### since the objectives of this directive , namely the removal of disproportionate restrictions on access to or pursuit of regulated professions cannot be sufficiently achieved by the member states but can rather , by reason of the scale of the action , be better achieved at union level , the union may adopt measures , in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as set out in article 5 of the treaty on european union . in accordance with the principle of proportionality , as set out in that article , this directive does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve those objectives , ### since the objectives of this directive , namely the removal of disproportionate restrictions on access to or pursuit of regulated professions cannot be sufficiently achieved by the member states but can rather , by reason of the scale of the action , be better achieved at union level , the union may adopt measures , in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as set out in article 5 of the treaty on european union . in accordance with the principle of non - discrimination , and with the principle of proportionality as set out in that article , this directive does not go beyond what is necessary , in order to achieve those objectives ,


### this directive shall apply to requirements under the legal systems of the member states restricting access to a regulated profession or its pursuit , or one of its modes of pursuit , including the use of professional titles and the professional activities allowed under such title , falling within the scope of directive 2005 / 36 / ec . ### this directive shall apply to requirements under the legal systems of the member states restricting access to a regulated profession or its pursuit , or one of its modes of pursuit , including the use of professional titles and the professional activities allowed under such title , falling within the scope of directive 2005 / 36 / ec , without prejudice to paragraph 1a .


### member states shall ensure that before introducing new legislative , regulatory or administrative provisions restricting access to or pursuit of regulated professions , or amending existing ones , the relevant competent authorities undertake an assessment of their proportionality in accordance with the rules laid down in this directive . ### member states shall ensure that before introducing new legislative , regulatory or administrative provisions restricting access to or pursuit of regulated professions , or amending existing ones , the relevant competent authorities undertake an assessment of their proportionality , taking into account&#160 ; the precautionary principle , in accordance with the rules laid down in this directive .


### the efsi agreement shall provide that the efsi is to support projects which address market failures or sub - optimal investment situations and which : ; ### the efsi agreement shall provide that the efsi is to support projects which address market failures or sub - optimal investment situations including with the purpose of achieving a more balanced geographical distribution of investments and which : ;


### leveraging local knowledge to facilitate efsi support across the union and contributing where possible to the objective of sectorial and geographical diversification of the efsi referred to in section 8 of annex ii by supporting the eib to originate operations ; ; ### leveraging local , regional and national knowledge , collaborating closer with member states authorities and focusing on building capacity in order to facilitate the use of efsi support across the union and contributing where possible to the objective of sectorial and geographical diversification of the efsi referred to in section 8 of annex ii by supporting the eib to originate operations ;


### providing advice on the combination of other sources of union funding with the efsi . ; ### providing advice on the complementarity of other sources of union funding with the efsi . ;


### in addition , it shall , by 31 may of each year , submit to the european parliament , to the council and to the court of auditors an annual report on the management of the guarantee fund in the previous calendar year . the annual report shall contain the presentation of the financial position of the guarantee fund at the end of the previous calendar year , the financial flows during the previous calendar year as well as the significant transactions and any relevant information on the financial accounts . the report shall also include information about the financial management and performance and the risk of the guarantee fund at the end of the previous calendar year . ### in addition , it shall , by 31 may of each year , submit to the european parliament , to the council and to the court of auditors an annual report on the management of the guarantee fund in the previous calendar year . the annual report shall contain the presentation of the financial position of the guarantee fund at the end of the previous calendar year , the financial flows during the previous calendar year as well as the significant transactions and any relevant information on the financial accounts . the report shall also include information about the financial management and performance and the risk of the guarantee fund at the end of the previous calendar year . furthermore , the report shall provide detailed information on the utilisation of the fund and the improvements that the financed projects generated in recipient countries .


### the visa application procedure should be as easy as possible for applicants . it should be clear which member state is competent for examining an application for a visa in particular where the intended visit covers several member states . where possible , member states should allow for application forms to be completed and submitted electronically . deadlines should be established for the various steps of the procedure in particular to allow travellers to plan ahead and avoid peak seasons in consulates . ### the visa application procedure should be as easy as possible for applicants . it should be clear which member state is competent for examining an application for a visa in particular where the intended visit covers several member states . where possible , member states should allow for application forms to be completed and submitted electronically . deadlines should be established for the various steps of the procedure in particular to allow travellers to plan ahead and avoid peak seasons in consulates . however , as part of the further development of the acquis towards a truly common visa policy , procedures and conditions for issuing visas should be further harmonised and their uniform application be reinforced .


### the visa application procedure should be as easy as possible for applicants . it should be clear which member state is competent for examining an application for a visa in particular where the intended visit covers several member states . where possible , member states should allow for application forms to be completed and submitted electronically . deadlines should be established for the various steps of the procedure in particular to allow travellers to plan ahead and avoid peak seasons in consulates . ### the visa application procedure should be as easy and cheap as possible for applicants . it should be clear which member state is competent for examining an application for a visa in particular where the intended visit covers several member states . member states should allow for application forms to be completed and submitted electronically . deadlines should be established for the various steps of the procedure in particular to allow travellers to plan a reasonable time in advance and avoid peak seasons in consulates .


### the visa fee should ensure that sufficient financial resources are available to cover the expenses of visa processing , including appropriate structures and sufficient staff to ensure the quality and integrity of the examination of visa applications . the amount of the visa fee should be revised on a two - yearly basis on the basis of objective criteria . ### the visa fee should ensure that sufficient financial resources are available to cover the expenses of visa processing , including appropriate structures and sufficient staff to ensure the quality and integrity of the examination of visa applications . the amount of the visa fee should be revised every two years on the basis of objective assessment criteria .


### the visa fee should ensure that sufficient financial resources are available to cover the expenses of visa processing , including appropriate structures and sufficient staff to ensure the quality and integrity of the examination of visa applications . the amount of the visa fee should be revised on a two - yearly basis on the basis of objective criteria . ### the visa fee should ensure that sufficient financial resources are available to cover the expenses of visa processing , including appropriate structures and sufficient staff to ensure the quality , speed and integrity of the examination of visa applications . the amount of the visa fee should be revised on a two - yearly basis on the basis of objective criteria .


### representation arrangements should be streamlined and obstacles to the conclusion of such arrangements among member states should be avoided . the representing member state should be responsible for the entire processing of visa applications without the involvement of the represented member state . ### representation arrangements should be streamlined and eased and obstacles to the conclusion of such arrangements among member states should be avoided . the representing member state should be responsible for the entire processing of visa applications without the involvement of the represented member state .


### flexible rules should be established to allow member states to optimise the sharing of resources and to increase consular coverage . cooperation among member states could take any form suited to local circumstances in order to increase geographical consular coverage , reduce member states ' costs , increase the visibility of the union and improve the service offered to visa applicants . ### flexible rules should be established to allow member states to optimise the sharing of resources and to increase consular coverage . cooperation among member states could take any form suited to local circumstances in order to increase geographical consular coverage , reduce member states ' costs , increase the visibility of the union and improve the service offered to visa applicants . the common visa policy should contribute to generating growth and be coherent with other union policies , such as those concerning external relations , trade , education , culture and tourism .


### electronic visa application systems developed by member states help to facilitate application procedures for applicants and consulates . a common solution allowing full digitisation should be developed , making full use of the recent legal and technological developments . ### electronic visa application systems developed by member states help to facilitate application procedures for applicants and consulates . a common solution allowing full digitisation should be developed , making full use of the recent legal and technological developments so as to allow applicants to apply for a visa online , in order to accommodate the needs of applicants and attract more visitors to the schengen area .


### electronic visa application systems developed by member states help to facilitate application procedures for applicants and consulates . a common solution allowing full digitisation should be developed , making full use of the recent legal and technological developments . ### electronic visa application systems developed by member states are essential in order to facilitate application procedures for applicants and consulates . a common solution allowing full digitisation should be developed , making full use of the recent legal and technological developments .


### this regulation establishes the conditions and procedures for issuing visas for intended stays on the territory of the member states not exceeding 90 days in any 180 - days period ; ### this regulation establishes the conditions and procedures for issuing visas for intended stays on the territory of the member states not exceeding 90 days in any 180 - days period on the territory of any single member state .


### if the visit includes more than one destination , or if several separate visits are to be carried out within a period of two months , the member state whose territory constitutes the main destination of the visit in terms of the length of stay , counted in days ; or ; ### if the visit includes more than one destination , or if several separate visits are to be carried out within a period of two months , the member state whose territory constitutes the main destination of the visit in terms of the length of stay , counted in days or the member state where the host organisation or employer is established ;


### applications may be lodged no more than six months , and for seafarers in the performance of their duties , no more than nine months before the start of the intended visit and , as a rule , no later than 15 calendar days before that start ; ### applications may be lodged no more than six months , and for professionals in sport or cultural fields , or for seafarers in the performance of their duties , no more than nine months before the start of the intended visit and , as a rule , no later than 15 calendar days before that start ;


### representatives of non - profit organisations aged 25 years or less participating in seminars , conferences , sports , cultural or educational events organised by non - profit organisations . ### in paragraph 4 , point is replaced by the following : “representatives of non - profit organisations aged 35 years or less participating in seminars , conferences , sports , cultural or educational events organised by non - profit organisations . ”


### applications shall be decided within 10 calendar days of the date of the lodging of an application which is admissible in accordance with article 19 . ### applications shall be decided within 7 calendar days of the date of the lodging of an application which is admissible in accordance with article 19 .


### that period may be extended up to a maximum of 45 calendar days in individual cases , notably when further scrutiny of the application is needed . ; ### that period may be extended up to a maximum of 30 calendar days in individual cases , notably when further scrutiny of the application is needed . ;


### a visa may be issued for one or multiple entries . ### a visa may be issued for one or multiple entries . the period of validity of the visa shall not exceed 10 years .


### for a validity period of one year , provided that the applicant has obtained and lawfully used three visas within the previous two years ; ### for a validity period of one year , provided that the applicant has obtained and lawfully used two visas within the previous two years ;


### to that end , a verification procedure should be established whereby the authority must , in certain circumstances , ask the committee of independent eminent persons to assess whether a european political party or a european political foundation has deliberately influenced or attempted to influence the outcome of elections to the european parliament by taking advantage of an infringement of the applicable rules on protection of personal data . where the committee finds that to be the case , the authority should impose sanctions in line with the effective , proportionate and dissuasive sanctioning system established by the regulation no 1141 / 2014 . ### to that end , a verification and control procedure should be established whereby the authority must , in certain circumstances , ask the committee of independent eminent persons to assess and makes verification on the basis of solid evidence whether a european political party or a european political foundation has deliberately influenced or attempted to influence the outcome of elections to the european parliament by taking advantage of an infringement of the applicable rules on protection of personal data . where the committee finds that to be the case , the authority should impose sanctions in line with the effective , proportionate and dissuasive sanctioning system established by the regulation no 1141 / 2014 .


### when requested by the authority , the committee shall give an opinion on whether a european political party or a european political foundation has deliberately influenced or attempted to influence the outcome of elections to the european parliament by taking advantage of an infringement of the applicable rules on the protection of personal data . in both cases the committee may request any relevant document and evidence from the authority , the european parliament , the european political party or european political foundation concerned , other political parties , political foundations or other stakeholders , and it may request to hear their representatives . in the case of opinions on whether a european political party or a european political foundation has deliberately influenced or attempted to influence the outcome of elections to the european parliament by taking advantage of an infringement of the applicable rules on the protection of personal data , the supervisory authorities referred to in the article 10 shall cooperate with the committee in accordance with applicable law . ### when requested by the authority , the committee shall verify and give an opinion on whether a european political party or a european political foundation has deliberately influenced or attempted to influence the outcome of elections to the european parliament by taking advantage of an infringement of the applicable rules on the protection of personal data . in both cases the committee may request any relevant document and evidence from the authority , the european parliament , the european political party or european political foundation concerned , other political parties , political foundations or other stakeholders , and it may request to hear their representatives . in the case of opinions on whether a european political party or a european political foundation has deliberately influenced or attempted to influence the outcome of elections to the european parliament by taking advantage of an infringement of the applicable rules on the protection of personal data , the supervisory authorities referred to in the article 10 shall cooperate with the committee in accordance with applicable law .


### with 1 . 8% of eu gdp , down from 2 . 2% in 2009 , infrastructure investment activities in the union in 2016 were about 20% below investment rates before the global financial crisis . thus , while a recovery in investment - to - gdp ratios in the union can be observed , it remains below what might be expected in a strong recovery period and is insufficient to compensate years of underinvestment . more importantly , the current investment levels and forecasts do not cover the union ' s structural investment needs in the face of technological change and global competitiveness , including for innovation , skills , infrastructure , small and medium - sized enterprises and the need to address key societal challenges such as sustainability or population ageing . consequently , continued support is necessary to address market failures and sub - optimal investment situations to reduce the investment gap in targeted sectors to achieve the union ' s policy objectives . ### with 1 . 8% of eu gdp , down from 2 . 2% in 2009 , infrastructure investment activities in the union in 2016 were about 20% below investment rates before the global financial crisis . thus , while a recovery in investment - to - gdp ratios in the union can be observed , it remains below what might be expected in a strong recovery period and is insufficient to compensate years of underinvestment . more importantly , the current investment levels and forecasts do not cover the union ' s structural investment needs for sustaining a long - term growth rate based on the constant improvement of the union ' s total factor productivity in the face of technological change and global competitiveness , including for innovation , skills , infrastructure , small and medium - sized enterprises and the need to address key societal challenges such as sustainability or population ageing . consequently , continued support is necessary to address market failures and sub - optimal investment situations to reduce the investment gap in targeted sectors to achieve the union ' s policy objectives .


### evaluations have underlined that the variety of financial instruments delivered under the 2014 - 2020 multiannual financial framework period has led to some overlaps . that variety has also produced complexity for intermediaries and final recipients who were confronted with different eligibility and reporting rules . absence of compatible rules also hampered the combination of several union funds although such combination would have been beneficial to support projects in need of different types of funding . therefore , a single fund , the investeu fund , should be set up in order to achieve a more efficiently functioning support to final recipients by integrating and simplifying the financial offer under a single budgetary guarantee scheme , thereby improving the impact of union intervention while reducing the cost to the union budget . ### evaluations have underlined that the variety of financial instruments delivered under the 2014 - 2020 multiannual financial framework period has led to some overlaps and unclear processes for the blending of the european structural investment funds with the market instruments developed by the union . that variety has also produced complexity for intermediaries and final recipients who were confronted with different eligibility and reporting rules . absence of compatible rules also hampered the combination of several union funds although such combination would have been beneficial to support projects in need of different types of funding . therefore , a single fund , the investeu fund , should be set up in order to achieve additionality , a more efficiently functioning support to final recipients by integrating and simplifying the financial offer under a single budgetary guarantee scheme , thereby improving the impact of union intervention while reducing the cost to the union budget .


### the investeu fund should support investments in tangible and intangible assets to foster growth , investment and employment , and thereby contributing to improved well - being and fairer income distribution in the union . intervention through the investeu fund should complement union support delivered through grants . ### the investeu fund should support investments in tangible and intangible assets to foster sustainable growth based on incremental total factor productivity rates , low cost investment and good quality of jobs , and thereby contributing to improved well - being and fairer income distribution in the union . intervention through the investeu fund should complement and not replace union support delivered through grants .


### reflecting the importance of tackling climate change in line with the union ' s commitments to implement the paris agreement and the united nations sustainable development goals , the investeu programme will contribute to mainstream climate actions and to the achievement of an overall target of 25 % of the union budget expenditures supporting climate objectives . actions under the investeu programme are expected to contribute 30 % of the overall financial envelope of the investeu programme to climate objectives . relevant actions will be identified during the investeu programme ' s preparation and implementation and reassessed in the context of the relevant evaluations and review processes . ### reflecting the importance of tackling climate change in line with the union ' s commitments to implement the paris agreement and the united nations sustainable development goals , the investeu programme will contribute to mainstream climate actions and to the achievement of an overall target of 25 % of the union budget expenditures supporting climate objectives . at least 30% of the overall financial envelope of the invest eu is expected to contribute to climate objectives . actions under the investeu programme are expected to contribute 30 % of the overall financial envelope of the investeu programme to climate objectives . relevant actions will be identified during the investeu programme ' s preparation and implementation and reassessed in the context of the relevant evaluations and review processes .


### small and medium - sized enterprises play a crucial role in the union . however , they face challenges when accessing finance because of their perceived high risk and lack of sufficient collateral . additional challenges arise from smes ' need to stay competitive by engaging in digitisation , internationalisation and innovation activities and skilling up their workforce . moreover , compared to larger enterprises , they have access to a more limited set of financing sources : they typically do not issue bonds , have only limited access to stock exchanges or large institutional investors . the challenge in accessing finance is even greater for those smes whose activities focus on intangible assets . smes in the union rely heavily on banks and debt financing in the form of bank overdrafts , bank loans or leasing . supporting smes that face the above challenges and providing more diversified sources of funding is necessary for increasing the ability of smes to finance their creation , growth and development , withstand economic downturns , and for making the economy and the financial system more resilient during economic downturn or shocks . this is also complementary to the initiatives already undertaken in the context of the capital markets union . the investeu fund should provide an opportunity to focus on specific , more targeted financial products . ### small and medium - sized enterprises play a crucial role in the union as the main factor of producing jobs and growth , in a level close to 98% of the overall growth rates of the union . however , they face challenges when accessing finance because of their perceived high risk and lack of sufficient collateral . additional challenges arise from smes ' need to stay competitive by engaging in digitisation , internationalisation and innovation activities and skilling up their workforce . moreover , compared to larger enterprises , they have access to a more limited set of financing sources : they typically do not issue bonds , have only limited access to stock exchanges or large institutional investors . the lack of access to capital is also weakened by the small private equity industry in europe . the challenge in accessing finance is even greater for those smes whose activities focus on intangible assets . smes in the union rely heavily on banks and debt financing in the form of bank overdrafts , bank loans or leasing . supporting smes that face the above challenges and providing more diversified sources of funding is necessary for increasing the ability of smes to finance their creation , growth and development , withstand economic downturns , and for making the economy and the financial system more resilient during economic downturn or shocks . this is also complementary to the initiatives already undertaken in the context of the capital markets union . the investeu fund should provide an opportunity to focus on specific , more targeted financial products .


### small and medium - sized enterprises play a crucial role in the union . however , they face challenges when accessing finance because of their perceived high risk and lack of sufficient collateral . additional challenges arise from smes ' need to stay competitive by engaging in digitisation , internationalisation and innovation activities and skilling up their workforce . moreover , compared to larger enterprises , they have access to a more limited set of financing sources : they typically do not issue bonds , have only limited access to stock exchanges or large institutional investors . the challenge in accessing finance is even greater for those smes whose activities focus on intangible assets . smes in the union rely heavily on banks and debt financing in the form of bank overdrafts , bank loans or leasing . supporting smes that face the above challenges and providing more diversified sources of funding is necessary for increasing the ability of smes to finance their creation , growth and development , withstand economic downturns , and for making the economy and the financial system more resilient during economic downturn or shocks . this is also complementary to the initiatives already undertaken in the context of the capital markets union . the investeu fund should provide an opportunity to focus on specific , more targeted financial products . ### small and medium - sized enterprises and social economy enterprises play a crucial role in the union . however , they face challenges when accessing finance because of their perceived high risk and lack of sufficient collateral . additional challenges arise from smes ' need to stay competitive by engaging in digitisation , internationalisation and innovation activities and skilling up their workforce . moreover , compared to larger enterprises , they have access to a more limited set of financing sources : they typically do not issue bonds , have only limited access to stock exchanges or large institutional investors . the challenge in accessing finance is even greater for those smes whose activities focus on intangible assets . smes in the union rely heavily on banks and debt financing in the form of bank overdrafts , bank loans or leasing . supporting smes that face the above challenges and providing more diversified sources of funding is necessary for increasing the ability of smes to finance their creation , growth and development , withstand economic downturns , and for making the economy and the financial system more resilient during economic downturn or shocks . this is also complementary to the initiatives already undertaken in the context of the capital markets union . the investeu fund should provide an opportunity to focus on specific , more targeted financial products .


### in selecting implementing partners for the deployment of the investeu fund , the commission should consider the counterpart ' s capacity to fulfil the objectives of the investeu fund and contribute its own resources , in order to ensure adequate geographical coverage and diversification , to crowd - in private investors and to provide sufficient risk diversification as well as new solutions to address market failures and sub - optimal investment situations . given its role under the treaties , its capacity to operate in all member states and the existing experience under the current financial instruments and the efsi , the european investment bank group should remain a privileged implementing partner under the investeu fund ' s eu compartment . in addition to the eib group , national promotional banks or institutions should be able to offer a complementary financial product range given that their experience and capabilities at regional level could be beneficial for the maximisation of the impact of public funds on the territory of the union . moreover , it should be possible to have other international financial institutions as implementing partners , in particular when they present a comparative advantage in terms of specific expertise and experience in certain member states . it should also be possible for other entities fulfilling the criteria laid down in the financial regulation to act as implementing partners . ### in selecting implementing partners for the deployment of the investeu fund , the commission should consider the counterpart ' s capacity to fulfil the objectives of the investeu fund and contribute its own resources , in order to ensure adequate geographical coverage and diversification , to crowd - in private investors and to provide sufficient risk diversification as well as new solutions to address market failures and sub - optimal investment situations . given its role under the treaties , its capacity to operate in all member states and the existing experience under the current financial instruments and the efsi , the european investment bank group should remain a privileged implementing partner under the investeu fund ' s eu compartment . in addition to the eib group , banks , including commercial and local banks , national promotional institutions and consortia that provide guarantees should be able to offer a complementary financial product range given that their experience and capabilities at regional level could be beneficial for the maximisation of the impact of public funds on the territory of the union , combining the characteristics of their financial products with the requirements of the fund . moreover , it should be possible to have other international financial institutions as implementing partners , in particular when they present a comparative advantage in terms of specific expertise and experience in certain member states . it should also be possible for other entities fulfilling the criteria laid down in the financial regulation to act as implementing partners .


### the eu guarantee under the member state compartment should be allocated to any implementing partner eligible according to [ article 62 ] of the [ financial regulation ] , including national or regional promotional banks or institutions , the eib , the european investment fund and other multilateral development banks . when selecting implementing partners under the member state compartment , the commission should take into account the proposals made by each member state . in accordance with [ article 154 ] of the [ financial regulation ] , the commission must carry out an assessment of the rules and procedures of the implementing partner to ascertain that they provide a level of protection of the financial interest of the union equivalent to the one provided by the commission . ### the eu guarantee under the member state compartment should be allocated to any implementing partner eligible according to [ article 62 ] of the [ financial regulation ] , including national or regional promotional banks or institutions , the eib , the european investment fund and other multilateral development banks . where the deployment of the member state compartment is to target policy actions already addressed by the eu compartment through similar financing and investment operations , the member state compartment and the eu compartment shall have the same implementing partners . when selecting implementing partners under the member state compartment , the commission should take into account the proposals made by each member state . in accordance with [ article 154 ] of the [ financial regulation ] , the commission must carry out an assessment of the rules and procedures of the implementing partner to ascertain that they provide a level of protection of the financial interest of the union equivalent to the one provided by the commission .


### in order to ensure a wide geographic outreach of the advisory services across the union and to successfully leverage local knowledge about the investeu fund , a local presence of the investeu advisory hub should be ensured , where needed , taking into account existing support schemes , with a view to provide tangible , proactive , tailor - made assistance on the ground . ### in order to ensure a wide geographic outreach of the advisory services across the union and to successfully leverage local knowledge about the investeu fund , a local presence of the investeu advisory hub should be ensured , where needed , taking into account existing support schemes , with a view to providing tailor - made assistance on the ground to help in the preparation , development , organisation and implementation of projects .


### the eu guarantee for the purposes of the eu compartment referred to in point of article 8 shall be eur 38 000 000 000 . it shall be provisioned at the rate of 40 % . ### the eu guarantee for the purposes of the eu compartment referred to in point of article 8 shall be eur 38 000 000 000 . it shall be provisioned at the rate of 25 % .


### the amount referred to in paragraph 3 may also be used for technical and administrative assistance for the implementation of the investeu programme , such as preparatory , monitoring , control , audit and evaluation activities including corporate information technology systems . ### the amount referred to in paragraph 3 may also be used for technical and administrative assistance for the implementation of the investeu programme , such as preparatory , monitoring , control , audit and evaluation activities including corporate information technology systems . the purpose of these activities shall be to reduce bureaucratic and economic burden for beneficiaries .


### the amount referred to in paragraph 3 may also be used for technical and administrative assistance for the implementation of the investeu programme , such as preparatory , monitoring , control , audit and evaluation activities including corporate information technology systems . ### the amount referred to in paragraph 3 may also be used for technical and administrative assistance for the implementation of the investeu programme , such as preparatory , monitoring , control , audit and evaluation activities including corporate information technology systems , but may not exceed 5% of the value of the financial envelope defined in paragraph 1 .


### be consistent with the policy objectives and comply with the eligibility criteria set out in the rule on the union programme under which the support is decided ; ### be consistent with the policy objectives and comply with the eligibility criteria set out in the rule on the union programme under which the support is decided ; not a single financing or investment operation covered by the eu guarantee may undermine or go against the implementation of the sdgs , the eu ' s commitments in the paris agreement , the eu ' s 2030 climate and energy objectives and the achievement of a net - zero greenhouse gas emissions economy by 2050 ;


### sustainable infrastructure policy window : comprises sustainable investment in the areas of transport , energy , digital connectivity , supply and processing of raw materials , space , oceans and water , waste , nature and other environment infrastructure , equipment , mobile assets and deployment of innovative technologies that contribute to the environmental or social sustainability objectives of the union , or to both , or meet the environmental or social sustainability standards of the union ; ### sustainable infrastructure policy window : comprises sustainable investment in the areas of transport , renewable energy , energy efficiency investments , in line with the 2030 and 2050 energy frameworks ; digital connectivity , supply and processing of raw materials , space , oceans and water , waste , nature and other environment infrastructure , mobile assets and deployment of innovative technologies that contribute to the environmental or social sustainability objectives of the union , or to both , or meet the environmental or social sustainability standards of the union ;


### smes policy window : access to and availability of finance for smes and , in duly justified cases , for small mid - cap companies ; ### smes policy window : access to and availability of finance for start - ups , smes and mid - cap companies ;


### social investment and skills policy window : comprises microfinance , social enterprise finance and social economy ; skills , education , training and related services ; social infrastructure ; social innovation ; health and long - term care ; inclusion and accessibility ; cultural activities with a social goal ; integration of vulnerable people , including third country nationals . ### social investment and skills policy window : comprises microfinance , social enterprise finance and social economy ; skills , education , training , including management training for smes and for worker buyouts , and related services ; social infrastructure ; social innovation ; health and long - term care ; inclusion and accessibility ; cultural activities with a social goal ; integration of vulnerable people , including third country nationals .


### implementing partners shall provide the information necessary to allow the tracking of investment that contributes to meeting the union objectives on climate and environment , based on guidance to be provided by the commission . ### implementing partners shall provide the information necessary to allow the tracking of investment that contributes to meeting social , climate and environment objectives of the union , based on guidance to be provided by the commission .


### implementing partners shall target that at least 50 % of the investment under the sustainable infrastructure policy window contribute to meeting the union objectives on climate and environment . ### implementing partners shall ensure that at least 75 % of the investment under the sustainable infrastructure policy window significantly contribute to meeting the union objectives on climate and environment , in line with the eu commitments made at the 21st conference of the parties to the un framework convention on climate change .


### support of the eu guarantee may be granted for financing and investment operations covered by this regulation for an investment period ending on 31 december 2027 . contracts between the implementing partner and the final recipient or the financial intermediary or other entity referred to in article 13 shall be signed by 31 december 2028 . ### support of the eu guarantee may be granted for financing and investment operations covered by this regulation for an investment period ending on 31 december 2027 . this support must entail higher provisioning rates for smes which show that they are facing objective difficulties in gaining access to credit . contracts between the implementing partner and the final recipient or the financial intermediary or other entity referred to in article 13 shall be signed by 31 december 2028 .


### the commission shall be advised by an advisory board which shall have two configurations , namely representatives of implementing partners and representatives of member states . ### the commission shall be advised by an advisory board which shall have two configurations , namely representatives of implementing partners and representatives of member states . both configuration shall strive to ensure gender balance among their members .


### the commission shall be advised by an advisory board which shall have two configurations , namely representatives of implementing partners and representatives of member states . ### the commission shall be advised by an advisory board which shall have two configurations , namely representatives of implementing partners , representatives of member states and members of the alternative committees of the european parliament .


### verify their compliance with this regulation and the relevant investment guidelines , giving particular attention to the additionality requirement referred to in [ article 209 ] of the [ financial regulation ] and to the requirement to crowd in private investment referred to in [ article 209 ] of the [ financial regulation ] ; and ### verify their compliance with this regulation and the relevant investment guidelines , giving particular attention to the sustainability proofing referred to in article 7 , the additionality requirement referred to in [ article 209 ] of the [ financial regulation ] and to the requirement to crowd in private investment referred to in [ article 209 ] of the [ financial regulation ] ; and


### the investeu advisory hub shall be available as a component under each policy window referred to in article 7 covering all the sectors under that window . in addition , cross - sectoral advisory services shall be available . ### the investeu advisory hub shall be available as a component under each policy window referred to in article 7 covering all the sectors under that window , in particular for those contributing to eu climate objectives . in addition , cross - sectoral advisory services shall be available .


### assisting project promoters , where appropriate , in developing their projects to fulfil the objectives and eligibility criteria set out in articles 3 , 7 and 11 and facilitating development of aggregators for small - scale projects ; however , such assistance does not prejudge the conclusions of the investment committee on the coverage of the support of the eu guarantee to such projects ; ### assisting project promoters , where appropriate , in developing their projects to fulfil the objectives and eligibility criteria set out in articles 3 , 7 and 11 and facilitating development of aggregators for small - scale projects , as well as will assist in the formation of thematic and regional investment platforms by providing legal assistance and an appropriate template of an investment platform agreement ; however , such assistance does not prejudge the conclusions of the investment committee on the coverage of the support of the eu guarantee to such projects ;


### the investeu portal shall be established by the commission . it shall be an easily accessible and user - friendly project database , providing relevant information for each project . ### the investeu portal shall be established by the commission . it shall provide an easily accessible and user - friendly project database , giving more visibility to projects and allowing investors to identify investment opportunities in their sector or area of interest .


### the financing and investment operations may fall under one or more of the following areas : ### the financing and investment operations shall fall under one or more of the following areas :


### alternative fuels infrastructure , including electric charging infrastructure . ### alternative fuels infrastructure , including electric charging infrastructure , both stationary as well as electric road systems making use of overhead catenary or in - road charging .


### corporate projects ; ### corporate projects , including vocational and managerial training and promotion of the creation of clusters and business networks ;


### development and deployment of digital technologies and services , in particular through : ### development and deployment of advanced digital technologies and services which contribute to the digitisation of industry in the union , in particular through :


### development and deployment of digital technologies and services , in particular through : ### development , deployment and scaling up of digital technologies and services , in particular through :


### innovative health solutions , including health services and new care models ; ### innovative health solutions , including health services , healthcare systems management , e - health , preventive medicine , new care models and precision medicine ;


### to foster the competitiveness of space systems and technologies , addressing in particular vulnerability of supply chains ; ### to foster the competitiveness of space systems and technologies , addressing in particular independence of supply chains , including dual use aspects ,


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


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


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


### notwithstanding paragraph 1 , member states may still apply a seasonal change of their standard time or times in 2019 , provided that they do so at 1 . 00 a . m . , coordinated universal time , on 27 october 2019 . the member states shall notify this decision in accordance with article 2 . ### notwithstanding paragraph 1 , member states may still apply a seasonal change of their standard time or times in 2020 , provided that they do so on 29 october 2020 at 1 . 00 a . m . coordinated universal time . the member states shall notify this decision in accordance with article 2 .


### there are fundamental differences between member states when it comes to competences conferred on national regulatory authorities with regard to market monitoring and regulatory oversight of parcel delivery providers . this has been confirmed by a joint report48 prepared by the european regulators group for postal services and the body of european regulators for electronic communications , who concluded that national regulatory authorities need the appropriate regulatory powers to intervene and that such powers do not seem to be present in all member states . those differences result in additional administrative burdens and compliance costs for parcel delivery service providers who operate cross - border . those differences therefore constitute an obstacle to the cross - border provision of parcel delivery services and thus have a direct effect on the functioning of the internal market . __________________ 48 bor 214 / ergp pl 32 . ### there are fundamental differences between member states when it comes to competences conferred on national regulatory authorities with regard to market monitoring and regulatory oversight of parcel delivery service providers . this has been confirmed by a joint report48 prepared by the european regulators group for postal services and the body of european regulators for electronic communications , who concluded that national regulatory authorities need the appropriate regulatory powers to intervene and that such powers do not seem to be present in all member states . those differences result in additional administrative burdens and compliance costs for parcel delivery service providers who operate across borders . those differences therefore constitute an obstacle to the cross - border provision of parcel delivery services and thus have a direct effect on the functioning of the internal market . __________________ 48 bor 214 / ergp pl 32 .


### the market for cross - border parcel delivery services is diverse and complex , with different providers offering different services and prices depending on weight , size and format of the items sent as well as destination , added value features , such as traceability solutions , and the number of items sent . that diversity makes parcel delivery services hard to compare between different providers , both in terms of quality and price . furthermore , low volume senders , such as small and medium - sized enterprises and individuals are often not aware of the existence of different parcel delivery services offered . ### the market for cross - border parcel delivery services is diverse , complex and competitive , with different providers offering different services and prices depending on weight , size and format of the parcels sent as well as destination , added value features , such as traceability systems , and the number of parcels sent . in most member states , universal service providers do not have a majority share of the parcel delivery market . that diversity makes parcel delivery services hard to compare between different providers , both in terms of quality and price . furthermore , low volume senders , such as small and medium - sized enterprises and individuals are often not aware of the existence of different parcel delivery services offered .


### the market for cross - border parcel delivery services is diverse and complex , with different providers offering different services and prices depending on weight , size and format of the items sent as well as destination , added value features , such as traceability solutions , and the number of items sent . that diversity makes parcel delivery services hard to compare between different providers , both in terms of quality and price . furthermore , low volume senders , such as small and medium - sized enterprises and individuals are often not aware of the existence of different parcel delivery services offered . ### the market for cross - border parcel delivery services is diverse , complex and competitive , with different providers offering different services and prices depending on weight , size and format of the items sent as well as destination , added value features , such as traceability solutions , and the number of items sent . in some member states , universal service providers do not have a majority share of the parcel delivery market . that diversity makes parcel delivery services hard to compare between different service providers , both in terms of quality and price . furthermore , low volume senders , such as smes and individuals are often not aware of the existence of different parcel delivery services offered . in addition , the costs of switching are discouraging . moreover , small and medium sized e - retailers identify delivery concerns as an obstacle when selling cross - border .


### currently , postal services are regulated by directive 97 / 67 / ec of the european parliament and of the council49 . this directive establishes common rules governing the provision of postal services and the universal postal service in the union . it focuses primarily , but not exclusively , on national universal services and does not address regulatory oversight of parcel delivery service providers , transparency of tariffs and terminal rates for certain cross - border parcel delivery services , the assessment of the affordability of tariffs for certain cross - border parcel delivery services and transparent and non - discriminatory access to certain cross - border parcel delivery services and / or infrastructure . this regulation therefore complements , insofar as cross - border parcel delivery services are concerned , the rules set out in directive 97 / 67 / ec . _________________ 49 directive 97 / 67 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 15 december 1997 on common rules for the development of the internal market of community postal services and the improvement of quality of service . ### currently , postal services are regulated by directive 97 / 67 / ec of the european parliament and of the council49 . this directive establishes common rules governing the provision of postal services and the universal postal service in the union . the introduction of clearer rules could make cross - border parcel delivery more affordable and make it easier for consumers and companies , especially smes , to make the most of the eu single market and cross - border e - commerce . this regulation therefore complements , insofar as cross - border parcel delivery services are concerned , the rules set out in directive 97 / 67 / ec . however , the provisions of this regulation are without prejudice to the rights and guarantees set out in that directive , including in particular the continued provision of a universal postal service to users .


### an estimated 80 % of addressed postal items generated by e - commerce today weigh less than two kilograms , and are often processed in the letter - post mail stream . it is important that those postal items are subject to this regulation , notably to the requirements on transparency of tariffs and the assessment of their affordability . ### an estimated 80 % of parcels generated by e - commerce today weigh less than two kilograms , and are often processed in the letter - post mail stream , although no information is available on the weight of parcels delivered by other operators . it is important that those postal items are subject to this regulation , notably to the requirements on transparency of tariffs and the assessment of their excessively high tariffs .


### therefore , it is important to provide a clear definition of parcel delivery services and to specify which postal items are covered by that definition . this concerns in particular postal items , other than items of correspondence , which because of their weight are commonly used for sending goods and merchandise . this regulation should therefore cover , in line with consistent practice , postal items weighing up to 31 . 5 kg , as heavier items cannot be handled by a single average individual without mechanical aids . in line with current practice and directive 97 / 67 / ec , each step in the postal chain , i . e . clearance , sorting and delivery should be considered parcel delivery services . transport alone that is not undertaken in conjunction with one of those steps should fall outside the scope of parcel delivery services as it can in this case be assumed that this activity is part of the transport sector . ### therefore , it is important to provide a clear definition of “parcels” and “parcel delivery services” and to specify which postal items and parcels are covered by those definitions . this concerns in particular items handled or not by the universal service provider , other than items of correspondence , which because of their weight are commonly used for sending goods and merchandise with or without commercial value . this regulation should therefore cover , in line with consistent practice , parcels , handled or not by the universal service provider , weighing up to 31 . 5 kg , as heavier items cannot be handled by a single average individual without mechanical aids . in line with the current practice , each step of the parcel delivery chain , i . e . clearance , sorting and delivery should be considered parcel delivery services including when provided by express and courier service providers , as well as consolidators . parcel delivery service providers using alternative business models and e - commerce platforms should also be subject to this regulation if they provide at least one of these steps in the delivery chain . however , established freight or transport logistics providers , in contrast with individual independent subcontractors of the parcel delivery service provider , should not be covered by this regulation .


### when providing information to the national regulatory authority , it should be taken into account that parcel delivery service providers may have already provided certain information to the same national regulatory authority . parcel delivery services are important for small and medium - sized enterprises and individuals and they should be able to compare easily between different providers . therefore , the services for which tariffs should be provided by universal service providers should be clearly defined . those tariffs should be published by the commission on a dedicated webpage and should , together with the confidential regular provision of the underlying terminal rates , constitute the basis for the national regulatory authorities to assess the affordability of tariffs for cross - border parcel delivery services . parcel delivery service providers other than universal service providers may voluntarily provide , in a comparable form , their national regulatory authority with the tariffs for the same items provided that such items are delivered at the home or the premises of the addressee . ### when providing information to the national regulatory authority , it should be taken into account that parcel delivery service providers may have already provided certain information to the same national regulatory authority . parcel delivery services are important for smes and individuals and they should be able to compare easily between different providers . therefore , the services for which tariffs should be provided by parcel delivery service providers should be clearly defined . those tariffs should be published by the commission on a dedicated webpage and should , together with the confidential regular provision of the underlying terminal rates , constitute the basis for the national regulatory authorities to assess the reasonableness of tariffs for cross - border parcel delivery services .


### significant differences between domestic and cross - border tariffs for parcel delivery services should be justified by objective criteria , such as additional costs for transport and a reasonable profit margin . universal service providers providing parcel delivery services should be required to provide such justification without delay . ### unreasonable high cross - border tariffs for parcel delivery services should be justified by objective criteria , such as additional costs for transport and a reasonable profit margin . universal service providers providing parcel delivery services should be required to provide such justification without delay .


### in order to ensure transparency across the union , the analysis of a national regulatory authority should be submitted to the national regulatory authorities of the other member states and to the commission . confidentiality is to be ensured by the national regulatory authorities and the commission . the commission may also request the european regulators group for postal services to provide a union - wide analysis on the basis of the national contributions . ### in order to ensure transparency across the union , the analysis of a national regulatory authority should be submitted to the national regulatory authorities of the concerned member states and to the commission . confidentiality should be ensured by the national regulatory authorities and the commission . the commission may also request the european regulators group for postal services to provide a union - wide analysis on the basis of the national contributions , on condition that confidentiality is ensured .


### as markets for parcel delivery services are changing fast , the commission should re - assess the efficiency and effectiveness of this regulation and submit a regular report to the european parliament and the council . that report should be accompanied , where appropriate , by proposals for review to the european parliament and the council . ### as markets for parcel delivery services are changing fast , the commission should re - assess the efficiency and effectiveness of this regulation and submit a regular evaluation report to the european parliament and the council . that report should be accompanied , where appropriate , by legislative proposals for review to the european parliament and the council . that report should be produced following consultation with all appropriate stakeholders including the european social dialogue committee for the postal sector .


### as markets for parcel delivery services are changing fast , the commission should re - assess the efficiency and effectiveness of this regulation and submit a regular report to the european parliament and the council . that report should be accompanied , where appropriate , by proposals for review to the european parliament and the council . ### as markets for parcel delivery services are changing fast , the commission should re - assess the efficiency and effectiveness of this regulation , taking into account developments in e - commerce , and submit a regular report to the european parliament and the council . that report should be accompanied , where appropriate , by legislative proposals for review to the european parliament and the council . that report should be produced following consultation with all appropriate stakeholders including the social dialogue committee for the postal sector .


### in order to ensure uniform conditions for the implementation of the obligation for parcel delivery providers to submit information to national regulatory authorities , implementing powers should be conferred on the commission to establish a form for the submission of such information . those powers should be exercised in accordance with regulation no 182 / 2011 of the european parliament and of the council50 . __________________ 50 regulation 182 / 2011 of the european parliament and of the council of 16 february 2011 laying down the rules and general principles concerning mechanisms for control by the member states of the commission ' s exercise of implementing powers . ### in order to establish the specific obligations for all parcel delivery service providers with regard to the provision of information to the national regulatory authorities , the power to adopt acts in accordance with article 290 tfeu should be delegated to the commission in respect of the form for the submission of the information provided by parcel delivery service providers to the national regulatory authorities . it is of particular importance that the commission carry out appropriate consultations during its preparatory work , including at expert level , and that those consultations be conducted in accordance with the principles laid down in the interinstitutional agreement of 13 april 2016 on better law - making* . in particular , to ensure equal participation in the preparation of delegated acts , the european parliament and the council receive all documents at the same time as member states ' experts , and their experts systematically have access to meetings of commission expert groups dealing with the preparation of delegated acts . __________________ * oj l 123 , 12 . 5 . 2016 , p . 1 .


### this regulation establishes specific rules , in addition to the rules set out in directive 97 / 67 / ec , concerning : ### this regulation establishes specific provisions , enabling consumer access to cross - border parcel delivery services and fostering better user accessibility to efficient cross - border parcel delivery , including for vulnerable users , those in remote or sparsely populated areas and persons with disabilities , in addition to the provisions set out in directive 97 / 67 / ec , concerning :


### all parcel delivery service providers shall submit the following information to the national regulatory authority of the member state in which they are established : ### all parcel delivery service providers , including those parcel delivery service providers using alternative business models and e - commerce platforms , shall submit the following standard information to the national regulatory authority of the member state in which they are established unless that national regulatory authority has already requested and received such information :


### by 31 march of each calendar year , all parcel delivery service providers shall submit the following information to the national regulatory authority of the member state in which they are established : ### by 31 march of each calendar year , all parcel delivery service providers , including those parcel delivery service providers using alternative business models , including those drawing on the collaborative economy and e - commerce platforms , shall submit the following information to the national regulatory authority of the member state in which they are established , unless the national regulatory authority has already requested and received such information :


### in case of any change concerning information referred to in the first subparagraph , parcel delivery service providers shall inform the national regulatory authority of this change within 30 days . ### in case of any change concerning information referred to in paragraph 1 , parcel delivery service providers shall inform the national regulatory authority of that change within 30 days .


### the universal service provider shall provide the national regulatory authority with the information and / or justification referred to in paragraph 2 within 15 working days of receipt of the request . ### following the initial assessment referred to in paragraph 1 , the national regulatory authority may request from the parcel delivery service provider evidence - based justification of the level of those tariffs , such as the specific transportation or handling costs and bilateral volumes between different cross - border parcel delivery service providers .


### the national regulatory authority shall submit its assessment , including any information and / or justification provided in accordance with paragraph 3 , to the commission , the national regulatory authorities of the other member states and the national authorities within the member state of the submitting national regulatory authority entrusted with the implementation of competition law . a non - confidential version of that assessment shall also be provided to the commission . that information shall be provided by 31 march of each calendar year at the latest . ### the parcel delivery service provider shall provide the national regulatory authority with the justification referred to in paragraph 3 of this article within one month of receipt of the request .


### the commission shall publish the non - confidential version of the assessment provided by the national regulatory authorities in accordance with paragraph 4 on the dedicated website by 30 april of each calendar year at the latest . ### the national regulatory authority shall submit by 31 july of the relevant calendar year at the latest its further assessment , including any justification provided in accordance with paragraph 3 of this article , to the commission . in addition , the national regulatory authority shall provide a non - confidential version of its assessment to the commission .


### transparent and non - discriminatory cross - border access ### transparent and non - discriminatory cross - border access for small and medium sized enterprises


### transparent and non - discriminatory cross - border access ### cross - border access for small and medium - sized enterprises


### whenever universal service providers providing parcel delivery services conclude multilateral agreements on terminal rates they shall meet all reasonable requests for access to all network elements and associated facilities as well as relevant services and information systems , necessary for the provision of cross - border parcel delivery services . ### cross - border parcel service delivery providers having a dominant position within the relevant market and with a network covering at least the largest part of the territory of a member state shall meet all reasonable requests for access that are made by parcel delivery service providers defined as small and medium sized enterprises , in accordance with the commission recommendation 2003 / 360 / ec , and that concern access to all network elements and associated facilities as well as relevant services and information systems , necessary for the provision of cross - border parcel delivery services .


### whenever universal service providers providing parcel delivery services conclude multilateral agreements on terminal rates they shall meet all reasonable requests for access to all network elements and associated facilities as well as relevant services and information systems , necessary for the provision of cross - border parcel delivery services . ### whenever cross - border parcel delivery service providers conclude multilateral agreements on terminal rates , they shall , in full compliance with eu competition law , meet all reasonable requests for access to those agreements , under non - discriminatory conditions , made by third - party cross - border parcel delivery services defined as small and medium - sized enterprises under commission recommendation 2003 / 361 / ec .


### whenever universal service providers providing parcel delivery services conclude multilateral agreements on terminal rates they shall meet all reasonable requests for access to all network elements and associated facilities as well as relevant services and information systems , necessary for the provision of cross - border parcel delivery services . ### whenever universal service providers providing parcel delivery services conclude multilateral agreements on terminal rates they shall meet all reasonable requests for access to all network elements and associated facilities necessary for the provision of cross - border parcel delivery services , subject to a clear agreement between the parties .


### the point at which access should be provided shall be the inward office of exchange in the destination member state ### any refusal to grant access shall be justified clearly , on the basis of objective criteria , and shall be notified to the national regulatory authorities . saturation of the network and the need to make considerable additional investments to enable access may constitute an objective justification to refuse access .


### the point at which access should be provided shall be the inward office of exchange in the destination member state ### the point at which access should be provided shall be the inward office of exchange in the destination member state , unless the parties agree on an alternative point in the network .


### universal service providers referred to in paragraph 1 shall publish a reference offer . the reference offer shall contain all the relevant associated terms and conditions , including prices . ### cross - border parcel service delivery providers referred to in paragraph 1 shall publish a reference offer . the reference offer shall contain all the relevant associated terms and conditions , including prices .


### universal service providers referred to in paragraph 1 shall upon request , and based on a reference offer , make an individual offer available to a parcel delivery service provider requesting access within the meaning of that paragraph at the latest one month after the receipt of the request . universal service providers receiving an access request and providers requesting access shall negotiate in good faith . ### cross - border parcel service delivery providers referred to in paragraph 1 shall upon request , and based on a reference offer , make an individual offer available to a parcel delivery service provider requesting access within the meaning of that paragraph at the latest one month after the receipt of the request . cross - border parcel service delivery providers receiving an access request and providers requesting access shall negotiate in good faith .


### when no agreement is reached on the basis of the individual offer referred to in paragraph 6 , the parcel delivery service provider requesting access may submit the individual offer made by the universal service provider to the national regulatory authority . if necessary , the national regulatory authority shall change the individual offer to give effect to the obligations laid down in this article . ### when no agreement is reached on the basis of the individual offer referred to in paragraph 6 , the parcel delivery service provider requesting access may submit the individual offer made by the cross - border parcel service delivery provider to the national regulatory authority . if necessary , the national regulatory authority shall change the individual offer to give effect to the obligations laid down in this article .


### article 16 of regulation no 1092 / 2010 requires that the esrb warnings and recommendations are transmitted to the council and the commission and , where addressed to one or more national supervisory authorities , to the esas . to strengthen democratic control and transparency , those warnings and recommendations should also be transmitted to the european parliament and to the esas . ### article 16 of regulation no 1092 / 2010 requires that the esrb warnings and recommendations are transmitted to the council and the commission and , where addressed to one or more national supervisory authorities , to the esas . to strengthen democratic control and transparency , those warnings and recommendations must be transmitted without delay to the european parliament and to the esas .


### the following points and are inserted : ### the following points , and are inserted :


### regulation no 1257 / 2013 contains reference to directive 91 / 692 / eec . the relevant provision relates to the first reporting exercise , which has already ended . the relevant provision should therefore be deleted . ### the second subparagraph of article 21 of regulation no 1257 / 2013 refers to directive 91 / 692 / eec , which is to be repealed . pursuant to that provision , the first reporting exercise is due to start on the date of application of regulation no 1257 / 2013 . on 19 december 2016 , by means of implementing decision 2016 / 2323 , the commission established the first version of the european list of ship recycling facilities . in accordance with article 26 of regulation no 1257 / 2013 , member states are able to authorise the recycling of ships in ship recycling facilities included in the european list prior to the date of application of that regulation . in such circumstances , regulation no 1013 / 2006 does not apply . in order to avoid a gap where information is collected under neither regulation no 1013 / 2006 nor regulation no 1257 / 2013 , it is appropriate to introduce a transitional reporting period between the date of the first anticipated authorisation under article 26 of regulation no 1257 / 2013 in a given member state and the date of application of that regulation for each member state that decides to use the transitional period provided for in that article . to limit the related administrative burden for each such member state , it is not necessary that the information collected during that transitional period form the basis of a separate report . instead , it should be sufficient that such information be incorporated or form part of the first regular report covering the three - year period from the date of application of regulation no 1257 / 2013 .


### the commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with article 15a to adapt to technical and scientific progress the annexes . ### the commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with article 15a to amend the annexes in order to adapt them to technical and scientific progress .


### in article 21 of regulation no 1257 / 2013 , paragraph 2 is replaced by the following : ### in article 21 of regulation no 1257 / 2013 , the first and second subparagraphs of paragraph 2 are replaced by the following :


### the first electronic report shall cover the period from the date of publication of the european list to 31 december 2018 . . ### the first electronic report shall cover the three - year period starting on the date of application of this regulation , in accordance with article 32 . where a member state authorises the recycling of ships in ship recycling facilities included in the european list prior to the date of application of this regulation in accordance with article 26 , the first electronic report of that member state shall also cover the period from the date of such authorisation to the date of application of this regulation . '


### this directive respects the fundamental rights and observes the principles recognised by the charter of fundamental rights of the european union , notably , the right to protection of personal data , the right to conduct a business and the right to a high level of consumer protection , in particular by ensuring a higher level of transparency of retirement provisioning , informed personal financial and retirement planning as well as facilitating cross - border business of institutions for occupational retirement provision and businesses . this directive must be implemented in accordance with these rights and principles . ### this directive respects the fundamental rights and observes the principles recognised by the charter of fundamental rights of the european union , notably , the right to protection of personal data , the right to conduct a business , the right to property , the right of collective bargaining and action and the right to a high level of consumer protection , in particular by ensuring a higher level of transparency of retirement provisioning , informed personal financial and retirement planning as well as facilitating cross - border business of institutions for occupational retirement provision and businesses . this directive must be implemented in accordance with these rights and principles .


### as very long - term investors with low liquidity risks , institutions for occupational retirement provision are in a position to invest in non - liquid assets such as shares as well as in instruments that have a long - term economic profile and are not traded on regulated markets , multilateral trading facilities or organised trading facilities within prudent limits . they can also benefit from the advantages of international diversification . investments in shares in currencies other than those of the liabilities and in instruments that have a long - term economic profile and are not traded on regulated markets , multilateral trading facilities or organised trading facilities should therefore not be restricted except on prudential grounds . ### as very long - term investors with low liquidity risks , institutions for occupational retirement provision are in a position to invest in non - liquid assets such as shares as well as in instruments that have a long - term economic profile . they can also benefit from the advantages of international diversification . investments in shares in currencies other than those of the liabilities and in instruments that have a long - term economic profile , multilateral trading facilities or organised trading facilities should therefore not be restricted except on prudential grounds .


### in the context of the europe 2020 strategy21 and the strengthening of economic governance , social indicators play an essential role in informing and supporting the union ' s key priorities for growth and job creation , the reduction of poverty and social exclusion , skills , mobility and the digital economy . in particular , social indicators must provide a sound statistical basis for developing and monitoring the policies introduced by the union to address those priorities . __________________ 21 communication from the commission - europe 2020 a strategy for smart , sustainable and inclusive growth com 2020 of 3 march 2010 . ### in the context of the europe 2020 strategy21 and the strengthening of economic governance , social indicators play an essential role in informing and supporting the union ' s key priorities for inclusive growth and job creation , social cohesion , the reduction of poverty , inequalities and social exclusion , skills , gender equality , mobility and the digital economy . in particular , social indicators must provide a sound statistical basis for developing and monitoring the policies introduced by the union to address those priorities . __________________ 21 communication from the commission - europe 2020 a strategy for smart , sustainable and inclusive growth com 2020 of 3 march 2010 .


### in the context of the europe 2020 strategy21 and the strengthening of economic governance , social indicators play an essential role in informing and supporting the union ' s key priorities for growth and job creation , the reduction of poverty and social exclusion , skills , mobility and the digital economy . in particular , social indicators must provide a sound statistical basis for developing and monitoring the policies introduced by the union to address those priorities . __________________ 21 communication from the commission - europe 2020 a strategy for smart , sustainable and inclusive growth com 2020 of 3 march 2010 . ### in the context of the europe 2020 strategy21 and the strengthening of economic governance , social indicators play an essential role in informing and supporting the union ' s key priorities for growth and job creation , gender equality , the reduction of poverty and social exclusion , skills , mobility and the digital economy . in particular , social indicators must provide a sound statistical basis for developing and monitoring the policies introduced by the union to address those priorities . __________________ 21 communication from the commission - europe 2020 a strategy for smart , sustainable and inclusive growth com 2020 of 3 march 2010 .


### in the context of the europe 2020 strategy21 and the strengthening of economic governance , social indicators play an essential role in informing and supporting the union ' s key priorities for growth and job creation , the reduction of poverty and social exclusion , skills , mobility and the digital economy . in particular , social indicators must provide a sound statistical basis for developing and monitoring the policies introduced by the union to address those priorities . __________________ 21communication from the commission - europe 2020 a strategy for smart , sustainable and inclusive growth com 2020 of 3 march 2010 . ### in the context of the europe 2020 strategy21 and the strengthening of economic governance , social indicators play an essential role in informing and supporting the union ' s key priorities for growth and job creation , the reduction of poverty and social exclusion , skills , mobility and the digital economy . in particular , social indicators must provide a sound statistical basis for evaluating , developing and monitoring the policies introduced by the union to address those priorities . __________________ 21communication from the commission - europe 2020 a strategy for smart , sustainable and inclusive growth com 2020 of 3 march 2010 .


### in view of this , social indicators should be of the necessary high quality , in particular in terms of their robustness , their timeliness , their relevance , their adaptability to new users’ requests , as well as their comparability and efficiency . ### in view of this , social indicators should be of the necessary high quality , in particular in terms of their robustness , their timeliness , their relevance , their adaptability to new users’ requests , as well as their comparability and efficiency . it is essential to ensure gender - and age - segregated data collection , including for people over 74 , in order to identify gender and age specific issues , thus allowing for a solid factual basis to assess progress with regard to gender equality and tackling gender and age - based discrimination .


### the possibility to use administrative sources for statistical purposes has widened significantly , thanks to technological advances . the use of administrative sources should be actively promoted in the area of social statistics , while always ensuring the quality , accuracy , timeliness and comparability of those statistics . ### the possibility to use administrative sources for statistical purposes has widened significantly , thanks to rapid technological advances . the use of administrative sources should be actively promoted in the area of social statistics , while always ensuring the quality , accuracy , timeliness and comparability of those statistics .


### in 2011 , the european statistical system endorsed in wiesbaden its memorandum on a new conceptual design for household and social statistics . in its view , the european surveys that provide data relating to persons and households should be streamlined , and additional , less frequent microdata collections should be used to complement those core social surveys . furthermore , there should be better access to administrative data , and the re - use of existing data sources and access to new data sources should be developed at national and eu level . ### in 2011 , the european statistical system endorsed in wiesbaden its memorandum on a new conceptual design for household and social statistics . in its view , the european core social surveys that provide data relating to persons and households should be simplified , and they should be complemented by additional , less frequent microdata . furthermore , there should be better access to administrative data . likewise , there should be greater access to new data sources and greater re - use of existing data at national and european level .


### the developments described above need to be gradually streamlined , and statistical legislation in the area of social statistics needs to be modernised , in order to ensure that the high quality social indicators are produced in a more integrated , flexible and efficient manner . at the same time , due consideration must be given to the needs of users , to the burden placed on respondents , to member states resources , the reliability and accuracy of the methods used , technical feasibility of producing the statistics , the time within which they can be available and the reliability of the results . ### the developments described above need to be gradually streamlined , and statistical legislation in the area of social statistics needs to be modernised , in order to ensure that the high quality social indicators are produced in a more integrated , flexible and efficient manner . at the same time , due consideration must be given to the needs of users , to the burden placed on respondents , to member states resources , the reliability and accuracy of the methods used , technical feasibility of producing the statistics , the time within which they can be available and the reliability of the results . to achieve data of high quality , due consideration should be given to the reference manual ' developing gender statistics : a practical tool” , prepared by the unece task force on gender statistics training for statisticians with contributions from various experts1a . __________________ 1a http : / / www . unece . org / fileadmin / dam / stats / publications / developing_gender_statistics . pdf


### in order to better streamline and rationalise the reference framework for european social statistics collected from samples , existing european statistics on persons and households based on data at individual level should be brought together under one framework . this would guarantee that european social statistics collected from samples including the domains of labour market , income and living conditions , health , education and training and use of information and communication technologies would be undertaken in a consistent , coherent and coordinated way . ### in order to better streamline and rationalise the reference framework for european social statistics collected from samples , existing legal provisions for european statistics on persons and households based on data at individual level should be brought together under one framework . this would guarantee that the european social statistics collection of samples including the domains of labour force , income and living conditions , health status , education and training - participation of adults in lifelong learning and use of information and communication technologies would be undertaken in a consistent , coherent and coordinated way . this should ensure the provision of relevant data regarding unemployment , in particular youth unemployment , new employment trends , in particular in the context of digital economy , poverty , including child poverty , social exclusion , access to health care , access to ict , skills development and participation in education activities , consumption expenditure and purchasing power , for purposes of better policy making .


### data collections in the domains of time use and consumption are currently carried out voluntarily by many member states , on the basis of agreed general guidelines . these two domains should be modernised , so as to take full advantage of new technological advances . data collections in these two domains should be organized in accordance with this regulation so as to open possibilities and create opportunities for further developments in the future , ensuring data that are more timely and relevant , and produced more efficiently . in the meantime , the member states’ current approaches should not be changed . ### data collections in the domains of time use and consumption are currently carried out voluntarily by many member states , on the basis of agreed general guidelines . these two domains including the collection of data should be modernised , so as to take full advantage of new technological advances . data collections in these two domains should be organized in accordance with this regulation so as to open possibilities and create opportunities for further developments in the future , ensuring data that are more timely and relevant , and produced more efficiently . in the meantime , the member states ' current approaches should not be changed .


### statistics are no longer considered as just one of many sources of information for policy - making purposes , but instead play a central role in the decision - making process . evidence - based decision - making requires statistics that meet high - quality criteria , as set out in regulation no 223 / 2009 of the european parliament and of the council25 , in accordance with the purposes they are serving . __________________ 25 regulation no 223 / 2009 of the european parliament and of the council of 11 march 2009 on european statistics and repealing regulation no 1101 / 2008 of the european parliament and of the council on the transmission of data subject to statistical confidentiality to the statistical office of the european communities , council regulation no 322 / 97 on community statistics , and council decision 89 / 382 / eec , euratom establishing a committee on the statistical programmes of the european communities . ### social statistics play a central role in the decision - making process in particular for policies aiming to improve socio - economic conditions and the life and well - being of citizens by ensuring non - discrimination and gender equality . evidence - based decision - making requires statistics that meet high - quality criteria , as set out in regulation no 223 / 2009 of the european parliament and of the council25 , in accordance with the purposes they are serving . __________________ 25 regulation no 223 / 2009 of the european parliament and of the council of 11 march 2009 on european statistics and repealing regulation no 1101 / 2008 of the european parliament and of the council on the transmission of data subject to statistical confidentiality to the statistical office of the european communities , council regulation no 322 / 97 on community statistics , and council decision 89 / 382 / eec , euratom establishing a committee on the statistical programmes of the european communities .


### regulation no 223 / 2009 includes rules on the transmission of data from the member states , including the transmission of confidential data . measures taken in accordance with this regulation should ensure that confidential data is protected and that no unlawful disclosure or non - statistical use of data occurs during the production and dissemination of european statistics . ### regulation no 223 / 2009 includes rules on the transmission of data from the member states , including the transmission of confidential data . measures taken in accordance with this regulation should ensure that confidential data is well protected and that no unlawful disclosure or non - statistical use of data occurs during the production and dissemination of european statistics .