedures and alterations in the operation of the service targeted to address the needs of persons with functional limitations . ### including functions , practices , policies and procedures and alterations in the operation of the service targeted to address the needs of persons with disabilities and persons with age related or any other impairments : smart ticketing real - time passenger information additional service information


### including functions , practices , policies and procedures and alterations in the operation of the service targeted to address the needs of persons with functional limitations ### including functions , practices , policies and procedures and alterations in the operation of the service targeted to address the needs of persons with disabilities and persons with age related or any other impairments : electronic identification , security and payment methods needed for the provision of the service shall be understandable , perceivable , operable and robust without undermining the security and privacy of the user .


### including functions , practices , policies and procedures and alterations in the operation of the service targeted to address the needs of persons with functional limitations ### including functions , practices , policies and procedures and alterations in the operation of the service targeted to address the needs of persons with disabilities and persons with age related or any other impairments , by ensuring the navigation throughout the document , dynamic layouts , the possibility to synchronize text and audio content , text - to - speech technology , allowing alternative renditions of the content and its interoperability with a variety of assistive technologies in such a way that can be perceivable , understandable , operable and maximizes compatibility with current and future user agents .


### the interfacing of the product with assistive devices ### the product shall provide compatibility with a variety of assistive devices and technologies available at union and international level , including hearing technologies , such as hearing aids , telecoils , cochlear implants , and assistive listening devices .


### the interfacing of the product with assistive devices . ### the product shall provide compatibility with a variety of assistive devices and technologies available at union and international level , including hearing technologies , such as hearing aids , telecoils , cochlear implants , and assistive listening devices .


### self - service terminals , ticketing machines and check - in machines used for provision of passenger transport services : ### self - service terminals , ticketing machines and check - in machines used for provision of passenger transport services shall comply with the requirements laid down in section ii :


### providing accessible information to facilitate complementarities with assistive services ; ### providing accessible information to facilitate complementarities with assistive services and technologies , including hearing technologies , such as hearing aids , telecoils , cochlear implants , and assistive listening devices .


### accessibility requirements for the purpose of article 3 concerning the built environment where the services under the scope of this directive is provided ### accessibility requirements for the purpose of article 3 concerning the built environment where the products and services under the scope of this directive are provided


### use of equipment and facilities used in the provision of the service ; ### use of equipment and facilities used in the provision of the product or service ;


### to promote efficiency and reduce delays and costs , national preventive restructuring frameworks should include flexible procedures limiting the involvement of judicial or administrative authorities to where it is necessary and proportionate in order to safeguard the interests of creditors and other interested parties likely to be affected . to avoid unnecessary costs and reflect the early nature of the procedure , debtors should in principle be left in control of their assets and the day - to - day operation of their business . the appointment of a restructuring practitioner , whether a mediator supporting the negotiations of a restructuring plan or an insolvency practitioner supervising the actions of the debtor , should not be mandatory in every case , but made on a case - by - case basis depending on the circumstances of the case or on the debtor ' s specific needs . furthermore , there should not necessarily be a court order for the opening of the restructuring process which may be informal as long as the rights of third parties are not affected . nevertheless , a degree of supervision should be ensured when this is necessary to safeguard the legitimate interests of one or more creditors or another interested party . this may be the case , in particular , when a general stay of individual enforcement actions is granted by the judicial or administrative authority or where it appears necessary to impose a restructuring plan on dissenting classes of creditors . ### a degree of supervision by a judicial or administrative authority should be ensured when this is necessary to safeguard the legitimate interests of one or more creditors or another interested party . this may be the case , in particular , when a general stay of individual enforcement actions is granted by the judicial or administrative authority or where it appears necessary to impose a restructuring plan on dissenting classes of creditors .


### member states shall require restructuring plans submitted for confirmation by a judicial or administrative authority to contain at least the following information : ### member states shall require restructuring plans submitted for confirmation by a judicial or administrative authority to contain at least the following information and shall ensure that such information is the subject of information and consultation with the workers&#180 ; representatives , &#160 ; and where there are no workers ' representatives , with the workers themselves :


### where the necessary majority is not reached in one or more dissenting voting classes , the plan may still be confirmed if it complies with the cross - class cram - down requirements set out in article 11 . ### where the necessary majority is not reached in one or more dissenting voting classes , the plan may still be confirmed if it complies with the cross - class cram - down requirements set out in article 11 . however , where they exist , collective agreements and the outcomes of collective bargaining shall be respected .


### the european union agency for asylum should ensure a more structured and streamlined production of information on countries of origin at the level of the european union . it is necessary for the agency to gather information and draw up reports providing for country of origin information by making use of european networks on country of origin information so as to avoid duplication and create synergies with national reports . furthermore , to ensure convergence in the assessment of applications for international protection and the nature and quality of protection granted , the agency should , together with member states , engage in and develop a common analysis providing guidance on the situation in specific countries of origin . ### the european union agency for asylum should ensure a more structured and streamlined production of information on countries of origin and transit at the level of the european union . it is necessary for the agency to gather information and draw up reports providing for country of origin and transit information by making use of european networks , in particular the eeas , union delegations and diplomatic missions of member states , on country of origin information so as to avoid duplication and create synergies with national reports . furthermore , to ensure convergence and high standards in the assessment of applications for international protection and the nature and quality of protection granted , the agency should , together with member states , engage in and develop a common analysis providing guidance on the situation in specific countries of origin . such common analysis should be developed taking into account the most recent relevant information and reports of the iom , international and national organisations and the unhcr , such as fact - finding missions reports and country / situation specific position papers and eligibility guidelines relating to the specific country of origin and transit . where there is a conflict between the common analysis and unhcr guidance , the latter should be carefully taken into account by member states when examining individual applications for international protection in accordance with the supervisory responsibility of the unhcr as set out in paragraph 8 of the statute of the office of the high commissioner for refugees , read in conjunction with article 35 of the 1951 convention relating to the status of refugees and article ii of the 1967 protocol relating to the status of refugees .


### to ensure a high degree of uniformity as regards asylum procedures , reception conditions and the assessment of protection needs across the union , the agency should organise and coordinate activities promoting union law . for that purpose , the agency should assist member states by developing operational standards and indicators for monitoring compliance with those standards . the agency should also develop guidelines on asylum - related matters and should enable the exchange of best practices among member states . ### to ensure a high degree of uniformity as regards asylum procedures , reception conditions and the assessment of protection needs across the union , the agency should organise and coordinate activities promoting international and union law . for that purpose , the agency should assist member states by developing operational standards and indicators for monitoring compliance with those standards . the agency should also develop guidelines on asylum - related matters and should enable , encourage and coordinate the exchange of best practices among member states , in collaboration with the fundamental rights agency , the unhcr and the consultative forum


### the agency shall ensure the rapid exchange of relevant information amongst member states and with the commission . it shall also submit , in a timely and accurate manner , the results of its analysis to the management board . ### the agency shall ensure the rapid exchange of relevant information amongst member states and with the commission . it shall also submit , in a timely and accurate manner , the results of its analysis to the management board and the european parliament .


### the agency shall develop such training in close cooperation with member states and , in cooperation with appropriate training entities in the member states , including academic institutions and other relevant organisations . ### the agency shall develop such training in close cooperation with member states and , in cooperation with appropriate training entities in the member states , including unhcr , academic institutions , national and international associations of judges and other relevant expert non - governmental organisations .


### the management board shall , in consultation with the commission , set the programme for monitoring and assessing the asylum and reception systems in each member state , or of all member states on the basis of thematic or specific aspects of the asylum systems . that programme shall form part of the multi - annual and annual programming referred to in article 41 . ### the management board shall , in consultation with the commission , set the programme for reporting on the asylum and reception systems in each member state , or of all member states on the basis of thematic or specific aspects of the asylum systems . that programme shall form part of the multi - annual and annual programming referred to in article 41 .


### the agency shall set up teams of experts for each monitoring exercise , including for the on - site visits as necessary . the teams of experts shall be composed of experts from the agency ' s own staff and commission representatives . the team of experts shall be responsible for drawing up a report based on the findings of on - site visits and information provided by member states . ### the agency shall set up teams of experts for each reporting exercise , including for the on - site visits as necessary . the teams of experts shall be composed of experts from the agency ' s own staff and commission representatives . the team of experts shall be responsible for drawing up a report based on the findings of on - site visits and information provided by member states as well as other relevant stakeholders , such as the unhcr and non - governmental organisations .


### the executive director , after consultation with the commission , shall submit draft recommendations to the member state concerned outlining the necessary measures to address shortcomings identified in the monitoring report . the member state concerned shall be given one month to comment on the draft recommendations . after giving consideration to those comments , the management board shall adopt the recommendations and it shall invite the member state concerned to draw up an action plan outlining the measures to remedy any shortcomings . ### the commission shall submit draft recommendations to the member state concerned outlining the necessary measures to address shortcomings identified in the report . the member state concerned shall be given one month to comment on the draft recommendations . after giving consideration to those comments , the commission shall adopt the recommendations and it shall invite the member state concerned to draw up an action plan outlining the measures to remedy any shortcomings .


### the member state concerned shall provide the agency with an action plan within one month from adoption of the recommendations referred to in paragraph 4 . that member state shall report to the agency on the implementation of the action plan within three months from the adoption of the recommendations and shall thereafter continue to report every month for a maximum of six months . ### the member state concerned shall provide the commission with an action plan within one month from adoption of the recommendations referred to in paragraph 4 . the agency shall be invited to provide the commission with an opinion on the member state action plan within one month in consultation with unhcr and relevant stakeholders . that member state shall report to the commission on the implementation of the action plan within three months from the adoption of the recommendations and shall thereafter continue to report every month for a maximum of six months . that member state report shall be communicated to the agency in order for this information to be taken into account in its reports .


### assist member states in ensuring that all the necessary child rights and child protection safeguards are in place ; ### assist member states in ensuring that all the necessary fundamental rights safeguards , including child rights and child protection safeguards , are in place ;


### the executive director shall evaluate the result of the operational and technical measures and shall transmit detailed evaluation reports to the management board within 60 days from the end of those measures . the agency shall make a comprehensive comparative analysis of those results which shall be included in the annual activity report referred to in article 65 . ### the executive director shall evaluate the result of the operational and technical measures and shall transmit detailed evaluation reports to the management board , the european commission and the european parliament within 60 days from the end of those measures . the agency shall make a comprehensive comparative analysis of those results which shall be included in the annual activity report referred to in article 65 .


### on a proposal by the executive director , the management board shall decide by an absolute majority of its members with a right to vote on the profiles and the overall number of experts to be made available for the asylum support teams . the same procedure shall apply to any subsequent changes in the profiles and the overall number of experts . ### the executive director shall be responsible for ensuring that the overall number and the composition of experts to be made available for the asylum support teams is in accordance with the request , depending on the needs on the ground , of the host member state .


### modalities of cooperation with third countries , other union agencies , bodies , offices or international organisations ; ### modalities of cooperation with other union agencies , bodies , offices or international organisations ;


### as soon as the operational plan is agreed , the executive director shall request the member states to deploy the experts within no more than seven working days . the executive director shall indicate the number and profiles required from the member states . that information shall be provided , in writing , to the national contact points and shall specify the scheduled date of deployment . a copy of the operational plan shall also be sent to the national contact points . ### as soon as the operational plan is agreed , the executive director shall request the member states to deploy the experts within no more than seven working days . the executive director shall indicate the number and profiles required from the member states . that information shall be provided , in writing , to the national contact points and shall specify the scheduled date of deployment . a copy of the operational plan shall also be sent to the national contact points , the european commission and the european parliament .


### where the asylum and reception systems of a member state are subject to disproportionate pressure that places exceptionally heavy and urgent demands on those systems , the agency shall , at the request of the member state concerned or on its own initiative , organise and coordinate a comprehensive set of operational and technical measures as referred to in article 16 and deploy experts from the asylum intervention pool referred to in article 18 and experts from its own staff to reinforce the asylum and reception systems within a short period of time . ### where the asylum and reception systems of a member state are subject to disproportionate pressure that places exceptionally heavy and urgent demands on those systems , the agency shall , at the request of the member state concerned , organise and coordinate together with the host member state concerned , a comprehensive set of operational and technical measures as referred to in article 16 and deploy experts from the asylum intervention pool referred to in article 18 and experts from its own staff to reinforce the asylum and reception systems within a short period of time .


### without prejudice to the obligation of member states to supply the necessary facilities and equipment for the agency to be able to provide the required operational and technical assistance , the agency may deploy its own equipment to member states to the extent that this may be needed by the asylum support teams or the experts from the asylum intervention pool and insofar as this may complement equipment already made available by the member states or other union agencies . ### without prejudice to the obligation of member states to supply the necessary facilities and equipment for the agency to be able to provide the required operational and technical assistance , the agency may deploy its own equipment to member states , including at the request of the member state in need , insofar as this may complement equipment already made available by the member states or other union agencies .


### where experts of an asylum support team or from the asylum intervention pool are operating in a host member state , that member state shall be liable in accordance with its national law for any damage caused by them during their operations . ### where experts of an asylum support team or from the asylum intervention pool are operating in a host member state , the agency or the home member state shall be liable in accordance with its national law for any damage caused by them during their operations .


### when carrying out case sampling for the purposes of the monitoring exercise referred to in article 13 ; ### when carrying out case sampling for the purposes of the monitoring exercise referred to in article 13 ; restricts the processing of personal data for that purpose strictly to nationality , age and gender ;


### the agency shall coordinate actions on resettlement taken by member states or by the union , including the exchange of information , so as to meet the international protection needs of refugees in third countries and show solidarity with their host countries . the agency shall gather information , monitor resettlement to member states and support member states with capacity building on resettlement . the agency may also , subject to the agreement of the third country and in agreement with the commission , coordinate any such exchange of information or other action between member states and a third country , in the territory of that third country . ### the agency shall support actions on resettlement taken by member states or by the union in close cooperation with the unhcr and relevant non - governmental organisations . the agency shall gather information in full compliance with the standards and guidance set by the unhcr , monitor resettlement to member states , support member states with capacity building on resettlement , and provide any additional resettlement support in line with the responsibilities conferred to it in the regulation for a union framework on resettlement .


### the agency shall cooperate with international organisations , in particular unhcr , in areas governed by this regulation , within the framework of working arrangements concluded with those bodies , in accordance with the treaty and the provisions on the competence of those bodies . the management board shall decide on the working arrangements which shall be subject to prior approval of the commission . ### the agency shall cooperate with un entities and international organisations , in particular the unhcr , the ohchr and the iom , in areas governed by this regulation , within the framework of working arrangements concluded with those bodies , in accordance with the treaty and the provisions on the competence of those bodies . the management board shall decide on the working arrangements which shall be subject to prior approval of the commission . the agency shall inform the european parliament of any such working arrangements .


### the management board shall be composed of one representative from each member state and two representatives of the commission , which shall have the right to vote . ### the management board shall be composed of one representative from each member state , two representatives of the commission , two representatives of the european parliament and the unhcr which shall have the right to vote .


### set the programme for monitoring and assessing the asylum and reception systems in accordance with article 14 ; ### set the programme for reporting on the asylum and reception systems in accordance with article 14 ;


### the consultative forum shall constitute a mechanism for the exchange of information and sharing of knowledge . it shall ensure a close dialogue between the agency and relevant organisations or bodies as referred to in paragraph 1 and shall assist the executive director and the management board in matters covered by this regulation . ### the consultative forum shall constitute a mechanism for consultation , exchange of information and sharing of knowledge . it shall ensure a close dialogue between the agency and relevant organisations or bodies as referred to in paragraph 1 .


### the agency shall invite the european union agency for fundamental rights , the european agency for the management of operational cooperation at the external borders of the member states , unhcr and other relevant organisations or bodies as referred to in paragraph 1 . ### the agency shall invite the european union agency for fundamental rights , unhcr and other relevant organisations or bodies as referred to in paragraph 1 .


### comprehensive action is required to reverse the vicious circle created by a lack of investment . structural reforms and fiscal responsibility are necessary preconditions for stimulating investment . along with a renewed impetus towards investment financing , these preconditions can contribute to establishing a virtuous circle , where investment projects help support employment and demand and lead to a sustained increase in growth potential . ### comprehensive action is required to reverse the vicious circle created by a lack of investment . new investment projects help support employment and demand and lead to a sustained increase in growth potential , while ensuring social and regional cohesion .


### the efsi should support strategic investments with high economic value added contributing to achieving union policy objectives . ### the efsi should support public and other strategic investments with high economic and social value added contributing to achieving union policy objectives .


### decisions on the use of the efsi support for infrastructure and large mid - cap projects should be made by an investment committee . the investment committee should be composed of independent experts who are knowledgeable and experienced in the areas of investment projects . the investment committee should be accountable to a steering board of the efsi , who should supervise the fulfilment of the efsi ' s objectives . to effectively benefit from the experience of the eif , the efsi should support funding to the eif to allow the eif to undertake individual projects in the areas of small and medium enterprises and small mid - cap companies . ### decisions on the use of the efsi support for infrastructure and large mid - cap projects should be made by an investment committee , with appropriate involvement of social partners . the investment committee should be composed of experts who are knowledgeable and experienced in the areas of investment projects and the fields of employment policy , industrial policy , energy and research and innovation . the investment committee should be accountable to a steering board of the efsi , who should supervise the fulfilment of the efsi ' s objectives with appropriate involvement of social partners . to effectively benefit from the experience of the eif , the efsi should support funding to the eif to allow the eif to undertake individual projects in the areas of small and medium enterprises and small mid - cap companies .


### decisions on the use of the efsi support for infrastructure and large mid - cap projects should be made by an investment committee . the investment committee should be composed of independent experts who are knowledgeable and experienced in the areas of investment projects . the investment committee should be accountable to a steering board of the efsi , who should supervise the fulfilment of the efsi ' s objectives . to effectively benefit from the experience of the eif , the efsi should support funding to the eif to allow the eif to undertake individual projects in the areas of small and medium enterprises and small mid - cap companies . ### decisions on the use of the efsi support for infrastructure and large mid - cap projects should be made by an investment committee . the investment committee should be composed of independent experts who are knowledgeable and experienced in the areas of investment projects , including in the areas of employment and social affairs and the environment , and including representatives of the scientific community . the investment committee should be accountable to a steering board of the efsi , who should supervise the fulfilment of the efsi ' s objectives . to effectively benefit from the experience of the eif , the efsi should support funding to the eif to allow the eif to undertake individual projects in the areas of micro , small and medium enterprises and small mid - cap companies .