### a central role in the implementation of the programme should be attributed to digital innovation hubs , which should stimulate the broad adoption of advanced digital technologies by industry , by public organisations and academia . a network of digital innovation hubs should ensure the widest geographical coverage across europe59 . a first set of digital innovation hubs will be selected based on member states’ proposals and then the network will be enlarged through an open and competitive process . the digital innovation hubs will serve as access points to latest digital capacities including high performance computing , artificial intelligence , cybersecurity , as well as other existing innovative technologies such as key enabling technologies , available also in fablabs or citylabs . they shall act as single - entry points in accessing tested and validated technologies and promote open innovation . they will also provide support in the area of advanced digital skills . the network of digital innovation hubs should also contribute to the participation of the outermost regions in the digital single market . __________________ 59 as indicated in the communication on digitising european industry 180 final ) ### a central role in the implementation of the programme should be attributed to digital innovation hubs , which should stimulate the broad adoption of advanced digital technologies by industry , by public organisations and academia . a network of digital innovation hubs should ensure the widest geographical coverage across europe59 . a first set of digital innovation hubs should be selected based on member states’ proposals and then the network should be enlarged through an open , transparent and competitive process . the digital innovation hubs should serve as access points to latest digital capacities including high performance computing , artificial intelligence , robotics powered by artificial intelligence , and distributed ledger technologies , cybersecurity , as well as other existing innovative technologies such as key enabling technologies , available also in fablabs or citylabs . they should act as single - entry points in accessing tested and validated technologies and promote open innovation and provide assistance to businesses especially smes and start - ups . they should also provide support in the area of advanced digital skills . the network of digital innovation hubs should contribute to the participation of a broad range of partners of all sizes from both private and public sectors , and from a range of economic sectors , and should also contribute to the participation of the outermost regions in the digital single market . digital innovation hubs should have substantial overall autonomy to define their internal organisation and composition , as well as their precise work programme and working methods . __________________ 59 as indicated in the communication on digitising european industry 180 final )


### a central role in the implementation of the programme should be attributed to digital innovation hubs , which should stimulate the broad adoption of advanced digital technologies by industry , by public organisations and academia . a network of digital innovation hubs should ensure the widest geographical coverage across europe59 . a first set of digital innovation hubs will be selected based on member states’ proposals and then the network will be enlarged through an open and competitive process . the digital innovation hubs will serve as access points to latest digital capacities including high performance computing , artificial intelligence , cybersecurity , as well as other existing innovative technologies such as key enabling technologies , available also in fablabs or citylabs . they shall act as single - entry points in accessing tested and validated technologies and promote open innovation . they will also provide support in the area of advanced digital skills . the network of digital innovation hubs should also contribute to the participation of the outermost regions in the digital single market . __________________ 59 as indicated in the communication on digitising european industry 180 final ) ### a central role in the implementation of the programme should be attributed to digital innovation hubs , which should stimulate the broad adoption of advanced digital technologies by industry , smes , local start - ups by public organisations and academia taking into account the specific sectorial needs at regional level . a network of digital innovation hubs should ensure the widest geographical coverage across europe59 while taking into consideration remote areas and less developed regions . a first set of digital innovation hubs will be selected based on member states’ proposals taking into account criteria such as geographical situation , demographic trends , regional skills forecasts needs and then the network will be enlarged through an open , transparent and competitive process . the digital innovation hubs will serve as access points to latest digital capacities including high performance computing , artificial intelligence , cybersecurity , as well as other existing innovative technologies such as key enabling technologies , available also in fablabs or citylabs . they shall act as single - entry points in accessing tested and validated technologies and promote open innovation . they will also provide support in the area of advanced digital skills . the network of digital innovation hubs should also contribute to the participation of the outermost regions in the digital single market . __________________ 59 as indicated in the communication on digitising european industry 180 final )


### a central role in the implementation of the programme should be attributed to digital innovation hubs , which should stimulate the broad adoption of advanced digital technologies by industry , by public organisations and academia . a network of digital innovation hubs should ensure the widest geographical coverage across europe59 . a first set of digital innovation hubs will be selected based on member states’ proposals and then the network will be enlarged through an open and competitive process . the digital innovation hubs will serve as access points to latest digital capacities including high performance computing , artificial intelligence , cybersecurity , as well as other existing innovative technologies such as key enabling technologies , available also in fablabs or citylabs . they shall act as single - entry points in accessing tested and validated technologies and promote open innovation . they will also provide support in the area of advanced digital skills . the network of digital innovation hubs should also contribute to the participation of the outermost regions in the digital single market . _________________ 59 as indicated in the communication on digitising european industry 180 final ) ### a central role in the implementation of the programme should be attributed to digital innovation hubs , which should stimulate the broad adoption of advanced digital technologies by industry , by public organisations and academia . a network of digital innovation hubs should ensure the widest geographical coverage across europe59 . a first set of digital innovation hubs will be selected based on member states’ proposals and then the network will be enlarged through an open , transparent and competitive process . the digital innovation hubs will serve as access points to latest digital capacities and training including high performance computing , artificial intelligence , cybersecurity , as well as other existing innovative technologies such as key enabling technologies , available also in fablabs or citylabs . they shall have the capacity of validating technologies and they act as single - entry points in accessing tested and validated technologies and promote open innovation . they will also provide support in the area of advanced digital skills . the network of digital innovation hubs should also contribute to the participation of the outermost regions in the digital single market . _________________ 59 as indicated in the communication on digitising european industry 180 final )


### the programme should be implemented through projects reinforcing essential digital capacities and their wide use . this should involve co - investments with member states and , when needed , the private sector . this should notably require reaching a critical mass in procurement to obtain better value for money and guarantee that suppliers in europe stay at the forefront of technology advancements . ### the programme should be implemented through projects reinforcing essential digital capacities and their wide use . this should involve co - investments with member states and the private sector . this should notably require reaching a critical mass in procurement to obtain better value for money and guarantee that suppliers in europe reach the forefront of technology advancements .


### the programme’s actions should be used to address market failures or sub - optimal investment situations , in a proportionate manner , without duplicating or crowding out private financing and have a clear european added value . ### the programme’s actions should also be used to reinforce and extend the union’s digital base , tackle major societal challenges , further raise the union’s digital industrial competences , as well as address market failures or sub - optimal investment situations , in a proportionate manner , without duplicating or crowding out private financing and have a clear european added value .


### the programme ' s actions should be used to address market failures or sub - optimal investment situations , in a proportionate manner , without duplicating or crowding out private financing and have a clear european added value . ### the programme ' s actions should be used to address market failures or sub - optimal investment situations , in a proportionate manner , without duplicating private financing and have clear added value for the union and its citizens .


### the high performance computing and the related data processing capacities in the union should allow to ensure wider use of high performance computing by industry and , more generally , in areas of public interest in order to seize unique opportunities that supercomputers bring to society as regards health , environment and security as well as competitiveness of industry , notably small and medium - sized enterprises . ### the high performance computing and the related data processing capacities in the union should allow to ensure wider use of high performance computing by industry and , more generally , in areas of public interest in order to seize unique opportunities that supercomputers bring to society as regards health , environment and security as well as competitiveness of industry , notably small and medium - sized enterprises , improved by added power of collaborative networks .


### for the high performance computing specific objective a joint undertaking is deemed the most suited implementation mechanism , in particular to coordinate national and union strategies and investments in high performance computing infrastructure and research and development , pool resources from public and private funds , and safeguard the economic and strategic interests of the union63 . moreover , high performance computing competence centres in member states will provide high performance computing services to industry , academia and public administrations . __________________ 63 impact assessment accompanying the document ' proposal for a council regulation on establishing the eurohpc joint undertaking ' ### for the high performance computing specific objective the hpc joint undertaking is deemed the most suited implementation mechanism , in particular to coordinate national and union strategies and investments in high performance computing infrastructure and research and development , pool resources from public and private funds , and safeguard the economic and strategic interests of the union63 . the programme should therefore finance the eurohpc joint undertaking for the purpose - of investing in high performance computing under the programme . moreover , high performance computing competence centres in member states will provide high performance computing services to industry , small businesses and start - ups , academia and public administrations . __________________ 63 impact assessment accompanying the document ' proposal for a council regulation on establishing the eurohpc joint undertaking '


### for the high performance computing specific objective a joint undertaking is deemed the most suited implementation mechanism , in particular to coordinate national and union strategies and investments in high performance computing infrastructure and research and development , pool resources from public and private funds , and safeguard the economic and strategic interests of the union63 . moreover , high performance computing competence centres in member states will provide high performance computing services to industry , academia and public administrations . _________________ 63 impact assessment accompanying the document ' proposal for a council regulation on establishing the eurohpc joint undertaking ' ### for the high performance computing specific objective a joint undertaking is deemed the most suited implementation mechanism , in particular to coordinate national and union strategies and investments in high performance computing infrastructure and research and development , pool resources from public and private funds , and safeguard the economic and strategic interests of the union63 and its citizens . moreover , high performance computing competence centres in member states will provide high performance computing services to industry , academia and public administrations . _________________ 63 impact assessment accompanying the document ' proposal for a council regulation on establishing the eurohpc joint undertaking '


### developing capacity related to artificial intelligence is a crucial driver for the digital transformation of industry and also of the public sector . ever more autonomous robots are used in factories , deep sea application , homes , cities and hospitals . commercial artificial intelligence platforms have moved from testing to real applications in health and environment ; all major car manufacturers are developing self - driving cars , and machine learning techniques are at the heart of all main web platforms and big data applications . ### developing capacity related to artificial intelligence is a crucial driver for the digital transformation of industry and also of the public sector . ever more autonomous robots are used in production processes , deep sea application , homes , cities , medical and pharmaceutical areas . commercial artificial intelligence platforms have moved from testing to real applications in health and environment ; all major car manufacturers are developing self - driving cars , and machine learning techniques are at the heart of all main web platforms and big data applications . artificial intelligence will provide entirely new areas in science , for example the use of artificial intelligence for drug discovery and related areas such as synthetic biology for the manufacture and rapid design of microorganisms for industrial uses . the future application of artificial intelligence in cybersecurity should reduce the success of hacker attacks .


### developing capacity related to artificial intelligence is a crucial driver for the digital transformation of industry and also of the public sector . ever more autonomous robots are used in factories , deep sea application , homes , cities and hospitals . commercial artificial intelligence platforms have moved from testing to real applications in health and environment ; all major car manufacturers are developing self - driving cars , and machine learning techniques are at the heart of all main web platforms and big data applications . ### developing capacity related to artificial intelligence is a crucial driver for the digital transformation of europe’s economic fabric as a whole and of industry and also of the public sector . ever more autonomous robots are used in factories , deep sea application , homes , cities and hospitals . commercial artificial intelligence platforms have moved from testing to real applications in health and environment ; all major car manufacturers are developing self - driving cars , and machine learning techniques are at the heart of all main web platforms and big data applications . all activities relating to artificial intelligence should limit the risks , including ethical risks , connected with , for example , breaches of privacy , competition rules and consumer protection .


### developing capacity related to artificial intelligence is a crucial driver for the digital transformation of industry and also of the public sector . ever more autonomous robots are used in factories , deep sea application , homes , cities and hospitals . commercial artificial intelligence platforms have moved from testing to real applications in health and environment ; all major car manufacturers are developing self - driving cars , and machine learning techniques are at the heart of all main web platforms and big data applications . ### developing capacity related to artificial intelligence is a crucial driver for the digital transformation of industry and also of the public sector . ever more autonomous robots are used in factories , the logistics chain , deep sea application , homes , cities and hospitals . commercial artificial intelligence platforms have moved from testing to real applications in health and environment ; all major car manufacturers and industries in the automotive sector are developing self - driving cars , and machine learning techniques are at the heart of all main web platforms and big data applications .


### cybersecurity is a challenge for the whole union that cannot continue to be addressed only with fragmented national initiatives . europe ' s cybersecurity capacity should be reinforced to endow europe with the necessary capacities to protect its citizens and businesses from cyber threats . in addition consumers should be protected when using connected products that can be hacked and compromise their safety . this should be achieved together with member states and private sector by developing , and ensuring coordination between , projects reinforcing europe ' s capacities in cybersecurity and ensuring the wide deployment of latest cybersecurity solutions across the economy , as well as by aggregating the competences in this field to ensure critical mass and excellence . ### cybersecurity is a challenge for the whole union that cannot continue to be addressed only with fragmented national initiatives . europe ' s cybersecurity capacity should be reinforced to endow europe with the necessary capacities to protect its citizens and businesses from cyber threats . in addition consumers should be protected when using connected products that can be hacked and compromise their safety . this should be achieved together with member states and private sector by developing , and ensuring coordination between , projects reinforcing europe ' s capacities in cybersecurity and ensuring the wide deployment of latest cybersecurity solutions across the economy , as well as by aggregating the competences in this field to ensure critical mass and excellence . an effective level of cybersecurity should be ensured by means of the proper enforcement of fundamental rights and rules on non - discrimination , consumer protection and a fitting degree of transparency .


### cybersecurity is a challenge for the whole union that cannot continue to be addressed only with fragmented national initiatives . europe ' s cybersecurity capacity should be reinforced to endow europe with the necessary capacities to protect its citizens and businesses from cyber threats . in addition consumers should be protected when using connected products that can be hacked and compromise their safety . this should be achieved together with member states and private sector by developing , and ensuring coordination between , projects reinforcing europe ' s capacities in cybersecurity and ensuring the wide deployment of latest cybersecurity solutions across the economy , as well as by aggregating the competences in this field to ensure critical mass and excellence . ### cybersecurity is a challenge for the whole union that cannot continue to be addressed only with fragmented national initiatives . europe ' s cybersecurity capacity should be reinforced to endow europe with the necessary capacities to protect its citizens , its strategic networks and its businesses from cyber threats . in addition consumers should be protected when using connected products that can be hacked and compromise their safety and that of their data . this should be achieved together with member states and private sector by developing , and ensuring coordination between , projects reinforcing europe ' s capacities in cybersecurity and ensuring the wide deployment of the latest cybersecurity solutions across the economy , as well as by aggregating the competences in this field to ensure critical mass and excellence .


### trust is a prerequisite for the digital single market to function . cybersecurity technologies such as digital identities , cryptography or intrusion detection , and their application in areas such as finance , industry 4 . 0 , energy , transportation , healthcare , or e - government are essential to safeguard the security and trust of online activity and transactions by both citizens , public administrations , and companies . ### trust is a prerequisite for the digital single market to function . cybersecurity technologies such as distributed ledger technology , digital identities , cryptography or intrusion detection , and their application in areas such as finance , industry 4 . 0 , energy , transportation , healthcare , or e - government are essential to safeguard the security and trust of online activity , including 5g platforms , and transactions by both citizens , public administrations , and companies .


### trust is a prerequisite for the digital single market to function . cybersecurity technologies such as digital identities , cryptography or intrusion detection , and their application in areas such as finance , industry 4 . 0 , energy , transportation , healthcare , or e - government are essential to safeguard the security and trust of online activity and transactions by both citizens , public administrations , and companies . ### trust is a prerequisite for the digital single market to function . cybersecurity technologies such as digital identities , cryptography or intrusion detection , and their application in areas such as finance , industry 4 . 0 , energy , transportation , healthcare , or e - government are essential to safeguard the security , transparency and trust of online activity and transactions by both citizens , public administrations , and companies .


### in its resolution of 1 june 2017 on digitising european industry67 the european parliament stated that education , training and lifelong learning are the cornerstone of social cohesion in a digital society . _________________ 67 document ref . a8 - 0183 / 2017 , available at : http : / / www . europarl . europa . eu / sides / getdoc . do ? type=ta&language=en&reference=p8 - ta - 2017 - 0240 ### in its resolution of 1 june 2017 on digitising european industry67 the european parliament stated that education , training and lifelong learning are the cornerstone of social cohesion in a digital society . the resolution also recognises the potential of digitisation to ensure accessibility for all citizens to social services and other public services , as well as the integration into the labour market of disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility ; _________________ 67 document ref . a8 - 0183 / 2017 , available at : http : / / www . europarl . europa . eu / sides / getdoc . do ? type=ta&language=en&reference=p8 - ta - 2017 - 0240


### the advanced digital technologies supported by this programme , such as high performance computing , cybersecurity and artificial intelligence are now sufficiently mature to move beyond the research arena and be deployed , implemented and scaled - up at union level . just as the deployment of these technologies require a union response so does the skills dimension . training opportunities in advanced digital skills need to be scaled up , increased and made accessible throughout the eu . failing this could impede the smooth deployment of advanced digital technologies and hamper the overall competitiveness of union ' s economy . the actions supported by this programme are complementary to those supported by the esf , erdf and horizon europe programmes . ### the advanced digital technologies supported by this programme , such as high performance computing , cybersecurity , cloud computing , data protection and artificial intelligence are now sufficiently mature to move beyond the research arena and be deployed , implemented and scaled - up at union level . just as the deployment of these technologies require a union response so does the skills dimension . training opportunities in advanced digital skills need to be scaled up , qualitatively improved , increased and made accessible throughout the eu . failing this could impede the smooth deployment of advanced digital technologies , increase the shortage of a qualified workforce in europe and hamper the overall competitiveness of union’s economy . the actions supported by this programme are complementary to those supported by the esf , erdf and horizon europe programmes .


### the advanced digital technologies supported by this programme , such as high performance computing , cybersecurity and artificial intelligence are now sufficiently mature to move beyond the research arena and be deployed , implemented and scaled - up at union level . just as the deployment of these technologies require a union response so does the skills dimension . training opportunities in advanced digital skills need to be scaled up , increased and made accessible throughout the eu . failing this could impede the smooth deployment of advanced digital technologies and hamper the overall competitiveness of union ' s economy . the actions supported by this programme are complementary to those supported by the esf , erdf and horizon europe programmes . ### the advanced digital technologies supported by this programme , such as high performance computing , cybersecurity and artificial intelligence are now sufficiently mature to move beyond the research arena and be deployed , implemented and scaled - up at union level . just as the deployment of these technologies require a union response so does the skills dimension . learning and training opportunities , including on - the - job training , blended and distance learning in advanced digital skills need to be scaled up , increased and made accessible throughout the union . particular attention should be paid to providing workers , especially in the context of an ageing workforce , the means and tools to benefit from the opportunities offered by new digital infrastructures . failing this could impede the smooth deployment of advanced digital technologies and hamper the participation of citizens to the public life and the job market , as well as the overall competitiveness of union ' s economy . the actions supported by this programme are complementary to those supported by the esf , erdf and horizon europe and erasmus programmes .


### the advanced digital technologies supported by this programme , such as high performance computing , cybersecurity and artificial intelligence are now sufficiently mature to move beyond the research arena and be deployed , implemented and scaled - up at union level . just as the deployment of these technologies require a union response so does the skills dimension . training opportunities in advanced digital skills need to be scaled up , increased and made accessible throughout the eu . failing this could impede the smooth deployment of advanced digital technologies and hamper the overall competitiveness of union ' s economy . the actions supported by this programme are complementary to those supported by the esf , erdf and horizon europe programmes . ### the advanced digital technologies supported by this programme , such as high performance computing , cybersecurity and artificial intelligence are now sufficiently mature to move beyond the research arena and be deployed , implemented and scaled - up at union level , however should continue to be supported also at member states level . just as the deployment of these technologies requires a union response so does the skills dimension . bearing in mind the impact new technologies may have on the job market , training opportunities in advanced digital skills need to be scaled up , increased and made accessible throughout the eu , in particular for employees in the sectors that will be most affected by digital innovations . failing this could impede the smooth deployment of advanced digital technologies and hamper the overall competitiveness of union ' s economy . the actions supported by this programme are complementary to those supported by the esf , erdf and horizon europe programmes .


### modernising public administrations and services through digital means is crucial to reducing administrative burden on industry and on citizens in general by making their interactions with public authorities faster , more convenient and less costly , as well as by increasing the efficiency and the quality of the services provided to citizens and businesses . since a number of services of public interest already have a union dimension , the support to their implementation and deployment at union level should ensure that citizens and businesses will benefit from the access to high quality digital services across europe . ### modernising public administrations and services through digital means is crucial to reducing administrative burden on industry , business and research as well as and on citizens in general by making their interactions with public authorities including judiciaries faster , more convenient and less costly , as well as by increasing the efficiency and the quality of the services provided to citizens and businesses . since a number of services of public interest already have a union dimension , the support to their implementation and deployment at union level should ensure that citizens and businesses will benefit from the access to high quality digital services across europe .


### the digital transformation of the areas of public interest such as healthcare68 , mobility , justice , earth / environmental monitoring , education and culture requires the continuation and expansion of digital service infrastructures , which make secure cross - border exchange of data possible and foster national development . their coordination under this regulation best achieves the potential for exploiting synergies . _________________ 68 http : / / ec . europa . eu / newsroom / dae / document . cfm ? doc_id=51628 ### the digital transformation of the areas of public interest such as healthcare68 , mobility , justice , earth / environmental monitoring , education and training and culture requires the continuation and expansion of digital service infrastructures , which make secure cross - border exchange of data possible and foster national development . their coordination under this regulation best achieves the potential for exploiting synergies . the digital transformation should nevertheless take into account that some citizens are not taking part - out of different reasons - in it and networks should be supported to continue informing those citizens , helping them to remain in full possession of their rights and participation to all social and civic duties . _________________ 68 http : / / ec . europa . eu / newsroom / dae / document . cfm ? doc_id=51628


### the digital transformation of the areas of public interest such as healthcare68 , mobility , justice , earth / environmental monitoring , education and culture requires the continuation and expansion of digital service infrastructures , which make secure cross - border exchange of data possible and foster national development . their coordination under this regulation best achieves the potential for exploiting synergies . _________________ 68 http : / / ec . europa . eu / newsroom / dae / document . cfm ? doc_id=51628 ### the digital transformation of the areas of public interest such as healthcare68 , mobility , justice , earth / environmental monitoring , education and culture requires the continuation , upgrading and expansion of digital service infrastructures , which make secure cross - border exchange of data possible and foster national development . their coordination under this regulation best achieves the potential for exploiting synergies and ensuring complementarity . _________________ 68 http : / / ec . europa . eu / newsroom / dae / document . cfm ? doc_id=51628


### interoperability of european public services concerns all levels of administration : union , national , regional and local . besides removing barriers to a functioning single market , interoperability facilitates successful implementation of policies and offers great potential to avoid cross - border electronic barriers , further securing the emergence of new , or the consolidation of developing , common public services at union level . in order to eliminate fragmentation of european services , to support fundamental freedoms and operational mutual recognition in the eu , a holistic cross - sector and cross - border approach to interoperability should be promoted in the manner that is the most effective , and the most responsive to end - users . this implies that interoperability is to be understood in a broad sense , spanning from technical to legal layers and encompassing policy elements in the field . accordingly , the span of activities would go beyond the usual lifecycle of solutions to include all the interventions elements that would support the necessary framework conditions for sustained interoperability at large . ### interoperability of european public services concerns all levels of administration : union , national , regional and local . besides removing barriers to a functioning single market , interoperability facilitates cross - border co - operation , alignment of common standards , successful implementation of policies and offers great potential to avoid cross - border electronic barriers , to cut red tape , further securing the emergence of new , or the consolidation of developing , common public services at union level . in order to eliminate fragmentation of european services , to support fundamental freedoms and operational mutual recognition in the eu , a holistic cross - sector and cross - border approach to interoperability should be promoted in the manner that is the most effective , and the most responsive to end - users . this implies that interoperability is to be understood in a broad sense , spanning from technical to legal layers and encompassing policy elements in the field . accordingly , the span of activities would go beyond the usual lifecycle of solutions to include all the interventions elements that would support the necessary framework conditions for sustained interoperability at large .


### the programme should be implemented in full respect of the international and eu framework of intellectual property protection and enforcement . the effective protection of intellectual property plays a key role in innovation and thus is necessary for the effective implementation of the programme . ### the programme should be implemented in full respect of the international and eu framework of intellectual property protection and enforcement . the effective protection of intellectual property plays a key role in innovation and maintaining european added value and thus is necessary for the effective implementation of the programme .


### reflecting the importance of tackling climate change in line with the union’s commitments to implement the paris agreement and the united nations sustainable development goals , this programme will contribute to mainstream climate actions and lead to the achievement of an overall target of 25% of the eu budget expenditures supporting climate objectives74 . relevant actions will be identified during the programme ' s preparation and implementation , and reassessed in the context of the relevant evaluations and review processes . _________________ 74 com 321 final , page 1 ### reflecting the importance of tackling climate change in line with the union’s commitments to implement the paris agreement and the united nations sustainable development goals , this programme shall contribute to mainstream climate actions and lead to the achievement of an overall target of 25% of the eu budget expenditures supporting climate objectives74 . relevant actions shall be identified during the programme ' s preparation and implementation by way of optimising output of climate investment , and reassessed in the context of the relevant evaluations and review processes . _________________ 74 com 321 final , page 1


### deploy , coordinate at the union level and operate an integrated world - class exascale77 supercomputing and data infrastructure in the union that shall be accessible on a non - commercial basis to public and private users and for publicly funded research purposes ; _________________ 77 billions of billions of floating operations per second ### deploy , coordinate at the union level and operate an interoperable world - class exascale77 supercomputing and data infrastructure in the union that shall be accessible on a non - commercial basis to public and private users and for publicly funded research purposes in accordance with the regulation establishing the european high performance computing joint undertaking ; _________________ 77 billions of billions of floating operations per second


### deploy ready to use / operational technology resulting from research and innovation to build an integrated union high performance computing ecosystem , covering all scientific and industrial value chain segments , including hardware , software , applications , services , interconnections and digital skills ; ### deploy ready to use / operational technology resulting from research and innovation , including technologies that have previously benefitted or that currently benefit from union funding , to build an integrated union high performance computing ecosystem , covering all scientific and industrial value chain segments , including hardware software , applications , services , interconnections and digital skills ;


### deploy ready to use / operational technology resulting from research and innovation to build an integrated union high performance computing ecosystem , covering all scientific and industrial value chain segments , including hardware , software , applications , services , interconnections and digital skills ; ### deploy ready to use / operational technology resulting from research and innovation to build an integrated union high performance computing ecosystem , covering all scientific and industrial value chain segments , including hardware , software , applications , services , interconnections and digital skills , while also ensuring a high level of data security and protection ;


### deploy and operate a post - exascale78 infrastructure , including the integration with quantum computing technologies and develop new research infrastructures for computing science . __________________ 78 a thousand times faster than exascale ### deploy and operate a post - exascale78 infrastructure , including the integration with quantum computing technologies and develop new research infrastructures for computing science , that shall be accessible on a non - commercial basis to public and private users and for publicly funded research purposes ; __________________ 78 a thousand times faster than exascale


### support , together with member states , the procurement of advanced cybersecurity equipment , tools and data infrastructures in full compliance with data protection legislation ; ### support , together with member states , the procurement of advanced cybersecurity equipment , tools and data infrastructures including integrations with quantistic cryptography infrastructures in full compliance with data protection legislation ;


### reinforce capabilities within member states and private sector to help them meet directive 2016 / 1148 of the european parliament and of the council of 6 july 2016 concerning measures for a high common level of security of network and information systems across the union79 . _________________ 79 oj l 194 , 19 . 7 . 2016 , p . 1–30 ### reinforce capabilities within member states and private sector aiming at developing a cybersecurity culture within organisations and to help them meet directive 2016 / 1148 of the european parliament and of the council of 6 july 2016 concerning measures for a high common level of security of network and information systems across the union79 . _________________ 79 oj l 194 , 19 . 7 . 2016 , p . 1–30


### the financial intervention by the union under specific objective 4 . advanced digital skills shall support the development of advanced digital skills in areas supported by this programme , thus contributing to increase europe ' s talent pool , fostering greater professionalism , especially with regard to high performance computing , big data analytics , cybersecurity , distributed ledger technologies , robotics and artificial intelligence . the financial intervention shall pursue the following operational objectives : ### the financial intervention by the union under specific objective 4 . advanced digital skills shall support the development of advanced digital skills in areas supported by this programme , through collaboration with teaching establishments , universities , research centres and digital innovation hubs , thus contributing to increase europe ' s talent pool , fostering greater professionalism , especially with regard to high performance computing , big data analytics , cybersecurity , distributed ledger technologies , robotics and artificial intelligence . the financial intervention shall pursue the following operational objectives :


### the financial intervention by the union under specific objective 4 . advanced digital skills shall support the development of advanced digital skills in areas supported by this programme , thus contributing to increase europe ' s talent pool , fostering greater professionalism , especially with regard to high performance computing , big data analytics , cybersecurity , distributed ledger technologies , robotics and artificial intelligence . the financial intervention shall pursue the following operational objectives : ### the financial intervention by the union under specific objective 4 . advanced digital skills shall support the development of advanced digital skills in areas supported by this programme , thus contributing to increase europe ' s talent pool , fostering greater professionalism , especially with regard to high performance computing , big data analytics , cybersecurity , distributed ledger technologies , robotics and artificial intelligence . the financial intervention shall pursue the following operational objectives to stimulate employability , vocational training and specialisation in digital technologies and applications ,


### support on - the - job trainings and traineeships for students , young entrepreneurs and graduates . ### support high - quality on - the - job trainings , included blended learning and traineeships for students , young entrepreneurs and graduates , as well as citizens of all ages in need of upskilling .


### ensure that the public sector and areas of public interests , such as health and care , education , judiciary , transport , energy , environment , cultural and creative sectors , can deploy and access state - of - the - art digital technologies , in particular high performance computing , artificial intelligence and cybersecurity ; ### ensure that the public sector and areas of public interests , such as health and care , education , judiciary , transport and communications , energy , environment , cultural and creative sectors , can deploy and access state - of - the - art digital technologies , in particular high performance computing , artificial intelligence and cybersecurity ;


### facilitate the development , update and use of solutions and frameworks by european public administrations , businesses and citizens , including the re - use of interoperability solutions and frameworks ; ### facilitate the development , deployment , update and use of solutions and frameworks by european public administrations , businesses and citizens , including open - source solutions and the re - use of interoperability solutions and frameworks ;


### offer to public administrations access to testing and piloting of digital technologies , including their cross - border use ; ### offer to public administrations access to testing and piloting of advanced digital technologies , including their cross - border use ;


### offer to public administrations access to testing and piloting of digital technologies , including their cross - border use ; ### offer to public administrations access to testing , piloting and scaling - up of digital technologies , including their cross - border use ;


### the financial envelope for the implementation of the programme for the period 2021&#8722 ; 2027shall be eur 9 194 000 000 in current prices . ### the financial envelope for the implementation of the programme for the period 2021&#8722 ; 2027shall be eur 8 192 391 000 in 2018 prices .


### resources allocated to member states under shared management may , at their request , be transferred to the programme . the commission shall implement those resources directly in accordance with point of article 62 of the financial regulation or indirectly in accordance with point of that article . where possible those resources shall be used for the benefit of the member state concerned . ### resources allocated to member states under shared management may , at their request , be transferred to the programme . the commission shall implement those resources directly in accordance with point of article 62 of the financial regulation or indirectly in accordance with point of that article . where possible those resources shall be used to the maximum extent possible for the benefit of the member state concerned .


### —guarantees the rights of the union to ensure sound financial management and to protect its financial interests . ### —guarantees the rights of the union to ensure sound financial management and to protect its interests .


### the cooperation with third countries and organisations mentioned in paragraph 1 under specific objective 3 . cybersecurity and trust shall be subject to article [ 12 ] . ### the cooperation with third countries and organisations mentioned in paragraph 1 under specific objective 2 and 3 . cybersecurity and trust and artificial intelligence shall be subject to article [ 12 ] . for actions under specfic objective 1 , high performance computing , the cooperation with third countries will be limited to those countries that are members of the european high performance computing joint undertaking .


### the programme is designed to be implemented enabling synergies , as further described in annex iii , with other union funding programmes , in particular through arrangements for complementary funding from eu programmes where management modalities permit ; either in sequence , in an alternating way , or through the combination of funds including for the joint funding of actions . ### the programme is designed to be implemented enabling synergies , as further described in annex iii , with other union funding programmes , such as horizon europe , the european regional development fund , european agricultural fund for rural development , the connecting europe facility , investeu and erasmus , in particular through arrangements for complementary funding from eu programmes where management modalities permit ; either in sequence , in an alternating way , or through the combination of funds including for the joint funding of actions .


### the programme may provide funding in any of the forms laid down in the financial regulation , including notably procurement as a primary form as well as grants and prizes . it may also provide financing in the form of financial instruments within blending operations . ### the programme may provide funding in the form of primarily public procurements of grants as well as grants and prizes as laid down in the financial regulation , including notably procurement as a primary form . it may also provide financing in the form of financial instruments within blending operations only by providing the non - repayable forms of support to blending operations .


### the programme may be implemented through european partnerships . this may include in particular contributions to existing or new public - private partnerships in the form of joint undertakings established under article 187 tfeu . for these contributions , provisions relating to european partnerships under [ horizon europe regulation , ref to be added ] apply . ### the programme may be implemented through european partnerships agreed within the strategic programming process between the commission and the member states . this may include in particular contributions to existing or new public - private partnerships in the form of joint undertakings established under article 187 tfeu . for these contributions , provisions relating to european partnerships under [ horizon europe regulation , ref to be added ] apply .


### during the first year of the implementation of the programme , an initial network of digital innovation hubs shall be established . ### during the first year of the implementation of the programme , an initial european network of digital innovation hubs shall be established .


### the need to ensure by the initial network a coverage of the needs of industry and areas of public interest and a comprehensive and balanced geographical coverage . ### the need to ensure by the initial network a coverage of the needs of industry and areas of public interest and a comprehensive and balanced geographical coverage , improving convergence and contribute to fill the gap between the cohesion countries and the other member states .


### additional digital innovation hubs shall be selected on the basis of an open and competitive process , in such a way to ensure the widest geographical coverage across europe . the number of entities of the network shall be proportional to the population of a given member states and there shall be at least one digital innovation hub per member state . to address the specific constraints faced by the eu outermost regions , specific entities may be nominated to cover their needs . ### additional digital innovation hubs shall be selected on the basis of an open and competitive process , in such a way to ensure the widest geographical coverage across europe . the number of entities of the network shall be proportional to the population of a given member states and it shall be a priority to have at least one digital innovation hub per member state . to address the specific constraints faced by the eu outermost regions , additional innovation hubs shall be selected in those regions or specific entities may be nominated to cover their needs independently of their population .


### additional digital innovation hubs shall be selected on the basis of an open and competitive process , in such a way to ensure the widest geographical coverage across europe . the number of entities of the network shall be proportional to the population of a given member states and there shall be at least one digital innovation hub per member state . to address the specific constraints faced by the eu outermost regions , specific entities may be nominated to cover their needs . ### additional digital innovation hubs shall be selected on the basis of an open process , in such a way to ensure the widest geographical coverage and the involvement of the workforce , trade unions , social partners , civil society and companies across europe . the number of entities of the network shall be proportional to the population of a given member states and there shall be at least one digital innovation hub per member state . to address the specific constraints faced by the eu outermost regions , specific entities may be nominated to cover their needs .


### the digital innovation hubs may receive funding in the form of grants . ### the digital innovation hubs may receive contributions from member states , participating third countries or public authorities within them , contributions from international bodies or institutions , contributions from members , shareholders or partners of the digital innovation hub , revenues generated by the digital innovation hubs own assets and activities , bequest , donations and contributions from individuals or funding in the form of grants including from this programme and other eu programmes .


### the digital innovation hubs which receive funding shall be involved in the implementation of the programme to : ### the digital innovation hubs shall be involved in the implementation of the programme to :


### provide digital transformation services - including testing and experimentation facilities - targeted towards smes and midcaps , also in sectors that are slow in the uptake of digital and related technologies ; ### provide digital transformation services and technological expertise - including testing and experimentation facilities - targeted towards smes , midcaps and start - ups , also in sectors that are slow in the uptake of digital and related technologies ;


### provide digital transformation services - including testing and experimentation facilities - targeted towards smes and midcaps , also in sectors that are slow in the uptake of digital and related technologies ; ### provide digital transformation services - including testing and experimentation facilities and it instructors - targeted towards smes and midcaps , also in sectors that are slow in the uptake of digital and related technologies ;


### legal entities established in a third country which is not associated to the programme are exceptionally eligible to participate in specific actions where this is necessary for the achievement of the objectives of the programme . ### legal entities established in a third country which is not associated to the programme are exceptionally eligible to participate in specific actions where this is necessary for the achievement of the objectives of the programme and when it does do not imply additional security risks for the eu or put in question the eu ' s strategic autonomy .


### grants under the programme shall be awarded and managed in accordance with title viii of the financial regulation . ### grants under the programme shall be awarded and managed in accordance with title viii of the financial regulation and may cover up to 100% of the eligible costs on duly justified reasons , without prejudice of the co - financing principle ;


### blending operations decided under this programme shall be implemented in accordance with the [ investeu regulation ] and title x of the financial regulation . ### blending operations decided under this programme shall be implemented in accordance with the [ investeu regulation ] and title x of the financial regulation . the amount of expenditure from this programme to be blended with a financial instrument shall be non - refundable .


### the commission shall implement information and communication actions relating to the programme , and its actions and results . financial resources allocated to the programme shall also contribute to the corporate communication of the political priorities of the union , as far as they are related to the objectives referred to in article [ 3 ] . ### the commission shall implement information and communication actions relating to the programme , and its actions and results . it shall also ensure integrated information and access to potential applicants to union funding in the digital sector . financial resources allocated to the programme shall also contribute to the corporate communication of the political priorities of the union , as far as they are related to the objectives referred to in article [ 3 ] .


### the programme shall build up and strengthen core artificial intelligence capacities in europe including data resources and repositories of algorithms and making them accessible by all businesses and public administrations as well as reinforcement and networking of existing ai testing and experimentation facilities in member states . ### the programme shall build up and strengthen core capacities of artificial intelligence and distributed ledger technologies in europe including data resources and repositories of algorithms and making them accessible by all businesses and public administrations as well as reinforcement and networking of existing ai testing and experimentation facilities in member states .


### the programme shall support easy access to advanced digital skills , notably in hpc , ai , distributed ledgers and cybersecurity for the current and future labour force by offering students , recent graduates , and existing workers , wherever they are situated , with the means to acquire and develop these skills . ### the programme shall support easy access and training opportunities in advanced digital skills , notably in hpc , ai , distributed ledgers and cybersecurity for the current and future labour force by offering students , recent graduates or citizens of all ages in need of upskilling , jobseekers and existing workers , wherever they are situated , with the means to acquire and develop these skills .


### access to on the job training by taking part in traineeships in competence centres and companies deploying advanced technologies . ### the programme shall support easy access to advanced digital skills , notably in hpc , ai , distributed ledgers and cybersecurity for the current and future labour force by offering students , recent graduates , existing workers and other qualified persons , wherever they are situated , the means to acquire and develop these skills .


### 2 . support the design , piloting , deployment , maintenance and promotion of a coherent eco - system of cross - border digital services infrastructure and facilitate seamless end - to - end , secure , interoperable , multi - lingual , interoperable cross - border or cross - sector solutions and common frameworks within public administration . methodologies for assessing the impact and benefits shall also be included . ### 2 . support the design , piloting , deployment , maintenance , expansion and promotion of a coherent eco - system of cross - border digital services infrastructure and facilitate seamless end - to - end , secure , interoperable , multi - lingual , interoperable cross - border or cross - sector solutions and common frameworks within public administration . methodologies for assessing the impact and benefits shall also be included .


### judiciary : enable seamless and secure cross - border electronic communication within the judiciary and between the judiciary and other competent bodies in the area of civil and criminal justice . improve access to justice and juridical information and procedures to citizens , businesses , legal practitioners and members of the judiciary with semantically interoperable interconnections to national databases and registers as well as facilitating the out - of - court dispute resolution online . promote the development and implementation of innovative technologies for courts and legal practitioners based on artificial intelligence solutions which are likely to streamline and speed - up procedures . ### judiciary : enable seamless and secure cross - border electronic communication within the judiciary and between the judiciary and other competent bodies in the area of civil and criminal justice . improve access to justice and juridical information and procedures to citizens , businesses , legal practitioners and members of the judiciary with semantically interoperable interconnections to databases and registers as well as facilitating the out - of - court dispute resolution online . promote the development and implementation of innovative technologies for courts and legal practitioners based on artificial intelligence solutions which are likely to streamline and speed - up procedures .


### 2number of companies and organisations using ai ### 2number of companies and organisations testing and experimenting with ai in co - operation with digital innovations hubs


### digital europe will invest in digital capacity building in high performance computing , artificial intelligence , cybersecurity and advanced digital skills ; and national and regional deployment within an eu framework of digital capacities and the latest digital technologies in areas of public interest or market failure ; ### digital europe will invest in digital capacity building in high performance computing , artificial intelligence , distributed ledger technology , cybersecurity and advanced digital skills ; and national and regional deployment within an eu framework of digital capacities and the latest digital technologies in areas of public interest or market failure ;


### ' 3a . where no opinion is delivered in the appeal committee , the commission may refer the matter to the council for an opinion indicating its views and orientation on the wider implications of the absence of opinion , including the institutional , legal , political and international implications . the commission shall take account of any position expressed by the council within 3 months after the referral . in duly justified cases , the commission may indicate a shorter deadline in the referral . ' ### ' 3a . where no opinion is delivered in the appeal committee , the commission may refer the matter to the council for an opinion indicating its views and orientation on the wider implications of the absence of opinion , including the institutional , legal , political and international implications . the commission shall take account of any position expressed by the council within 3 months after the referral . in duly justified cases , the commission may indicate a shorter deadline in the referral . the european parliament shall be kept duly and timely informed in this regard” .


### “the summary records , together with the lists of the authorities and organisations to which the persons designated by the member states to represent them belong ; ” ### in paragraph 1 , point is replaced by the following : “the summary records , together with the lists of participants representing the authorities and organisations ; ”


### “where a basic act is adopted under the ordinary legislative procedure , either the european parliament or the council may at any time indicate to the commission that , in its view , a draft implementing act exceeds the implementing powers provided for in the basic act . in such a case , the commission shall review the draft implementing act , taking account of the positions expressed , and shall inform the european parliament and the council whether it intends to maintain , amend or withdraw the draft implementing act . ” ### in article 11 , the first sentence is replaced by the following : “where a basic act is adopted under the ordinary legislative procedure , and after notification of the draft implementing act simultaneously to the european parliament and the council as soon as it is available , either the european parliament or the council may at any time indicate to the commission that , in its view , that draft implementing act exceeds the implementing powers provided for in the basic act or that it is not compatible with the aim or the content of the basic act . in such a case , the commission shall review the draft implementing act , taking account of the positions expressed , and shall inform the european parliament and the council whether it intends to maintain , amend or withdraw the draft implementing act . ”


### berec and the berec office have made a positive contribution towards a consistent implementation of the regulatory framework for electronic communications . notwithstanding , there are still significant disparities between member states as regards regulatory practice . moreover , the governance structure of berec and the berec office is cumbersome and gives rise to unnecessary administrative burden . in order to ensure efficiency gains and synergies and to further contribute to the development of the internal market for electronic communications throughout the union as well as to the promotion of access to , and take - up of , very high capacity data connectivity , competition in the provision of electronic communications networks , services and associated facilities and the interests of the citizens of the union , this regulation aims to strengthen the role of berec and enhance its governance structure by establishing berec as a union decentralised agency . this also corresponds to the need to reflect the significantly enhanced role played by berec following regulation no 531 / 2012 which establishes tasks for berec in relation to union - wide roaming , regulation no 2015 / 2120 which establishes tasks for berec in relation to open internet access and union - wide roaming , and the directive which establishes a significant number of new tasks for berec such as issuing decisions and guidelines on several topics , reporting on technical matters , keeping registers and delivering opinions on internal market procedures for draft national measures on market regulation as well as on assignments of rights of use for radio spectrum . ### berec and the berec office have made a positive contribution towards a consistent implementation of the regulatory framework for electronic communications . nonetheless , there are still significant disparities between member states as regards regulatory practice . moreover , the governance structure of berec and the berec office is cumbersome and gives rise to unnecessary administrative burdens . in order to ensure efficiency gains and synergies and to further contribute to the development of the internal market for electronic communications throughout the union as well as to the promotion of access to , and take - up of , very high capacity data connectivity , of competition in the provision of electronic communications networks , services and associated facilities and of the interests of the citizens of the union , this regulation aims to strengthen the role of berec and enhance its governance structure by establishing berec as a union decentralised agency . this also corresponds to the need to reflect the significantly enhanced role played by berec under regulation no 531 / 2012 which establishes tasks for berec in relation to union - wide roaming , regulation no 2015 / 2120 which establishes tasks for berec in relation to open internet access and union - wide roaming , and the directive which establishes a significant number of new tasks for berec such as issuing decisions and guidelines in several areas , reporting on technical matters , keeping registers and delivering opinions on internal market procedures for draft national measures on market regulation as well as on assignments of rights of use for radio spectrum .


### the need for the regulatory framework for electronic communications to be consistently applied in all member states is essential for the successful development of an internal market for electronic communications throughout the union and the promotion of access to , and take - up of , very high capacity data connectivity , of competition in the provision of electronic communications networks , services and associated facilities and of the interests of the citizens of the union . in view of market and technological developments , which often entails an increased cross - border dimension , and to the experience so far in ensuring a consistent implementation in the electronic communications field , it is necessary to build on the work of berec and the berec office and further develop them into a fully - fledged agency . ### the need for the regulatory framework for electronic communications to be consistently applied in a balanced and non - discriminatory manner in all member states is essential for the successful development of an internal market for electronic communications throughout the union and the promotion of access to , and take - up of , very high capacity data connectivity , of competition in the provision of electronic communications networks , services and associated facilities and of the interests of the citizens of the union . in view of market and technological developments , which often entails an increased cross - border dimension , and to the experience so far in ensuring a consistent implementation in the electronic communications field , it is necessary to build on the work of berec and the berec office .


### as berec is competent for taking decisions with a binding effect , it is necessary to ensure that any natural or legal person subject to , or concerned by , a decision of berec has the right of appeal to a board of appeal , which is part of the agency but independent from its administrative and regulatory structure . as the decisions issued by the board of appeal are intended to produce legal effects towards third parties , an action for review of their legality may be brought to the general court . in order to ensure uniform conditions as regards the rules of procedure of the board of appeal , implementing powers should be conferred on the commission . those powers should be exercised in accordance with regulation no 182 / 2011 of the european parliament and of the council33 . _________________ 33 regulation no 182 / 2011 of the european parliament and of the council of 16 february 2011 laying down the rules and general principles concerning mechanisms for control by member states of the commission ' s exercise of implementing powers . ### as berec is competent for taking decisions with a binding effect , it is necessary to ensure that any natural or legal person subject to , or concerned by , a decision of berec has the right of appeal to a board of appeal , which is part of the agency but independent from its administrative and regulatory structure . as the decisions issued by the board of appeal are intended to produce legal effects towards third parties , an action for review of their legality may be brought to the general court .


### in order to carry out its tasks effectively , berec should have the right to request all necessary information from the commission , the nras and , as a last resort , other authorities and undertakings . requests for information should be proportionate and not impose an undue burden on the addressees . nras , which are closest to the electronic communications markets , should cooperate with berec and have a timely and accurate provision of information to ensure that berec is able to fulfil its mandate . berec should also share with the commission and the nras the necessary information based on the principle of sincere cooperation . ### in order to carry out its tasks effectively , berec should have the right to request all necessary information from the commission , the nras and , as a last resort , other authorities and undertakings . requests for information should be proportionate and not impose an undue burden on the addressees . nras , which are closest to the electronic communications markets , should cooperate with berec and provide timely and accurate information to ensure that berec is able to fulfil its mandate . berec should also share with the commission and the nras the necessary information based on the principle of sincere cooperation .


### in so far as is necessary in order to achieve the objectives set out in this regulation and perform its tasks , berec may cooperate with competent union bodies , agencies , offices and advisory groups , with competent authorities of third countries and / or with international organisations , in accordance to article 26 ### in so far as is necessary for it to achieve the objectives set out in this regulation and perform its tasks and contribute to broader union policy objectives , berec may consult the nras and cooperate with competent union bodies , agencies , offices and advisory groups , with competent authorities of member states , third countries and / or with national and international organisations , in accordance with article 26 .


### the management board shall be composed of one representative from each member state and two representatives of the commission , all with voting rights . each nra shall be responsible for nominating its respective representative amongst the head or members of the collegiate body of the nra ### the management board shall be composed of one member from each member state and one representative of the commission , all with voting rights . each nra shall be responsible for nominating its respective representative , who may be either the head or another high - level representative of the nra . third - country regulatory authorities invited by the management board shall have observer status .


### the management board shall : ### the management board&#160 ; shall be&#160 ; responsible for fulfilling berec ' s tasks as set out in article 2 , and shall do so by taking all necessary decisions and by providing guidance to the executive director . in doing so , it shall also rely on the work carried out by the working groups . the management board shall :


### where justified and in particular to implement the work programme of berec , the management board , may set up the necessary working groups . ### where justified and in particular to implement the work programme of berec , the management board may set up the necessary expert working groups .


### the management board shall appoint the members of the working groups , which may be participated in by experts from the nras , the commission , berec staff and the nras of third countries participating in the work of berec . ### the management board shall appoint the members of the working groups , which may comprise experts from the nras , the commission , berec staff and the nras of third countries participating in the work of berec . the composition of the working groups should properly reflect the different policy interests at stake and have due regard for the general objectives of promoting cultural and linguistic diversity and media pluralism set out in article 3 of the directive .


### the management board shall appoint the members of the working groups , which may be participated in by experts from the nras , the commission , berec staff and the nras of third countries participating in the work of berec . ### the management board shall appoint the members of the expert working groups , which may be attended by experts from the nras , the commission , berec staff and the nras of third countries participating in the work of berec .


### in the case of the working groups which are set up to carry out the tasks referred to in the third indent of article 2 , their members shall be appointed from the lists of qualified experts provided by the nras , the commission and the executive director . ### in the case of the working groups which are set up to carry out the tasks referred to in the third indent of article 2 , their members shall be appointed from the lists of qualified experts provided by the nras and the commission .


### in the case of the working groups which are set up to carry out the tasks referred to in the second indent of article 2 , their members shall be appointed exclusively from the lists of qualified experts provided by the nras and the executive director . ### in the case of the working groups which are set up to carry out the tasks referred to in the second indent of article 2 , their members shall be appointed exclusively from the lists of qualified experts provided by the nras .


### berec shall provide support to the working groups . ### berec shall provide both administrative and content - related support to the working groups .


### in light of the very sharp increase that has been experienced since 2014 in the number of applications for international protection made in the union and the resulting unprecedented pressure on member states’ asylum systems the union acknowledged the need to strengthen the application of the safe country of origin provisions of directive 2013 / 32 / eu , as an essential tool to support the swift processing of applications that are likely to be unfounded . in particular , in its conclusions of 25 and 26 june 2015 , the european council referred , in relation to the need to accelerate the treatment of asylum applications , to the intention of the commission as set out in its communication on a european agenda on migration to strengthen these provisions , including the possible establishment of an eu common list of safe countries of origin . moreover , the justice and home affairs council in its conclusions on safe countries of origin of 20 july 2015 welcomed the intention of the commission to strengthen the safe countries of origin provisions in directive 2013 / 32 / eu , including the possible establishment of an eu common list of safe countries of origin . ### in light of the very sharp increase that has been experienced since 2014 in the number of applications for international protection made in the union and the resulting unprecedented pressure on member states’ asylum systems the union acknowledged the need to strengthen the application of the safe country of origin provisions of directive 2013 / 32 / eu , as an essential tool to support the swift processing of applications that may be unfounded . in particular , in its conclusions of 25 and 26 june 2015 , the european council referred , in relation to the need to accelerate the treatment of some asylum applications , to the intention of the commission as set out in its communication on a european agenda on migration to strengthen these provisions , including the possible establishment of an eu common list of safe countries of origin . moreover , the justice and home affairs council in its conclusions on safe countries of origin of 20 july 2015 welcomed the intention of the commission to strengthen the safe countries of origin provisions in directive 2013 / 32 / eu , including the possible establishment of an eu common list of safe countries of origin .


### the commission should regularly review the situation in third countries that are on the eu common list of safe countries of origin . in case of sudden change for the worse in the situation of a third country on the eu common list , the power to adopt acts in accordance with article 290 of the treaty on the functioning of the european union should be delegated to the commission in respect of suspending the presence of this third country from the eu common list for a period of one year where it considers , on the basis of a substantiated assessment , that the conditions set by directive 2013 / 32 / eu for regarding a third country as safe country of origin are no longer met . for the purpose of this substantiated assessment , the commission should take into consideration a range of sources of information at its disposal including in particular , its annual progress reports for third countries designated as candidate countries by the european council , regular reports from the european external action service and the information from member states , the european asylum support office , the united nations high commissioner for refugees , the council of europe and other relevant international organisations . the commission should be able to extend the suspension of the presence of a third country from the eu common list for a period of maximum one year , where it has proposed an amendment to this regulation in order to remove this third country from the eu common list of safe countries of origin . it is of particular importance that the commission carry out appropriate consultations during its preparatory work , including at expert level . the commission , when preparing and drawing up delegated acts , should ensure a simultaneous , timely and appropriate transmission of relevant documents to the european parliament and to the council . ### the commission should regularly review the situation in third countries that are on the eu common list of safe countries of origin . in case of sudden change for the worse in the situation of a third country on the eu common list , the power to adopt acts in accordance with article 290 of the treaty on the functioning of the european union should be delegated to the commission in respect of suspending the presence of this third country from the eu common list for a period of one year where it considers , on the basis of a substantiated assessment , that the conditions set by directive 2013 / 32 / eu for regarding a third country as safe country of origin are no longer met . for the purpose of this substantiated assessment , the commission should take into consideration a range of sources of information at its disposal including in particular , its annual progress reports for third countries designated as candidate countries by the european council , regular reports from the european external action service and the information from member states , the european asylum support office , the united nations high commissioner for refugees , the council of europe , civil society groups and other relevant international organisations . the commission should be able to extend the suspension of the presence of a third country from the eu common list for a period of maximum one year , where it has proposed an amendment to this regulation in order to remove this third country from the eu common list of safe countries of origin . it is of particular importance that the commission carry out appropriate consultations during its preparatory work , including at expert level . the commission , when preparing and drawing up delegated acts , should ensure a simultaneous , timely and appropriate transmission of relevant documents to the european parliament and to the council . the commission must be able to respond swiftly and effectively to humanitarian crises , in keeping with the union ' s commitments to third countries and refugees .


### third countries listed in annex i to this regulation are safe countries of origin . ### third countries listed in annex i to this regulation are safe countries of origin depending on the applicant ' s individual circumstances .


### the commission shall regularly review the situation in third countries that are on the eu common list of safe countries of origin , based on a range of sources of information , including in particular regular reporting from the eeas and information from member states , easo , unhcr , the council of europe and other relevant international organisations . ### the commission shall systematically review the impact of the regulation on eu development policy , taking into account the principle of policy coherence for development . the commission shall , furthermore , regularly review the situation in third countries that are on the eu common list of safe countries of origin , based on a range of sources of information , including in particular regular reporting from the eeas and information from member states , easo , unhcr , the council of europe , civil society groups and other relevant international organisations .


### in the interests of the proper functioning of the internal market , it is necessary to further improve and expedite the transmission and service between the member states of judicial and extrajudicial documents in civil and commercial matters . ### in the interests of the proper functioning of the internal market , it is necessary to further improve and expedite the transmission and service between the member states of judicial and extrajudicial documents in civil and commercial matters , while ensuring a high level of security in the transmission , safeguarding the rights of the addressee and the protection of privacy and personal data .


### in order to ensure the speedy transmission of documents to other member states for the purposes of service there , all appropriate means of modern communication technology should be used , provided that certain conditions as to the integrity and reliability of the document received are observed . for that purpose , all communication and exchanges of documents between the agencies and bodies designated by the member states should be carried out through a decentralised it system composed of national it systems . ### in order to ensure the speedy transmission of documents to other member states for the purposes of service there , all appropriate means of modern communication technology should be used , provided that certain conditions as to the integrity and reliability of the document received are observed . for that purpose , all communication and exchanges of documents between the agencies and bodies designated by the member states should be carried out through a decentralised it system composed of national it systems . the transmission of all communications and exchanges of documents between agencies and bodies designated by the member states must be reliable , safe and secure , so as to ensure the protection of privacy and personal data .


### the receiving agency should , in all circumstances and with no margin of discretion in that regard , inform the addressee in writing using the standard form that he or she may refuse to accept the document to be served if it is not either in a language which he or she understands or in the official language or one of the official languages of the place of service . this rule should also apply to any subsequent service once the addressee has exercised his or her right of refusal . the right of refusal should also apply in respect of service by diplomatic or consular agents , service by postal services and direct service . it should be possible to remedy the service of the refused document by serving a translation of the document on the addressee . ### the receiving agency should , in all circumstances and with no margin of discretion in that regard , inform the addressee in writing using the standard form that he or she may refuse to accept the document to be served if it is not either in a language which he or she understands or in the official language or one of the official languages of the place of service . this rule should also apply to any subsequent service once the addressee has exercised his or her right of refusal . the right of refusal should also apply in respect of service by diplomatic staff or consular officials , service by postal services and direct service . it should be possible to remedy the service of the refused document by serving a translation of the document on the addressee .


### efficiency and speed in cross - border judicial proceedings requires direct , expedited channels for serving documents on persons in other member states . consequently , it should be possible for a person interested in a judicial proceeding or a court or authority seised with a legal proceeding to effect service of documents directly through electronic means to the digital user account of an addressee who is domiciled in another member state . the conditions for the use of such type of direct electronic service should ensure that electronic user accounts are used for the purpose of service of documents only if there are appropriate safeguards for the protection of the interests of the addressees , either by way of high technical standards or in form of an explicit consent given by the addressee . ### efficiency and speed in cross - border judicial proceedings requires direct , expedited and secure channels for serving documents on persons in other member states . it should be possible for a person interested in a judicial proceeding or a court or authority seised with a legal proceeding to effect service of documents directly through electronic means to an addressee who is domiciled in another member state . such type of direct electronic service should , however , be permitted only if there are appropriate safeguards for the protection of the interests of the addressees , including high technical standards and an explicit consent given by the addressee .


### in order to enable a swift adaptation of the annexes to regulation no 1393 / 2007 , the power to adopt acts in accordance with article 290 of the treaty on the functioning of the european union should be delegated to the commission in respect of amendments to annexes i , ii and iv to that regulation . it is of particular importance that the commission carry out appropriate consultations during its preparatory work , including at expert level , and that those consultations be conducted in accordance with the principles laid down in the interinstitutional agreement of 13 april 2016 on better law - making* . in particular , to ensure equal participation in the preparation of delegated acts , the european parliament and the council receive all documents at the same time as member states’ experts , and their experts systematically have access to meetings of commission expert groups dealing with the preparation of delegated acts . ### in order to define the detailed arrangements for the functioning of the decentralised it system for communication and exchange of documents between the agencies and bodies designated by the member states , and in order to determine the detailed arrangements for the functioning of the qualified electronic registered delivery services which will be used for the purpose of service of documents through electronic means , the power to adopt acts in accordance with article 290 of the treaty on the functioning of the european union should be delegated to the commission . such delegated acts should guarantee effective , reliable and smooth transmission of the relevant data , as well as a high level of security in the transmission , the protection of privacy and personal data and , with regard to electronic service of documents , equal access for person with disabilities . furthermore , in order to enable a swift adaptation of the annexes to regulation no 1393 / 2007 , the power to adopt acts in accordance with article 290 of the treaty on the functioning of the european union should be delegated to the commission in respect of amendments to annexes i , ii and iv to that regulation . it is of particular importance that the commission carry out appropriate consultations during its preparatory work , including at expert level , and that those consultations be conducted in accordance with the principles laid down in the interinstitutional agreement of 13 april 2016 on better law - making* . in particular , to ensure equal participation in the preparation of delegated acts , the european parliament and the council receive all documents at the same time as member states’ experts , and their experts systematically have access to meetings of commission expert groups dealing with the preparation of delegated acts .


### the means of receipt of documents available to them for the cases set out in article 3a ; ; ### the means of receipt of documents available to them for the cases set out in article 3a ;


### documents , requests , confirmations , receipts , certificates and any communication carried out on the basis of the standard forms in annex i between the transmitting agencies and receiving agencies , between those agencies and the central bodies , or between the central bodies of the different member states shall be transmitted through a decentralised it system composed of national it systems interconnected by a communication infrastructure enabling the secure and reliable cross - border exchange of information between the national it systems . ### the transmission of documents , requests , including the requests drawn up using the standard forms in annex i , confirmations , receipts , certificates and any other communication between the transmitting agencies and receiving agencies , between those agencies and the central bodies , or between the central bodies of the different member states shall be carried out through a decentralised it system composed of national it systems interconnected by a communication infrastructure enabling the secure and reliable cross - border exchange of information between the national it systems . such decentralised it system shall be based on e - codex .


### the general legal framework for the use of trust services set out in council regulation no 910 / 2014* shall apply to the documents , requests , confirmations , receipts , certificates and any communication transmitted through the decentralised it system referred to in paragraph 1 . ### the general legal framework for the use of qualified trust services set out in council regulation no 910 / 2014* shall apply to the documents , requests , confirmations , receipts , certificates and any communication transmitted through the decentralised it system referred to in paragraph 1 .


### where the address of the person to be served with the judicial or extrajudicial document in another member state is not known , member states shall provide assistance by one or more of the following means : ### where the address of the person to be served with the judicial or extrajudicial document in another member state is not known , member states shall provide assistance as soon as possible and in any event within 10 working days by one or more of the following means :


### on receipt of a document , an automatic receipt of delivery shall be sent to the transmitting agency via the decentralised it system referred to in article 3a . ### on receipt of a document , an automatic receipt of delivery shall be sent immediately to the transmitting agency via the decentralised it system referred to in article 3a .


### on receipt of a document , an automatic receipt of delivery shall be sent to the transmitting agency via the decentralised it system referred to in article 3a . ### on receipt of a document , an automatic receipt of delivery shall , as soon as possible , be sent to the transmitting agency via the decentralised it system referred to in article 3a .


### if the request for service is manifestly outside the scope of this regulation or if non - compliance with the formal conditions required makes service impossible , the request and the documents transmitted shall be returned , on receipt , to the transmitting agency , together with the notice of return using the standard form set out in annex i . ### if the request for service is manifestly outside the scope of this regulation or if non - compliance with the formal conditions required makes service impossible , the request and the documents transmitted shall be returned , on receipt , to the transmitting agency as soon as possible and in any event within four working days , together with the notice of return using the standard form set out in annex i .


### a receiving agency receiving a document for service but not having territorial jurisdiction to serve it shall forward it , as well as the request , through the decentralised it system referred to in article 3a to the receiving agency having territorial jurisdiction in the same member state if the request complies with the conditions laid down in article 4 and shall inform the transmitting agency accordingly using the standard form set out in annex i . upon receipt of the document and the request by the receiving agency having territorial jurisdiction in the same member state , an automatic receipt of delivery is sent to the transmitting agency , via the decentralised it system referred to in article 3a . ' ; ### a receiving agency receiving a document for service but not having territorial jurisdiction to serve it shall forward it , as well as the request , as soon as possible and in any event within four working days through the decentralised it system referred to in article 3a to the receiving agency having territorial jurisdiction in the same member state if the request complies with the conditions laid down in article 4 and shall at the same time inform the transmitting agency accordingly using the standard form set out in annex i . upon receipt of the document and the request by the receiving agency having territorial jurisdiction in the same member state , an automatic receipt of delivery is sent immediately to the transmitting agency , via the decentralised it system referred to in article 3a .


### obligation to appoint a representative for the purpose of service in the forum member state ### appointment of a representative for the purpose of service in the forum member state


### where a document instituting the proceedings has been served upon the defendant , the law of the forum member state may impose an obligation upon parties who are domiciled in another member state to appoint a representative for the purpose of service of documents on them in the forum member state . ### where a document instituting the proceedings has already been served upon the defendant and the defendant has not refused to accept such document in accordance with article 8 , the law of the forum member state shall offer to parties who are domiciled in another member state the option of appointing a representative for the purpose of service of documents on them in the forum member state . if the party concerned has been duly informed about the consequences of choosing to avail of this option and has expressly chosen it , the service of documents shall be effected on the party ' s authorised representative in the forum member state , in accordance with the laws and practices of that member state .