### instead of applying paragraphs 6 to 9 , member states may allocate an annual lump sum amount per farmer calculated by multiplying a fixed number of hectares by a figure corresponding to 25 % of the national average payment per hectare , as established in accordance with paragraph 8 . ### in article 50 , the first subparagraph is replaced by the following : instead of applying paragraphs 6 to 9 , member states may allocate an annual lump sum amount per farmer calculated by multiplying a fixed number of hectares by a figure corresponding to 50% of the national average payment per hectare , as established in accordance with paragraph 8 .


### an income stabilisation tool , in the form of financial contributions to mutual funds , providing compensation to farmers of a specific sector for a severe drop in their income . ; ### financial contributions to premiums for income insurance ; '


### coupled support may only be granted to the extent necessary to create an incentive to maintain current levels of production in the sectors or regions concerned . ### in article 52 , paragraph 5 is replaced by the following : with the exception of protein crops , coupled support may only be granted to the extent necessary to create an incentive to maintain current levels of production in the sectors or regions concerned .


### ““article 101 tfeu shall not apply to agreements , decisions and concerted practices of farmers , farmers’ associations , or associations of such associations , or producer organisations recognised under article 152 of this regulation , or associations of producer organisations recognised under article 156 of this regulation , which concern the production or sale of agricultural products or the use of joint facilities for the storage , treatment or processing of agricultural products , unless the objectives of article 39 tfeu are jeopardised . ”“ ### 4 a . in article 209 , subparagraph 2 is replaced by the following : ““article 101 tfeu shall not apply to agreements , decisions and concerted practices of farmers , farmers’ associations , or associations of such associations , or producer organisations recognised under article 152 of this regulation , or bargaining organisations recognised under article 152a of this regulation , or their associations recognised under article 156 of this regulation , which concern the production or sale of agricultural products or the use of joint facilities for the storage , treatment or processing of agricultural products , unless the objectives of article 39 tfeu are jeopardised . ”“


### ' 1 . the certification body shall be a public or private audit body designated by the member state . where it is a private audit body , and the applicable union or national law so requires , it shall be selected by the member state by means of a public tendering procedure . it shall provide an opinion , drawn up in accordance with internationally accepted audit standards , on the completeness , accuracy and veracity of the annual accounts of the paying agency , on the proper functioning of its internal control system and on the legality and regularity of the expenditure for which reimbursement has been requested from the commission . that opinion shall also state whether the examination puts in doubt the assertions made in the management declaration . ' ### - 1 a . in article 9 , the first subparagraph is replaced by the following : ' 1 . the certification body shall be a public or private audit body designated by the member state . where it is a private audit body , and the applicable union or national law so requires , it shall be selected by the member state by means of a public tendering procedure . it shall provide an opinion , drawn up in accordance with internationally accepted audit standards , on the completeness , accuracy and veracity of the annual accounts of the paying agency , on the proper functioning of its internal control system and on the legality and regularity of the expenditure for which reimbursement has been requested from the commission . that opinion shall also state whether the examination puts in doubt the assertions made in the management declaration . the certification body shall carry out its inspections in accordance with union law . '


### the commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with article 227 amending paragraph 1 to add member states where the degree of organisation of producers in the fruit and vegetable sector is particularly low and to delete member states where that is no longer the case . ### the degree of organisation of producers in a region of a member state shall be considered particularly low where the average degree of organisation has been less than 20 % for three consecutive years preceding the date of request for national financial assistance . such the degree of organisation shall be calculated as the value of fruit and vegetable production that was obtained in the region concerned and marketed by producer organisations , associations of producer organisations and producer groups , divided by the total value of the fruit and vegetable production that was obtained in that region . the commission shall adopt implementing acts defining the average degree of organisation in the union and also the degree of organisation in member states and regions . laying down further detailed rules on the calculation of the degree of organisation . those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in article 229 .


### ' 1 . support under point of article 36 shall only be granted where the drop of income exceeds 30 % of the average annual income of the individual farmer in the preceding three - year period or a three - year average based on the preceding five - year period excluding the highest and lowest entry . income for the purposes of point of article 36 shall refer to the sum of revenues the farmer receives from the market , including any form of public support , deducting input costs . payments by the mutual fund to farmers shall compensate for less than 70 % of the income lost in the year the producer becomes eligible to receive this assistance . ' ### in article 39 , paragraph 1 is replaced by the following : ' 1 . support under point of article 36 shall only be granted where the drop of income exceeds 20 % of the average annual income of the individual farmer in the preceding three - year period or a three - year average based on the preceding five - year period excluding the highest and lowest entry . income for the purposes of point of article 36 shall refer to the sum of revenues the farmer receives from the market , including any form of public support , deducting input costs . payments by the mutual fund to farmers shall compensate for less than 70 % of the income lost in the year the producer becomes eligible to receive this assistance . indexes may be used to calculate the annual loss of income of the farmer . '


### “7 . member states applying article 36 shall each year calculate the amount of the payment for young farmers by multiplying a figure corresponding to 25 % of the single area payment calculated in accordance with article 36 by the number of eligible hectares that the farmer has declared in accordance with article 36 . ” ### in article 50 , paragraph 7 is replaced by the following : “7 . member states applying article 36 shall each year calculate the amount of the payment for young farmers by multiplying a figure corresponding to a value of no more than 50 % of the single area payment calculated in accordance with article 36 by the number of eligible hectares that the farmer has declared in accordance with article 36 . ”


### ' 1 . support under this measure shall be granted , per hectare of agricultural area , to farmers or groups of farmers who undertake , on a voluntary basis , to convert to or maintain organic farming practices and methods as defined in regulation no 834 / 2007 and who are active farmers within the meaning of article 9 of regulation no 1307 / 2013 . ' ### in article 29 , paragraph 1 is replaced by the following : ' 1 . support under this measure shall be granted , per hectare of agricultural area and if duly justified also on livestock unit to farmers or groups of farmers who undertake , on a voluntary basis , to convert to or maintain organic farming practices and methods as defined in regulation no 834 / 2007 and who are active farmers within the meaning of article 9 of regulation no 1307 / 2013 '


### bulgaria , croatia , cyprus , estonia , finland , greece , hungary , lithuania , luxemburg , malta , poland , romania , slovakia and slovenia may grant producer organisations on their request national financial assistance equal to a maximum of 1 % of their value of marketed production . that assistance shall be additional to the operational fund . ### in regions of member states in which the degree of organisation of producers in the fruit and vegetables sector is particularly low below the eu average , member states may grant producer organisations national financial assistance equal to a maximum of 80 % of the financial contributions referred to in point of article 32 and of up to [ . . . ] 10% of the value of the marketed production of any such producer organisation . that assistance shall be additional to the operational fund .


### member states shall define upper and lower thresholds per beneficiary for allowing access to support under points and of paragraph 1 . the lower threshold for support under point of paragraph 1 shall be higher than the upper threshold for support under point of paragraph 1 . support shall be limited to holdings coming under the definition of micro and small enterprises . ### member states may define upper and / or lower thresholds per beneficiary for allowing access to support under points and of paragraph 1 . the lower threshold for support under point of paragraph 1 shall be higher than the upper threshold for support under point of paragraph 1 . member states may annually notify to the ec any changes related to the thresholds .


### ' 1 . support under point of article 36 shall only be granted for insurance contracts which cover for loss caused by an adverse climatic event , or by an animal or plant disease , or a pest infestation , or an environmental incident or a measure adopted in accordance with directive 2000 / 29 / ec to eradicate or contain a plant disease , or pest which destroys more than 30 % of the average annual production of the farmer in the preceding three - year period or a three - year average based on the preceding five - year period , excluding the highest and lowest entry . indexes may be used in order to calculate the annual production of the farmer . the calculation method used shall permit the determination of the actual loss of an individual farmer in a given year . ' ### 7 a . in article 37 , the introductory part is replaced by the following : ' 1 . support under point of article 36 shall only be granted for insurance contracts which cover for loss caused by an adverse climatic event , or by an animal or plant disease , or a pest infestation , or an environmental incident or a measure adopted in accordance with directive 2000 / 29 / ec to eradicate or contain a plant disease , or pest which destroys more than 20 % of the average annual production of the farmer in the preceding three - year period or a three - year average based on the preceding five - year period , excluding the highest and lowest entry . indexes may be used in order to calculate the annual production of the farmer . the calculation method used shall permit the determination of the actual loss of an individual farmer in a given year . '


### ' the authorities or bodies selected to provide advice shall have appropriate resources in the form of regularly trained and qualified staff and advisory experience and reliability with respect to the fields in which they advise . the beneficiaries under this measure shall be chosen through calls for tenders . the selection procedure shall be governed by public procurement law and shall be open to both public and private bodies . it shall be objective and shall exclude candidates with conflicts of interest . ' ### in article 15 , subparagraph 1 is replaced by the following : ' the authorities or bodies selected to provide advice shall have appropriate resources in the form of regularly trained and qualified staff and advisory experience and reliability with respect to the fields in which they advise . the providers under this measure shall be chosen through a selection procedure open to both public and private bodies . it shall be objective and shall exclude candidates with conflicts of interest . '


### “8 . by way of derogation from the paragraphs 6 and 7 , member states may calculate each year the amount of the payment for young farmers by multiplying a figure corresponding to 25 % of the national average payment per hectare by the number of entitlements that the farmer has activated in accordance with article 32 , or by the number of eligible hectares that the farmer has declared in accordance with article 36 . ” ### in article 50 , the first paragraph is replaced by the following : “8 . by way of derogation from the paragraphs 6 and 7 , member states may calculate each year the amount of the payment for young farmers by multiplying a figure corresponding to a value of no more than 50 % of the national average payment per hectare by the number of entitlements that the farmer has activated in accordance with article 32 , or by the number of eligible hectares that the farmer has declared in accordance with article 36 . ”


### member states applying article 36 shall each year calculate the amount of the payment for young farmers by multiplying a figure corresponding to 25% of the single area payment calculated in accordance with article 36 by the number of eligible hectares that the farmer has declared in accordance with article 36 . ### in article 50 , paragraph 7 is replaced by the following : member states applying article 36 shall each year calculate the amount of the payment for young farmers by multiplying a figure corresponding to 50% of the single area payment calculated in accordance with article 36 by the number of eligible hectares that the farmer has declared in accordance with article 36 .


### ' where the arable land of the farmer covers between 10 and 30 hectares and is not entirely cultivated with crops under water for a significant part of the year or for a significant part of the crop cycle , there shall be at least two different crops on that arable land . the main crop shall not cover more than 75 % of that arable land . ' ### 3 b . in article 44 , the first subparagraph is replaced by the following : ' where the arable land of the farmer covers between 15 and 30 hectares and is not entirely cultivated with crops under water for a significant part of the year or for a significant part of the crop cycle , there shall be at least two different crops on that arable land . the main crop shall not cover more than 75 % of that arable land . '


### by way of derogation from the paragraphs 6 and 7 , member states may calculate each year the amount of the payment for young farmers by multiplying a figure corresponding to 25 % of the national average payment per hectare by the number of entitlements that the farmer has activated in accordance with article 32 , or by the number of eligible hectares that the farmer has declared in accordance with article 36 . ### in article 50 , paragraph 8 is replaced by the following : by way of derogation from the paragraphs 6 and 7 , member states may calculate each year the amount of the payment for young farmers by multiplying a figure corresponding to 50% of the national average payment per hectare by the number of entitlements that the farmer has activated in accordance with article 32 , or by the number of eligible hectares that the farmer has declared in accordance with article 36 .


### ' support under this measure shall be granted , per hectare of agricultural area , to farmers or groups of farmers who undertake , on a voluntary basis , to convert to or maintain organic farming practices and methods as defined in regulation no 834 / 2007 and who are active farmers within the meaning of article 9 of regulation no 1307 / 2013 . ' ### in article 29 , paragraph 1 , is replaced by the following : ' support under this measure shall be granted , per hectare of agricultural area and , where justified per livestock unit , to farmers or groups of farmers who undertake , on a voluntary basis , to convert to or maintain organic farming practices and methods as defined in regulation no 834 / 2007 and who are active farmers within the meaning of article 9 of regulation no 1307 / 2013 . '


### ' 1 . support under this measure shall be granted , per hectare of agricultural area , to farmers or groups of farmers who undertake , on a voluntary basis , to convert to or maintain organic farming practices and methods as defined in regulation no 834 / 2007 and who are active farmers within the meaning of article 9 of regulation no 1307 / 2013 . ' ### in article 29 , paragraph 1 is replaced by the following : ' 1 . support under this measure shall be granted , per hectare of agricultural area and , in duly justified cases , per livestock units , to farmers or groups of farmers who undertake , on a voluntary basis , to convert to or maintain organic farming practices and methods as defined in regulation no 834 / 2007 and who are active farmers within the meaning of article 9 of regulation no 1307 / 2013 '


### ' date of setting up ' means the date when the setting up process begins by means of action to be performed by the applicant . ; ### ' date of setting up ' means the date when the applicant starts his agricultural activity having completed his preliminary business plan and had it approved by the national authorities responsible for granting the aid .


### ' ' arable land ' means land cultivated for crop production or areas available for crop production but lying fallow , including areas set aside in accordance with articles 22 , 23 and 24 of regulation no 1257 / 1999 , with article 39 of regulation no 1698 / 2005 and with article 28 of regulation no 1305 / 2013 , irrespective of whether or not that land is under greenhouses or under fixed or mobile cover . ' ### - 1 . in article 4 , point is replaced by the following : ' ' arable land ' means land cultivated for crop production or areas available for crop production but lying fallow including all areas lying fallow and covered by grasses or other herbaceous forage that were agricultural areas but not permanent grassland at the time of being laid fallow and including areas set aside in accordance with articles 22 , 23 and 24 of regulation no 1257 / 1999 , with article 39 of regulation no 1698 / 2005 and with article 28 of regulation no 1305 / 2013 , irrespective of whether or not that land is under greenhouses or under fixed or mobile cover . '


### ' young farmer ' means a person who is no more than 40 years of age at the moment of submitting the application , possesses adequate occupational skills and competence and is setting up for the first time in an agricultural holding as head of that holding ; setting up may be done solely or jointly with other farmers ; ### ' young farmer ' means a person who is no more than 40 years of age at the moment of submitting the application , possesses adequate occupational skills and competence and is setting up for the first time in an agricultural holding as head of that holding ; setting up may be done solely or jointly , under any legal form , with other farmers ;


### 25% of an amount calculated by dividing a fixed percentage of the national ceiling for the calendar year 2019 set out in annex ii by the number of all eligible hectares declared in 2015 in accordance with article 33 . that fixed percentage shall be equal to the share of the national ceiling remaining for the basic payment scheme in accordance with article 22 for 2015 . ### in article 50 , point is replaced by the following : 50% of an amount calculated by dividing a fixed percentage of the national ceiling for the calendar year 2019 set out in annex ii by the number of all eligible hectares declared in 2015 in accordance with article 33 . that fixed percentage shall be equal to the share of the national ceiling remaining for the basic payment scheme in accordance with article 22 for 2015 .


### an income stabilisation tool , in the form of financial contributions to mutual funds , providing compensation to farmers of a specific sector for a severe drop in their income . ; ### financial contributions to premiums for income insurance ; '


### the commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with article 227 amending paragraph 1 to add member states where the degree of organisation of producers in the fruit and vegetable sector is particularly low and to delete member states where that is no longer the case . ### the degree of organisation of producers in a region of a member state shall be considered particularly low where the average degree of organisation has been less than 20 % for three consecutive years preceding the date of request for national financial assistance . such the degree of organisation shall be calculated as the value of fruit and vegetable production that was obtained in the region concerned and marketed by producer organisations , associations of producer organisations and producer groups , divided by the total value of the fruit and vegetable production that was obtained in that region . the commission shall adopt implementing acts defining the average degree of organisation in the union and also the degree of organisation in member states and regions . laying down further detailed rules on the calculation of the degree of organisation . those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in article 229 .


### following consultation with the operator , member states may exclude from the community scheme installations which have reported to the competent authority emissions of less than 25 000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent and , where they carry out combustion activities , have a rated thermal input below 35 mw , excluding emissions from biomass , in each of the three years preceding the notification under point , and which are subject to measures that will achieve an equivalent contribution to emission reductions , if the member state concerned complies with the following conditions : it notifies the commission of each such installation , specifying the equivalent measures applying to that installation that will achieve an equivalent contribution to emission reductions that are in place , before the list of installations pursuant to article 11 has to be submitted and at the latest when this list is submitted to the commission ; it confirms that monitoring arrangements are in place to assess whether any installation emits 25 000 tonnes or more of carbon dioxide equivalent , excluding emissions from biomass , in any one calendar year . member states may allow simplified monitoring , reporting and verification measures for installations with average annual verified emissions between 2008 and 2010 which are below 5 000 tonnes a year , in accordance with article 14 ; it confirms that if any installation emits 25 000 tonnes or more of carbon dioxide equivalent , excluding emissions from biomass , in any one calendar year or the measures applying to that installation that will achieve an equivalent contribution to emission reductions are no longer in place , the installation will be reintroduced into the community scheme ; it publishes the information referred to in points , and for public comment . hospitals may also be excluded if they undertake equivalent measures . ### in article 27 paragraph 1 is replaced by the following : ' following consultation with the operator , member states may exclude from the community scheme installations which have reported to the competent authority emissions of less than 50 000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent , excluding emissions from biomass , in each of the three years preceding the notification under point , and which are subject to measures that will achieve an equivalent contribution to emission reductions , if the member state concerned complies with the following conditions : it notifies the commission of each such installation , specifying the equivalent measures applying to that installation that will achieve an equivalent contribution to emission reductions that are in place , before the list of installations pursuant to article 11 has to be submitted and at the latest when this list is submitted to the commission ; it confirms that monitoring arrangements are in place to assess whether any installation emits 50 000 tonnes or more of carbon dioxide equivalent , excluding emissions from biomass , in any one calendar year ; it confirms that if any installation emits 50 000 tonnes or more of carbon dioxide equivalent , excluding emissions from biomass , in any one calendar year or the measures applying to that installation that will achieve an equivalent contribution to emission reductions are no longer in place , the installation will be reintroduced into the community scheme ; it publishes the information referred to in points , and for public comment . hospitals may also be excluded if they undertake equivalent measures . '


### three new subparagraphs are added to paragraph 1 : ' from 2021 onwards , the share of allowances to be auctioned by member states shall be 57% . 2% of the total quantity of allowances between 2021 and 2030 shall be auctioned to establish a fund to improve energy efficiency and modernise the energy systems of certain member states as set out in article 10d of this directive . the total remaining quantity of allowances to be auctioned by member states shall be distributed in accordance with paragraph 2 . ' ; ### five new subparagraphs are added to paragraph 1 : ' from 2021 onwards , the share of allowances to be auctioned by member states shall be at least 63% . 2% of the total quantity of allowances between 2021 and 2030 shall be auctioned to establish a fund to improve energy efficiency and modernise the energy systems of certain member states as set out in article 10d of this directive . 2% of the total quantity of allowances between 2021 and 2030 shall be auctioned to establish the international climate action fund to support climate action in vulnerable developing countries with low capacity , especially the least developed countries , small island development states and countries in africa , in particular for adaptation to the impacts of climate change . financial resources from the international climate action fund will be used to replenish the united nations green climate fund on an annual basis , which has a goal to allocate 50% for adaptation , with half destined for highly vulnerable countries . 2% of the total quantity of allowances between 2021 and 2030 shall be auctioned to establish the just transition fund to support local communities and workers in regions impacted most strongly by the ongoing transition to a decarbonised economy . the resources of that fund shall be used for investments aiming at creating jobs , financing job training and other employment and health services in alternative economic activities in regions where traditional carbon intensive sectors will lose a large number of jobs as a result of decarbonisation . a specific plan shall be developed by each member state applying to utilise resources from this fund , in close partnership with the municipal and local authorities of the transformation regions as well as the social partners and civil society organisations . the total remaining quantity of allowances to be auctioned by member states shall be distributed in accordance with paragraph 2 . ' ;


### following consultation with the operator , member states may exclude from the community scheme installations which have reported to the competent authority emissions of less than 25 000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent and , where they carry out combustion activities , have a rated thermal input below 35 mw , excluding emissions from biomass , in each of the three years preceding the notification under point , and which are subject to measures that will achieve an equivalent contribution to emission reductions , if the member state concerned complies with the following conditions : it notifies the commission of each such installation , specifying the equivalent measures applying to that installation that will achieve an equivalent contribution to emission reductions that are in place , before the list of installations pursuant to article 11 has to be submitted and at the latest when this list is submitted to the commission ; it confirms that monitoring arrangements are in place to assess whether any installation emits 25 000 tonnes or more of carbon dioxide equivalent , excluding emissions from biomass , in any one calendar year . member states may allow simplified monitoring , reporting and verification measures for installations with average annual verified emissions between 2008 and 2010 which are below 5 000 tonnes a year , in accordance with article 14 ; it confirms that if any installation emits 25 000 tonnes or more of carbon dioxide equivalent , excluding emissions from biomass , in any one calendar year or the measures applying to that installation that will achieve an equivalent contribution to emission reductions are no longer in place , the installation will be reintroduced into the community scheme ; it publishes the information referred to in points , and for public comment . hospitals may also be excluded if they undertake equivalent measures . ### in article 27 paragraph 1is replaced by the following : ' 1 . following consultation with the operator , member states may exclude from the community scheme installations which have reported to the competent authority emissions of less than 25 000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent and , where they carry out combustion activities , have a rated thermal input below 35 mw , in each of the three years preceding the notification under point , and which are subject to measures that will achieve an equivalent contribution to emission reductions , if the member state concerned complies with the following conditions : it notifies the commission of each such installation , specifying the equivalent measures applying to that installation that will achieve an equivalent contribution to emission reductions that are in place , before the list of installations pursuant to article 11 has to be submitted and at the latest when this list is submitted to the commission ; it confirms that monitoring arrangements are in place to assess whether any installation emits 25 000 tonnes or more of carbon dioxide equivalent , in any one calendar year . member states may allow simplified monitoring , reporting and verification measures for installations with average annual verified emissions between 2008 and 2010 which are below 5 000 tonnes a year , in accordance with article 14 ; it confirms that if any installation emits 25 000 tonnes or more of carbon dioxide equivalent , in any one calendar year or the measures applying to that installation that will achieve an equivalent contribution to emission reductions are no longer in place , the installation will be reintroduced into the community scheme ; it publishes the information referred to in points , and for public comment . hospitals may also be excluded if they undertake equivalent measures . '


### reporting persons should be protected against any form of retaliation , whether direct or indirect , taken by their employer or customer / recipient of services and by persons working for or acting on behalf of the latter , including co - workers and managers in the same organisation or in other organisations with which the reporting person is in contact in the context of his / her work - related activities , where retaliation is recommended or tolerated by the concerned person . protection should be provided against retaliatory measures taken vis - à - vis the reporting person him / herself but also those that may be taken vis - à - vis the legal entity he / she represents , such as denial of provision of services , blacklisting or business boycotting . indirect retaliation also includes actions taken against relatives of the reporting person who are also in a work - related connection with the latter’s employer or customer / recipient of services and workers’ representatives who have provided support to the reporting person . ### reporting persons should be protected against any form of retaliation , whether direct or indirect , taken by their employer or customer / recipient of services and by persons working for or acting on behalf of the latter , including co - workers and managers in the same organisation or in other organisations with which the reporting person is in contact in the context of his / her work - related activities , where retaliation is recommended or tolerated by the concerned person . protection should be provided against retaliatory measures taken vis - à - vis the reporting person him / herself but also those that may be taken vis - à - vis the legal entity he / she represents , such as denial of provision of services , blacklisting or business boycotting . indirect retaliation also includes actions taken against relatives of the reporting person who are also in a work - related connection with the latter’s employer or customer / recipient of services and workers’ representatives or other persons and organisations who have provided support to the reporting person .


### protection should also extend to further categories of natural or legal persons , who , whilst not being ' workers ' within the meaning of article 45 tfeu , can play a key role in exposing breaches of the law and may find themselves in a position of economic vulnerability in the context of their work - related activities . for instance , in areas such as product safety , suppliers are much closer to the source of possible unfair and illicit manufacturing , import or distribution practices of unsafe products ; in the implementation of union funds , consultants providing their services are in a privileged position to draw attention to breaches they witness . such categories of persons , including self - employed persons providing services , freelance , contractors , sub - contractors and suppliers , are typically subject to retaliation in the form of early termination or cancellation of contract of services , licence or permit , loss of business , loss of income , coercion , intimidation or harassment , blacklisting / business boycotting or damage to their reputation . shareholders and persons in managerial bodies , may also suffer retaliation , for instance in financial terms or in the form of intimidation or harassment , blacklisting or damage to their reputation . protection should also be granted to candidates for employment or for providing services to an organisation who acquired the information on breaches of law during the recruitment process or other pre - contractual negotiation stage , and may suffer retaliation for instance in the form of negative employment references or blacklisting / business boycotting . ### protection should also extend to further categories of natural or legal persons , who , whilst not being ' workers ' within the meaning of article 45 tfeu , can play a key role in exposing breaches of the law and may find themselves in a position of vulnerability in the context of their work - related activities . for instance , in areas such as product safety , suppliers are much closer to the source of possible unfair and illicit manufacturing , import or distribution practices of unsafe products ; in the implementation of union funds , consultants providing their services are in a privileged position to draw attention to breaches they witness . such categories of persons , including self - employed persons providing services , freelance , contractors , sub - contractors and suppliers , are typically subject to retaliation in the form of early termination or cancellation of contract of services , licence or permit , loss of business , loss of income , coercion , intimidation or harassment , blacklisting / business boycotting or damage to their reputation . shareholders and persons in managerial bodies , may also suffer retaliation , for instance in financial terms or in the form of intimidation or harassment , blacklisting or damage to their reputation . protection should also be granted to candidates for employment or for providing services to an organisation who acquired the information on breaches of law during the recruitment process or other pre - contractual negotiation stage , and may suffer retaliation for instance in the form of negative employment references or blacklisting / business boycotting .


### dedicated staff members of the competent authorities , who are professionally trained , including on applicable data protection rules , would be necessary in order to handle reports and to ensure communication with the reporting person , as well as following up on the report in a suitable manner . ### dedicated staff members of the competent authorities , who are professionally trained on a regular basis , including on applicable data protection rules , would be necessary in order to receive and handle reports and to ensure communication with the reporting person , as well as following up on the report in a suitable manner .


### in judicial proceedings relating to a detriment suffered by the reporting person , and subject to him or her providing reasonable grounds to believe that the detriment was in retaliation for having made the report or disclosure , it shall be for the person who has taken the retaliatory measure to prove that the detriment was not a consequence of the report but was exclusively based on duly justified grounds . ### in judicial proceedings relating to a detriment suffered by the reporting person , and subject to him or her providing reasonable grounds to believe that the detriment was in retaliation for having made the report or public disclosure , it shall be for the person who has taken the retaliatory measure to prove that the detriment was not a consequence of the report or public disclosure but was exclusively based on duly justified grounds .


### penalties are necessary to ensure the effectiveness of the rules on whistleblower protection . penalties against those who take retaliatory or other adverse actions against reporting persons can discourage further such actions . penalties against persons who make a report or disclosure demonstrated to be knowingly false are necessary to deter further malicious reporting and preserve the credibility of the system . the proportionality of such penalties should ensure that they do not have a dissuasive effect on potential whistleblowers . ### penalties are necessary to ensure the effectiveness of the rules on whistleblower protection . penalties against those who take retaliatory or other adverse actions against reporting persons can discourage further such actions . penalties against persons who make a report or disclosure demonstrated to be deliberately and knowingly false are necessary to deter further malicious reporting and preserve the credibility of the system . the proportionality of such penalties should ensure that they do not have a dissuasive effect on potential whistleblowers .


### in the context of internal reporting , the quality and transparency of information provided on the follow up procedure to the report is crucial to build trust in the effectiveness of the overall system of whistleblower protection and reduces the likelihood of further unnecessary reports or public disclosures . the reporting person should be informed within a reasonable timeframe about the action envisaged or taken as follow up to the report as far as such information would not prejudice the enquiry or investigation or affect the rights of the concerned person . such reasonable timeframe should not exceed in total three months . where the appropriate follow up is still being determined , the reporting person should be informed about this and about any further feedback he / she should expect . ### in the context of internal reporting , the quality and transparency of information provided on the follow up procedure to the report is crucial to build trust in the effectiveness of the overall system of whistleblower protection and reduces the likelihood of further unjustified reports or public disclosures . the reporting person should be informed within a reasonable timeframe about the action envisaged or taken as follow up to the report as far as such information would not prejudice the enquiry or investigation or affect the rights of the concerned person . such reasonable timeframe should not exceed in total three months . where the appropriate follow - up is still being determined , the reporting person should be informed about this and about any further feedback he / she should expect .


### persons need specific legal protection where they acquire the information they report through their work - related activities and therefore run the risk of work - related retaliation . the underlying reason for providing them with protection is their position of economic vulnerability vis - à - vis the person on whom they de facto depend for work . when there is no such work - related power imbalance there is no need for protection against retaliation . ### persons need specific protection where they acquire the information they report through their work - related activities and therefore run the risk of work - related retaliation . the underlying reason for providing them with protection is , amongst others , their position of vulnerability vis - à - vis the person on whom they de facto depend for work . furthermore , the protection should be granted to incentive citizens to report breaches of law in order to safeguard the public interest and proper functioning of democracy .


### they are designed , set up and operated in a manner that ensures the completeness , integrity and confidentiality of the information and prevents access to non - authorised staff members of the competent authority ; ### they are designed , set up and operated in a manner that ensures the completeness , integrity and confidentiality of the information and prevents access to non - authorised persons ;


### ‘ retaliation’ means any threatened or actual act or omission prompted by the internal or external reporting which occurs in a work - related context and causes or may cause unjustified detriment to the reporting person ; ### ‘ retaliation’ means any threatened or actual act or omission prompted by the internal or external reporting or a public disclosure which occurs in a work - related context and causes or may cause unjustified detriment to the reporting person ;


### effective prevention of breaches of union law requires that protection is also granted to persons who provide information about potential breaches , which have not yet materialised , but are likely to be committed . for the same reasons , protection is warranted also for persons who do not provide positive evidence but raise reasonable concerns or suspicions . at the same time , protection should not apply to the reporting of information which is already in the public domain or of unsubstantiated rumours and hearsay . ### effective prevention of breaches of union law requires that protection is also granted to persons who provide information about potential breaches , which have not yet materialised , but are likely to be committed . for the same reasons , protection is warranted also for persons who do not provide positive evidence but raise reasonable concerns or suspicions as well as to persons complementing information to issues already in the public domain . at the same time , protection should not apply to the reporting of unsubstantiated rumours and hearsay .


### channels for receiving the reports which are designed , set up and operated in a manner that ensures the confidentiality of the identity of the reporting person and prevents access to non - authorised staff members ; ### channels for receiving the reports which are designed , set up and operated in a manner that ensures the confidentiality of the identity of the reporting person , or his / her anonymity , and prevents access to non - authorised persons ;


### effective detection and prevention of serious harm to the public interest requires that the information reported which qualifies for protection covers not only unlawful activities but also abuse of law , namely acts or omissions which do not appear to be unlawful in formal terms but defeat the object or the purpose of the law . ### effective detection and prevention of harm to the public interest requires that the information reported which qualifies for protection covers not only unlawful activities but also abuse of law , namely acts or omissions which do not appear to be unlawful in formal terms but defeat the object or the purpose of the law .


### ' 7a . in exceptional circumstances laid down in national law , where the access referred to in paragraphs 4 and 4a would expose the beneficial owner to the risk of fraud , kidnapping , blackmail , violence or intimidation , or where the beneficial owner is a minor or otherwise incapable , member states may provide for an exemption from such access to all or part of the information on the beneficial ownership on a case - by - case basis . ### in exceptional circumstances laid down in national law , where the access referred to in paragraphs 4 and 4a would expose the beneficial owner to the risk of fraud , kidnapping , blackmail , violence or intimidation , or where the beneficial owner is a minor or otherwise incapable , member states may provide for an exemption from such access to all or part of the information on the beneficial ownership on a case - by - case basis , which must be justified in writing in the register and subject to regular review .


### financial market participants shall publish written policies on the integration of sustainability risks in the investment decision - making process on their websites . ### financial market participants shall have in place written policies on the integration of sustainability risks in the in the areas of governance , asset allocation , investment strategy , risk management , the exercise of shareholder voting and company engagement ; and publish them in written form on their websites .


### the current disclosure requirements set out by union legislation do not provide that all the information necessary to properly inform end - investors about the sustainability - related impact of their investments must be disclosed . therefore , it is appropriate to set out more specific disclosure requirements with regard to sustainable investments . for instance , the overall sustainability - related impact of financial products should be reported regularly by means of indicators relevant for the chosen sustainable investment target . where an appropriate index has been designated as reference benchmark that information should also be provided for the designated index and to a broad market index to allow for comparison . information on the constituents of the designated index and of the broad market index along with their weightings should also be disclosed , to provide further information on how the sustainable investments targets are achieved . where eusef managers make available information on the positive social impact targeted by a given fund , the overall social outcome achieved and the related methods used in accordance with regulation no 346 / 2013 , they may , where appropriate , use this information for the purposes of the disclosures under this regulation . ### the current disclosure requirements set out by union legislation do not provide that all the information necessary to properly inform end - investors about the sustainability - related impact of their investments must be disclosed . therefore , it is appropriate to set out more specific standardised disclosure requirements with regard to sustainable investments . for instance , the overall sustainability - related impact of financial products should be regularly reported in a standardised way and this by means of indicators relevant for the chosen sustainable investment target . where an appropriate index has been designated as reference benchmark that information should also be provided for the designated index and to a broad market index to allow for comparison . information on the constituents of the designated index and of the broad market index along with their weightings should also be disclosed , to provide further comparable information on how the sustainable investments targets are achieved . where eusef managers make available information on the positive social impact targeted by a given fund , the overall social outcome achieved and the related methods used in accordance with regulation no 346 / 2013 , they may , where appropriate , use this information for the purposes of the disclosures under this regulation .


### information on the methodologies used to assess , measure and monitor the impact of the sustainable investments selected for the financial product , including its data sources , screening criteria for the underlying assets and the relevant sustainability indicators used to measure the overall sustainable impact of the financial product ; ### information on the methodologies used to assess , measure and monitor the sustainability impact of the investments selected for the financial product , including its data sources , screening criteria for the underlying assets and the relevant sustainability indicators used to measure the overall sustainable impact of the financial product ;


### ‘ sustainable investments’ mean any of the following or a combination of any of the following : ### ‘ sustainable investments’ mean products associated with strategies that aim at achieving environmental , social and governance - related impact , including any combination of the following , to the extent that the objectives of any one category are in accordance with , and do not significantly harm , any of the objectives of the other categories below :


### the procedures and conditions applied for integrating sustainability risks in investment decisions ; ### the due diligence procedures and conditions applied for integrating sustainability risks in investment decisions ;


### the procedures and conditions applied for integrating sustainability risks in investment decisions ; ### the procedures and conditions applied for integrating sustainability risks in investment decisions &#8211 ; sustainability risks are defined as : issues relating to the quality and functioning of the natural environments and natural systems , including biodiversity loss ; greenhouse gas emissions , climate change , renewable energy , energy efficiency , air , water or resource depletion or pollution , waste , management , stratospheric ozone depletion , changes in land ; issues relating to the rights , well - being and interests of people and communities , including human rights , labour standards in the supply chain , child , slave and bonded labour , workplace health and safety , freedom of association and freedom of expression , a free and independent civil society , the ability of human rights defenders to carry out their activities , human capital management and employee relations ; diversity ; relations with local communities including free , prior and informed consent , activities in conflict zones , health and access to medicine , hiv / aids , consumer protection ; and controversial weapons ; and issues relating to the governance of companies and other investee entities . in the listed equity context these include : board structure , size , diversity , skills and independence , executive pay , shareholder rights , stakeholder interaction , disclosure of information , business ethics , bribery and corruption , tax avoidance , privacy and data protection , internal controls and risk management , and , in general , issues dealing with the relationship between a company ' s management , its board , its shareholders and its other stakeholders . this category may also include matters of business strategy , encompassing both the implications of business strategy for environmental and social issues , and how the strategy is to be implemented . in the unlisted asset classes governance issues also include matters of fund governance , such as the powers of advisory committees , valuation issues , fee structures , etc . ;


### the procedures and conditions applied for integrating sustainability risks in investment advice or insurance advice ; ### the due diligence procedures and conditions applied for integrating sustainability risks in investment advice or insurance advice ;


### insurance intermediaries which provide insurance advice with regard to ibips and investment firms which provide investment advice shall publish written policies on the integration of sustainability risks in investment advice or insurance advice on their websites . ### insurance intermediaries which provide insurance advice with regard to ibips and investment firms which provide investment advice have in place policies on the integration of sustainability risks in the in the areas of governance , asset allocation , investment strategy , risk management , the exercise of shareholder voting and company engagement and publish them in written form on its websites .


### bodies concerned with the cultural and historical aspects of weapons and recognised as such by the member state in whose territory they are established and holding in their possession firearms classified in category a acquired before the date of entry into force of this directive should be able to keep those firearms in their possession subject to authorisation by the member state concerned and provided that those firearms have been deactivated . ### it should be possible for member states to choose to authorise persons dedicated to the gathering , study and conservation of firearms and associated artefacts for historical , cultural , scientific , technical , educational , aesthetic or heritage purposes and recognised as such by the member state in whose territory they are established to keep in their possession firearms classified in category a , provided that those persons demonstrate , prior to being granted authorisation , that they have taken the necessary measures to address any risks to public security or safety , including by way of secure storage . any such authorisation should take into account and reflect the specific situation , including the nature of the collection and its purposes .


### since collectors have been identified as a possible source of traffic of firearms , they should be covered by this directive . ### collectors have the same rights as other users covered by directive 91 / 477 / ec and should therefore be included in its scope .


### the manufacture , trade , exchange or conversion of ammunition . ### the manufacture , purchase , sale , trade , transfer , exchange , hiring out , display , assembly , modification , repair , maintenance or conversion of ammunition .


### are not likely to be a danger to themselves , to public order or to public safety ; having been convicted of a violent intentional crime shall be considered as indicative of such danger . ### are not likely to be a danger to themselves or others , to public order or to public safety ; having been convicted of a violent intentional crime shall be considered as indicative of such danger .


### member states shall ensure that any firearm or part placed on the market has been marked and registered in compliance with this directive . ### member states shall ensure that any essential component , whether part of an assembled firearm or not , placed on the market has been irreversibly marked and registered in compliance with this directive .


### the manufacture , trade , exchange , hiring out , repair or conversion of parts of firearms ; ### the manufacture , including modification or conversion , trade , exchange , hiring out or repair of essential components of firearms ;


### for the purposes of this directive , ' deactivated firearms ' shall mean firearms that have been modified with the purpose of rendering them permanently unfit for use by deactivation , ensuring that all essential parts of the firearm have been rendered permanently inoperable and incapable of removal , replacement or a modification that would permit the firearm to be reactivated in any way . ### for the purposes of this directive , ' deactivated firearms ' shall mean firearms which have been rendered and certified as permanently unfit for use by deactivation , ensuring that all essential parts of the firearm have been rendered permanently inoperable and incapable of removal , replacement or a modification that would permit the firearm to be reactivated in any way .


### for the purposes of this directive , ' essential component ' shall mean the barrel , frame , receiver , slide or cylinder , bolt or breach block and any device designed or adapted to diminish the sound caused by firing a firearm which , being separate objects , are included in the category of the firearms on which they are or are intended to be mounted . ### for the purposes of this directive , ' essential component ' shall mean the barrel , frame , body , receiver , slide or cylinder , bolt or breech block which , being separate objects , are included in the category of the firearms on which they are or are intended to be mounted .


### for the purposes of this directive , ' deactivated firearms ' shall mean firearms that have been modified with the purpose of rendering them permanently unfit for use by deactivation , ensuring that all essential parts of the firearm have been rendered permanently inoperable and incapable of removal , replacement or a modification that would permit the firearm to be reactivated in any way . ### for the purposes of this directive , ' deactivated firearms ' shall mean firearms that have been modified with the purpose of rendering them permanently unfit for use by deactivation , ensuring that all essential components of the firearm have been rendered permanently inoperable and incapable of removal , replacement or a modification that would permit the firearm to be reactivated in any way , in accordance with implementing regulation 2015 / 2403 .


### for the purposes of identifying and tracing each assembled firearm , member states shall , at the time of manufacture of each firearm or at the time of import to the union , require a unique marking including the name of the manufacturer , the country or place of manufacture , the serial number and the year of manufacture , if not already part of the serial number . this shall be without prejudice to the affixing of the manufacturer ' s trademark . ### for the purpose of identifying and tracing each assembled firearm and each essential component , member states shall , at the time of manufacture of each firearm and each essential component , or at the time of its being manufactured or imported into the union , require a unique marking including the name of the manufacturer , the country or place of manufacture , the serial number and the year of manufacture , if not already part of the serial number . this shall be without prejudice to the affixing of the manufacturer ' s trademark .


### member states shall ensure that any firearm or part placed on the market has been marked and registered in compliance with this directive . ### member states shall ensure that any assembled firearm or essential component , when manufactured or imported , has been marked with an irremovable mark and registered in compliance with this directive , or that it has been deactivated in accordance with the provisions implementing article 10b and registered in compliance with this directive .


### this filing system shall record each firearm ' s type , make , model , calibre and serial number , as well as the names and addresses of the supplier and the person acquiring or possessing the firearm . the record of firearms , including deactivated firearms , shall be maintained until destruction of the firearm has been certified by the competent authorities . ### that data - filing system shall record all information relating to firearms which is needed in order to trace and identify those firearms . that information shall include each firearm ' s type , make , model , calibre and serial number , and any conversions or modifications to a firearm , including its certified deactivation or destruction and the date thereof , as well as the names and addresses of the supplier and of each person acquiring or possessing the firearm , including the dates of acquisition and , where applicable , the end of possession or transfer to another person unless such transfer concerns a firearm which has been registered as deactivated . the current records relating to each firearm and the person possessing it shall be immediately accessible to all authorised authorities . all records relating to the firearm shall be maintained in an electronically retrievable format for an indefinite period after certified deactivation or destruction .


### member states shall provide for standard medical tests for issuing or renewing authorisations as referred to in paragraph 1 and shall withdraw authorisations if any of the conditions on the basis of which it was granted is no longer met . ### member states shall monitor firearms authorisations and shall withdraw authorisations if any of the conditions on the basis of which they were granted are no longer met .


### furthermore , the risk of alarm weapons and other types of blank firing weapons being converted to real firearms is high , and in some of the terrorist acts converted arms were used . it is therefore essential to address the problem of converted firearms being used in criminal offences , notably by including them in the scope of the directive . technical specifications for alarm and signal weapons as well as for salute and acoustic weapons should be adopted in order to ensure that they cannot be converted into firearms . ### there is a risk of alarm weapons and other types of blank firing weapons being converted to real firearms . therefore technical specifications should be adopted to ensure that convertible alarm and signal weapons as well as salute and acoustic weapons , cannot be manufactured in or imported to the union .


### to avoid that markings are easily erased and to clarify on which components the marking should be affixed , common union rules on marking should be introduced . ### for the purpose of identifying and tracing each firearm and essential component , common union rules on marking should be introduced to ensure that all essential components are irreversibly marked .


### in order to ensure the traceability of deactivated firearms , they should be registered in national registries . ### in order to increase the traceability of firearms and essential components and to facilitate their free movement , the provisions of directive 91 / 477 / eec should be clarified to ensure that both an assembled firearm and all essential components , whether included in an assembled firearm or not , are marked irremovably at the time of their being manufactured , imported or otherwise placed on the market , unless the firearm has been deactivated in accordance with that directive .


### for the purposes of identifying and tracing each assembled firearm , member states shall , at the time of manufacture of each firearm or at the time of import to the union , require a unique marking including the name of the manufacturer , the country or place of manufacture , the serial number and the year of manufacture , if not already part of the serial number . this shall be without prejudice to the affixing of the manufacturer ' s trademark . ### for the purpose of identifying and tracing each assembled firearm and each essential component , member states shall , at the time of manufacture of each firearm and each essential component or at the time of its being manufactured or imported into the union , require a unique marking including the name of the manufacturer , the country or place of manufacture , the serial number and the year of manufacture , if not already part of the serial number . this shall be without prejudice to the affixing of the manufacturer ' s trademark . this requirement shall not apply to firearms manufactured before the entry into force of this amending directive .


### this directive shall not apply to the acquisition or possession of weapons and ammunition , in accordance with national law , by the armed forces , the police , the public authorities . nor shall it apply to commercial transfers of weapons and ammunition of war . ### this directive shall not apply to the acquisition or possession of weapons and ammunition , when in accordance with national law , by the armed forces , the police or authorised public authorities . nor shall it apply , when in accordance with national law , to commercial transfers of weapons and ammunition of war .


### member states shall provide for standard medical tests for issuing or renewing authorisations as referred to in paragraph 1 and shall withdraw authorisations if any of the conditions on the basis of which it was granted is no longer met . ### member states shall withdraw authorisations if any of the conditions on the basis of which they were granted is no longer met .


### the manufacture , trade , exchange , hiring out , repair or conversion of firearms ; ### the manufacture , including modification or conversion of essential components , trade , exchange , hiring out or repair of firearms ;


### member states shall ensure that any firearm or part placed on the market has been marked and registered in compliance with this directive . ### member states shall ensure that any assembled firearm or essential component , when placed on the market , has been marked irremovably and registered in compliance with this directive , or that it has been deactivated in accordance with the provisions implementing article 10b and registered in compliance with this directive .


### member states shall ensure that any firearm or part placed on the market has been marked and registered in compliance with this directive . ### member states shall ensure that any assembled firearm or essential component , when manufactured or imported , has been marked without delay with an irremovable mark and registered in compliance with this directive , or that it has been deactivated in accordance with the provisions implementing article 10b and registered in compliance with this directive .


### member states shall make the pursuit of the activity of dealer or broker within their territory conditional upon authorisation on the basis of at least a check of the private and professional integrity and of the abilities of the dealer or broker . in the case of a legal person , the check shall be on the legal person and on the person who directs the undertaking . ### member states shall regulate the pursuit of the activity of dealers or brokers within their territory , making it conditional upon the following measures : registration of brokers and dealers operating within their territory ; licensing or authorisation of the activities of brokers and dealers ; a check of the private and professional integrity and of the abilities of the dealer or broker . in the case of a legal person , the check shall be on the legal person and on the person who directs the undertaking .


### for the purposes of identifying and tracing each assembled firearm , member states shall , at the time of manufacture of each firearm or at the time of import to the union , require a unique marking including the name of the manufacturer , the country or place of manufacture , the serial number and the year of manufacture , if not already part of the serial number . this shall be without prejudice to the affixing of the manufacturer ' s trademark . ### for the purpose of identifying and tracing each assembled firearm and essential component , member states shall , at the time of manufacture or import into the union of each firearm or essential component , require a unique marking including the name of the manufacturer , the country or place of manufacture , the serial number and the year of manufacture , if not already part of the serial number . this shall be without prejudice to the affixing of the manufacturer ' s trademark .


### the commission shall adopt technical specifications for alarm and signal weapons as well as for salute and acoustic weapons to ensure they cannot be converted into firearms . ### member states shall take measures to ensure that alarm and signal weapons as well as salute and acoustic weapons cannot be converted into firearms . the commission shall , acting in accordance with the procedure referred to in article 13a of this directive , issue common conversion standards by 31 december 2016 ensuring that any conversion of a firearm that changes its category is done in a manner which renders such conversion irreversible .


### for the purposes of this directive , ' deactivated firearms ' shall mean firearms that have been modified with the purpose of rendering them permanently unfit for use by deactivation , ensuring that all essential parts of the firearm have been rendered permanently inoperable and incapable of removal , replacement or a modification that would permit the firearm to be reactivated in any way . ### for the purposes of this directive , ' deactivated firearms ' shall mean firearms that have been modified with the purpose of rendering them permanently unfit for use by deactivation , ensuring that all essential components of the firearm have been rendered permanently inoperable and incapable of removal , replacement or a modification that would permit the firearm to be reactivated in any way .


### this filing system shall record each firearm ' s type , make , model , calibre and serial number , as well as the names and addresses of the supplier and the person acquiring or possessing the firearm . the record of firearms , including deactivated firearms , shall be maintained until destruction of the firearm has been certified by the competent authorities . ### that data - filing system shall record all information relating to firearms which is needed in order to trace and identify those firearms . that information shall include each firearm ' s type , make , model , calibre and serial number , and any conversions to a firearm resulting in its being reclassified in another category under part ii of annex i , including its certified deactivation or destruction and the date thereof , as well as the names and addresses of the supplier and of each person acquiring or possessing the firearm , including the dates of acquisition and , where applicable , the end of possession or transfer to another person , unless such transfer concerns a firearm which has been registered as deactivated . the current records relating to each firearm and the person possessing it shall be immediately accessible to all authorised authorities . all records relating to the firearm shall be maintained in an electronically retrievable format for an indefinite period after its certified deactivation or destruction .


### this directive shall not apply to the acquisition or possession of weapons and ammunition , in accordance with national law , by the armed forces , the police , the public authorities . nor shall it apply to commercial transfers of weapons and ammunition of war . ### this directive shall not apply to the acquisition or possession of weapons and ammunition , in accordance with national law , by the national defence forces , encompassing all units and persons under their command or in their reserves , including the military , the police or other public authorities . nor shall it apply to commercial transfers of weapons and ammunition of war .


### this filing system shall record each firearm ' s type , make , model , calibre and serial number , as well as the names and addresses of the supplier and the person acquiring or possessing the firearm . the record of firearms , including deactivated firearms , shall be maintained until destruction of the firearm has been certified by the competent authorities . ### that data - filing system shall record all information relating to firearms which is needed in order to trace and identify those firearms . that information shall include each firearm ' s type , make , model , calibre and serial number , and any conversions or modifications to a firearm , including its certified deactivation or destruction and the date thereof , as well as the names and addresses of the supplier and of each person acquiring or possessing the firearm , including the dates of acquisition and , where applicable , the end of possession or transfer to another person unless such transfer concerns a firearm which has been registered as deactivated . the current records relating to each firearm and the person possessing it shall be immediately accessible to all authorised authorities . all records relating to the firearm shall be maintained in an electronically retrievable format for an indefinite period after certified deactivation or destruction .


### for the purposes of this directive , ' broker ' shall mean any natural or legal person , other than a dealer whose trade or business consists wholly or partly in buying , selling or arranging the transfer within a member state , from one member state to another member state or exporting to a third country fully assembled firearms , their parts and ammunition . ### for the purposes of this directive , ' broker ' shall mean any natural or legal person , other than a dealer whose trade or business consists wholly or partly in any of the following : buying , selling or arranging the transfer within a member state , from one member state to another member state or importing from or exporting to a third country fully assembled firearms ; buying , selling or arranging the transfer within a member state , from one member state to another member state or importing from or exporting to a third country components of firearms ; buying , selling or arranging the transfer within a member state , from one member state to another member state or importing from or exporting to a third country ammunition ;


### certain issues in directive 91 / 477 / eec need further improvement . ### certain issues in directive 91 / 477 / eec need further improvement in order to help member states tackle cross - border illegal arms trafficking for criminal or terrorist purposes whilst also taking into account the proportionality principle when it comes to persons that lawfully acquire or possess a firearm for legal purposes such as shooting sports , hunting and collectors .


### for the purposes of this directive , ' essential component ' shall mean the barrel , frame , receiver , slide or cylinder , bolt or breach block and any device designed or adapted to diminish the sound caused by firing a firearm which , being separate objects , are included in the category of the firearms on which they are or are intended to be mounted . ### for the purposes of this directive , ' essential component ' shall mean the barrel , chamber , frame , body , receiver , slide or cylinder , bolt or breach block or other mechanism for containing the pressure of discharge at the rear of the chamber of a firearm which , being separate objects , are included in the category of the firearms on which they are or are intended to be mounted .


### member states shall ensure that any firearm or part placed on the market has been marked and registered in compliance with this directive . ### member states shall ensure that any firearm or essential component thereof placed on the market : has been provided with a unique marking , which is clear and permanent ; and that marking is registered in compliance with this directive without delay after manufacture or import into the union . the commission shall adopt implementing acts establishing technical specifications for the marking . those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in article 13b .


### the manufacture , trade , exchange or conversion of ammunition . ### the manufacture , purchase , sale , trade , transfer , exchange , hiring out , display , assembly , modification , repair , maintenance or conversion of ammunition .


### for the purposes of this directive , ' essential component ' shall mean the barrel , frame , receiver , slide or cylinder , bolt or breach block and any device designed or adapted to diminish the sound caused by firing a firearm which , being separate objects , are included in the category of the firearms on which they are or are intended to be mounted . ### for the purposes of this directive , ' essential component ' shall mean the barrel , chamber , frame , body , receiver , slide or cylinder , bolt or breech block or other locking and cartridge - head supporting mechanism for containing the pressure of discharge at the rear of the chamber of a firearm which , being separate objects , are included in the category of the firearms on which they are or are intended to be mounted


### furthermore , member states shall ensure , at the time of transfer of a firearm from government stocks to permanent civilian use , the unique marking permitting identification of the transferring government . ### furthermore , member states shall ensure , at the time of transfer of a firearm from government stocks to permanent civilian use , the unique marking permitting identification of the transferring government . firearms classified in category a must first have been deactivated in accordance with the provisions implementing article 10b or converted to semi - automatic firearms , save in the case of transfers in accordance with authorisations granted pursuant to the first or the second subparagraph of article 6 .


### since brokers provide services similar to those of dealers , they should also be covered by this directive . ### since brokers provide services similar to those of dealers , they should also be covered by this directive and should be subject to the same obligations as dealers in all relevant respects .


### the manufacture , trade , exchange , hiring out , repair or conversion of firearms ; ### the manufacture , purchase , sale , trade , transfer , exchange , hiring out , display , assembly , modification , repair , maintenance or conversion of fully assembled firearms ;


### for the purposes of this directive , ' deactivated firearms ' shall mean firearms that have been modified with the purpose of rendering them permanently unfit for use by deactivation , ensuring that all essential parts of the firearm have been rendered permanently inoperable and incapable of removal , replacement or a modification that would permit the firearm to be reactivated in any way . ### for the purposes of this directive , ' deactivated firearms ' shall mean firearms which have been rendered and certified as permanently unfit for use by deactivation , ensuring that all essential parts of the firearm have been rendered permanently inoperable and incapable of removal , replacement or a modification that would permit the firearm to be reactivated in any way .


### member states shall make arrangements for the deactivation of firearms to be verified by a competent authority in order to ensure that the modifications made to a firearm render it irreversibly inoperable . member states shall , in the context of this verification , provide for the issuance of a certificate or record attesting to the deactivation of the firearm or the apposition of a clearly visible mark to that effect on the firearm . ### member states shall make arrangements for the deactivation of firearms to be verified by a competent authority in order to ensure that the modifications made to a firearm render it irreversibly inoperable . member states shall , in the context of that verification , provide for the issuance of a deactivation certificate attesting to the deactivation of the firearm and the apposition of a clearly visible mark to that effect on the firearm . where the firearm is recorded in the computerised data - filing systems referred to in article 4 , its deactivation shall be entered in the record relating to it .


### member states shall make arrangements for the deactivation of firearms to be verified by a competent authority in order to ensure that the modifications made to a firearm render it irreversibly inoperable . member states shall , in the context of this verification , provide for the issuance of a certificate or record attesting to the deactivation of the firearm or the apposition of a clearly visible mark to that effect on the firearm . ### having regard to commission regulation 2015 / 24031a of 15 december 2015 , member states shall make arrangements for the deactivation of firearms to be verified by a competent authority in order to ensure that the modifications made to a firearm render it irreversibly inoperable . member states shall , in the context of this verification , provide for the issuance of a certificate and record attesting to the deactivation of the firearm and the apposition of a clearly visible mark to that effect on each essential component of the deactivated firearm . member states shall designate the competent authority to carry out the deactivation of firearms and transmit them to the commission by [ date ] at the latest . __________________ 1a oj l 333 , 19 . 12 . 2015 , p . 62


### for the purposes of identifying and tracing each assembled firearm , member states shall , at the time of manufacture of each firearm or at the time of import to the union , require a unique marking including the name of the manufacturer , the country or place of manufacture , the serial number and the year of manufacture , if not already part of the serial number . this shall be without prejudice to the affixing of the manufacturer ' s trademark . ### for the purpose of identifying and tracing each assembled firearm , member states shall , at the time of manufacture of each firearm or at the time of import into the union or as soon as possible thereafter , require a unique marking including the name of the manufacturer , the country or place of manufacture , the serial number and the year of manufacture , if not already part of the serial number . this shall be without prejudice to the affixing of the manufacturer ' s trademark .


### for the purposes of this directive , ‘ deactivated firearms’ shall mean firearms that have been modified with the purpose of rendering them permanently unfit for use by deactivation , ensuring that all essential parts of the firearm have been rendered permanently inoperable and incapable of removal , replacement or a modification that would permit the firearm to be reactivated in any way . ### for the purposes of this directive , ‘ deactivated firearms’ shall mean firearms into which a slot has been cut along their full length , with the exception of the stock and butt , ensuring that all essential components of the firearm have been rendered permanently inoperable and incapable of removal , replacement or a modification that would permit the firearm to be reactivated in any way .


### to ensure effective access to information for market surveillance purposes , the information required to identify all applicable union acts for an appliance burning gaseous fuels should be available in a single eu declaration of conformity . ### to ensure effective access to information for market surveillance purposes , the information required to identify all applicable union acts for an appliance burning gaseous fuels and fittings should be available in a single eu declaration of conformity . in order to reduce the administrative burden on economic operators , that single eu declaration of conformity may be a dossier made up of relevant individual declarations of conformity .


### as this regulation does not cover such risks caused by appliances burning gaseous fuels in case of incorrect installation , maintenance or use , member states are encouraged to take measures to ensure that public is made aware of the risks related to combustion products and in particular to carbon monoxide . ### as this regulation does not cover such risks caused by appliances burning gaseous fuels in case of incorrect installation , maintenance or use , member states are strongly encouraged to take measures to ensure that public is made aware of the health and safety risks related to combustion products and in particular to carbon monoxide , as co poisoning is now the leading cause of fatalities associated with the use of gas .


### before placing a fitting on the market , importers shall ensure that the appropriate conformity assessment procedure in accordance with article 14 has been carried out by the manufacturer . they shall ensure that the manufacturer has drawn up the technical documentation , that the fitting is accompanied by the fitting conformity certificate containing , amongst others , instructions for incorporation or assembly , adjustment , operation and maintenance in accordance with point 1 . 7 of annex i , and that the manufacturer has complied with the requirements set out in article 7 and respectively . ### before placing a fitting on the market , importers shall ensure that the appropriate conformity assessment procedure referred to in article 14 has been carried out by the manufacturer . they shall ensure that the manufacturer has drawn up the technical documentation , that the fitting bears the ce marking and is accompanied by a copy of the eu declaration of conformity containing , amongst others , instructions for incorporation or assembly , adjustment , operation and maintenance in accordance with point 1 . 7 of annex i , and that the manufacturer has complied with the requirements set out in article 7 and respectively .


### before making a fitting available on the market distributors shall verify that the fitting is accompanied by the fitting conformity certificate containing , amongst others , instructions for incorporation or assembly , adjustment , operation and maintenance in accordance with point 1 . 7 of annex i , in a language which can be easily understood by appliance manufacturers , and that the manufacturer and the importer have complied with the requirements set out in article 7 and and article 9 respectively . ### before making a fitting available on the market distributors shall verify that the fitting bears the ce marking and is accompanied by a copy of the eu declaration of conformity containing , amongst others , instructions for incorporation or assembly , adjustment , operation and maintenance in accordance with point 1 . 7 of annex i , in a language which can be easily understood by appliance manufacturers , and that the manufacturer and the importer have complied with the requirements set out in article 7 and and article 9 respectively .


### importers shall ensure that the fitting is accompanied by the fitting conformity certificate containing , amongst others , instructions for incorporation or assembly , adjustment , operation and maintenance in accordance with point 1 . 7 of annex i , in a language which can be easily understood by appliance manufacturers , as determined by the member state concerned . ### importers shall ensure that the fitting is accompanied by a copy of the eu declaration of conformity containing , amongst others , instructions for incorporation or assembly , adjustment , operation and maintenance in accordance with point 1 . 7 of annex i , in a language which can be easily understood by appliance manufacturers , as determined by the member state concerned .


### fittings are not appliances burning gaseous fuels , but intermediate products made available between professionals and intended to be incorporated into an appliance . as the appropriate design of a fitting contributes to the correct and safe functioning of a finished appliance and as the gas related risks of an appliance can only be assessed after incorporation of the fitting , it is appropriate that fittings do not bear the ce marking . ### fittings are not appliances burning gaseous fuels , but intermediate products intended for appliance manufacturers and designed to be incorporated into an appliance . however , fittings should satisfy the essential requirements so as to fulfil correctly their intended purpose when incorporated into an appliance or assembled to constitute such an appliance . with a view to simplification and in order to avoid any confusion and misunderstanding for manufacturers in implementation of their obligations , it is considered justified that fittings should also bear the ce marking .


### 5 . 2 . the manufacturer shall draw up a written eu declaration of conformity for each appliance model and keep it at the disposal of the national authorities for 10 years after the appliance has been placed on the market . the eu declaration of conformity shall identify the appliance model for which it has been drawn up . ### 5 . 2 . the manufacturer shall draw up a written eu declaration of conformity for each appliance or fitting model and keep it at the disposal of the national authorities for 10 years after the appliance or fitting has been placed on the market . the eu declaration of conformity shall identify the appliance or fitting model for which it has been drawn up .


### when deemed appropriate with regard to the risks presented by an appliance or a fitting , importers shall , to protect the health and safety of the users , upon a duly justified request of the competent authorities , carry out sample testing of appliances or fittings made available on the market , investigate , and , if necessary , keep a register of complaints of nonconforming appliances or fittings and recalls of such appliances , and shall keep distributors informed of any such monitoring . ### when deemed appropriate with regard to the risks presented by an appliance or a fitting , importers shall , to protect the health and safety of consumers and other users , carry out sample testing of appliances or fittings made available on the market , investigate , and , if necessary , keep a register of complaints of nonconforming appliances and fittings and recalls of such appliances and fittings , and shall keep distributors informed of any such monitoring .


### manufacturers of appliances burning gaseous fuels should draw up an eu declaration of conformity to provide information required under this regulation on the conformity of an appliance with the requirements of this regulation and of other relevant union harmonisation legislation . ### manufacturers of appliances burning gaseous fuels and fittings should draw up an eu declaration of conformity to provide information required under this regulation on the conformity of an appliance or a fitting with the requirements of this regulation and of other relevant union harmonisation legislation .


### 4 . 4 . appliances shall be so designed and constructed that , when used normally , they do not cause a concentration of substances harmful to health , such as they would be likely to present a danger to the health of persons and domestic animals exposed . ### 4 . 4 . appliances shall be so designed and constructed that , when used normally , they do not cause a concentration of carbon monoxide or other substances harmful to health , such as they would be likely to present a danger to the health of persons and domestic animals exposed .


### the manufacturer ' s obligations set out in points 4 . 3 . 1 , 4 . 3 . 5 and 4 . 5 or 4 . 6 and point 4 . 7 may be fulfilled by his authorised representative , on his behalf and under his responsibility , provided that they are specified in the mandate . ### the manufacturer ' s obligations set out in points 4 . 3 . 1 , 4 . 3 . 5 , 4 . 5 and 4 . 7 may be fulfilled by his authorised representative , on his behalf and under his responsibility , provided that they are specified in the mandate .


### the european space agency is an international organisation with extensive expertise in the space domain and which entered into a framework agreement with the european community in 2004 . it is therefore an important partner in the implementation of the programme , with which any appropriate relations should be established . in this regard , and in compliance with the financial regulation , it is important to conclude a financial framework partnership agreement with the european space agency that governs all financial relations between the commission , the agency and the european space agency and ensures their consistency and conform to the framework agreement with the european space agency , in particular with article 5 thereof . however , as the european space agency is not a union body and is not subject to union law , it is essential , in order to protect the interests of the union and its member states , that such an agreement be conditional on the introduction of appropriate operating rules in the european space agency . the agreement should also contain all the clauses necessary to safeguard the union’s financial interests . ### the european space agency is an international organisation with extensive expertise in the space domain and which entered into a framework agreement with the european community in 2004 . it is therefore an important partner in the implementation of the programme , with which any appropriate relations should be established . in this regard , and in compliance with the financial regulation , it is important to conclude a financial framework partnership agreement with the european space agency that governs all financial relations between the commission , the agency and the european space agency and ensures their consistency and conform to the framework agreement with the european space agency , in particular with article 5 thereof . as the european space agency is not a union body and is not subject to union law , it is essential that such an agreement contains adequate requirements regarding operating rules at the european space agency in order to protect the interests of the union and its member states . the agreement should also contain all the clauses necessary to safeguard the union’s financial interests .


### provision of launching services for the needs of the programme ; ### provision of aggregated launching services for the programme and for other entities , at their request , taking into account the essential security interests of the union in accordance with article 25&#160 ; in order to enhance&#160 ; the competitiveness of european launchers and industries in the global market .


### the space sector’s development has historically been linked to security . in many cases , the equipment , components and instruments used in the space sector are dual - use goods . the possibilities that space offers for the security of the union and its member states should therefore be exploited . ### the space sector’s development has historically been linked to security . in many cases , the equipment , components and instruments used in the space sector are dual - use goods . the possibilities that space offers for the security and independence of the union and its member states should therefore be exploited .


### user uptake and market development component in accordance with article 29 , which shall include relevant activities , resources and services to promote copernicus , its data and services at all levels to maximise socio - economic benefits which are referred to in article 4 . ### user uptake , capacity building and market development component in accordance with article 29 , which shall include relevant activities , resources and services to promote copernicus , its data and services at all levels to maximise socio - economic benefits which are referred to in article 4 .


### copernicus shall deliver data and information pursuing a full , free and open data policy . ### copernicus shall deliver data and information using a full , free and open data policy .


### the commission should promote , alongside the member states and the high representative , responsible behaviour in space and outer space and explore the possibility for accession to the relevant un conventions . ### the commission should promote , alongside the member states and the high representative , responsible behaviour in space and outer space , especially in view of the growing quantity of space debris , and explore the possibility of accession to the relevant un conventions .


### cooperation between undertakings in the form of space hubs bringing together , at regional and national levels , actors from the space and digital sectors , as well as users , and providing support to citizens and companies to foster entrepreneurship and skills ; ### cooperation between undertakings in the form of space hubs bringing together , in particular at the regional level , actors from the space and digital sectors , as well as users , and providing support to citizens and companies to foster entrepreneurship and skills ;


### copernicus shall promote the international coordination of observation systems and related exchanges of data in order to strengthen its global dimension and complementarity taking account of existing international agreements and coordination processes . ### copernicus shall promote the international coordination of observation systems and related exchanges of data in order to strengthen its global dimension and complementarity taking account of existing and future international agreements and coordination processes .


### for ssa / govsatcom : eur [ 0 , 5 ] billion . ### for ssa : eur [ 0 , 6 ] billion ;


### ‘ space weather events’ means naturally occurring variations in the space environment between the sun and the earth , including solar flares , solar energetic particles , solar wind , and coronal mass ejections that can lead to solar storms potentially impacting earth ; ### ‘ space weather events’ means naturally occurring variations in the space environment between the sun and the earth , including solar flares , solar energetic particles , solar wind , and coronal mass ejections that can lead to solar storms potentially impacting earth or space - based infrastructures ;