### the programme should support the development of the union regulatory framework in the area of company law and corporate governance , as well as contract law , with a view to make business more efficient and competitive while providing protection for stakeholders affected by company operations , and to react to emerging policy challenges . it should also ensure appropriate evaluation , implementation and enforcement of the relevant acquis , inform and assist stakeholders and promote information exchange in the area . the programme should further support the commission’s initiatives in favour of a clear and adapted legal framework for the data economy and innovation . those initiatives are necessary to enhance legal certainty with regard to contractual and extra contractual law , in particular with regard to liability and ethics in the context of emerging technologies , such as internet of things , artificial intelligence , robotics , 3d printing . the programme should aim at stimulating the development of data - driven business , as it will be decisive for the position of the union economy in a global competition . ### the programme should support the development of the union regulatory framework in the area of company law and corporate governance , as well as contract law , with a view to make business more efficient and competitive while providing protection for stakeholders affected by company operations , and to react to emerging policy challenges . it should also ensure appropriate evaluation , implementation and enforcement of the relevant acquis , inform and assist stakeholders and promote information exchange in the area . the programme should further support the commission’s initiatives in favour of a clear and adapted legal framework for the data economy and innovation . those initiatives are necessary to enhance legal certainty with regard to contractual and extra contractual law , in particular with regard to liability and ethics in the context of emerging technologies , such as internet of things , artificial intelligence , robotics , 3d printing . the programme should aim at stimulating the development of data - driven business whilst ensuring a high level of privacy protection , as it will be decisive for the position of the union economy in a global competition .


### strengthening the competitiveness of european enterprises while reassuring an effective level playing field and an open and competitive internal market is of outmost importance . smes are the engine of the european economy making up 99% of all businesses in europe , providing two thirds of jobs , and contributing substantially to the creation of new jobs with a regional and local dimension . ### strengthening the competitiveness and sustainability of european enterprises while reassuring an effective level playing field and an open and competitive internal market is of outmost importance . smes are the engine of the european economy making up 99% of all businesses in europe , providing two thirds of jobs , and contributing substantially to the creation of new quality jobs in all sectors with a regional and local dimension , and hence social cohesion . smes are instrumental in pursuing the energy transition and contributing to the achievement of the union ' s climate objectives deriving from the paris agreement . the programme should therefore enhance their capacity to develop environmentally - friendly high quality products and services and support their efforts to increase resource - efficiency , in line with the ' energy efficiency first ' principle . in doing so , the programme also contributes to improve union smes competitiveness on the global market .


### many of the union ' s competitiveness problems involve smes ' difficulties in obtaining access to finance because they struggle to demonstrate their credit - worthiness and have insufficient collateral . additional financing challenges arise from smes ' need to stay competitive by engaging e . g . in digitization , internationalization and innovation activities and skilling up their workforce . limited access to finance has a negative effect on businesses creation , growth and survival rates , as well as on the readiness of new entrepreneurs to take over viable companies in the context of a business succession . ### many of the union ' s competitiveness problems involve smes ' difficulties in obtaining access to finance because they lack information , struggle to demonstrate their credit - worthiness and have insufficient collateral or simply due to low awareness of existing mechanism to support their activities at eu , national or local level . additional financing challenges arise from the smaller size of micro - enterprises and smes ' need to stay competitive by engaging e . g . in digitization , internationalization and innovation activities and skilling up their workforce . limited access to finance has a negative effect on businesses creation , growth and survival rates , as well as on the readiness of new entrepreneurs to take over viable companies in the context of a business succession .


### to overcome these market failures and to ensure that smes continue to play their role as the foundation for the union economy´s competitiveness , small and medium sized enterprises need extra support through debt and equity instruments to be established under the sme window of the investeu fund established by regulation [ … ] of the european parliament and of the council52 . the loan guarantee facility put in place under regulation no 1287 / 2013 of the european parliament and of the council53 has a proven added value and is expected to bring a positive contribution to at least 500 000 smes ; a successor will be established under the sme window of the investeu fund . __________________ 52 com 439 final 53 regulation no 1287 / 2013 of the european parliament and of the council of 11 december 2013 establishing a programme for the competitiveness of enterprises and small and medium - sized enterprises and repealing decision no 1639 / 2006 / ec . ### to overcome these market failures and to ensure that smes continue to play their role as the foundation for the union economy´s competitiveness , and driver for a sustainable economy , small and medium sized enterprises need extra support through debt and equity instruments to be established under the sme window of the investeu fund established by regulation [ … ] of the european parliament and of the council52 . the loan guarantee facility put in place under regulation no 1287 / 2013 of the european parliament and of the council53 has a proven added value and is expected to bring a positive contribution to at least 500 000 smes ; a successor will be established under the sme window of the investeu fund . more attention should be paid to better communication and public campaigns in order to increase awareness to potential beneficiaries of the availability of the programme for sme . to raise the awareness of union’s actions supporting smes , actions that are wholly or partially funded by this programme , including intermediaries , should incorporate the european emblem associated to a sentence acknowledging the support received by the cosme programme . __________________ 52 com 439 final 53 regulation no 1287 / 2013 of the european parliament and of the council of 11 december 2013 establishing a programme for the competitiveness of enterprises and small and medium - sized enterprises and repealing decision no 1639 / 2006 / ec .


### clusters are a strategic tool for supporting the competitiveness and scaling - up of smes as they offer favourable business environments . joint cluster initiatives should achieve critical mass to accelerate the growth of smes . by connecting specialised eco - systems , clusters create new business opportunities for smes and integrate them better in european and global strategic value chains . support should be provided for the development of transnational partnership strategies and the implementation of joint activities , supported by the european cluster collaboration platform . sustainable partnering should be encouraged with continuation funding if performance and participation milestones are reached . direct support to smes should be channelled through cluster organisations for the following : uptake of advanced technologies , new business models , low - carbon and resource - efficient solutions , creativity and design , skills upgrading , talent attraction , entrepreneurship acceleration , and internationalisation . other specialised sme support actors should be associated to facilitate industrial transformation and implementations of smart specialisation strategies . the programme should thus contribute to growth and build linkages with the union ' s innovation hubs and investments made under cohesion policy and horizon europe . synergies with the erasmus programme can also be explored . ### clusters are a strategic tool for supporting the competitiveness and scaling - up of smes as they offer favourable business environments , increase sustainable development of industry and services and strengthen the economic development of the regions through the creation of quality jobs . joint cluster initiatives should achieve critical mass to accelerate the growth of smes . by connecting specialised eco - systems , clusters create new business opportunities for smes and integrate them better in european and global strategic value chains . support should be provided for the development of transnational partnership strategies and the implementation of joint activities , supported by the european cluster collaboration platform . sustainable partnering should be encouraged with continuation funding if performance and participation milestones are reached . direct support to smes should be channelled through cluster organisations for the following : uptake of advanced technologies , new business models , solutions , creativity and design , skills upgrading , talent attraction , entrepreneurship acceleration , and internationalisation . other specialised sme support actors should be associated to facilitate industrial transformation and implementations of smart specialisation strategies . the programme should thus contribute to sustainable economic development and build linkages with the union’s innovation hubs and investments made under cohesion policy and horizon europe . synergies with the erasmus programme can also be explored .


### the programme should aim to raise the awareness of consumers , businesses , civil society and authorities on union consumer and safety laws and to empower consumers and their representative organisations at national level and at the union level notably by supporting the bureau européen des unions de consommateurs which is the long established and recognised ngo representing consumer interests in relation to all relevant union policies , and the european association for the co - ordination of consumer representation in standardisation which represents consumers interest in relation to standardisation issues . in doing so , particular attention should be given to new market needs regarding the promotion of sustainable consumption and the prevention of vulnerabilities as well as challenges created by the digitisation of the economy or the development of new consumption patterns and business models . the programme should support the development of relevant information on markets , policy challenges , emerging issues and behaviours , and the publication of the union consumer scoreboards . ### the programme should aim to raise the awareness of consumers , businesses , civil society and authorities on union consumer and safety laws and to empower consumers and their representative organisations at national level and at the union level notably by supporting the bureau européen des unions de consommateurs which is the long established and recognised ngo representing consumer interests in relation to all relevant union policies , and the european association for the co - ordination of consumer representation in standardisation which represents consumers interest in relation to standardisation issues . in doing so , particular attention should be given to new market needs regarding the promotion of sustainable consumption with a particular attention on actions to tackle the issue of planned obsolescence of products , the prevention of vulnerabilities as well as challenges created by the digitisation of the economy or the development of new consumption patterns and business models . the programme should support the development of relevant information on markets , policy challenges , emerging issues and behaviours , and the publication of the union consumer scoreboards .


### citizens are particularly affected by the functioning of financial services markets . these are a key component of the internal market and require a solid framework for regulation and supervision which ensures not only financial stability and a sustainable economy , but also provides a high level of protection to consumers and other financial services end users , including retail investors , savers , insurance policyholders , pension fund members and beneficiaries , individual shareholders , borrowers and smes . it is important to enhance their capacity to participate in policy making for the financial sector . ### citizens are particularly affected by the functioning of financial services markets . these are a key component of the internal market and require a solid framework for regulation and supervision which ensures not only financial stability and a sustainable economy taking effectively into account social , environmental and governance factors , but also provides a high level of protection to consumers and other financial services end users , including retail investors , savers , insurance policyholders , pension fund members and beneficiaries , individual shareholders , borrowers and smes . it is important to enhance their capacity to participate in policy making for the financial sector .


### the general objective of union law in the food chain area is to contribute to a high level of health for humans , animals and plants along the food chain , to support the improvement of the welfare of animals , to contribute to a high level of protection and information for consumers and a high level of protection of the environment , including the preservation of biodiversity , while improving the sustainability of european food and feed productions , increasing quality standards across the union , enhancing the competitiveness of the union food and feed industry and favouring the creation of jobs . ### the general objective of union law in the food chain area is to contribute to a high level of health for humans , animals and plants along the food chain , to guarantee the welfare of animals , to contribute to a high level of protection and information for consumers and a high level of protection of the environment , including the preservation of biodiversity , while improving the sustainability of european food and feed productions , increasing quality standards across the union , enhancing the competitiveness of the union food and feed industry and favouring the creation of jobs .


### official controls carried out by the member states are an essential tool for verifying and monitoring that relevant union requirements are being implemented , complied with and enforced . the effectiveness and efficiency of official control systems is vital for maintaining a high level of safety for humans , animals and plants along the food chain whilst ensuring a high level of protection of the environment and of animal welfare . union financial support should be made available for such control measures . in particular , a financial contribution should be available to union reference laboratories in order to help them bear the costs arising from the implementation of work programmes approved by the commission . moreover , since the effectiveness of official controls also depends on the availability to the control authorities of well trained staff with an appropriate knowledge of union law , the union should be able to contribute to their training and relevant exchange programmes organised by competent authorities . ### official controls carried out by the member states are an essential tool for verifying and monitoring that relevant union requirements are being implemented , complied with and enforced . the effectiveness and efficiency of official control systems is vital for maintaining a high level of safety for humans , animals and plants along the food chain whilst ensuring a high level of protection of the environment and of animal welfare . union financial support should be made available for such control measures , especially where compliance with union law as concerns the health and safety of humans , animals and plants is still deficient , such as live animal transport . in particular , a financial contribution should be available to union reference laboratories in order to help them bear the costs arising from the implementation of work programmes approved by the commission . moreover , since the effectiveness of official controls also depends on the availability to the control authorities of well trained staff with an appropriate knowledge of union law , the union should be able to contribute to their training and relevant exchange programmes organised by competent authorities .


### to ensure regular monitoring and reporting , a proper framework for monitoring the actions and results of the programme should be put in place from the very beginning . such monitoring and reporting should be based on indicators , measuring the effects of the actions under the programme against pre - defined baselines . ### to ensure regular monitoring and reporting , a proper framework for monitoring the actions and results of the programme should be put in place from the very beginning . such monitoring and reporting should be based on indicators , measuring the effects of the actions under the programme against pre - defined baselines . a yearly report on its implementation should be made presenting progress achieved and planned activities and presented to the european parliament .


### the programme should also be to ensure greater visibility and coherence of the union’s internal market , competitiveness of enterprises including smes and european statistics actions towards european citizens , businesses and administrations . ### the programme should also be to ensure greater visibility and coherence of the union’s internal market , competitiveness and sustainability of enterprises including smes and european statistics actions towards european citizens , businesses and administrations .


### it is appropriate to ensure a smooth transition without interruption between the programmes in the fields of competitiveness of enterprises and smes , consumer protection , customers and end - users in financial services , policy making in financial services , food chain and european statistics , established by regulation no 1287 / 2013 , regulation no 254 / 2014 , regulation 2017 / 826 , regulation no 258 / 2014 , regulation no 652 / 2014 , regulation no 99 / 2013 and this programme , in particular regarding the continuation of multiannual measures and the evaluation of the previous programmes successes , ### it is appropriate to ensure a smooth transition without interruption between the programmes in the fields of competitiveness and sustainability of enterprises and smes , consumer protection , customers and end - users in financial services , policy making in financial services , food chain and european statistics , established by regulation no 1287 / 2013 , regulation no 254 / 2014 , regulation 2017 / 826 , regulation no 258 / 2014 , regulation no 652 / 2014 , regulation no 99 / 2013 and this programme , in particular regarding the continuation of multiannual measures and the evaluation of the previous programmes successes ,


### improving the competitiveness of enterprises with special emphasis on smes and achieving additionality through the provision of measures that provide various forms of support to smes , access to markets including the internationalisation of smes , favourable business environment for smes , the competitiveness of sectors , the modernisation of industry and the promotion of entrepreneurship ; ### strengthening both the competitiveness and sustainability of enterprises with special emphasis on smes and achieving additionality through the provision of measures , paying particular attention to their specific needs , by


### addressing market barriers , administrative burden and creating a favourable business environment to empower smes to benefit from the internal market ; ### addressing market barriers , reducing administrative burden , including reducing obstacles for setting - up enterprises and the starting of businesses and creating a favourable business environment to allow micro - enterprises and smes to benefit from the internal market , including access to finance ; and by providing appropriate guidance , mentoring and coaching schemes delivery of knowledge - based business services ;


### facilitating the growth of businesses , including skills development , and industrial transformation across manufacturing and service sectors ; ### facilitating the development and growth of sustainable businesses , raising micro and sme’s awareness of union’s legislation , including environmental and energy eu law , , upgrading their skills and qualifications development , and facilitating new business models and resource - efficient value - chains fostering sustainable industrial , technological and organisational transformation across manufacturing and service sectors ;


### supporting the competiveness of enterprises and whole sectors of economy , and supporting smes ' uptake of innovation and value chain collaboration through strategically connecting ecosystems and clusters , including the joint cluster initiative ; ### strengthening the competiveness and sustainability of enterprises and whole sectors of economy , and supporting micro - enterprises and smes ' uptake of technological , organisational and social innovation , enhancing corporate social responsibility and value chain collaboration through strategically connecting ecosystems and clusters , including the joint cluster initiative ;


### fostering an entrepreneurial business environment and entrepreneurial culture , including the mentoring scheme for new entrepreneurs and supporting start - ups , business sustainability and scale - ups . ### fostering an entrepreneurial business environment and entrepreneurial culture , enlarging the mentoring scheme for new entrepreneurs and supporting start - ups , business sustainability and scale - ups with particular attention to new potential entrepreneurs , as well as other specific target groups , such as socially disadvantaged or vulnerable groups .


### the interim evaluation of the programme shall be performed once there is sufficient information available about the implementation of the programme , but no later than four years after the start of the programme implementation . ### by three years after the start of the implementation of the programme , the commission shall establish an interim evaluation report about the implementation of the programme to assess the results of the actions supported in it and their impacts on the objectives set out in this regulation , and possibly propose a review of those .


### 1 . annual and multiannual veterinary and phytosanitary programmes for the eradication , control and surveillance of animal diseases and zoonoses listed in annex iii and of plant pests have to be implemented in compliance with the provisions laid down in the relevant union law . ### 1 . annual and multiannual veterinary and phytosanitary programmes for the prevention , eradication , control and surveillance of animal diseases and zoonoses listed in annex iii and of plant pests have to be implemented in compliance with the provisions laid down in the relevant union law .


### the commission services shall publish a union overview on the basis of the data submitted by the member states . ### no later than 6 months after their submission by the member states of the data referred to in the second subparagraph , the commission services shall publish a union overview on the basis of the data submitted by the member states .


### article 57 is deleted . ### article 57 is amended as follows : commission report 1 . by 10 november 2020 and every five years thereafter , the commission shall , based on the information received from the member states under article 54 , submit to the european parliament and the council a report on the implementation of this directive . the report should also evaluate this directive in light of the development of alternative methods not entailing the use of animals , and shall be accompanied , if necessary , by appropriate legislative proposals . . 2 . by 10 november 2020 and every three years thereafter , the commission shall , based on the statistical information submitted by member states under article 54 , submit to the european parliament and the council a summary report on that information .


### in order to avoid placing an unnecessary burden on agricultural holdings and national administrations , thresholds that exclude non - relevant survey units from the basic entities in respect of which statistics are to be collected should be established . ### in order to avoid placing an unnecessary burden on agricultural holdings and national administrations , thresholds that exclude non - relevant survey units from the basic entities in respect of which statistics are to be collected should be established . at the same time , it is important that if effective policy action to support and maintain small farming structures is to be designed , data are also required on that size cohort of farms .


### member states shall collect and provide the core structural data related to the agricultural holdings referred to in paragraphs and of article 3 , for the survey reference years 2020 , 2023 and 2026 , as listed in annex iii . the core data collection for the survey reference year 2020 shall be carried out as a census . ### member states shall collect and provide the core structural data related to the agricultural holdings referred to in paragraphs and of article 3 , for the survey reference years 2020 , 2023 and 2026 , as listed in annex iii . the core data collection for the survey reference year 2020 shall be carried out as a census . the annual application data as verified by the iacs shall also be considered as a data source .


### for all other characteristics , a common reference day within the survey reference year shall be established by each member state . ### for all other characteristics , a common reference day within the survey reference year shall be established by each member state . those shall be coherent with the timeframe of area declarations in the iacs application .


### if yes , is the holding part of a corporate group made up of units that are legally independent ### yes / no


### at the same time , seal hunting is an integral part of the culture and identity of the inuit and other indigenous communities and makes a major contribution to their subsistence . for those reasons , seal hunts traditionally conducted by inuit and other indigenous communities do not raise the same public moral concerns as the hunts conducted primarily for commercial purposes . moreover , it is broadly recognised that the fundamental and social interests of inuit and other indigenous communities should not be adversely affected , in accordance with united nations declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples and other relevant international instruments . for those reasons , by way of exception , regulation no 1007 / 2009 allows the placing on the market of seal products which result from hunts traditionally conducted by inuit and other indigenous communities and which contribute to their subsistence . ### at the same time , seal hunting is an integral part of the culture and identity of the inuit and other indigenous communities and makes a major contribution to their subsistence . for those reasons , seal hunts traditionally conducted by inuit and other indigenous communities do not raise the same public moral concerns as the hunts conducted primarily for commercial purposes . moreover , it is broadly recognised that the fundamental and social interests of inuit and other indigenous communities should not be adversely affected , in accordance with united nations declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples and other relevant international instruments . for those reasons , by way of exception , regulation no 1007 / 2009 allows the placing on the market of seal products which result from hunts traditionally conducted by inuit and other indigenous communities for subsistence purposes .


### if the number of seals hunted , the quantity of seal products being placed on the market pursuant to paragraph 1 or other circumstances are such as to indicate that a hunt is conducted primarily for commercial purposes , the commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with article 4 in order to limit the quantity of products resulting from that hunt that may be placed on the market . ### if the number of seals hunted , the quantity of seal products being placed on the market pursuant to paragraph 1 or other circumstances are such as to indicate that a hunt is not conducted for subsistence purposes or is conducted primarily for commercial purposes , the commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with article 4a in order to prevent the placing on the market of the products resulting from that hunt .


### if the number of seals hunted , the quantity of seal products being placed on the market pursuant to paragraph 1 or other circumstances are such as to indicate that a hunt is conducted primarily for commercial purposes , the commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with article 4 in order to limit the quantity of products resulting from that hunt that may be placed on the market . ### if there is material evidence to suggest that the number of seals hunted , the quantity of seal products being placed on the market pursuant to paragraphs 1 and 2 or other circumstances are such as to prove that a hunt is conducted primarily for commercial purposes , the commission , after consulting the entities involved , shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with article 4 in order to limit or prohibit the placing on the market of products resulting from that hunt .


### member states shall ensure that audiovisual media service providers provide sufficient information to viewers about content which may impair the physical , mental or moral development of minors . for this purpose , member states may use a system of descriptors indicating the nature of the content of an audiovisual media service . ### member states shall ensure that audiovisual media service providers and video - sharing platform providers effectively provide clear information to viewers , prior and during the programme as well as before and after any interruption , about content which may damage or disturb minors and in particular impair their physical , mental or moral development . for this purpose , member states may use a system of descriptors indicating the nature of the content of an audiovisual media service .


### member states and the commission shall encourage the development of self - and co - regulatory codes of conduct regarding inappropriate audiovisual commercial communications for alcoholic beverages . those codes should be used to effectively limit the exposure of minors to audiovisual commercial communications for alcoholic beverages . ### member states shall adopt measures to minimise the exposure of adolescents to commercial communications of alcoholic beverages . commercial communications preceding , following or interrupting programmes targeting adolescents’ audience between 7 : 00 and 23 : 00 shall be prohibited . without prejudice to the adoption of regulatory measures , member states and the commission shall encourage the development of self - and co - regulatory initiatives , including code of conducts , to further minimise the exposure of adolescents to such commercial communications accompanying or included in programmes with a significant minors’ audience .


### member states shall take appropriate measures to ensure that programmes provided by audiovisual media service providers under their jurisdiction , which may impair the physical , mental or moral development of minors are only made available in such a way as to ensure that minors will not normally hear or see them . such measures may include selecting the time of the broadcast , age verification tools or other technical measures . they shall be proportionate to the potential harm of the programme . ### member states shall take all the necessary and appropriate measures to ensure that programmes provided by audiovisual media service providers and video - sharing platform providers under their jurisdiction , which might impair the physical , mental or moral development of minors , or harm the physical , mental or moral integrity of elderly people and vulnerable categories are only made available in such a way as to ensure that minors and such categories will not normally hear or see them . such measures may include selecting the time of the broadcast , age verification tools or other adequate and effective technical measures . they shall be proportionate to the potential harm of the programme .


### member states shall draw up and adopt a national air pollution control programme in accordance with part 2 of annex iii in order to limit their annual anthropogenic emissions in accordance with article 4 . ### member states shall draw up and adopt a national air pollution control programme in accordance with part 2 of annex iii in order to limit their annual anthropogenic emissions in accordance with article 4 , so as not to exceed critical levels that&#160 ; damage public health and the environment , by abiding by the world health organisation ' s air quality guidelines , and by not exceeding critical loads and levels as set out by the lrtap convention .


### nitrogen management , taking into account the full nitrogen cycle ; ### nitrogen management , taking into account the full nitrogen cycle , establishment of soil and nutrient management plans ;


### low - emission manure spreading approaches ; ### low - emission manure spreading approaches including separation into liquids and solids ;


### prevention is of key importance for protection against disasters and requires further action . to that effect , member states should share risk assessments on a regular basis as well as summaries of their disaster risk management planning in order to ensure an integrated approach to disaster management , linking risk prevention , preparedness and response actions . in addition , the commission should be able to require member states to provide specific prevention and preparedness plans in relation to specific disasters , notably with a view to maximising overall union support to disaster risk management . administrative burden should be reduced and prevention policies strengthened , including by ensuring necessary links to other key union policies and instruments , notably the european structural and investment funds as listed in recital 2 of regulation no 1303 / 201313 . _________________ 13 regulation no 1303 / 2013 of the european parliament and of the council of 17 december 2013 laying down common provisions on the european regional development fund , the european social fund , the cohesion fund , the european agricultural fund for rural development and the european maritime and fisheries fund and laying down general provisions on the european regional development fund , the european social fund , the cohesion fund and the european maritime and fisheries fund and repealing council regulation no 1083 / 2006 . ### prevention is of key importance for protection against disasters and requires further action on all levels as impact of climate change effects all territories and goes across borders . to that effect , member states and local and regional authorities should share risk assessments on a regular basis as well as summaries of their disaster risk management planning in order to ensure an integrated approach to disaster management , linking risk prevention , preparedness and response actions . in addition , the commission should require member states to provide specific prevention , evacuation and preparedness plans in relation to specific disasters , earthquakes , droughts , heat waves , wildfires , floods and water shortages , including humanitarian and technological ones , notably with a view to maximising the overall union support to disaster risk management . it is essential to reduce the administrative burden and to strengthen prevention policies , including by enhancing the links and coordination with other key union policies and instruments , notably the european structural and investment funds as listed in article 1 and 2 of regulation no 1303 / 201313 . in this context it is important to underline that the european structural and investment funds are already contributing to promoting climate change adaptation , risk prevention and management and that there is an ex - ante conditionality in place that is linked to that objective . _________________ 13 regulation no 1303 / 2013 of the european parliament and of the council of 17 december 2013 laying down common provisions on the european regional development fund , the european social fund , the cohesion fund , the european agricultural fund for rural development and the european maritime and fisheries fund and laying down general provisions on the european regional development fund , the european social fund , the cohesion fund and the european maritime and fisheries fund and repealing council regulation no 1083 / 2006 .


### there is a need to reinforce the collective ability to prepare and respond to disasters notably through mutual support in europe . in addition to strengthening the possibilities already offered by the european emergency response capacity , from now on referred to as ' european civil protection pool ' , the commission should also establish resceu . the composition of resceu should include emergency response capacities to respond to wildfires , large - scale floods and earthquakes , as well as a field hospital and medical teams in line with world health organisation standards , that can be rapidly deployed . ### there is a need to reinforce the collective ability to prepare and respond to disasters notably through mutual support and cooperation in europe , with a view to ensuring that interventions are more predictable and significantly reducing the assistance deployment time . in addition to strengthening the possibilities already offered by the european emergency response capacity , from now on referred to as ' european civil protection pool ' , the commission should also establish resceu . the composition of resceu should include pre - committed emergency response capacities to respond to wildfires , large - scale floods , earthquakes or terrorist actions , as well as a field hospital and medical teams in line with world health organisation standards that can be rapidly deployed .


### in order to strengthen efficiency and effectiveness of training and exercises and enhance co - operation between member states ' national civil protection authorities and services it is necessary to establish a union civil protection knowledge network that is based on existing structures . ### training , research and innovation are essential aspects of cooperation in the civil protection field . in order to strengthen efficiency and effectiveness of training and exercises to promote innovation and enhance dialogue and co - operation between member states ' national civil protection authorities and services , together with local and regional actors , it is necessary to establish a union civil protection knowledge network that is based on existing structures with the involvement of centres of excellence and universities , as well as with civil sector organisations involved in this matter .


### there is a need to simplify union mechanism procedures to ensure that member states can access assistance and capacities needed in order to respond to natural or man - made disasters as rapidly as possible . ### there is a need to simplify and increase the flexibility of the union mechanism procedures to ensure that member states can quickly access assistance and capacities needed in order to respond to natural or man - made disasters as rapidly as possible .


### it is important to ensure that member states take all the necessary actions in order to effectively prevent natural and man - made disasters and mitigate their effects . provisions should reinforce links between prevention , preparedness and response actions under the union mechanism . coherence should also be ensured with other relevant union legislation on prevention and disaster risk management , including for cross - border prevention action and response to threats such as serious cross - border health threats15 . likewise , coherence should be ensured with international commitments such as the sendai framework for disaster risk reduction 2015 – 2030 , the paris agreement and agenda 2030 for sustainable development . _________________ 15 decision no 1082 / 2013 / eu of the european parliament and of the council of 22 october 2013 on serious cross border threats to health and repealing decision no 2119 / 98 / ec . ### it is important to ensure that member states , together with local and regional authorities , take all the necessary actions in order to effectively prevent natural and man - made disasters and mitigate their effects . provisions should reinforce links between prevention , preparedness and response actions under the union mechanism . coherence should also be ensured with other relevant union legislation on prevention and disaster risk management , including for cross - border prevention action and response to threats such as serious cross - border health threats15 , including radioactive , biological or chemical accidents . eu macro - regional strategies also offer a high - quality framework for cooperation in the field of protection and prevention . territorial cooperation programmes under cohesion policy provide for specific actions to take into account disaster resilience , risk prevention and risk management and therefore enhanced efforts for stronger integration and more synergies are needed . likewise , coherence should be ensured with international commitments such as the sendai framework for disaster risk reduction 2015 – 2030 , the paris agreement and agenda 2030 for sustainable development . better coordination with the european union solidarity fund , with a view to responding to natural disasters should also be established . _________________ 15 decision no 1082 / 2013 / eu of the european parliament and of the council of 22 october 2013 on serious cross border threats to health and repealing decision no 2119 / 98 / ec .


### take action to improve the knowledge base on disaster risks and facilitate the sharing of knowledge , the results of scientific research , best practices and information , including among member states that share common risks . ### take action to improve the knowledge base on disaster risks and facilitate the dialogue , sharing of knowledge and co - operation , the results of scientific research and innovation , best practices and information , including among member states , different regions as well as neighbouring non - eu countries , that share common risks .


### promote the use of various union funds which may support sustainable disaster prevention and encourage the member states and regions to exploit those funding opportunities ; ### in article 5 , paragraph 1 , point h is replaced by the following : ' promote the use and coordination of various union funds which may support sustainable disaster prevention and response and encourage the member states and regions to exploit those funding opportunities for increased synergies ; '


### a summary of the relevant elements of the risk management planning shall be provided to the commission , including information on the selected prevention and preparedness measures , by 31 january 2019 and every three years thereafter . in addition , the commission may require member states to provide specific prevention and preparedness plans , which shall cover both short - and long - term efforts . the union shall duly consider the progress made by the member states with respect to disaster prevention and preparedness as part of any future ex - ante conditionality mechanism under the european structural and investment funds . ### a summary of the relevant elements of the risk management planning shall be provided to the commission , including information on the selected prevention and preparedness measures , by 31 january 2019 and every three years thereafter . in addition , the commission may require member states to provide specific prevention and preparedness plans , which shall cover both short - and long - term efforts . the union shall duly consider the progress made by the member states with respect to disaster prevention and preparedness as part of a strengthened future ex - ante conditionality mechanism for investments under the european structural and investment funds .


### in close consultation with the member states , take additional necessary supporting and complementary preparedness action to achieve the objective specified in point of article 3 . ### in article 8 , paragraph1 , point k is replaced by the following : ' in close consultation with the member states , take additional necessary supporting and complementary preparedness action , including through coordination with other union instruments , to achieve the objective specified in point of article 3 . '


### a european civil protection pool shall be established . it shall consist of a pool of pre - committed response capacities of the member states and include modules , other response capacities and experts . ### a european civil protection pool shall be established . it shall consist of a pool of pre - committed response capacities of the member states and include modules , other response capacities , including specific capacities of regional and local authorities&#160 ; and experts .


### on the basis of identified risks and taking into account a multi - hazard approach , the commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with article 30 to define the types of response capacities required in addition to those identified in paragraph 2 of this article and revise the composition of resceu accordingly . consistency shall be ensured with other union policies . ### on the basis of identified risks and taking into account a multi - hazard approach and the need for flexibility as regards the response capacities , the commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with article 30 to define the types of response capacities required in addition to those identified in paragraph 2 of this article and revise the composition of resceu accordingly . consistency shall be ensured with other union policies .


### in case of deployment , the commission shall agree with the requesting member state on the operational deployment of resceu capacities . the requesting member state shall facilitate operational co - ordination of its own capacities and resceu activities during operations . ### in case of deployment , the commission shall agree with the requesting member state on the operational deployment of resceu capacities . the requesting member state shall facilitate operational co - ordination of its own capacities , including the response capacities of regional and local authorities , as well as of volunteers and resceu activities during operation .


### the coordination among the different response capacities shall be facilitated where appropriate by the commission through the ercc in accordance with articles 15 and 16 . ### the coordination among the different response capacities shall be facilitated where appropriate by the commission , by taking into consideration , inter alia , the need to adopt a regional approach , and using , where appropriate cross - border arrangements , based on availability and proximity . that coordination shall also be facilitated through the ercc in accordance with articles 15 and 16 .


### the commission shall establish a network of relevant civil protection and disaster management actors and institutions , forming together with the commission a union civil protection knowledge network . ### the commission shall establish a network of relevant civil protection and disaster management actors and institutions , including centres of excellence and universities , forming together with the commission a union civil protection knowledge network which would also be open for knowledge and best practices sharing with the third countries .


### set up and manage a training programme for civil protection and emergency management personnel on prevention of , preparedness for and response to disasters . the programme shall include joint courses and a system for exchange of experts , whereby individuals may be seconded to other member states . ### in article 13 , paragraph 1 , point a is replaced by the following : ' set up and manage a training programme for civil protection and emergency management personnel on specialised expertise related to prevention of , preparedness for and response to disasters . the programme shall make use of existing centres of excellence and universities , where appropriate and shall include joint courses and a system for exchange of experts , whereby individuals may be seconded to other member states . the programme shall also include provisions for cooperation with neighbouring third countries . '


### stimulate and encourage the introduction and use of relevant new technologies for the purpose of the union mechanism . ### in article 13 , paragraph 1 , point f is replaced by the following : ' stimulate research and innovation and encourage the introduction and use of relevant new technologies for the purpose of the union mechanism . '


### any assistance or funding provided under this decision shall give appropriate visibility to the union , including prominence to the union emblem for those capacities referred to under article 11 , 12 and 21 . ### any assistance or funding provided under this decision shall ensure appropriate visibility to the union , including prominence to the union emblem for those capacities referred to under article 11 , 12 and 21 . a communication strategy shall be developed with a view to making the actions under the union mechanism visible to citizens and to increasing their confidence in the union’s disaster prevention and response capacity . the strategy shall also include measures to raise the public awareness on how to react to the particular emergencies .


### costs necessary to upgrade or repair response capacities to a state of readiness and availability that makes them deployable as part of the european civil protection pool , in accordance with the quality requirements of the european civil protection pool and , where relevant , recommendations formulated in the certification process . those costs may include costs related to operability , interoperability of modules and other response capacities , autonomy , self - sufficiency , transportability , packaging , and other necessary costs , provided that they specifically relate to the capacities ' participation in the european civil protection pool . ### costs necessary to upgrade or repair response capacities to a state of readiness and availability that makes them deployable as part of the european civil protection pool , in accordance with the quality requirements of the european civil protection pool and , where relevant , recommendations formulated in the certification process . those costs may include costs related to operability , interoperability of modules and other response capacities , autonomy , self - sufficiency , transportability , packaging , and other necessary costs including those relating to the promotion of civil protection - related volunteering and training of volunteers , provided that they specifically relate to the capacities ' participation in the european civil protection pool .


### synergies and complementarity shall be sought with other instruments of the union such as those supporting cohesion , rural development , research , health , as well as migration and security policies . in the case of a response to humanitarian crises in third countries the commission shall ensure the complementarity and coherence of actions financed under this decision and actions financed under regulation no 1257 / 96 . ### synergies , complementarity and increased coordination shall be developed with other instruments of the union such as those supporting cohesion , including the european union solidarity fund , rural development , research , health , as well as migration and security policies , without reallocation of the funds from those areas . in the case of a response to humanitarian crises in third countries the commission shall ensure the complementarity and coherence of actions financed under this decision and actions financed under regulation no 1257 / 96 .


### there is a need to simplify union mechanism procedures to ensure that member states can access assistance and capacities needed in order to respond to natural or man - made disasters as rapidly as possible . ### there is a need to simplify , streamline and increase the flexibility of the union mechanism procedures to ensure that member states can quickly access assistance and capacities needed in order to respond to natural or man - made disasters as rapidly and efficiently as possible .


### in close consultation with the member states , take additional necessary supporting and complementary preparedness action to achieve the objective specified in point of article 3 ### in article 8 , paragraph1 , point is replaced by the following : “in close consultation with the member states , take additional necessary supporting and complementary preparedness action , including through coordination with other union instruments , to achieve the objective specified in point of article 3 . ”


### any assistance or funding provided under this decision shall give appropriate visibility to the union , including prominence to the union emblem for those capacities referred to under article 11 , 12 and 21 . ### any assistance or funding provided under this decision shall ensure appropriate visibility to the union , including prominence to the union emblem for those capacities referred to under article 11 , 12 and 21 . a communication strategy shall be developed with a view to making the actions under the union mechanism visible to citizens and to increasing their confidence in the union’s disaster prevention and response capacity .


### synergies and complementarity shall be sought with other instruments of the union such as those supporting cohesion , rural development , research , health , as well as migration and security policies . in the case of a response to humanitarian crises in third countries the commission shall ensure the complementarity and coherence of actions financed under this decision and actions financed under regulation no 1257 / 96 . ### synergies , complementarity and increased coordination shall be developed with other instruments of the union such as those supporting cohesion , including the european union solidarity fund , rural development , research , health , as well as migration and security policies , without entailing the reallocation of the funds from those areas . in the case of a response to humanitarian crises in third countries the commission shall ensure the complementarity and coherence of actions financed under this decision and actions financed under regulation no 1257 / 96 .


### better statistics are therefore crucial to achieving better results and contributing to a better europe , and greater efforts should be made to boost investments in official statistics at both european and national levels . this should provide guidance in priority policy areas and for capacity - building , in addition to current guidance and ongoing re - prioritisation . more specifically , action should be taken to tackle the most urgent statistical gaps , increase timeliness and support political priorities and economic policy coordination through the european semester . the commission should also provide new population projections in close cooperation with the national statistical institutes to update the analysis of the economic and budgetary implications of population ageing . ### better statistics are therefore crucial to achieving better results and contributing to a better europe , and greater efforts should be made to boost investments in official statistics at both european and national levels . this should provide guidance in priority policy areas and for capacity - building , in addition to current guidance and ongoing re - prioritisation . more specifically , action should be taken to tackle the most urgent statistical gaps , increase timeliness and support political priorities and economic policy coordination through the european semester . reporting should be established on the scope and extent of non - coverage of persons which are “overlooked” and not covered by statistics such as the homeless people . the commission should also provide new population projections in close cooperation with the national statistical institutes to update the analysis of the economic and budgetary implications of population ageing and provide an accurate picture of the depopulation and population dispersion affecting many european regions and the additional costs they thus incur in providing public services for their citizens .


### the objective will be implemented by the making available of : – updated headline target indicators for europe 2020 on the commission website ; – statistics to support the monitoring of the implementation of europe 2020 flagship initiatives ; – additional indicators as an input for the ex - ante and ex - post evaluations of the economic , social and environmental policies of the union ; and – employment indicators distinguishing between part - time and full - time employment , as well as indicators on unemployment that take into account people in activation policies such as training . ### in objective 1 . 1 . 1 , the second paragraph is replaced by the following : ‘ the objective will be implemented by : – the making available of updated headline target indicators for the europe 2020 strategy on the eurostat website , and also equality of treatment between women and men – the making available of statistics to support the monitoring of the implementation of europe 2020 flagship initiatives ; – the inclusion , in connection with new statistical products , under the united nations’ sustainable development goals strategy ; – the making available of additional indicators as an input for the ex - ante and ex - post evaluations of the economic , social , territorial and environmental policies of the union as part of the europe 2020 strategy regarding targets related to growth , employment , poverty reduction and social exclusion ; – the making available of employment indicators distinguishing between part - time and full - time employment or other working time arrangements , as well as indicators on unemployment that take into account people in activation policies such as training . ’


### the availability and extension of harmonised housing price statistics for all member states . ### — the availability and extension of harmonised housing price statistics for all member states taking into account housing difficulties and housing deprivation .


### increase the efficiency and effectiveness of statistical production processes . considering the fact that the lisbon treaty has called for better regulation , a streamlining of the legislation related to the pillar of business statistics is needed . in so doing , due consideration should be given to the limitations of the resources available to producers and the overall burden on respondents in line with the commission regulatory fitness and performance programme . provide high - quality statistics on key areas where enterprises are the centre of interest , such as business statistics , short - term indicators , their investment in human capital and skills , international transactions , globalisation , internal market monitoring , r&d and innovation , and tourism . special attention should be paid to the availability of data in high value - added industrial or services sectors , in particular in the green , digital or social economy . ### increase the efficiency and effectiveness of statistical production processes . considering the fact that the lisbon treaty has called for better regulation , a streamlining of the legislation related to the pillar of business statistics is needed . in so doing , due consideration should be given to the limitations of the resources available to producers and the overall burden on respondents in line with the commission regulatory fitness and performance programme . provide high - quality statistics on key areas where enterprises are the centre of interest , such as business statistics , including family businesses , short - term indicators , their investment in human capital and skills , international transactions , globalisation , internal market monitoring , r & d and innovation , and tourism . special attention should be paid to the availability of data in high value - added industrial or services sectors , in particular in the green , digital , health , education and the social economy .


### in line with the ‘ european energy union’ priority of the commission particular focus will be given to statistics related to energy consumption , energy efficiency , renewable energies , energy dependence and security of supply . furthermore , energy statistics will need to support the 2030 policy framework for climate and energy that aims to make the union’s economy and energy system more competitive , secure and sustainable . ### in line with the ‘ european energy union’ priority of the commission particular focus will be given to statistics related to energy consumption , energy efficiency , renewable energies , energy dependence , energy poverty and security of supply . furthermore , energy statistics will need to support the 2030 policy framework for climate and energy that aims to make the union’s economy and energy system more competitive , secure and sustainable .


### statistical data reported by member states are essential for the commission to assess compliance with waste legislation across the member states . the quality , reliability and comparability of statistics should be improved by introducing a single entry point for all waste data , deleting obsolete reporting requirements , benchmarking national reporting methodologies and introducing a data quality check report . ### statistical data reported by member states are essential for the commission to assess compliance with waste legislation across the member states . the quality , reliability and comparability of statistics should be improved by establishing a common methodology for data collection and processing and by introducing a single entry point for all waste data , deleting obsolete reporting requirements , benchmarking national reporting methodologies and introducing a data quality check report .


### reliable reporting of statistical data concerning waste management is paramount to efficient implementation and to ensuring comparability of data among a level playing field between member states . therefore , when preparing the reports on compliance with the targets set out in these directives , member states should be required to use the most recent methodology developed by the commission and the national statistical offices of the member states . ### reliable collection , processing and reporting of statistical data concerning waste management is paramount to efficient implementation and to ensuring comparability of data among a level playing field between member states . therefore , when preparing the reports on compliance with the targets set out in these directives , member states should be required to use the common methodology for data collection and processing developed by the commission in cooperation with the national statistical offices of the member states .


### ' systems are set up allowing final holders and distributors to return such waste at least free of charge . member states shall ensure the availability and accessibility of the necessary collection facilities , taking into account , in particular , the population density ; ' ### in directive 2012 / 19 / eu , point of article 5 is replaced by the following : ' systems are set up allowing final holders and distributors to return such waste at least free of charge . member states shall ensure high availability and easy and regular accessibility of the necessary collection facilities , taking into account , in particular , the population density ; ' .


### member states shall report the data concerning the implementation of article 16 for each calendar year to the commission . they shall report this data electronically within 18 months of the end of the reporting year for which the data are collected . the data shall be reported in the format established by the commission in accordance with paragraph 5d . the first report shall cover the data for the period from 1 january [ enter year of transposition of this directive + 1 year ] to 31 december [ enter year of transposition of this directive + 1 year ] . ### member states shall report the data concerning the implementation of article 16 for each calendar year to the commission . they shall report this data electronically within 18 months of the end of the reporting year for which the data are collected . the data shall be collected , processed and reported using the common methodology and in the format established by the commission in accordance with paragraph 5d . the first report shall cover the data for the period from 1 january [ enter year of transposition of this directive + 1 year ] to 31 december [ enter year of transposition of this directive + 1 year ] .


### member states shall ensure that authors and performers receive on a regular basis and taking into account the specificities of each sector , timely , adequate and sufficient information on the exploitation of their works and performances from those to whom they have licensed or transferred their rights , notably as regards modes of exploitation , revenues generated and remuneration due . ### member states shall ensure that authors and performers receive on a regular basis and taking into account the specificities of each sector , timely , adequate , accurate and sufficient information on the exploitation of their works , including scientific works , and performances from those to whom they have licensed or transferred their rights , notably as regards modes of exploitation , modes of promotion , revenues generated and remuneration due .


### in order to clean - up and reduce the volume of the legislative acquis , it is necessary to regularly analyse it and identify obsolete legislation . repealing the obsolete legislation is useful for keeping the legislative framework transparent , clear and easy to use by member states and relevant stakeholders , in this case the road haulage sector . ### in order to clean - up and reduce the volume of the legislative acquis , it is necessary to regularly analyse it and identify obsolete legislation . repealing the obsolete legislation is useful for keeping the legislative framework transparent , clear and easy to use by member states and relevant stakeholders , in this case the inland waterway and road haulage sectors .


### the council adopted regulation no 1101 / 89 in 1989 . ten years later , the council adopted regulation no 718 / 1999 in order to ensure that the appropriate tools continued to be available to the inland waterway transport sector and to manage the fleet capacity . that regulation covered the same subject matter as regulation no 1101 / 89 , without repealing the latter . ### the council adopted regulation no 1101 / 89 in 1989 . ten years later , the council adopted regulation no 718 / 1999 , as amended by regulation no 546 / 2014 of the european parliament and of the council1a , in order to ensure that the appropriate tools continued to be available to the inland waterway transport sector and to manage the fleet capacity . that regulation covered the same subject matter as regulation no 1101 / 89 , without repealing the latter . _______________ 1a regulation no 546 / 2014 of the european parliament and of the council of 15 may 2014 amending council regulation no 718 / 1999 on a community - fleet capacity policy to promote inland waterway transport .


### ' strategic nature projects ' means projects that support the achievement of union nature and biodiversity objectives by implementing coherent programmes of action in the member states to mainstream these objectives and priorities into other policies and financing instruments , including through coordinated implementation of the priority action frameworks established pursuant to directive 92 / 43 / eec ; ### ' strategic nature projects ' means projects that support the achievement of union nature and biodiversity objectives , laid down in particular in directive 2009 / 147 / ec and council directive 92 / 43 / eec , by implementing coherent programmes of action in the member states to mainstream these objectives and priorities into other policies and financing instruments , including through coordinated implementation of the priority action frameworks established pursuant to directive 92 / 43 / eec ;


### ' standard action projects ' means projects , other than strategic integrated projects , strategic nature projects or technical assistance projects , that pursue the specific objectives of the programme set out in article 3 ; ### ' standard action projects ' means projects , other than strategic integrated projects , strategic nature projects or technical assistance projects , such as bottom - up projects , that pursue the specific objectives of the programme set out in article 3 ;


### the general objective of the programme is to contribute to the shift towards a clean , circular , energy - efficient , low - carbon and climate - resilient economy , including through the transition to clean energy , to the protection and improvement of the quality of the environment and to halting and reversing biodiversity loss , thereby contributing to sustainable development . ### the general objective of the programme is to contribute to the shift towards a sustainable , circular , resource - and energy - efficient , low - carbon and climate - resilient economy , including through the transition to a highly energy - efficient and renewables - based energy system , to the protection and improvement of the quality of the environment and to halting and reversing biodiversity loss , thereby contributing to a high level of environmental protection and ambitious climate action . the programme shall also support better environmental and climate governance at all levels , including better involvement of civil society ngos and local actors .


### to develop , demonstrate and promote innovative techniques and approaches for reaching the objectives of the union legislation and policy on environment and climate action , including the transition to clean energy , and to contribute to the application of best practice in relation to nature and biodiversity ; ### to develop , demonstrate and promote innovative techniques and approaches for reaching the objectives of the union legislation and policy on environment and climate action , including the transition to clean energy , and to contribute to the application of best practice in relation to nature and biodiversity and sustainable farming and food systems ;


### projects financed by the programme shall avoid undermining environmental , climate or relevant clean energy objectives of the programme and , where possible , shall promote the use of green public procurement ; ### projects financed by the programme shall avoid undermining environmental , climate or relevant clean energy objectives of the programme and , as often as possible , shall promote the use of green public procurement ;


### the interim evaluation of the programme shall be performed once there is sufficient information available about the implementation of the programme , but no later than four years after the start of the programme implementation . ### the interim evaluation of the programme shall be performed once there is sufficient information available about the implementation of the programme , but no later than four years after the start of the programme implementation . that interim evaluation shall , where necessary , be accompanied by a proposal for an amendment of this regulation .


### the commission shall communicate the conclusions of the evaluations accompanied by its observations , to the european parliament , the council , the european economic and social committee and the committee of the regions . ### the commission shall communicate the conclusions of the evaluations accompanied by its observations , to the european parliament , the council , the european economic and social committee and the committee of the regions . the commission shall make the results of the evaluations publicly available .


### electronic tolling and co - operative its applications use similar technologies and neighbouring frequency bands for short range vehicle - to - vehicle and vehicle - to - infrastructure communication . in the future , the potential for merging electronic tolling with c - its in the 5 . 9 ghz band , currently used by c - its , should be explored , after a thorough assessment of the costs , benefits , technical barriers and possible solutions thereto . ### electronic tolling and co - operative its applications use similar technologies and neighbouring frequency bands for short range vehicle - to - vehicle and vehicle - to - infrastructure communication . in the future , the potential for merging electronic tolling with c - its in the 5 . 9 ghz band , currently used by c - its , should be explored , after a thorough assessment of the possible impact on privacy and data protection and of the costs , benefits , technical barriers and possible solutions thereto .


### the provisions of regulation 2016 / 679 and the national laws , regulations or administrative provisions transposing directive 2016 / 680 shall apply to personal data processed under this directive . ### regulation 2016 / 679 and directive&#160 ; 2002 / 58 / ec shall apply to personal data processed under this directive . directive 2016 / 680 shall apply to personal data processed under this directive&#160 ; when the failure to pay a road fee is considered a criminal offence&#160 ; in the member state where the payment is due .


### validation of the chosen technical solutions vis - à - vis the union rules protecting the freedoms and fundamental rights of individuals , including their privacy and protection of personal data . in particular , it will be necessary to ensure compliance with regulation 2016 / 679 and directive 2002 / 58 / ec ; ### validation of the chosen technical solutions vis - à - vis the union rules protecting the freedoms and fundamental rights of individuals , including their privacy and protection of personal data . in particular , it will be necessary to ensure compliance with regulation 2016 / 679 and directive 2002 / 58 / ec as well as , where applicable , directive 2016 / 680 ;


### the global context for action is the pursuit of a rules - based global order , with multilateralism as its key principle and the united nations at its core . the 2030 agenda , together with the paris agreement on climate change57 and the addis ababa action agenda58 is the international community’s response to global challenges and trends in relation to sustainable development . with the sustainable development goals at its core , the 2030 agenda is a transformative framework to eradicate poverty and achieve sustainable development globally . it is universal in scope , providing a comprehensive shared framework for action that applies to the union , to its member states and to its partners . it balances the economic , social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development , recognising the essential interlinkages between its goals and targets . the 2030 agenda aims to leave no one behind . the implementation of the 2030 agenda will be closely coordinated with the union’s other relevant international commitments . actions undertaken by this regulation should pay particular attention to interlinkages between sustainable development goals and to integrated actions that can create co - benefits and meet multiple objectives in a coherent way . _________________ 57 signed in new york on 22 april 2016 . 58 “addis ababa action agenda of the third international conference on financing for development” , adopted on 16 june 2015 and endorsed by the united nations general assembly on 27 july 2015 . ### the global context for action is the pursuit of a rules - based global order , with multilateralism as its key principle and the united nations at its core . the 2030 agenda , together with the paris agreement on climate change57 and the addis ababa action agenda58 is the international community’s response to global challenges and trends in relation to sustainable development . with the sustainable development goals at its core , the 2030 agenda is a transformative framework to eradicate poverty and achieve sustainable development globally . it is universal in scope , providing a comprehensive shared framework for action that applies to the union , to its member states and to its partners . it balances the economic , social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development , recognising the essential interlinkages between its goals and targets . the 2030 agenda aims to leave no one behind . the implementation of the 2030 agenda will be closely coordinated with the union’s other relevant international commitments . actions undertaken by this regulation should pay particular attention to supporting interlinkages between sustainable development goals and actions that can create co - benefits and meet multiple objectives in a coherent way , in line with sustainable development goal 4 . _________________ 57 signed in new york on 22 april 2016 . 58 “addis ababa action agenda of the third international conference on financing for development” , adopted on 16 june 2015 and endorsed by the united nations general assembly on 27 july 2015 .


### the global context for action is the pursuit of a rules - based global order , with multilateralism as its key principle and the united nations at its core . the 2030 agenda , together with the paris agreement on climate change57 and the addis ababa action agenda58 is the international community’s response to global challenges and trends in relation to sustainable development . with the sustainable development goals at its core , the 2030 agenda is a transformative framework to eradicate poverty and achieve sustainable development globally . it is universal in scope , providing a comprehensive shared framework for action that applies to the union , to its member states and to its partners . it balances the economic , social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development , recognising the essential interlinkages between its goals and targets . the 2030 agenda aims to leave no one behind . the implementation of the 2030 agenda will be closely coordinated with the union’s other relevant international commitments . actions undertaken by this regulation should pay particular attention to interlinkages between sustainable development goals and to integrated actions that can create co - benefits and meet multiple objectives in a coherent way . _________________ 57 signed in new york on 22 april 2016 . 58 “addis ababa action agenda of the third international conference on financing for development” , adopted on 16 june 2015 and endorsed by the united nations general assembly on 27 july 2015 . ### the global context for action is the pursuit of a rules - based global order , with multilateralism as its key principle and the united nations at its core . the 2030 agenda , together with the paris agreement on climate change57 and the addis ababa action agenda58 is the international community’s response to global challenges and trends in relation to sustainable development . with the sustainable development goals at its core , the 2030 agenda is a transformative framework to eradicate poverty and achieve sustainable development globally . it is universal in scope , providing a comprehensive shared framework for action that applies to the union , to its member states and to its partners . it balances the economic , social , cultural , educational and environmental dimensions of sustainable development , recognising the essential interlinkages between its goals and targets . the 2030 agenda aims to leave no one behind . the implementation of the 2030 agenda will be closely coordinated with the union’s other relevant international commitments . actions undertaken by this regulation should pay particular attention to interlinkages between sustainable development goals and to integrated actions that can create co - benefits and meet multiple objectives in a coherent way . _________________ 57 signed in new york on 22 april 2016 . 58 “addis ababa action agenda of the third international conference on financing for development” , adopted on 16 june 2015 and endorsed by the united nations general assembly on 27 july 2015 .


### the implementation of this regulation should be guided by the five priorities established in the global strategy for the european union’s foreign and security policy 59 , presented on 19 june 2016 , which represents the union’s vision and the framework for united and responsible external engagement in partnership with others , to advance its values and interests . the union should enhance partnerships , promote policy dialogue and collective responses to challenges of global concern . its action should support the union’s interests and values in all its aspects , including preserving peace , preventing conflicts , strengthening international security , fighting root causes of irregular migration and assisting populations , countries and regions confronting natural or man - made disasters , supporting trade policy , economic diplomacy and economic cooperation , promoting digital solutions and technologies , and fostering the international dimension of union’s policies . in promoting its interests , the union should comply with , and promote , the principles of respect for high social and environmental standards , for the rule of law , for international law and for human rights . _________________ 59 “shared vision , common action : a stronger europe . a global strategy for the european union’s foreign and security policy” , june 2016 . ### the implementation of this regulation should be guided by the five priorities established in the global strategy for the european union’s foreign and security policy 59 , presented on 19 june 2016 , which represents the union’s vision and the framework for united and responsible external engagement in partnership with others , to advance its values and interests . the union should enhance partnerships , promote policy dialogue and collective responses to challenges of global concern . its action should support the union’s interests and values in all its aspects , including preserving peace , preventing conflicts , strengthening international security , fighting root causes of irregular migration and assisting populations , countries and regions confronting natural or man - made disasters , fostering inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all , supporting trade policy , economic and cultural diplomacy and economic cooperation , promoting digital solutions and technologies , fostering the international dimension of union’s policies , and protecting cultural heritage , especially in conflict areas . in promoting its interests , the union should comply with , and promote , the principles of respect for high social and environmental standards , for the rule of law , for international law and for human rights . _________________ 59 “shared vision , common action : a stronger europe . a global strategy for the european union’s foreign and security policy” , june 2016 .


### the european neighbourhood policy , as reviewed in 201562 , aims at the stabilisation of neighbouring countries and strengthening resilience , particularly by boosting economic development , as the union’s main political priorities . in order to attain its objective , the reviewed european neighbourhood policy has been focusing on four priority areas : good governance , democracy , the rule of law and human rights , with a particular focus in engaging further with civil society ; economic development ; security ; migration and mobility , including tackling the root causes of irregular migration and forced displacement . differentiation and enhanced mutual ownership are the hallmark of the european neighbourhood policy , recognising different levels of engagement , and reflecting the interests of each country concerning the nature and focus of its partnership with the union . _________________ 62 joint communication to the european parliament , the council , the european economic and social committee and the committee of the regions , “review of the european neighbourhood policy” , 18 november 2015 . ### the european neighbourhood policy , as reviewed in 201562 , aims at the stabilisation of neighbouring countries and strengthening resilience , particularly by boosting economic development , as the union’s main political priorities . in order to attain its objective , the reviewed european neighbourhood policy has been focusing on four priority areas : good governance , democracy , the rule of law and human rights , with a particular focus in engaging further with civil society , promoting education and training ; economic and social development ; security ; migration and mobility , including tackling the root causes of irregular migration and forced displacement , including through education and cultural cooperation . differentiation and enhanced mutual ownership are the hallmark of the european neighbourhood policy , recognising different levels of engagement , and reflecting the interests of each country concerning the nature and focus of its partnership with the union . _________________ 62 joint communication to the european parliament , the council , the european economic and social committee and the committee of the regions , “review of the european neighbourhood policy” , 18 november 2015 .


### the efsd + should aim at supporting investments as a means of contributing to the achievement of the sustainable development goals by fostering sustainable and inclusive economic and social development and promoting the socio - economic resilience in partner countries with a particular focus on the eradication of poverty , sustainable and inclusive growth , the creation of decent jobs , economic opportunities , skills and entrepreneurship , socioeconomic sectors , micro , small and medium - sized enterprises as well as addressing specific socioeconomic root causes of irregular migration , in accordance with the relevant indicative programming documents . special attention should be given to countries identified as experiencing fragility or conflict , least developed countries and heavily indebted poor countries . ### the efsd + should aim at supporting investments as a means of contributing to the achievement of the sustainable development goals by fostering sustainable and inclusive economic and social development and promoting the socio - economic resilience in partner countries with a particular focus on the eradication of poverty , promotion of inclusive and equitable quality education , sustainable and inclusive growth , the creation of decent jobs , economic opportunities , skills and entrepreneurship , socioeconomic sectors , micro , small and medium - sized enterprises as well as addressing specific socioeconomic root causes of irregular migration , in accordance with the relevant indicative programming documents . special attention should be given to countries identified as experiencing fragility or conflict , least developed countries and heavily indebted poor countries .


### a rights - based approach encompassing all human rights , whether civil and political or economic , social and cultural shall be applied in order to integrate human rights principles , to support the right holders in claiming their rights with a focus on poorer and more vulnerable groups and to assist partner countries in implementing their international human rights obligations . this regulation shall promote gender equality and women’s empowerment . ### a rights - based approach encompassing all human rights , whether civil and political or economic , social and cultural shall be applied in order to integrate human rights principles , to support the right holders in claiming their rights with a focus on poorer and more vulnerable groups and to assist partner countries in implementing their international human rights obligations . in particular , the union shall support education as a tool to foster development , contribute to the eradication of poverty , as well as to promote peace - building , social inclusion and active citizenship , and ensure access to culture . this regulation shall promote gender equality and empowerment of women and children .


### grants to the office of the un high commissioner for human rights as well as to global campus , the european inter - university centre for human rights and democratisation , providing a european master’s degree in human rights and democratisation , and its associated network of universities delivering human rights postgraduate diplomas , including scholarships to students and human rights defenders from third countries . ### grants to the office of the un high commissioner for human rights as well as to global campus , the european inter - university centre for human rights and democratisation , providing a european master’s degree in human rights and democratisation , and its associated network of universities delivering human rights postgraduate diplomas , including mobility and scholarship opportunities for students , researchers , teachers , and human rights defenders from third countries .


### promoting the fight against discrimination in all its forms , and the principle of equality , in particular gender equality and the rights of persons belonging to minorities ; ### promoting the fight against discrimination in all its forms , and the principle of equality , in particular gender equality , in accordance with the un convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women and its optional protocols , the rights of persons belonging to minorities as contained in the un declaration on the rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic , religious and linguistic minorities , the rights of indigenous peoples as contained in the un declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples , and the rights of lesbian , gay , bisexual , trans and intersex persons , including measures to decriminalise homosexuality , combat homophobic and transphobic violence and persecution , and promote freedom of assembly , association and expression for lgbti persons ;


### enhancing efforts for the adoption of policies and appropriate investment to promote women and young people’s rights , to facilitate their engagement in social , civic and economic life , and to ensure their full contribution to inclusive growth and sustainable development ; ### enhancing efforts for the adoption of policies and appropriate investment to promote children , women and young people’s rights , including their right to access to culture and education , to facilitate their engagement in social , civic and economic life , and to ensure their full contribution to inclusive growth and sustainable development ;


### supporting actions of capacity building , learning mobility to , from or between partner countries , as well as of cooperation and policy dialogue with institutions , organisations , local implementing bodies and authorities , from those countries ; ### supporting actions of learning mobility , capacity building and cultural cooperation to , from or between the union and third countries , as well as of cooperation and policy dialogue with institutions , organisations , local implementing bodies and authorities , from those countries ;


### promoting internal economic , social and territorial cohesion , forging stronger links between urban and rural areas and facilitating the development of the tourism sector as a leverage for sustainable development ; ### promoting internal economic , social and territorial cohesion , forging stronger links between urban and rural areas and facilitating the development of both creative industries and the cultural tourism sector as a leverage for sustainable development ;


### promoting cooperation in the areas of science , technology and research , and open data and innovation ; ### promoting cooperation in the areas of science , technology and research , and open data and innovation , including the development of science diplomacy .


### promoting intercultural dialogue and cultural diversity in all its forms , and preserve and promote cultural heritage ; ### promoting intercultural dialogue and cultural diversity in all its forms , preserve and promote cultural heritage , as well as contemporary arts and cultural expressions .


### strengthening knowledge , skills and values through partnerships and alliances , for active citizenship and productive , inclusive and resilient societies ; ### strengthening knowledge , research and innovation , skills and values through partnerships and alliances , for active citizenship and educated , democratic , inclusive and resilient societies ;


### action is needed to further develop complementary private retirement savings such as occupational pensions . this is important since social - security systems are coming under increasing pressure , which means that citizens will increasingly rely on occupational retirement pensions as a complement in the future . occupational retirement pensions should be developed , without , however , calling into question the importance of social - security pension systems in terms of secure , durable and effective social protection , which should guarantee a decent standard of living in old age and should therefore be at the centre of the objective of strengthening the european social model . ### action is needed to further ensure that statutory social security schemes protect from old age poverty , making a special attention to the feminization of poverty , while occupational pension schemes can provide for a valuable addition . calls on the member states to develop an in - depth analysis on the consequences in terms of increasing gender inequality of many social - security and pension reforms undertaken in the last years . occupational retirement pensions should be developed , without , however , calling into question the importance of social - security pension systems in terms of secure , durable and effective social protection , which should guarantee a decent standard of living in old age , taking into account the necessities and ensuring the access of under - represented groups , in particular of women , and should therefore be at the centre of the objective of strengthening the european social model .


### despite the entry into force of directive 2003 / 41 / ec important prudential barriers remain which make it more expensive for institutions to operate pension schemes across borders . moreover , the current minimum level of protection for members and beneficiaries needs to be increased . this is all the more important as the number of europeans relying on schemes that shift longevity and market risks from the institution or the undertaking offering the occupational scheme to the individual has increased significantly . in addition , the current minimum level of information provision to members and beneficiaries needs to be increased . those developments warrant an amendment of the directive . ### the current minimum level of protection for members and beneficiaries needs to be increased and must be determined taking into consideration the eu principles of non - discrimination and gender equality . this is all the more important as the number of europeans relying on schemes that shift longevity and market risks from the institution or the undertaking offering the occupational scheme to the individual has increased significantly . in addition , the current minimum level of information provision to members and beneficiaries needs to be increased . those developments warrant an amendment of the directive .