### the member states and the commission shall promote equality between men and women through mainstreaming as referred to in article 7 of regulation no [ … ] and specific targeted actions as referred to in article 3 , in particular with the aim of increasing the sustainable participation and progress of women in employment , reducing gender - based segregation in the labour market , combating gender stereotypes in education and training and promoting reconciliation of work and personal life for men and women . ### the member states and the commission shall promote equality between men and women through mainstreaming as referred to in article 7 of regulation no [ . . . ] and specific targeted actions in particular with the aim of increasing the sustainable participation and progress of women in employment , reducing gender - based segregation in the labour market , combating gender stereotypes in education and training , promoting reconciliation of work and personal life for men and women , addressing the feminisation of poverty by promoting equal share of care responsibility between men and women . the member states shall ensure that gender equality and equal opportunities are promoted in the preparation , implementation , monitoring and evaluation of operational programmes with methods of the gender budgeting assessment . member states shall further allow for a balanced participation of women and men in the management and implementation of operational programmes at local , regional and national level and report on progress in this matter .


### member states may select themes for transnational co - operation from a list proposed by the commission and endorsed by the esf committee . ### member states may select themes for transnational co - operation from a list after consultation with the partners proposed by the commission and endorsed by the esf committee .


### the esf shall promote high levels of employment and job quality , support the geographical and occupational mobility of workers , facilitate their adaptation to change , encourage a high level of education and training , promote gender equality , equal opportunities and non - discrimination , enhance social inclusion and combat poverty , thereby contributing to the priorities of the european union as regards strengthening economic , social and territorial cohesion . ### the esf shall promote high levels of employment , job creation and job quality , facilitate their adaptation to change , support the voluntary geographical and occupational mobility , provide support for workers made redundant , encourage a high level of education and training , promote gender equality , equal opportunities and non - discrimination , enhance social inclusion and combat poverty , thereby contributing to the priorities of the european union as regards strengthening economic , social and territorial cohesion .


### capacity building for stakeholders delivering employment , education and social policies and sectoral and territorial pacts to mobilise for reform at national , regional and local level . ### capacity building for stakeholders , in particular social partners and non - governmental organisations including socio - cultural and environmental organisations , in the implementation of operational programmes which deliver employment , education , social and socio - cultural policies as well as sectoral and territorial pacts to mobilise for reform at national , regional and local level .


### efficient and effective implementation of actions supported by the esf depends on good governance and partnership between all relevant territorial and socio - economic actors , in particular the social partners and non - governmental organisations . it is therefore necessary that member states encourage the participation of social partners and non - governmental organisations in the implementation of the esf . ### efficient and effective implementation of actions supported by the esf depends on good governance and partnership between all relevant territorial and socio - economic actors , taking into account those who act at the regional and local levels , in particular the involvement of social partners and non - governmental organisations by granting them a defined part of allocation which may take the form of a global grant . member states shall ensure the participation and activation of social partners and non - governmental organisations in the implementation of the esf . besides that , member states shall allocate an appropriate level of financial allocations of technical assistance of the esf in article 52 of the regulation [ . . . ] [ cpr ] directly to all the partners of article 5 in the regulation [ . . . ] [ cpr ] , in particular to social partners and civil society organisations , in order to facilitate the involvement and participation of these partners in the preparation , implementation , monitoring and evaluation of programmes and operations and to support their capacity building in accordance with the european code of conduct on partnership .


### at the same time , it is crucial to support the development and competitiveness of european small and medium - sized enterprises and to ensure that people can adapt , through acquiring appropriate skills and through lifelong learning opportunities , to new challenges such as the shift to a knowledge - based economy , the digital agenda , and the transition to a low - carbon and more energy - efficient economy . by pursuing its primary thematic objectives , the esf should contribute to addressing these challenges . in this context , the esf should support the labour force transition towards greener skills and jobs , in particular in the energy efficiency , renewable energy and sustainable transport sectors , taking into account the union ' s intention to increase the proportion of the eu budget that is related to climate mainstreaming to at least 20% , with contributions from different policy fields . ### at the same time , it is crucial to support the on - going development and competitiveness of european micro - , small and medium - sized enterprises , including cultural and creative undertakings , in order to create quality jobs , and to ensure that people can adapt , through acquiring appropriate skills and through lifelong learning opportunities , to new challenges such as the shift to a knowledge - based economy , the digital agenda , and the transition to a low - carbon and more energy - efficient economy . by pursuing its primary thematic objectives , the esf should contribute to addressing these challenges . in this context , the esf should support the labour force transition towards greener skills and jobs , in particular in the energy efficiency , renewable energy and sustainable transport sectors , taking into account the union ' s intention to increase the proportion of the eu budget that is related to climate mainstreaming to at least 20% , with contributions from different policy fields . esf should also contribute to cultural and creative skills in order to increase job opportunities .


### in addition to these priorities , in the less developed regions and member states , and with a view to increasing economic growth and employment opportunities , the efficiency of public administration should be improved and the institutional capacity of stakeholders delivering employment , education and social policies should be strengthened . ### in addition to the thematic priorities of article 9 in the regulation [ . . . ] [ cpr ] , in regions and member states , and with a view to increasing economic growth and employment opportunities , the efficiency of public administration on the national and regional level and the ability of a public administration to act in a participative matter should be improved and the institutional capacity of stakeholders delivering employment , education , socio - cultural and social policies should be strengthened .


### the esf shall benefit people , including disadvantaged groups such as the long - term unemployed , people with disabilities , migrants , ethnic minorities , marginalised communities and people facing social exclusion . the esf shall also provide support to enterprises , systems and structures with a view to facilitating their adaptation to new challenges and promoting good governance and the implementation of reforms , in particular in the fields of employment , education and social policies . ### the esf shall benefit people , including disadvantaged groups such as the long - term unemployed and those who are furthest from the labour market , people with disabilities , migrants , refugees and asylum seekers , homeless people , and other groups at risk of poverty , children and young people , elderly people , ethnic minorities , marginalised communities or communities at risk of marginalisation and people facing social exclusion . the esf shall also provide support to enterprises , to microenterprises and to cooperative enterprises which promote the interests of their members and users as well as solutions to societal challenges , and are in the social economy . the esf shall also provide support to organisations , systems and structures with a view to facilitating their adaptation to new challenges and promoting good governance and the implementation of reforms , in particular in the fields of socio - cultural and cultural activity , employment , education , non - discrimination and social policies .


### member states shall support transnational cooperation with the aim of promoting mutual learning and thereby increasing the effectiveness of policies supported by the esf . transnational cooperation shall involve partners from at least two member states . ### member states shall support transnational cooperation with the aim of promoting mutual learning and thereby increasing the effectiveness of policies supported by the esf . transnational cooperation shall involve partners , referred to in article 5 of the of regulation no [ . . . ) , . from at least two member states .


### pursuant to article 32 of regulation no [ &#8230 ; ] , the esf may support actions and policies falling within its scope through financial instruments , such as risk - sharing schemes , equity and debt , guarantee funds , holding funds , and loan funds . ### pursuant to article 32 of regulation no [ &#8230 ; ] , the esf may support actions and policies falling within its scope through financial instruments , such as risk - sharing schemes , equity and debt , guarantee funds , holding funds , loan funds and microcredit .


### for more developed regions , member states shall concentrate 80 % of the esf allocation to each operational programme on up to four of the investment priorities set out in article 3 . ### for more developed regions , member states shall concentrate at least 80 % of the total amount of the esf resources at the national level to the thematic objectives set out in point 8 , 9 , and 10 in article 9 of the regulation no [ . . . ] / 2012 [ cpr ] .


### the involvement of the social partners and other stakeholders , in particular non - governmental organisations , in the implementation of operational programmes , as referred to in article 5 of regulation no [ &#8230 ; ] , may take the form of global grants as defined in article 113 of regulation no [ &#8230 ; ] . in such a case , the operational programme shall identify the part of the programme concerned by the global grant , including an indicative financial allocation from each priority axis to it . ### the involvement of the social partners and other stakeholders , in particular non - governmental organisations taking into account such , which act at the regional and local levels , in the implementation of operational programmes , also such partners as referred to in article 5 under a ) , b ) and c ) of regulation no [ . . . ] , take the form of global grants as defined in article 113 of regulation no [ . . . ] . in such a case , the operational programme shall identify one part of the programme concerned by the global grant , including an indicative financial allocation from each priority axis .


### the member states and regions should be encouraged to leverage the esf through financial instruments in order to support for example students , job creation , mobility of workers , social inclusion and social entrepreneurship . ### the member states and regions should be encouraged to leverage the esf through financial instruments if this helps to increase the effectiveness of actions or completes actions of other eu - instruments such as psci , the egf and the erdf .


### to encourage adequate participation of and access by non - governmental organisations to actions supported by the esf , notably in the fields of social inclusion , gender equality and equal opportunities , the managing authorities of an operational programme in a region as defined in article 82 of regulation no [ … ] or in member states eligible for cohesion fund support shall ensure that an appropriate amount of esf resources is allocated to capacity - building for non - governmental organisations . ### to encourage participation of and access by non - governmental organisations to actions supported by the esf , notably in the fields of social and socio - cultural inclusion , gender equality and equal opportunities , the managing authorities shall ensure that an appropriate amount of esf resources , minimum 2% of the total esf resources in each member state , is allocated to capacity - building and networking for non - governmental organisations .


### the involvement of the social partners and other stakeholders , in particular non - governmental organisations , in the implementation of operational programmes , as referred to in article 5 of regulation no [ &#8230 ; ] , may take the form of global grants as defined in article 113 of regulation no [ &#8230 ; ] . in such a case , the operational programme shall identify the part of the programme concerned by the global grant , including an indicative financial allocation from each priority axis to it . ### the involvement of the local and regional authorities , social partners and other stakeholders , in particular non - governmental organisations , in the design , in the implementation and the evaluation of operational programmes , as referred to in article 5 of regulation no [ . . . ] , may take the form of global grants as defined in article 113 of regulation no [ . . . ] and may take the form of technical assistance as defined in articles 108 and 109 of regulation no [ . . . ] . member states shall make accessible global grants schemes for small ngos in all esf operational programmes . in such a case , the operational programme shall identify the part of the programme concerned by the global grant , including an indicative financial allocation from each priority axis to it . technical assistance resources shall be made available in all esf operational programmes with a particular support for ngos and small local and regional authorities - driven technical assistances services at eu and regional level .


### when a member state considers that a harmonised standard does not entirely satisfy the requirements which it aims to cover and which are set out in the relevant union legislation , it shall inform the commission thereof . ### when either a member state or the european parliament considers that a harmonised standard does not entirely satisfy the requirements which it aims to cover and which are set out in the relevant union legislation , it shall inform the commission thereof with a detailed explanation and evidence to sustain its claim . the commission shall without delay convene the european standardisation system strategy forum referred to in article 6 .


### the commission shall inform the relevant european standardisation body , within three months following the receipt of the acceptance referred to in paragraph 2 , about the award of a grant for drafting a european standard or european standardisation deliverable . ### the commission shall inform the relevant european standardisation organisation , within one month following the receipt of the acceptance referred to in paragraph 2 , about the award of a grant for drafting a european standard or european standardisation deliverable .


### a european organisation representing sme in european standardisation activities which : ### a european horizontal organisation representing crafts and sme in european standardisation activities which :


### the characteristics required of a product including levels of quality , performance , interoperability , safety or dimensions , including the requirements applicable to the product as regards the name under which the product is sold , terminology , symbols , testing and test methods , packaging , marking or labelling and conformity assessment procedures ; ### the characteristics required of a product including levels of quality , performance , interoperability , environmental protection , health , safety or dimensions , including the requirements applicable to the product as regards the name under which the product is sold , terminology , symbols , testing and test methods , packaging , marking or labelling and conformity assessment procedures ;


### recognition of technical specifications in the field of ict ### recognition and use of technical specifications in the field of ict


### a european organisation representing sme in european standardisation activities which : ### a european horizontal organisation representing crafts and smes in european standardisation activities which :


### within the union , national standards are adopted by national standardisation bodies which could lead to conflicting standards and technical impediments in the internal market . therefore , it is necessary for the internal market and for the effectiveness of standardisation within the union to confirm the existing regular exchange of information between the national standardisation bodies , the european standardisation bodies and the commission , about current and future standardisation work . this exchange of information should be aligned with annex 3 to agreement on technical barriers to trade approved by council decision no 80 / 271 / eec of 10 december 1979 concerning the conclusion of the multilateral agreements resulting from the 1973 to 1979 trade negotiations . ### within the union , national standards are adopted by national standardisation bodies which could lead to conflicting standards and technical impediments in the internal market . therefore , it is necessary for the internal market and for the effectiveness of standardisation within the union to confirm the existing regular exchange of information between the national standardisation bodies , the european standardisation bodies and the commission , about current and future standardisation work , including the provisions concerning the standstill arrangements applicable to the national standardisation organisations within the framework of the european standardisation organisations . this exchange of information should be aligned with annex 3 to agreement on technical barriers to trade approved by council decision no 80 / 271 / eec of 10 december 1979 concerning the conclusion of the multilateral agreements resulting from the 1973 to 1979 trade negotiations .


### when a member state considers that a harmonised standard does not entirely satisfy the requirements which it aims to cover and which are set out in the relevant union legislation , it shall inform the commission thereof . ### when a member state or the european parliament considers that a harmonised standard does not entirely satisfy the requirements which it aims to cover and which are set out in the relevant union legislation , it shall inform the commission thereof .


### either on proposal from a public authority referred to in directive 2004 / 18 / ec or on its own initiative the commission may decide to recognise technical specifications which are not national , european or international standards and meet the requirements set out in annex ii , as ict standards . ### either on proposal from a public authority referred to in directive 2004 / 18 / ec or on its own initiative the commission , after consulting the european multi - stakeholder platform on ict standardisation , may decide to recognise technical specifications in the field of ict which are not national , european or international standards and meet the requirements set out in annex ii for the purpose of awarding public contracts or implementing union policies .


### standards should as far as possible take into account environmental impacts throughout the life cycle of products and services . important and publicly available tools for evaluating such impacts throughout the life cycle have been developed by the commission ' s joint research centre . ### standards should take into account environmental impacts throughout the life cycle of products and services . important and publicly available tools for evaluating such impacts throughout the life cycle have been developed by the commission ' s joint research centre .


### draft legislative resolution ### any union policy and legislative initiative should be in compliance with the united nations convention on the rights of persons with disabilities concluded by the european union on 23 december 2010 , and especially articles 3 , 4 and 9 .


### transnational strategic partnerships between organisations involved in education , training and / or youth activities or other relevant sectors developing and implementing joint initiatives and promoting exchanges of experience and know - how ; ### strategic partnerships between organisations and / or institutions involved in education and training and / or other relevant stakeholders , including social partners , aimed at developing and implementing joint initiatives and promoting peer learning and exchanges of experience ; strategic partnerships for schools may include class and individual exchanges aimed at reinforcing linguistic skills and intercultural awareness and can include joint learning projects for pupils and their teachers ;


### this action shall also support development , capacity building , regional integration , knowledge exchanges and modernisation processes through partnerships between union and third countries ' higher education institutions as well as in the youth sector , notably for peer learning and joint educational projects , promoting regional cooperation , in particular with neighbourhood countries . ### this action shall also support development , capacity building , regional integration , knowledge exchanges and modernisation processes through partnerships between union and third countries’ higher education and training institutions as well as in the youth sector , notably for peer learning and joint educational projects , promoting regional cooperation , in particular with neighbourhood countries , including the southern mediterranean countries .


### the commission shall provide the funding for guarantees for loans to students resident in a participating country as defined in article 18 undertaking a full masters degree in another participating country , to be delivered through a trustee with a mandate to implement it on the basis of fiduciary agreements setting out the detailed rules and requirements governing the implementation of the financial instrument as well as the respective obligations of the parties . the financial instrument shall comply with the provisions regarding financial instruments in the financial regulation and in the delegated act replacing the implementing rules . in accordance with article 18 of the regulation no 1605 / 2002 , revenues and repayments generated by the guarantees should be assigned to the financial instrument . this financial instrument , including market needs and take - up , will be subject to the monitoring and evaluation as referred to in article 15 . ### the commission shall provide the funding for guarantees for loans to students resident in a participating country as defined in article 18 undertaking a full masters degree in another participating country , to be delivered through a trustee with a mandate to implement it on the basis of fiduciary agreements setting out the detailed rules and requirements governing the implementation of the financial instrument as well as the respective obligations of the parties . the loan shall be granted on the basis of social criteria such as social and financial background of the participant requesting the loan and the living costs in the member state of destination . the loan shall be combinable with national systems . the amount of the monthly redemption should be a fixed percentage - share of the future income . the financial instrument shall comply with the provisions regarding financial instruments in the financial regulation and in the delegated act replacing the implementing rules . in accordance with article 18 of the regulation no 1605 / 2002 , revenues and repayments generated by the guarantees should be assigned to the financial instrument . this financial instrument , including market needs and take - up , will be subject to the monitoring and evaluation as referred to in article 15 .


### ' youth worker ' means a professional or a volunteer involved in non - formal learning ; ### ' youth work ' means a wide variety of activities of a social , cultural , educational or political nature , organised by , with and for young people . it takes an extracurricular form and is based on informal and non - formal learning processes and voluntary participation ; 8a . ' youth worker ' means a person involved in non - formal or informal learning for young people ;


### eur 16 741 738 000 for actions in the field of education , training and youth , as referred to under article 6 ; ### [ 88 , 5% ] for actions in the field of education and training , as referred to in article 6 . from this amount , the following minimum allocations shall be earmarked for the main educational sectors :


### to improve the level of key competences and skills regarding in particular their relevance for the labour market and society , as well as the participation of young people in democratic life in europe , notably through increased learning mobility opportunities for young people , learners , staff and youth workers , and through strengthened cooperation between education youth and the world of labour market ; ### to improve the level of key competences and skills regarding in particular their relevance for the labour market and society , enhance personal development , and promote social cohesion and inclusion of vulnerable groups at risk of educational disadvantage , the participation of lifelong learners and young people in democratic life in europe , notably through increased learning mobility opportunities for young people , and lifelong learners , staff and youth workers , and through strengthened cooperation between education youth and the world of labour market ;


### ‘ staff’ means persons who , either on a professional or voluntary basis , are involved in education , training or youth non - formal learning . it may include teachers , trainers , school leaders , youth workers and non - educational staff ; ### ' staff ' means persons who are involved in education , training or youth formal and non - formal learning . it may include teachers , trainers , facilitators , volunteers , school leaders , youth workers and non - educational staff ;


### sector skills alliances between education and training providers and enterprises promoting employability , creating new sector - specific curricula , developing innovative ways of vocational teaching and training and putting the union wide recognition tools in practice . ### sector skills alliances between education and training providers and the world of work promoting employability , contributing to creating new sector - specific or cross - sectoral curricula , developing innovative ways of vocational teaching and training and putting the union - wide recognition tools into practice .


### it support platforms , including e - twinning , covering educational sectors and youth allowing peer learning , virtual mobility and exchanges of best practices and opening access for participants from neighbourhood countries . ### it support platforms , including in particular etwinning , covering all educational sectors and allowing peer learning , virtual mobility and exchanges of best practices and opening access for participants from neighbourhood countries .


### to foster quality improvements , innovation excellence and internationalisation at the level of educational institutions , as well as in youth work , notably through enhanced transnational cooperation between education and training providers / youth organisations and other stakeholders ; ### to foster quality improvements , innovation excellence and internationalisation at the level of educational and training institutions , as well as in youth work , notably through enhanced transnational cooperation between education and training providers / youth organisations , ngos , citizen platforms and other stakeholders ;


### this action will also support the transnational mobility of students , young people and staff to and from third countries as regards higher education including mobility organized on the basis of joint , double or multiple degrees of high quality or joint calls , as well as non - formal learning . ### this action will also support the transnational mobility of students , pupils – including those in vocational education and training – apprentices , adult learners and staff to and from third countries –particularly , under the european neighbourhood policy , southern mediterranean countries – as regards higher education including mobility organised on the basis of joint , double or multiple degrees of high quality or joint calls , as well as non - formal learning .


### transnational partnerships between enterprises and education institutions in the form of : ### transnational partnerships between the world of work and education and training institutions in the form of :


### transnational strategic partnerships between organisations involved in education , training and / or youth activities or other relevant sectors developing and implementing joint initiatives and promoting exchanges of experience and know - how ; ### transnational strategic partnerships between organisations and / or institutions involved in education , training and / or youth activities or other relevant sectors with a view to developing and implementing joint initiatives and promoting peer learning and exchanges of experience ;


### – knowledge alliances between higher education institutions and enterprises promoting creativity , innovation and entrepreneurship by offering relevant learning opportunities , including developing new curricula ; ### – knowledge alliances between in particular higher education institutions and the world of work promoting creativity , innovation and entrepreneurship by offering relevant learning opportunities , including developing new curricula ;


### the commission shall provide the funding for guarantees for loans to students resident in a participating country as defined in article 18 undertaking a full masters degree in another participating country , to be delivered through a trustee with a mandate to implement it on the basis of fiduciary agreements setting out the detailed rules and requirements governing the implementation of the financial instrument as well as the respective obligations of the parties . the financial instrument shall comply with the provisions regarding financial instruments in the financial regulation and in the delegated act replacing the implementing rules . in accordance with article 18 of the regulation no 1605 / 2002 , revenues and repayments generated by the guarantees should be assigned to the financial instrument . this financial instrument , including market needs and take - up , will be subject to the monitoring and evaluation as referred to in article 15 . ### the commission shall provide the funding for guarantees for loans to students resident in a participating country as defined in article 18 undertaking a full masters degree in another participating country , to be delivered , in a transparent manner , through a trustee with a mandate to implement it on the basis of fiduciary agreements setting out the detailed rules and requirements governing the implementation of the financial instrument as well as the respective obligations of the parties . this experimental form of financing must , in no case , replace mobility grants or constitute a means of funding the structural cost of the studies in question . the financial instrument shall comply with the provisions regarding financial instruments in the financial regulation and in the delegated act replacing the implementing rules . in accordance with article 18 of the regulation no 1605 / 2002 , revenues and repayments generated by the guarantees should be assigned to the financial instrument . this financial instrument , including market needs , students’ needs and take - up , will be subject to the monitoring and evaluation as referred to in article 15 . the member states shall be involved in implementing and evaluating the scheme . the various stakeholders , including students’ unions , should be included and involved in the evaluation .


### this action will also support the transnational mobility of students , young people and staff to and from third countries as regards higher education including mobility organized on the basis of joint , double or multiple degrees of high quality or joint calls , as well as non - formal learning . ### this action will also support the transnational mobility of students , young people and staff to and from third countries as regards higher education and vocational training and education , including mobility organised on the basis of joint , double or multiple degrees of high quality or joint calls , as well as non - formal learning .


### ' youth worker ' means a professional or a volunteer involved in non - formal learning ; ### ' youth worker ' means a person involved in non - formal , formal or informal learning ;


### the programme aims to contribute to the objectives of the europe 2020 strategy and of the education and training strategic framework 2020 , including the corresponding benchmarks established in those instruments , to renewed framework for european cooperation in the youth field , to the sustainable development of third countries in the field of higher education and to developing the european dimension in sport . ### the programme aims to contribute to the objectives of : the promotion of european values in accordance with articles 2 and 9 of the teu ; the development of a european conscience and participation in democratic life in europe ; social commitment and solidarity , including solidarity between generations ; the europe 2020 strategy and its headline targets , in particular in the fields of education , employment and poverty reduction ; the education and training strategic framework 2020 , including the corresponding benchmarks ; the renewed framework for european cooperation in the youth field ; the renewed copenhagen process ; the renewed european agenda for adult learning ; the sustainable development of third countries in the field of higher education , the development of the european dimension in sport , in line with the union work plan for sport .


### to enhance the international dimension of education , training and youth notably in higher education by increasing the attractiveness of the union higher education institutions and supporting the union external action , including its development objectives through the promotion of mobility and cooperation between eu and third country higher education institutions and targeted capacity building in third countries . ### to enhance the international dimension of education , training and youth notably in higher education by increasing the attractiveness of the union higher education and research institutions and supporting the union external action , including its development objectives through the promotion of mobility and cooperation between eu and third country higher education institutions and targeted capacity building in third countries .


### ' staff ' means persons who , either on a professional or voluntary basis , are involved in education , training or youth non - formal learning . it may include teachers , trainers , school leaders , youth workers and non - educational staff ; ### ‘ staff’ means persons who , either on a professional or voluntary basis , are involved in education , training or formal or non - formal youth learning . it may include teachers , trainers , facilitators , volunteers , school leaders , youth workers and non - educational staff ;


### the sport activities supported shall , where appropriate , leverage supplementary funding through partnership with third parties such as private undertakings . ### the sport activities supported shall , where appropriate , leverage supplementary funding through partnership with third parties such as private undertakings , subject to the condition of transparency .


### their transnational character , in particular transnational mobility and cooperation aiming at long - term systemic impact ; ### transnational character , particularly with regard to mobility and cooperation aiming at a sustainable systemic impact ;


### eur 16 741 738 000 for actions in the field of education , training and youth , as referred to under article 6 ; ### [ 88 , 5% ] for actions in the field of education and training , as referred to in article 6 . from this amount , the following minimum allocations shall be earmarked for the main educational sectors :


### to improve the teaching and learning of languages and promote linguistic diversity ; ### to improve the teaching and learning of languages , including co - official , regional and minority languages , with a view to promoting linguistic diversity ;


### texte proposé par la commission 3 . ' learning mobility ' means moving physically to a country other than the country of residence , in order to undertake study , training or other learning , including traineeships and non - formal learning , or teaching or participating in a transnational professional development activity . it may include preparatory training in the host language . learning mobility also covers youth exchanges and transnational professional development activities involving youth workers ; ### amendement 3 . ' learning mobility ' means moving physically to a country other than the country of residence , in order to undertake study , training or other learning , including traineeships , apprenticeships , volunteering , including senior volunteering , non - formal learning , or teaching or participating in a transnational professional development activity . it may include preparatory training in the host language , as well as follow - up activities . learning mobility also covers youth activities , such as youth exchanges , volunteering , non - formal and informal learning and professional training activities involving youth workers and guidance practitioners ;


### – [ 65% ] of this amount is allocated to learning mobility of individuals ; ### – [ 68 % ] of this amount is allocated to learning mobility of individuals ;


### ‘ staff’ means persons who , either on a professional or voluntary basis , are involved in education , training or youth non - formal learning . it may include teachers , trainers , school leaders , youth workers and non - educational staff ; ### ' staff ' means persons who are involved in education , training or youth formal and non - formal learning . it may include teachers , trainers , facilitators , volunteers , school leaders , youth workers and non - educational staff ;


### support the following european academic institutions pursuing an aim of european interest ; ### support the following institutions pursuing an aim of european interest :


### the conformity with web - accessibility requirements should be continuously monitored from the initial construction of the public sector bodies ' website to all subsequent updates of its content . a harmonised monitoring methodology would cover a way of verifying , on a uniform basis in all members states , the degree of compliance of the website with the requirements for web - accessibility , the collection of representative samples and the periodicity of the monitoring . . member states should report annually on the outcome of the monitoring and more generally on the list of actions taken in application of this directive . ### the conformity with web - accessibility requirements should be continuously monitored from the initial construction of the website concerned to all subsequent updates of its content . a harmonised monitoring methodology would cover a way of verifying , on a uniform basis in all members states , the degree of compliance of the website with the requirements for web - accessibility , the collection of representative samples and the periodicity of the monitoring . member states should report regularly on the outcome of the monitoring and more generally on the list of actions taken in application of this directive .


### the fund may support accompanying measures , complementing the provision of food and goods , contributing to the social inclusion of the most deprived persons . ### the fund may , at the request of a member state , support measures contributing to the social inclusion of the most deprived persons and to the reduction of their future dependency on the aid referred to in paragraph 1 .


### each member state shall submit to the commission one operational programme covering the period between 1 january 2014 and 31 december 2020 within three months of the entry into force of this regulation , containing the following items : ### each member state requesting to make use of some or all of the objectives of the fund shall submit to the commission one operational programme covering the period between 1 january 2014 and 31 december 2020 within three months of the entry into force of this regulation , containing the following items :


### member states and beneficiaries shall choose the food products and the goods on the basis of objective criteria . the selection criteria for the food products , and where appropriate for goods , shall also take into consideration climatic and environmental aspects , in particular with a view to reduction of food waste . ### member states and beneficiaries shall choose the quality food products and the goods on the basis of objective criteria related to the needs of most deprived persons . the selection criteria for the food products , and where appropriate for goods , preferably from local suppliers , shall also take into consideration climatic and environmental aspects , in particular with a view to reduction of food waste .


### notwithstanding paragraph 1 , union support through interim payments and payments of the final balance shall not be higher than the public support and the maximum amount of support from the fund , as laid down in the commission decision approving the operational programme . ### notwithstanding paragraph 1 , union support through interim payments and payments of the final balance shall not be higher than the public and / or private support and the maximum amount of support from the fund , as laid down in the commission decision approving the operational programme .


### an identification of and a justification for selecting the type of material deprivation to be addressed under the operational programme and a description for each type of material deprivation addressed of the main characteristics and the objectives of the distribution of food or goods and the accompanying measures to be provided , having regard to the results of the ex ante evaluation carried out in accordance with article 14 ; ### an identification of and a justification for selecting the type of material deprivation to be addressed under the operational programme and a description for each type of material deprivation addressed of the main characteristics and the objectives of the distribution of quality food or goods and / or the accompanying measures and / or the measures to develop or strengthen local and regional food supply chains to be provided , having regard to the results of the ex ante evaluation carried out in accordance with article 14 ;


### the costs of social inclusion activities undertaken and declared by the partner organisations delivering directly the material assistance to the most deprived persons at a flat rate of 5% of the costs referred to in point ; ### the costs of social inclusion activities undertaken and declared by the partner organisations delivering directly the material assistance to the most deprived persons at a flat rate of 7% of the costs referred to in point or at their request , up to the eligible costs actually incurred and paid ;


### support from the fund shall be implemented in close cooperation between the commission and the member states . ### support from the fund shall be provided in close cooperation between the commission and the member states , as well as the competent regional and local authorities and bodies representing civil society and partner organisations .


### the fund shall promote social cohesion in the union by contributing to achieving the poverty reduction target of at least 20 million of the number of persons at risk of poverty and social exclusion in accordance with the europe 2020 strategy . the fund shall contribute to achieving the specific objective of alleviating the worst forms of poverty in the union by providing non - financial assistance to the most deprived persons . this objective shall be measured by the number of persons receiving assistance from the fund . ### the fund shall promote social cohesion , enhance social inclusion and combat poverty in the union by contributing to achieving the poverty reduction target of at least 20 million of the number of persons at risk of poverty and social exclusion in accordance with the europe 2020 strategy . the fund shall contribute to achieving the specific objective of alleviating and eradicating the worst forms of poverty in the union by providing non - financial assistance to the most deprived persons and by local and regional food supply chains that benefit the most deprived persons , by supplying them with nutritious , healthy , quality food with due emphasis on fresh and seasonal products . this objective shall be measured by the number of persons receiving assistance from the fund , and by qualitatively and quantitatively assessing structural improvements for the end recipients as a result of that assistance , and by the use of local and regional food supply networks .


### a description of the provisions for implementing the operational programme containing the identification of the managing authority , the certifying authority where applicable , the audit authority and the body to which payments are to be made by the commission and a description of the monitoring procedure ; ### a description of the provisions for implementing the operational programme containing the confirmation that the managing authority , the certifying authority where applicable , the audit authority of an esi funds are responsible , and identification of the body to which payments are to be made by the commission and a description of the monitoring procedure ;


### the commission and each member state shall meet every year from 2014 to 2022 , unless otherwise agreed , to examine the progress in implementing the operational programme , taking account of the annual implementation report and the commission ' s observations referred to in article 11 , where applicable . ### the commission and each member state , as well as the competent regional authorities , bodies representing civil society and partner organisations , shall meet every year from 2014 to 2022 , unless otherwise agreed , to examine the progress in implementing the operational programme , taking account of the annual implementation report and the commission ' s observations referred to in article 11 , where applicable .


### the member states shall draft the annual implementation report in accordance with the template adopted by the commission , including the list of common input and outcome indicators . ### the member states shall draft the annual implementation report in accordance with the template adopted by the commission , including the list of common input and outcome indicators . these indicators shall include : recent changes in social policy spending addressing severe material deprivation , in absolute terms , in relation to gdp and in relation to total public spending . recent changes in social policy legislation addressing access to funding for beneficiaries and other organisations addressing severe material deprivation .


### the fund shall support national schemes whereby food products and basic consumer goods for the personal use of homeless persons or of children are distributed to the most deprived persons through partner organisations selected by member states . ### the fund may , at the request of a member state , support national schemes whereby quality food products and basic consumer goods for the personal use of homeless persons or of children are distributed to the most deprived persons through partner organisations selected by member states .


### an operation supported by the fund shall not receive support from another union instrument . ### an operation supported by the fund shall not receive support from another union instrument . beneficiaries shall however be able to make efficient and optimal use of european funds such as the esf to undertake complementary actions aimed at addressing poverty relief and social inclusion , while avoiding double funding .


### the commission and the member states shall ensure that equality between men and women and the integration of the gender perspective are promoted during the various stages of the implementation of the fund . the commission and the member states shall take appropriate steps to prevent any discrimination based on sex , racial or ethnic origin , religion or belief , disability , age or sexual orientation in obtaining access to the fund . ### the commission and the member states undertake to promote equality between men and women and the integration of the gender perspective during the various stages of the implementation of the fund . the commission and the member states shall take appropriate steps to prevent any discrimination based on sex , racial or ethnic origin , religion or belief , disability , age or sexual orientation in obtaining access to the fund .


### the co - financing rate at the level of the operational programme shall not be higher than 85% of the public eligible expenditure . ### the co - financing rate at the level of the operational programme shall not exceed : 60% of the total expenditure 85% of the total expenditure in the case of support in member states eligible for support under the financial stability facility , the european stability mechanism or the cohesion funds .


### the fund shall promote social cohesion in the union by contributing to achieving the poverty reduction target of at least 20 million of the number of persons at risk of poverty and social exclusion in accordance with the europe 2020 strategy . the fund shall contribute to achieving the specific objective of alleviating the worst forms of poverty in the union by providing non - financial assistance to the most deprived persons . this objective shall be measured by the number of persons receiving assistance from the fund . ### the fund shall promote social and territorial cohesion in the union by contributing to achieving the poverty reduction target of at least 20 million of the number of persons at risk of poverty and social exclusion in accordance with the europe 2020 strategy . the fund shall contribute to achieving the specific objective of alleviating the worst forms of poverty in the union , first and foremost food insecurity , by providing non - financial assistance to the most deprived persons and through local and regional food supply chains that benefit the most deprived persons , by supplying them with nutritious , healthy and high - quality food , in particular fresh and seasonal products . this objective shall be measured by the number of persons receiving assistance from the fund and the use of local and regional food supply networks .


### the commission may on its own initiative until four weeks after it has been informed of the closure of the negotiations at the latest or on request from the member state which has negotiated the intergovernmental agreement , assess the compatibility of the negotiated agreement with union law before the agreement has been signed . in case the commission or the member state concerned ask for such an ex - ante assessment of the negotiated intergovernmental agreement with union law , the negotiated but not yet signed draft intergovernmental agreement shall be submitted to the commission for examination . the member state concerned shall refrain from signing the agreement for a period of four months following the submission of the draft intergovernmental agreement . in agreement with the member state concerned , the examination period might be prolonged . when a compatibility control has been requested , in the absence of an opinion by the commission within the examination period , the commission shall be deemed not to have raised objections . ### member states shall submit negotiated but not yet signed draft intergovernmental agreements to the commission for examination . the commission shall , until four weeks after submittal at the latest , assess the compatibility of the negotiated agreement with union law , especially concerning competition law and internal energy market legislation , as well as with the union ' s long - term energy and climate objectives . the member state concerned shall refrain from signing the agreement for a period of four months following the submission of the draft intergovernmental agreement . in agreement with the member state concerned , the examination period might be prolonged . in the absence of an opinion by the commission within the examination period , the commission shall be deemed not to have raised objections .


### the commission should , on its own initiative or on request from the member state which has negotiated the intergovernmental agreement , have the right to assess the compatibility of the negotiated agreement with union law before the agreement has been signed . ### the commission should assess the compatibility of the negotiated agreement with union law and with the eu ' s long - term energy and climate objectives before the agreement has been signed , and to issue an opinion regarding needs for re - negotiation resulting from requirements of eu law , which the concerned member state should duly take into account .


### the commission may on its own initiative until four weeks after it has been informed of the closure of the negotiations at the latest or on request from the member state which has negotiated the intergovernmental agreement , assess the compatibility of the negotiated agreement with union law before the agreement has been signed . in case the commission or the member state concerned ask for such an ex - ante assessment of the negotiated intergovernmental agreement with union law , the negotiated but not yet signed draft intergovernmental agreement shall be submitted to the commission for examination . the member state concerned shall refrain from signing the agreement for a period of four months following the submission of the draft intergovernmental agreement . in agreement with the member state concerned , the examination period might be prolonged . when a compatibility control has been requested , in the absence of an opinion by the commission within the examination period , the commission shall be deemed not to have raised objections . ### member states shall submit negotiated but not yet signed draft intergovernmental agreements to the commission for examination . the commission shall , by four months after submission at the latest , assess the compatibility of the negotiated agreement with union law , especially concerning competition law and internal energy market legislation , as well as with the union ' s long - term energy and climate objectives . the member state concerned shall refrain from signing the agreement in this examination period . in agreement with the member state concerned , the examination period might be prolonged . in the absence of an opinion by the commission within the examination period , the commission shall be deemed not to have raised objections .


### the original data and information produced from space - borne observations , as well as from available in - situ data shall be accurate and reliable , supplied on a long term and sustainable basis and respond to the requirements of copernicus user communities . the access to those data shall be full , open and free of charge , subject to the conditions defined in or on the basis of this regulation . ### the original data and information produced from space - borne observations , as well as from available in - situ data shall be accurate and reliable , supplied on a long term and sustainable basis and respond to the requirements of copernicus user communities . the access to those data shall be full , easy - to - access , open and free of charge , subject to the conditions defined in or on the basis of this regulation .


### copernicus data and information shall be made available on a full , open and free - of - charge basis , subject to the following limitations : ### copernicus data and information shall be made available on a full , easy - to - access , open and free - of - charge basis , subject to the following limitations :


### the data and information produced in the framework of the copernicus programme should be made available to the users on a full , open and free - of - charge basis , in order to promote their use and sharing , and to strengthen earth observation markets in europe , in particular the downstream sector , thereby enabling growth and job creation . ### the data and information produced in the framework of the copernicus programme should be made available to the users on a full , easy - to - access , open and free - of - charge basis , in order to promote their use and sharing , and to strengthen earth observation markets in europe , in particular the downstream sector , thereby enabling growth and job creation .


### the commission is implementing the european disability action plan that contains relevant actions for older persons given the correlation between disability and ageing . in particular actions on accessibility following design for all approaches would be relevant . furthermore the eu and all member states have signed the un convention on the rights of persons with disabilities that contains relevant provisions for older persons . ### the commission is implementing the european disability action plan that contains relevant actions for older persons given the correlation between disability and ageing . in particular actions on accessibility following design for all approaches would be relevant . furthermore the eu and all member states have signed the un convention on the rights of persons with disabilities that contains inter alia relevant provisions for older persons .


### the overall purpose of the european year shall be to encourage and support the efforts of member states , their regional and local authorities , social partners and civil society to promote active ageing and to do more to mobilise the potential of the rapidly growing population in their late 50s and above , thereby preserving solidarity between generations . active ageing means creating better opportunities and working conditions to enable older workers to play their part in the labour market , combating social exclusion by fostering active participation in society , and encouraging healthy ageing . on this basis , the objectives shall be : ### the overall purpose of the european year shall be to facilitate the creation of a sustainable active ageing culture in europe based on a society for all ages and on solidarity between generations . in this framework , the european year shall encourage and support the efforts of member states , their regional and local authorities , social partners , civil society , including the business sector to promote active ageing and to do more to mobilise the potential of the rapidly growing population in their late 50s and above , thereby creating a society for all ages and fostering solidarity and cooperation between generations . active ageing is the process of optimizing opportunities for health , participation and security in order to enhance quality of life as people age . it allows people to realise their potential for wellbeing throughout their lives and to participate in society according to their needs , desires and capabilities , while providing them with adequate protection , security and care when they need assistance . active ageing means creating better opportunities and working conditions to enable older workers to play their part in the labour market , combating age discrimination and social exclusion , supporting the role of older people in society , family life and voluntary activities , encouraging healthy ageing and facilitating it through preventive measures and access to quality social and health services . on this basis , the objectives shall be :


### the overall purpose of the european year shall be to encourage and support the efforts of member states , their regional and local authorities , social partners and civil society to promote active ageing and to do more to mobilise the potential of the rapidly growing population in their late 50s and above , thereby preserving solidarity between generations . active ageing means creating better opportunities and working conditions to enable older workers to play their part in the labour market , combating social exclusion by fostering active participation in society , and encouraging healthy ageing . on this basis , the objectives shall be : ### the overall purpose of the european year shall be to encourage and support the efforts of member states , their regional and local authorities , social partners and civil society to promote active ageing and to do more , by concrete measures , to mobilise the potential of the rapidly growing population in their late 50s and above and to bring about its better inclusion in society , in view of the economic , social and cultural role they can play in preserving solidarity between generations . in order to do so , it is essential for the european year to support and leverage local and regional projects and initiatives that take account of the specific needs of older people and that allow the members of an ageing society to contribute as much as possible to their community and to let the older people in that ageing society benefit from adequate protection , security , the proper adaptation of their living environment and access to public services and quality care . moreover , it is the task of member states and their cities and regions to provide for a framework within which stakeholders from the public and private sector can cooperate well together on achieving these common goals . active ageing means creating better opportunities and working conditions to enable older workers to play their part in the labour market and volunteering activities , combating social exclusion by fostering active participation in society , and encouraging healthy ageing . on this basis , the objectives shall be :


### successive european councils have recognised the need to tackle the effect of ageing populations on european social models . a key response to this rapid change in the age structure consists in promoting active ageing and thus ensuring that the baby boom cohorts , who are , on the whole , healthier and better educated than any such cohort before them , have good opportunities for employment and active participation in society . ### successive european councils have recognised the need to tackle the effect of ageing populations on european social models . a key response to this rapid change in the age structure consists in promoting the creation of a sustainable culture of lifelong active ageing and thus ensuring that the rapidly - growing population currently in their late 50s and above , who are , on the whole , healthier and better educated than previous generations , have good opportunities for employment and who participate actively in society and family life .


### the commission and the member states shall take account of gender mainstreaming in the running of the european year . ### the commission and the member states shall take account of gender mainstreaming and of the need for all generations to be involved in the running of the european year , and should seek to develop an inclusive approach for all generations , recognising their diversity .


### successive european councils have recognised the need to tackle the effect of ageing populations on european social models . a key response to this rapid change in the age structure consists in promoting active ageing and thus ensuring that the baby boom cohorts , who are , on the whole , healthier and better educated than any such cohort before them , have good opportunities for employment and active participation in society . ### successive european councils have recognised the need to tackle the effect of ageing populations on european social models . a key response to this rapid change in the age structure consists in promoting the creation of a sustainable culture of lifelong active ageing and thus ensuring that the rapidly - growing population currently in their late 50s and above , who are , on the whole , healthier and better educated than any such age group before them , have good opportunities for employment and active participation in family life and society .


### the commission is implementing the european disability action plan that contains relevant actions for older persons given the correlation between disability and ageing . in particular actions on accessibility following design for all approaches would be relevant . furthermore the eu and all member states have signed the un convention on the rights of persons with disabilities that contains relevant provisions for older persons . ### the commission is implementing the european disability action plan that contains relevant actions for older persons given the frequent correlation between disability and ageing . in particular actions on accessibility following design for all approaches would be relevant . actions to support independent living and inclusion in the community are relevant , including those directed at older persons with disabilities , in need of a high level of support and with complex needs , who are particularly vulnerable and prone to social exclusion . furthermore the eu and all member states have signed the un convention on the rights of persons with disabilities that contains inter alia relevant provisions for older persons . the recommendation of the council of europe on ageing and disability in the 21st century , adopted in 2009 , aims to promote autonomy and an independent life for ageing people with disabilities , enhancing the quality of services and ensuring equal access to them . it calls on member states to adopt innovative approaches .


### pension products for which a financial contribution from the employer is required by national law and where the employee has no choice as to the pension product provider . ### occupational pension schemes and individual pension products for which a financial contribution from the employer is required by national law and where the employer and the employee have no choice as to the pension product provider .


### where successive transactions regarding the same investment product are carried out on behalf of a retail investor in accordance with instructions given by that investor to the person selling the investment product prior to the first transaction , the obligation to provide a key information document under paragraph 1 shall only apply to the first transaction . ### where successive transactions regarding the same investment product are carried out on behalf of a retail investor in accordance with instructions given by that retail investor to the person selling the investment product prior to the first transaction , the obligation to provide a key information document under paragraph 1 shall only apply to the first transaction , unless the key information document has been updated or a new annual report is available


### a delegated act adopted pursuant to articles 8 , 10 and 12 shall enter into force only if no objection has been expressed either by the european parliament or the council within a period of 2 months of notification of that act to the european parliament and the council or if , before the expiry of that period , the european parliament and the council have both informed the commission that they will not object . that period shall be extended by [ 2 months ] at the initiative of the european parliament or the council . ### a delegated act adopted pursuant to articles 8 , 10 and 12 shall enter into force only if no objection has been expressed either by the european parliament or the council within a period of 3 months of notification of that act to the european parliament and the council or if , before the expiry of that period , the european parliament and the council have both informed the commission that they will not object . that period shall be extended by [ 3 months ] at the initiative of the european parliament or the council . when a delegated act is delivered just before or during a holiday , the time shall be deemed to run from the date of the first plenary following the holiday . in all instances , including extension , the time period shall be extendible to encompass three full plenary sessions .


### the investment product manufacturer may only include other information where it is necessary for the retail investor to take an informed investment decision about a specific investment product . ### the investment product manufacturer shall only include information necessary for the retail investor to take an informed investment decision about the specific investment product .


### the commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with article 23 specifying the details of the presentation and the content of each of the elements of information referred to in paragraph 2 , the presentation and details of the other information the product manufacturer may include within the key information document as referred to in paragraph 3 , and the details of the common format and the common symbol referred to in paragraph 4 . the commission shall take into account the differences between investment products and the capabilities of retail investors as well as the features of investment products that allow the retail investor to select between different underlying investments or other options provided for by the product , including where this selection can be undertaken at different points in time , or changed in the future . ### the commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with article 23 specifying the details of the presentation and the content of each of the elements of information referred to in paragraph 2 and 3 , the presentation and details of the other information the product manufacturer and the person selling investment products may include within the key information document as referred to in paragraph 3 , and the details of the common format and the common symbol referred to in paragraph 4 . the commission shall take into account the differences between investment products and the capabilities of retail investors as well as the features of investment products that allow the retail investor to select between different underlying investments or other options provided for by the product , including where this selection can be undertaken at different points in time , or changed in the future . before adopting delegated acts , the commission shall conduct due retail investor testing in order to select the most appropriate measures for retail investors .


### under a section titled ‘ what are the costs ? ’ , the costs associated with an investment in the investment product , comprising both direct and indirect costs to be borne by the investor , including summary indicators of these costs ; ### under a section titled ‘ what are the costs ? ’ , the maximum costs should disclose all costs associated with an investment in the investment product , comprising both direct and indirect costs to be borne by the investor , including summary indicators of these costs ; if the investment product has a margin cap for possible returns this should be clearly disclosed . this cap reduces the net return to the investor giving the manufacturer all profit above the cap . such clause is an indirect cost and shall be disclosed with other costs .


### this regulation lays down uniform rules on the format and content of the key information document to be drawn up by investment product manufacturers and uniform rules on the provision of this document to retail investors . ### this regulation lays down uniform rules on the format and content of the key information document to be drawn up by investment product manufacturers and intermediaries and uniform rules on the provision of this document to retail investors .


### a delegated act adopted pursuant to articles 8 , 10 and 12 shall enter into force only if no objection has been expressed either by the european parliament or the council within a period of 2 months of notification of that act to the european parliament and the council or if , before the expiry of that period , the european parliament and the council have both informed the commission that they will not object . that period shall be extended by [ 2 months ] at the initiative of the european parliament or the council . ### a delegated act adopted pursuant to articles 8 , 10 and 12 shall enter into force only if no objection has been expressed either by the european parliament or the council within a period of 3 months of notification of that act to the european parliament and the council or if , before the expiry of that period , the european parliament and the council have both informed the commission that they will not object . that period shall be extended by [ 3 months ] at the initiative of the european parliament or the council .


### the erdf should contribute to the europe 2020 strategy , thus ensuring greater concentration of erdf support on the priorities of the union . according to the category of regions supported , the support from the erdf should be concentrated on research and innovation , small and medium - sized enterprises and climate change mitigation . the degree of concentration should take into account the level of development of the region as well as the specific needs of regions whose gdp per capita for the 2007 - 13 period was less than 75% of the average gdp of the eu - 25 for the reference period . ### the erdf should contribute to the europe 2020 strategy , thus ensuring greater concentration of erdf support on the priorities of the union . according to the category of regions supported , the support from the erdf should be concentrated on research and innovation , small and medium - sized enterprises , the avoidance of future external costs and climate change mitigation . the degree of concentration should take into account the level of development of the region as well as the specific needs of regions whose gdp per capita for the 2007 - 13 period was less than 75% of the average gdp of the eu - 25 for the reference period .


### developing environment - friendly and low - carbon transport systems and promoting sustainable urban mobility ; ### developing and improving environment - friendly , safe , low - noise and renewable - energy based transport and mobility systems and promoting sustainable urban , local and regional mobility ;


### at least 50% of the total erdf resources at national level shall be allocated to the thematic objectives set in out in point 1 , 3 and 4 of article 9 of regulation no [ &#8230 ; ] / 2012 [ cpr ] . ### at least 60% of the total erdf resources at national level shall be allocated to the thematic objectives set in out in point 1 , 3 , 4 and 6 of article 9 of regulation no [ &#8230 ; ] / 2012 [ cpr ] .


### promoting low - carbon strategies for urban areas ; ### promoting low - carbon strategies for urban areas , especially through the promotion of sustainable local , urban and regional transport and mobility such as public transport and non - motorised mobility ;


### promoting sustainable transport and removing bottlenecks in key network infrastructures : ### promoting intermodal sustainable transport and mobility , while focusing on improving existing infrastructure , removing rail bottlenecks in key network infrastructures and filling in missing trans - border links ;


### investments in infrastructure providing basic services to citizens in the areas of energy , environment , transport , and information and communication technologies ; ### investments in infrastructure providing basic services to citizens in the areas of energy , environment , sustainable tourism and transport , and information and communication technologies ;


### at least 20% of the total erdf resources at national level shall be allocated to the thematic objective set out in point 4 of article 9 of regulation no [ … ] / 2012 [ cpr ] ; ### at least 40% of the total erdf resources at national level shall be allocated to the thematic objective set out in point 4 of article 9 of regulation no [ … ] / 2012 [ cpr ] , where investments in sustainable mobility projects shall represent at least 10% of the total erdf resources at national level and investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy shall equally represent at least 10% of the total erdf resources at national level ;


### coordination and consistency of rights of use for radio spectrum should be improved , at least for the bands which have been harmonised for wireless fixed , nomadic and mobile broadband communications . this includes the bands identified at itu level for international mobile telecommunications advanced systems , as well as bands used for radio local area networks such as 2 . 4 ghz and 5 ghz . it should also extend to bands that may be harmonised in the future for wireless broadband communications , as envisaged in article 3 of the rspp and in the rspg opinion on ' strategic challenges facing europe in addressing the growing radio spectrum demand for wireless broadband ' adopted on 13 june 2013 , such as , in the near future , the 700 mhz , 1 . 5 ghz and 3 . 8 - 4 . 2 ghz bands . ### coordination and consistency of rights of use for radio spectrum should be improved , at least for the bands which have been harmonised for wireless fixed , nomadic and mobile broadband communications . this includes the bands identified at itu level for international mobile telecommunications advanced systems , as well as bands used for radio local area networks such as 2 . 4 ghz and 5 ghz . it should also extend to bands that may be harmonised in the future for wireless broadband communications , as envisaged in article 3 of the rspp and in the rspg opinion on ' strategic challenges facing europe in addressing the growing radio spectrum demand for wireless broadband ' adopted on 13 june 2013 , such as , in the near future , the 700 mhz and 1 . 5 ghz bands .


### the internet has developed over the past decades as an open platform for innovation with low access barriers for end - users , content and application providers and internet service providers . the existing regulatory framework aims at promoting the ability of end - users to access and distribute information or run applications and services of their choice . recently , however , the report of the body of european regulators for electronic communications on traffic management practices published in may 2012 and a study , commissioned by the executive agency for consumers and health and published in december 2012 , on the functioning of the market of internet access and provision from a consumer perspective , showed that a significant number of end - users are affected by traffic management practices which block or slow down specific applications . these tendencies require clear rules at the union level to maintain the open internet and to avoid fragmentation of the single market resulting from individual member states ' measures . ### the internet has developed over the past decades as an open platform for innovation with low access barriers for end - users , content and application providers and internet service providers . the existing regulatory framework aims at promoting the ability of end - users to access and distribute information or run applications and services of their choice . recently , however , the report of the body of european regulators for electronic communications on traffic management practices published in may 2012 and a study , commissioned by the executive agency for consumers and health and published in december 2012 , on the functioning of the market of internet access and provision from a consumer perspective , showed that a significant number of end - users are affected by traffic management practices which block or slow down specific applications . these tendencies require clear rules at the union level to maintain the open internet and to avoid fragmentation of the single market resulting from individual member states ' measures . indeed , as stated by the european parliament resolution of 17 november 2011 on the open internet and net neutrality in europe 2011 / 2866 , the internet ' s open character has been a key driver of competitiveness , economic growth , social development and innovation – which has led to spectacular levels of development in online applications , content and services – and thus of growth in the offer of , and demand for , content and services , and has made it a vitally important accelerator in the free circulation of knowledge , ideas and information , including in countries where access to independent media is limited ;


### end - users shall also be free to agree with either providers of electronic communications to the public or with providers of content , applications and services on the provision of specialised services with an enhanced quality of service . ### providers of electronic communications to the public or providers of content , applications and services may provide specialised services to a limited user group , access to which is controlled , through a closed electronic communications network . specialised services may not be marketed or used as an internet substitute or provide content , applications or services functionally identical to those of the open internet . where such agreements are concluded with the provider of internet access services , that provider shall ensure , in accordance with the principle of net neutrality , that the performance , affordability or quality of open internet access services is not restricted .


### within the limits of any contractually agreed data volumes or speeds for internet access services , providers of internet access services shall not restrict the freedoms provided for in paragraph 1 by blocking , slowing down , degrading or discriminating against specific content , applications or services , or specific classes thereof , except in cases where it is necessary to apply reasonable traffic management measures . reasonable traffic management measures shall be transparent , non - discriminatory , proportionate and necessary to : ### in accordance with the principle of net neutrality providers of internet access services shall not restrict the rights provided for in paragraph 1 by blocking , slowing down , degrading , altering or discriminating against specific content , applications or services , or specific classes thereof , except in specific cases where it is strictly necessary to apply reasonable traffic management measures . reasonable traffic management measures shall be transparent , non - discriminatory , strictly proportionate , subject to clear , comprehensible and accessible redress mechanisms and necessary to :


### coordination and consistency of rights of use for radio spectrum should be improved , at least for the bands which have been harmonised for wireless fixed , nomadic and mobile broadband communications . this includes the bands identified at itu level for international mobile telecommunications advanced systems , as well as bands used for radio local area networks such as 2 . 4 ghz and 5 ghz . it should also extend to bands that may be harmonised in the future for wireless broadband communications , as envisaged in article 3 of the rspp and in the rspg opinion on ‘ strategic challenges facing europe in addressing the growing radio spectrum demand for wireless broadband’ adopted on 13 june 2013 , such as , in the near future , the 700 mhz , 1 . 5 ghz and 3 . 8 - 4 . 2 ghz bands . ### coordination and consistency of rights of use for radio spectrum should be improved , at least for the bands which have been harmonised for wireless fixed , nomadic and mobile broadband communications . this includes the bands identified at itu level for international mobile telecommunications advanced systems , as well as bands used for radio local area networks such as 2 . 4 ghz and 5 ghz . it should also extend to bands that may be harmonised in the future for wireless broadband communications , as envisaged in article 3 of the rspp and in the rspg opinion on ' strategic challenges facing europe in addressing the growing radio spectrum demand for wireless broadband ' adopted on 13 june 2013 , such as , in the near future , the 700 mhz and 1 . 5 ghz bands .


### in addition , there is demand on the part of content , applications and services providers , for the provision of transmission services based on flexible quality parameters , including lower levels of priority for traffic which is not time - sensitive . the possibility for content , applications and service providers to negotiate such flexible quality of service levels with providers of electronic communications to the public is necessary for the provision of specialised services and is expected to play an important role in the development of new services such as machine - to - machine communications . at the same time such arrangements should allow providers of electronic communications to the public to better balance traffic and prevent network congestion . providers of content , applications and services and providers of electronic communications to the public should therefore be free to conclude specialised services agreements on defined levels of quality of service as long as such agreements do not substantially impair the general quality of internet access services . ### in addition , there is demand on the part of content , applications and services providers , for the provision of transmission services based on flexible quality parameters , including lower levels of priority for traffic which is not time - sensitive . there is nothing in current union law preventing agreements for the provision of such transmission services . the possibility for content , applications and service providers to negotiate such flexible quality of service levels with providers of electronic communications to the public may be necessary for the provision of certain services such as machine - to - machine communications . at the same time such arrangements should allow providers of electronic communications to the public to better balance traffic and prevent network congestion . providers of content , applications and services and providers of electronic communications to the public should therefore continue to be free to conclude specialised services agreements on defined levels of quality of service as long as such agreements do not impair the general quality of internet access services .


### implement a legislative provision or a court order , or prevent or impede serious crimes ; ### implement a legislative provision or a court order ;


### within the limits of any contractually agreed data volumes or speeds for internet access services , providers of internet access services shall not restrict the freedoms provided for in paragraph 1 by blocking , slowing down , degrading or discriminating against specific content , applications or services , or specific classes thereof , except in cases where it is necessary to apply reasonable traffic management measures . reasonable traffic management measures shall be transparent , non - discriminatory , proportionate and necessary to : implement a legislative provision or a court order , or prevent or impede serious crimes ; b ) preserve the integrity and security of the network , services provided via this network , and the end - users ' terminals ; c ) prevent the transmission of unsolicited communications to end - users who have given their prior consent to such restrictive measures ; d ) minimise the effects of temporary or exceptional network congestion provided that equivalent types of traffic are treated equally . reasonable traffic management shall only entail processing of data that is necessary and proportionate to achieve the purposes set out in this paragraph . ### providers of internet access services shall specifically not restrict the provisions of paragraph 1 by : - deleting , blocking , slowing down , degrading or discriminating against specific content , applications , services or terminal devices , or specific classes thereof , - prioritising specific content , applications , services or terminal devices , or specific classes thereof , or - concluding special pricing agreements with the end - user which make accessing particular content , applications , services or terminal devices or specific classes thereof seem less economically attractive , except in cases where it is necessary to apply justified and reasonable data traffic management measures . data traffic management measures shall be regarded as justified and reasonable where they : - preserve the integrity and security of the network , services provided via this network , and the end - users ' terminals , or - minimise the effects of proven temporary and exceptional network congestion and manage traffic in the event of such acute network congestion , provided that all content , applications and services are treated in accordance with the best effort principle . they must not be maintained any longer than is strictly necessary . data traffic management measures shall be transparent , non - discriminatory , proportionate , necessary , and subject to clear , comprehensible and accessible redress mechanisms .


### ‘ internet access service’ means a publicly available electronic communications service that provides connectivity to the internet , and thereby connectivity between virtually all end points connected to the internet , irrespective of the network technology used ; ### ‘ internet access service ' means a publicly available electronic communications service that provides connectivity to the internet , and between virtually all end points connected to the internet , irrespective of the network technologies or terminal equipment used ;


### ‘ specialised service’ means an electronic communications service or any other service that provides the capability to access specific content , applications or services , or a combination thereof , and whose technical characteristics are controlled from end - to - end or provides the capability to send or receive data to or from a determined number of parties or endpoints ; and that is not marketed or widely used as a substitute for internet access service ; ### ' specialised service ' means an electronic communications service or any other service that provides the capability to access specific content , applications or services , or a combination thereof at a guaranteed capacity , and whose technical characteristics are controlled from end - to - end or provides the capability to send or receive data to or from a determined number of parties or endpoints ; and that is not marketed or widely used as a substitute for internet access service ;


### in addition , there is demand on the part of content , applications and services providers , for the provision of transmission services based on flexible quality parameters , including lower levels of priority for traffic which is not time - sensitive . the possibility for content , applications and service providers to negotiate such flexible quality of service levels with providers of electronic communications to the public is necessary for the provision of specialised services and is expected to play an important role in the development of new services such as machine - to - machine communications . at the same time such arrangements should allow providers of electronic communications to the public to better balance traffic and prevent network congestion . providers of content , applications and services and providers of electronic communications to the public should therefore be free to conclude specialised services agreements on defined levels of quality of service as long as such agreements do not substantially impair the general quality of internet access services . ### in addition , there is demand on the part of content , applications and services providers , for the provision of transmission services based on quality parameters . for the provision of specialised services in closed networks , it is necessary that content , applications and service providers have the opportunity to negotiate such a specific quality of service levels with providers of electronic communications to the public for a limited group of users . this is expected to play an important role in the development of new services such as machine - to - machine communications . special services must neither impair open internet access service quality nor be marketed or used as an internet substitute . they are admissible only if there is a manifest technical and de facto need , over and above economic self - interest , to be able to supply real - time critical applications of a particular quality . if special services are offered or marketed by access network providers , they are also under the obligation to provide an open internet access service as referred to in recital . all open internet services are subject to the best - effort principle .


### the internet has developed over the past decades as an open platform for innovation with low access barriers for end - users , content and application providers and internet service providers . the existing regulatory framework aims at promoting the ability of end - users to access and distribute information or run applications and services of their choice . recently , however , the report of the body of european regulators for electronic communications on traffic management practices published in may 2012 and a study , commissioned by the executive agency for consumers and health and published in december 2012 , on the functioning of the market of internet access and provision from a consumer perspective , showed that a significant number of end - users are affected by traffic management practices which block or slow down specific applications . these tendencies require clear rules at the union level to maintain the open internet and to avoid fragmentation of the single market resulting from individual member states ' measures . ### the internet has developed over the past decades as an open platform for innovation with low access barriers for end - users , content and application providers and internet service providers . fundamentally equal treatment and non - discrimination in forwarding data packages , irrespective of content , service , application , origin or destination , must be safeguarded by law throughout the eu , to provide a lasting guarantee that all internet users can in principle access or provide all online content , services or applications . access network operators are under a general obligation to forward data packages while providing users with transfer services of suitable quality and constantly adapted to technological progress , regardless of the origin , destination or nature of the content , services and applications to be transferred . the open and non - discriminatory nature of the internet is the key to stimulating innovation and economic efficiency . these essential characteristics help ensure freedom and diversity of expression in the media and in the cultural sector . the existing regulatory framework aims at promoting the ability of end - users to access and distribute information or run applications and services of their choice . recently , however , the report of the body of european regulators for electronic communications on traffic management practices published in may 2012 and a study , commissioned by the executive agency for consumers and health and published in december 2012 , on the functioning of the market of internet access and provision from a consumer perspective , showed that a significant number of end - users are affected by traffic management practices which block or slow down specific applications . these tendencies require clear rules at the union level to maintain the open internet and to avoid fragmentation of the single market resulting from individual member states ' measures . an open internet operating exclusively on the best - effort principle should not be impaired or restricted by the development of other products and services .