### several member states have been undergoing and continue to undergo adjustment processes to correct macroeconomic imbalances accumulated in the past and many are facing the challenge of low potential growth . the union has identified the implementation of structural reforms among its policy priorities to set the recovery on a sustainable path , unlock the growth potential to strengthen the adjustment capacity , and support the process of convergence . ### several member states have been undergoing and continue to undergo adjustment processes to correct macroeconomic imbalances accumulated in the past and many are suffering from low potential growth , high unemployment rates and a severe crisis affecting their main production systems . there is therefore a need for socially responsible structural reforms that boost growth and social cohesion , which should be among the union’s policy priorities to set the recovery on a sustainable path , unlock the growth potential to strengthen the adjustment capacity , create jobs , foster investment and support the process of upward convergence .


### the beneficiary member state , in coordination with the commission , may enter into partnership with one or more other member states which shall act as reform partners in respect of specific areas of reform . a reform partner shall , in coordination with the commission , help formulate strategy , reform roadmaps , design high - quality assistance or oversee implementation of strategy and projects . ### the beneficiary member state , in coordination with the commission , may enter into partnership with one or more other member states which shall act as reform partners in respect of specific areas of reform on the basis of a reciprocal agreement . a reform partner shall , in coordination with the commission and the beneficiary member state , help formulate strategy , reform roadmaps , design high - quality assistance or oversee implementation of strategy and projects .


### reforms are by their very nature complex processes that require a complete chain of highly - specialised knowledge and skills . addressing structural reforms in a variety of public policy areas is challenging since their benefits often take time to materialise . therefore , early and efficient design and implementation is crucial , be it for crisis - struck or structurally - weak economies . in this context , the provision of support by the union in the form of technical assistance has been crucial in supporting the economic adjustment of greece and cyprus in the last years . ### reforms are by their very nature complex processes that require political will , the ability to engage in dialogue and multi - level cooperation , budgetary and administrative resources , and a complete chain of highly - specialised knowledge and skills . addressing structural reforms in a variety of public policy areas is challenging since their results often take time to materialise . therefore , early and efficient design and implementation is crucial , be it for crisis - struck or structurally - weak economies . in this context , the provision of support by the union in the form of technical assistance has been important in supporting the fiscal consolidation process and structural reforms in recent years , especially in the countries covered by the economic adjustment programme . therefore the eu should take into account the lessons learned from the programmes that aimed to support the economic adjustment of greece and cyprus in the last years . stakeholder involvement in the design of reforms , impact assessments and ownership of reforms by the member states , including regional and local authorities , the social partners and civil society , are also essential for support programmes to succeed .


### the commission may define the support envisaged for beneficiary member states in cooperation with other member states or international organisations . ### the organization of support shall be defined under a support agreement between the commission and the beneficiary member state . support shall be tailored to the specific situation in the requesting member state .


### the financial interests of the union should be protected through proportionate measures throughout the expenditure cycle , including the prevention , detection and investigation of irregularities , the recovery of funds lost , wrongly paid or incorrectly used and , where appropriate , penalties . ### the financial interests of the union should be protected through proportionate measures throughout the expenditure cycle , including the prevention , detection and investigation of irregularities , the recovery of funds lost , unduly paid or incorrectly used and , where appropriate , administrative and financial penalties in accordance with regulation no 966 / 2012 .


### against this background , it is necessary to establish a structural reform support programme with the objective of strengthening the capacity of member states to prepare and implement growth - enhancing administrative and structural reforms , including through assistance for the efficient and effective use of the union funds . the programme is intended to contribute to the achievement of common goals towards obtaining economic recovery , job creation , boosting europe ' s competitiveness and stimulating investment in the real economy . ### against this background , it is necessary to establish a structural reform support programme with the objective of strengthening the capacity of member states to design and implement sustainable growth - enhancing administrative and structural economic and social reforms , including through assistance for the efficient and effective use of the union funds , in particular the european structural and investment funds . the programme is intended to contribute to the achievement of common goals towards obtaining economic recovery , boosting europe ' s competitiveness , creating stable and sustainable jobs , increasing productivity , stimulating sustainable investment in the real economy , and towards guaranteeing high quality health and education services , combating poverty and social exclusion and , ultimately , strengthening economic , social and territorial cohesion in the european union .


### the beneficiary member state , in coordination with the commission , may enter into partnership with one or more other member states which shall act as reform partners in respect of specific areas of reform . a reform partner shall , in coordination with the commission , help formulate strategy , reform roadmaps , design high - quality assistance or oversee implementation of strategy and projects . ### the beneficiary member state , in coordination with the commission , may enter into partnership with one or more other member states which shall act as reform partners in respect of specific areas of reform on the basis of a reciprocal agreement . a reform partner shall , in coordination with the commission and the beneficiary member state , help formulate strategy , reform roadmaps , design high - quality assistance or oversee implementation of strategy and projects . the commission and the member states shall keep the european parliament and national parliaments , respectively , fully informed about the participation of a partner in the reform and its role in the cooperation and support plan .


### the general objective of the programme shall be to contribute to institutional , administrative and structural reforms in the member states by providing support to national authorities for measures aimed at reforming institutions , governance , administration , economic and social sectors in response to economic and social challenges with a view to enhancing competitiveness , growth , jobs , and investment , in particular in the context of economic governance processes , including through assistance for the efficient and effective use of the union funds . ### the general objective of the programme shall be to support member states in fostering economic and social cohesion , socially responsible institutional , administrative and structural reforms in the member states by providing support to national authorities for measures aimed at reforming institutions , governance , administration , economic and social sectors in response to economic and social challenges with a view to safeguarding the european social model , enhancing competitiveness , sustainable growth , quality jobs , and investment , in particular in the context of economic governance processes , including through assistance for the efficient and effective use of the union funds .


### in order to adapt the list of indicators measuring the achievement of the objectives of the programme , in the light of experience during the implementation of the programme , the power to adopt delegated 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 the amendment of the list . it is of particular importance that the commission carries 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 . ### in order to adapt the list of indicators measuring the achievement of the objectives of the programme , in the light of experience during the implementation of the programme , the power to adopt delegated 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 the amendment of the list . it is of particular importance that the commission carries 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 , in particular where investment , employment , education , health and the fight against poverty are concerned .


### the general objective of the programme shall be to contribute to institutional , administrative and structural reforms in the member states by providing support to national authorities for measures aimed at reforming institutions , governance , administration , economic and social sectors in response to economic and social challenges with a view to enhancing competitiveness , growth , jobs , and investment , in particular in the context of economic governance processes , including through assistance for the efficient and effective use of the union funds . ### the general objective of the programme shall be to help member states to boost their growth , their investment and their policies for the creation of good jobs , social protection and the fight against poverty and social exclusion , as well as to become more competitive , by taking measures aimed at reforming institutions , governance , administration , economic and social sectors in response to economic and social challenges with a view to enhancing social well - being , in particular in the context of social economic governance processes , including through assistance for the efficient and effective use of the union funds .


### in order to implement the programme , the commission shall adopt , by way of implementing acts , multi - annual work programmes . multi - annual work programmes shall set out the policy objectives pursued through the envisaged support and the expected results , as well as funding priorities in the relevant policy areas . the multi - annual work programmes shall be further specified in annual work programmes , adopted by way of implementing acts , identifying the measures needed for their implementation , together with all the elements required by regulation no 966 / 2012 . ### the commission shall adopt delegated acts in accordance with article 16 concerning the adoption of multi - annual work programmes . multi - annual work programmes shall set out the policy objectives pursued through the envisaged support and the expected results , as well as funding priorities in the relevant policy areas . the multi - annual work programmes shall be further specified in annual work programmes , adopted by way of implementing acts , identifying the measures needed for their implementation , together with all the elements required by regulation no 966 / 2012 .


### several member states have been undergoing and continue to undergo adjustment processes to correct macroeconomic imbalances accumulated in the past and many are facing the challenge of low potential growth . the union has identified the implementation of structural reforms among its policy priorities to set the recovery on a sustainable path , unlock the growth potential to strengthen the adjustment capacity , and support the process of convergence . ### several member states have been undergoing and continue to undergo adjustment processes to correct macroeconomic and social imbalances accumulated in the past and many are suffering from low potential growth , high unemployment rates , a severe crisis affecting their main production systems , widening social disparities and an increased risk of poverty among the population . there is therefore a need for socially responsible , smart , sustainable and inclusive structural reforms , which meet the requirements laid down in article 9 tfeu . the union has therefore identified the implementation of such structural reforms among its policy priorities to set the recovery on a sustainable path , unlock the growth potential to strengthen the adjustment capacity , boost growth , create jobs , foster investment and support the process of upward convergence .


### in the event of unforeseen and duly justified grounds of urgency requiring immediate response , such as a serious disturbance in the economy or significant circumstances seriously affecting the economic or social conditions in a member state going beyond its control , upon request of a member state , the commission should be able to adopt special measures , for a limited proportion of the annual work programme , in accordance with objectives and actions eligible under the programme to support the national authorities in addressing the urgent needs . ### in the event of unforeseen and duly justified grounds of urgency requiring immediate response , such as a serious disturbance in the economy or significant circumstances seriously affecting the economic or social conditions in a member state , upon request of a member state , the commission and the member state should be able to agree on the adoption of special measures , for a limited proportion of the annual work programme , in accordance with objectives and actions eligible under the programme to support the national authorities in addressing the urgent needs .


### business environment , private sector development , investment , privatization processes , trade and foreign direct investment , competition and public procurement , sustainable sectoral development and support for innovation ; ### business environment , reindustrialisation , changes in production systems , energy sectors , private sector development , investment , trade and foreign direct investment , competition and public procurement , sustainable sectoral development and support for innovation and digitalisation ;


### in the event of unforeseen and duly justified grounds of urgency requiring immediate response , such as a serious disturbance in the economy or significant circumstances seriously affecting the economic or social conditions in a member state going beyond its control , upon request of a member state , the commission should be able to adopt special measures , for a limited proportion of the annual work programme , in accordance with objectives and actions eligible under the programme to support the national authorities in addressing the urgent needs . ### in the event of unforeseen and duly justified grounds of urgency requiring immediate response , such as a serious disturbance in the economy or significant circumstances seriously affecting the economic or social conditions in a member state going beyond its control , uniquely upon the request of a member state , the commission and the member state should be able to adopt special measures , for a limited proportion of the annual work programme for no longer than six months , in accordance with objectives and actions eligible under the programme to support the national authorities in addressing the urgent needs . the european parliament should be fully informed about the adoption of such measures .


### ' the eafrd may also finance actions implemented by the european solidarity corps with an amount of eur 1 800 000 in current prices in accordance with regulation 2017 / xxx , which contribute to one or more of the union priorities for rural development . the allocation shall be implemented solely in accordance with the regulation 2017 / xxx , to the exclusion of the specific requirements of regulation no 1305 / 2013 . ' ### the eafrd may also finance actions implemented by the european solidarity corps with an amount of eur 1 800 000 in current prices in accordance with regulation 2017 / xxx , which contribute to one or more of the union priorities for rural development with the aim of boosting young people’s interest in agriculture . the allocation shall be implemented solely in accordance with the regulation 2017 / xxx , to the exclusion of the specific requirements of regulation no 1305 / 2013 .


### ' the eafrd may also finance actions implemented by the european solidarity corps with an amount of eur 1 800 000 in current prices in accordance with regulation 2017 / xxx , which contribute to one or more of the union priorities for rural development . the allocation shall be implemented solely in accordance with the regulation 2017 / xxx , to the exclusion of the specific requirements of regulation no 1305 / 2013 . ' ### the eafrd may also finance actions implemented by the european solidarity corps with an amount of eur 1 800 000 in current prices in accordance with regulation 2017 / xxx , which contribute to one or more of the union priorities for rural development in order to help boost young people’s interest in agriculture . the allocation shall be implemented solely in accordance with the regulation 2017 / xxx , to the exclusion of the specific requirements of regulation no 1305 / 2013 .


### &#8220 ; solidarity activity&#8221 ; means an activity aimed at addressing unmet societal needs to the benefit of a community while also fostering the individual ' s personal , educational , social , civic and professional development , which may take the form of placements , projects or networking activities , developed in relation to different areas , such as education and training , employment , gender equality , entrepreneurship , in particular social entrepreneurship , citizenship and democratic participation , environment and nature protection , climate action , disaster prevention , preparedness and recovery , agriculture and rural development , provision of food and non - food items , health and wellbeing , creativity and culture , physical education and sport , social assistance and welfare , reception and integration of third - country nationals , territorial cooperation and cohesion ; ### &#8220 ; solidarity activity&#8221 ; means an activity aimed at addressing unmet societal needs to the benefit of a community while also fostering the individual ' s personal , educational , social , civic and professional development , which may take the form of placements , projects or networking activities , developed in relation to different areas , such as education and training , employment , gender equality , entrepreneurship , in particular social entrepreneurship , citizenship and democratic participation , environment and nature protection , climate action , disaster prevention , preparedness and recovery , agriculture and rural development , provision of food and non - food items , health and wellbeing , creativity and culture , physical education and sport , social assistance and welfare , solidarity between generations , reception and integration of third - country nationals , territorial cooperation and cohesion ;


### promoting social inclusion and tackling poverty , including by enhancing equal opportunities and combating discrimination across borders . ### promoting social inclusion , also of migrants , and tackling poverty , including by enhancing equal opportunities and combating discrimination across borders .


### such a framework is a necessary part of a well - managed migration policy to reduce divergences among national resettlement practices and procedures , provide for the legal and safe arrival to the territory of the member states of third - country nationals and stateless persons in need of international protection , help reduce the risk of a large - scale irregular inflow of third - country nationals and stateless persons to the territory of the member states and thereby reducing the pressure of spontaneous arrivals on the member states ' asylum systems , be an expression of solidarity with countries in regions to which or within which a large number of persons in need of international protection has been displaced by helping to alleviate the pressure on those countries , help achieve union ' s foreign policy objectives by increasing the union ' s leverage vis - à - vis third countries , and effectively contribute to global resettlement initiatives through speaking with one voice in international fora and with third countries . ### such a framework is a necessary part of a well - managed migration policy to reduce divergences among national resettlement practices and procedures , provide for the legal and safe arrival to the territory of the member states of third - country nationals and stateless persons in need of international protection , help reduce the risk of a large - scale irregular inflow of third - country nationals and stateless persons to the territory of the member states and thereby reducing the pressure of spontaneous arrivals on the member states ' asylum systems , be an expression of solidarity with countries in regions to which or within which a large number of persons in need of international protection has been displaced by helping to alleviate the pressure on those countries , as well as help achieve union ' s foreign policy objectives by enhancing cooperation with third countries , and effectively contributing to global resettlement initiatives through speaking with one voice in international fora and with third countries .


### the maximum total number of persons to be resettled ; ### the number of persons to be resettled , taking into account the unhcr ' s projected global resettlement needs ;


### they have committed a serious crime ; ### they have committed a serious crime equivalent to an offence punishable under member states ' criminal law ;


### family links with third - country nationals or stateless persons or union citizens legally residing in a member state ; ### family links with third - country nationals or stateless persons or union citizens legally residing in a member state but not eligible for family reunification under council directive 2003 / 86 / ec1a ; _________________ 1a council directive 2003 / 86 / ec of 22 september 2003 on the right to family reunification .


### overall geographical priorities . ### overall protection needs and the specific geographical priorities ;


### these powers should be exercised on a proposal from the commission on the maximum total number of persons to be resettled and overall geographical priorities . the commission should make its proposal simultaneously with its proposal on the draft union annual budget . the council should aim to adopt the proposal within two months . the commission and the council should take into account the discussions within the high - level resettlement committee . ### these powers should be exercised on a proposal from the commission number of persons to be resettled through the union resettlement framework , and overall geographical priorities in line with the unhcr ' s annual projected global resettlement needs . the commission should make its proposal simultaneously with its proposal on the draft union annual budget . the council should aim to adopt the proposal within two months . the commission and the council should take into account the discussions within the high - level resettlement committee .


### the identification of a generalised deficiency requires a qualitative assessment by the commission . that assessment could be based on the information from all available sources and recognized institutions , including judgments of the court of justice of the european union , reports of the court of auditors , and conclusions and recommendations of relevant international organisations and networks , such as the bodies of the council of europe and the european networks of supreme courts and councils for the judiciary . ### the identification of a potential generalised deficiency requires an impartial , transparent , qualitative assessment at the initiative of the commission , under the same conditions applicable to all member states . that assessment should factor in all the information from all available sources and recognised institutions , including judgments of the court of justice of the european union , which is the only institution that can rule on fulfilment or otherwise of the conditions set out in the eu treaties , reports of the court of auditors , and conclusions and recommendations of relevant international organisations and networks , such as the bodies of the council of europe and the european networks of supreme courts and councils for the judiciary .


### in order to ensure uniform implementation of this regulation and in view of the importance of the financial effects of measures being imposed pursuant to this regulation , implementing powers should be conferred on the council which should act on the basis of a commission proposal . to facilitate the adoption of decisions which are required to protect the financial interests of the union , reversed qualified majority voting should be used . ### in order to ensure uniform implementation of this regulation and in view of the importance of the financial effects of measures being imposed pursuant to this regulation , implementing powers should be conferred on the council which should act on the basis of a commission proposal and after the approval of the proposal by the european parliament .


### the identification of a generalised deficiency requires a qualitative assessment by the commission . that assessment could be based on the information from all available sources and recognized institutions , including judgments of the court of justice of the european union , reports of the court of auditors , and conclusions and recommendations of relevant international organisations and networks , such as the bodies of the council of europe and the european networks of supreme courts and councils for the judiciary . ### the identification of a potential generalised deficiency requires an impartial , transparent , qualitative assessment at the initiative of the commission , under the same conditions applicable to all member states . that assessment should factor in all the information from all available sources and recognised institutions , including judgments of the court of justice of the european union , which is the only institution which can rule on fulfilment or otherwise of the conditions set out in the eu treaties , reports of the court of auditors , and conclusions and recommendations of relevant international organisations and networks , such as the bodies of the council of europe and the european networks of supreme courts and councils for the judiciary .


### where the commission finds that it has reasonable grounds to believe that the conditions of article 3 are fulfilled , it shall send a written notification to that member state , setting out the grounds on which it based its finding ### where the commission finds that it has reasonable grounds to believe that the conditions of article 3 are fulfilled , it shall send a written notification to that member state , setting out the grounds on which it based its finding . the commission shall immediately inform the parliament and the council of the notification and its contents .


### before proposing the adoption of any measure pursuant to this regulation , the commission should inform the member state concerned why it considers that a generalised deficiency regarding the rule of law might exist in that member state . the member state should be allowed to submit its observations . the commission and the council should take those observations into account . ### before proposing the adoption of any measure pursuant to this regulation , the commission should inform the member state concerned why it considers that a generalised deficiency regarding the rule of law might exist in that member state . the commission should immediately inform the european parliament and the council about the notification and its contents . the member state concerned should be allowed to submit its observations . the commission should take those observations into account .


### where the commission finds that it has reasonable grounds to believe that the conditions of article 3 are fulfilled , it shall send a written notification to that member state , setting out the grounds on which it based its finding ### where the commission finds that it has reasonable grounds to believe that the conditions of article 3 are fulfilled , it shall ask for an assessment by the independent panel of experts , and send a written notification to the member state concerned , setting out the grounds on which it based its finding . the commission shall also inform the european parliament and the council of this notification .


### the commission may take into account all relevant information , including decisions of the court of justice of the european union , reports of the court of auditors , and conclusions and recommendations of relevant international organisations . ### when assessing whether the conditions of article 3 are fulfilled , the commission may take into account all relevant information , including decisions of the court of justice of the european union , resolutions of the european parliament , reports of the court of auditors , and conclusions and recommendations of relevant international organisations , non - governmental organisations and networks , such as the bodies of the council of europe and the european networks of supreme courts and councils for the judiciary . the commission shall also take into account the criteria used in the context of eu accession negotiations , in particular the chapters on judiciary and fundamental rights , justice , freedom and security , financial control and taxation , as well as the guidelines used in the context of the cooperation and verification mechanism to track the progress of a member state .


### where the commission finds that it has reasonable grounds to believe that the conditions of article 3 are fulfilled , it shall send a written notification to that member state , setting out the grounds on which it based its finding ### where , based on a ruling of the european court of justice , the commission finds there are reasonable grounds to believe that the conditions of article 3 are fulfilled , it shall send a written notification to the member state concerned , setting out the grounds on which it based its findings , but only after first informing parliament and the council .


### before proposing the adoption of any measure pursuant to this regulation , the commission should inform the member state concerned why it considers that a generalised deficiency regarding the rule of law might exist in that member state . the member state should be allowed to submit its observations . the commission and the council should take those observations into account . ### before any measure pursuant to this regulation is proposed for adoption , the european court of justice should have ruled on the situation regarding a breach of the rule of law . however , the commission must inform the member state concerned why it considers that a generalised deficiency regarding the rule of law might exist in that member state . the member state must be allowed to submit its observations . the commission , parliament and the council should take those observations into account .


### where the commission considers that the generalised deficiency as regards the rule of law is established , it shall submit a proposal for an implementing act on the appropriate measures to the council . ### where the commission considers that the generalised deficiency as regards the rule of law is established , it adopt a decision for an implementing act on the appropriate measures by means of an implementing act .


### ' generalised deficiency as regards the rule of law ' means a widespread or recurrent practice or omission , or measure by public authorities which affects the rule of law ; ### ' generalised deficiency as regards the rule of law ' means a widespread or recurrent practice or omission , or measure by public authorities which affects the rule of law as described in article 3 ;


### the identification of a generalised deficiency requires a qualitative assessment by the commission . that assessment could be based on the information from all available sources and recognized institutions , including judgments of the court of justice of the european union , reports of the court of auditors , and conclusions and recommendations of relevant international organisations and networks , such as the bodies of the council of europe and the european networks of supreme courts and councils for the judiciary . ### the identification of a generalised deficiency requires a transparent and impartial assessment - at the initiative of the commission in duly justified cases - by an independent panel of experts , the composition of which should follow the resolution of the european parliament of 25 october 2016 with recommendations to the commission on the establishment of an eu mechanism on democracy , the rule of law and fundamental rights . the assessment should be based on the information from all available sources and recognized institutions , including judgments of the court of justice of the european union , reports of the court of auditors , and conclusions and recommendations of relevant international organisations and networks , such as the bodies of the council of europe and the european networks of supreme courts and councils for the judiciary .


### unless the decision adopting the measures provides otherwise , the imposition of appropriate measures shall not affect the obligation of government entities referred to in point of paragraph 1 or of member states referred to in point of paragraph 1 to implement the programme or fund affected by the measure , and in particular the obligation to make payments to final recipients or beneficiaries . ### the imposition of appropriate measures shall not affect the obligation of government entities referred to in point of paragraph 1 or of member states referred to in point of paragraph 1 to implement the programme or fund affected by the measure , and in particular the obligation to make payments to final recipients or beneficiaries .


### where the commission considers that the generalised deficiency as regards the rule of law is established , it shall submit a proposal for an implementing act on the appropriate measures to the council . ### where the commission considers that the generalised deficiency as regards the rule of law is established , it shall submit a proposal on the appropriate measures to the european parliament . if the european parliament , acting by majority of the votes cast , gives its consent to the proposal , the commission shall submit a proposal for an implementing act to the council .


### ' learning mobility ' means moving physically to a country other than the country of residence , in order to undertake study , training or non - formal or informal learning ; it may be accompanied by measures such as language support and training and / or be complemented by online learning and virtual cooperation . in some specific cases , it may take the form of learning through the use of information technology and communications tools ; ### ' learning mobility ' means moving physically to a country other than the country of residence , in order to undertake study , training or non - formal or informal learning ; it may take the form of traineeships , apprenticeships , youth exchanges , teaching or participation in a professional development activity ; it may be accompanied by measures such as language support and training and / or be complemented by online learning and virtual cooperation . in some specific cases , additional to physical mobility , it may take the form of learning through the use of information technology and communications tools ;


### member states should endeavour to adopt all appropriate measures to remove legal and administrative obstacles to the proper functioning of the programme . this includes resolving , where possible , and without prejudice to union law on the entry and residence of third - country nationals issues that create difficulties in obtaining visas and residence permits . in line with directive 2016 / 801 of the european parliament and of the council39 , member states are encouraged to establish fast - track admission procedures . _________________ 39 directive 2016 / 801 of the european parliament and of the council of 11 may 2016 on the conditions of entry and residence of third - country nationals for the purposes of research , studies , training , voluntary service , pupil exchange schemes or educational projects and au pairing . ### member states should endeavour to adopt all appropriate measures to remove legal and administrative obstacles to the proper functioning of the programme . this includes exempting study grants from taxation and social levies , ensuring portability of rights among eu social systems , as well as resolving , where possible , and without prejudice to union law on the entry and residence of third - country nationals issues that create difficulties in obtaining visas and residence permits . in line with directive 2016 / 801 of the european parliament and of the council39 , member states are encouraged to establish fast - track admission procedures . _________________ 39 directive 2016 / 801 of the european parliament and of the council of 11 may 2016 on the conditions of entry and residence of third - country nationals for the purposes of research , studies , training , voluntary service , pupil exchange schemes or educational projects and au pairing .


### complementarities between the funds and other union instruments , including life strategic integrated projects and strategic nature projects ; ### complementarities between the funds and other union instruments , including life strategic integrated projects and strategic nature projects , and , where appropriate , projects funded under horizon europe ;


### financial rules for the european regional development fund , the european social fund plus , the cohesion fund , , the european maritime and fisheries fund , the asylum and migration fund , the internal security fund and the border management and visa instrument ; ### financial rules for the european regional development fund , the european social fund plus , the cohesion fund , the european agricultural fund for rural development , the european maritime and fisheries fund , the asylum and migration fund , the internal security fund and the border management and visa instrument ; with regard to the eafrd the following provisions shall apply : - title i ; - in title ii , chapter i , articles 11 and 12 of chapter ii and chapter iii ; - in title iii , chapter ii ; - in title iv , articles 33 to 36 of chapter i , chapter ii and chapter iii ; - in title v , chapter i and section 2 of chapter i ; and - title ix .


### member states may request the transfer of up to 5 % of programme financial allocations from any of the funds to any other fund under shared management or to any instrument under direct or indirect management . ### member states may request the transfer of up to5 % of programme financial allocations from instruments of erdf , cf or esf + to any of the instruments of erdf , cf or esf + .


### the resources for economic , social and territorial cohesion available for budgetary commitment for the period 2021 - 2027 shall be eur 330 624 388 630 in 2018 prices . ### the resources for economic , social and territorial cohesion available for budgetary commitment for the period 2021 - 2027 shall be eur 377 697 000 000 in 2018 prices .


### 2025 : 0 . 5 % ; ### 2025 : 2 % ;


### the amount of resources available for the esf + under the investment for jobs and growth goal shall be eur 88 646 194 590 . ### the amount of resources available for the esf + under the investment for jobs and growth goal shall be eur 105 286 000 000 in 2018 prices .


### 2022 : 0 . 5 % ; ### 2022 : 3 . 5 % ;


### for emergency , post - emergency or thematic actions , the commission may create , after informing the european parliament and the council , trust funds under an agreement concluded with other donors . the constitutive act of each trust fund shall define the objectives of the trust fund . the commission decision establishing the trust fund shall include a description of the fund ' s objectives , the justification for its creation in accordance with paragraph 3 , an indication of its duration and the preliminary agreements with other donors . ### for emergency or post - emergency actions , the commission may create , after informing the european parliament and the council , trust funds under an agreement concluded with other donors . by means of delegated acts , the commission may also create trust funds for thematic actions under an agreement concluded with other donors . the constitutive act of each trust fund shall define the objectives of the trust fund . the commission decision establishing the trust fund shall include a description of the fund ' s objectives , the justification for its creation in accordance with paragraph 3 , an indication of its duration and the preliminary agreements with other donors .


### appropriations kept unallocated at the beginning of the financial year relating to the funds referred to in regulation no 231 / 2014 of the european parliament and of the council of 11 march 2014 establishing an instrument for pre - accession assistance , regulation no 232 / 2014 of the european parliament and of the council of 11 march 2014 establishing a european neighbourhood instrument and regulation no 233 / 2014 of the european parliament and of the council of 11 march 2014 establishing a financing instrument for development cooperation for the period 2014 - 2020 , within a limit of 10% of the initial appropriations of each instrument . ### appropriations kept unallocated at the beginning of the financial year relating to the funds referred to in regulation no 231 / 2014 of the european parliament and of the council of 11 march 2014 establishing an instrument for pre - accession assistance , regulation no 232 / 2014 of the european parliament and of the council of 11 march 2014 establishing a european neighbourhood instrument and regulation no 233 / 2014 of the european parliament and of the council of 11 march 2014 establishing a financing instrument for development cooperation for the period 2014 - 2020 , within a limit of 10% of the initial appropriations of each instrument . appropriations which are carried over shall remain fully under the respective instrument and shall be used in accordance with the specific objectives set out in article 2 of the regulation pertaining to the respective instrument .


### for emergency , post - emergency or thematic actions , the commission may create , after informing the european parliament and the council , trust funds under an agreement concluded with other donors . the constitutive act of each trust fund shall define the objectives of the trust fund . the commission decision establishing the trust fund shall include a description of the fund ' s objectives , the justification for its creation in accordance with paragraph 3 , an indication of its duration and the preliminary agreements with other donors . ### for emergency or post - emergency actions , the commission may create , after informing the european parliament and the council , trust funds under an agreement concluded with other donors . by means of delegated acts , the commission may also decide to create trust funds for thematic actions under an agreement concluded with other donors . the constitutive act of each trust fund shall define the objectives of the trust fund . the commission decision establishing the trust fund shall include a description of the fund ' s objectives , the justification for its creation in accordance with paragraph 3 , an indication of its duration and the preliminary agreements with other donors .


### it is appropriate that different cases usually referred to as situations of conflict of interest be identified and treated distinctly . the notion of a ‘ conflict of interest’ should be solely used for cases where an entity or person with responsibilities for budget implementation , audit or control or an official or an agent of a union institution is in such a situation . in cases where an economic operator attempts to unduly influence a procedure or obtain confidential information , this should be treated as grave professional misconduct . in addition , economic operators may be in a situation where they should not be selected to implement a contract because of a professional conflicting interest . for instance , a company should not evaluate a project in which it has participated or an auditor should not be in a position to audit accounts it has previously certified . ### it is appropriate that different cases usually referred to as situations of conflict of interest be identified and treated distinctly . the notion of a ‘ conflict of interest’ should be solely used for cases where an entity or person with responsibilities for budget implementation , audit or control or an official or an agent of a union institution is in such a situation . in cases where an economic operator attempts to unduly influence a procedure or obtain confidential information , this should be treated as grave professional misconduct as a result of which that operator may be excluded from the procedure . in addition , economic operators may be in a situation where they should not be selected to implement a contract because of a professional conflicting interest . for instance , a company should not evaluate a project in which it has participated or an auditor should not be in a position to audit accounts it has previously certified .


### up to 10% of the funds of the instrument for pre - accession assistance , the european neighbourhood instrument and the financing instrument for development cooperation may be kept unallocated at the beginning of the financial year to allow additional funding to respond to major unforeseen needs , new crises situations or significant political shifts in third countries , in addition to the amounts already programmed . these unallocated funds , if not committed during the year , should be carried over by a decision of the commission . ### the possibility to carry over remaining unallocated funds of the instrument for pre - accession assistance , the european neighbourhood instrument and the financing instrument for development cooperation should be introduced , within a limit of 10% of the initial appropriations of each instrument , in order to increase capacity to respond to major unforeseen needs , new crises situations or significant political shifts in third countries and avoid pressure to commit unallocated funds towards the end of the year . these unallocated funds , if not committed during the year , should be carried over by a decision of the commission , whilst ensuring that they remain fully under the respective instrument and are used in accordance with the specific objectives set out in article 2 of the regulation pertaining to the respective instrument .


### support the best use of european knowledge , capacity and skills related to cybersecurity ; ### support the best use of european knowledge , capacity and skills related to cybersecurity , while respecting personal data protection ;


### as part of the control system , the audit strategy may be based on the financial audit of a representative sample of expenditure . that representative sample shall be complemented by a selection based on an assessment of the risks related to expenditure . ### as part of the control system , the audit strategy shall be based on the financial audit of at least a representative sample of expenditure . that representative sample shall be complemented by a selection based on an assessment of the risks related to expenditure .


### make those capacities accessible to all businesses and public administrations ; ### make those capacities accessible to all businesses and public administrations , as well as to not - for - profit organisations , research institutions and universities ;


### the support to the union ' s intervention in this area was expressed by the council60 and , by the european parliament61 . moreover , in 2017 nine member states signed the eurohpc declaration62 , a multi - government agreement where they commit to collaborate with the commission to build and deploy state - of - the - art hpc and data infrastructures in europe that would be available across the union for scientific communities , public and private partners . __________________ 60 61 62 ### the support to the union ' s intervention in this area was expressed by the council and , by the european parliament . moreover , in 2017 nine member states signed the eurohpc declaration , a multi - government agreement where they commit to collaborate with the commission to build and deploy state - of - the - art hpc and data infrastructures in europe that would be available across the union for scientific communities , public and private partners and would boost the union’s innovative potential . the programme provides a good opportunity for other member states to sign that declaration .


### in its resolution of 1 june 2017 on digitising european industry64 the european parliament highlighted the importance of a common european cybersecurity approach , recognising the need to raise awareness and considered cyber - resilience as a crucial responsibility for business leaders and national and european industrial security policymakers . _________________ 64 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 industry64 the european parliament highlighted , in the context of potential vulnerabilities as regards cyberattacks , sabotage , manipulation of date or industrial espionage , the importance of a common european cybersecurity approach , recognising the need to raise awareness on enhancing cybersecurity and considered cyber - resilience as a crucial responsibility for business leaders and national and european industrial security policymakers and the need to make cybersecurity requirements mandatory for public procurement with regard to it equipment and iot products . _________________ 64 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 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 , cloud computing , communication systems and networks , artificial intelligence and predictive analysis . training and courses should be of high quality and represent market relevance . the financial intervention shall pursue the following operational objectives :


### transfer expertise and know - how between regions , in particular by networking smes and midcaps established in one region with digital innovation hubs established in other regions which are best suited to provide relevant services ; ### transfer expertise and know - how between regions , in particular by networking smes , midcaps and start - ups established in one region with digital innovation hubs established in other regions which are best suited to provide relevant services and offer coaching consultancy ;


### build up and strengthen core artificial intelligence capacities in the union , including data resources and libraries of algorithms in compliance with data protection legislation ; ### build up and strengthen core artificial intelligence capacities in the union intended for civil use , including data resources and libraries of algorithms in compliance with data protection legislation and ensuring that humans remain at the centre of the development , deployment and decision - making of ai ;


### support the uptake of advanced digital and related technologies , including in particular high performance computing , artificial intelligence , cybersecurity and future emerging technologies by the union industry , notably smes ; ### support the uptake of advanced digital and related technologies , including in particular high performance computing , artificial intelligence , cybersecurity and future emerging technologies by the union industry , notably smes and start - ups ;


### 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 . 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 . moreover , in view of the growing national and regional inequalities the programme should contribute to reduce the digital divide between countries and regions . the actions supported by this programme are complementary to those supported by the esf , erdf and horizon europe programmes .


### provide thematic services , including services related to artificial intelligence , high performance computing and cybersecurity and trust to the administrations , public sector organisations , smes and midcaps . individual digital innovation hubs may specialise in specific thematic services and do not need to provide all thematic services mentioned in this paragraph ; ### provide thematic services , including services related to artificial intelligence , high performance computing and cybersecurity and trust to the administrations , public sector organisations , smes , midcaps and start - ups . individual digital innovation hubs may specialise in specific thematic services and do not need to provide all thematic services mentioned in this paragraph ;


### in its resolution of 1 june 2017 on digitising european industry64 the european parliament highlighted the importance of a common european cybersecurity approach , recognising the need to raise awareness and considered cyber - resilience as a crucial responsibility for business leaders and national and european industrial security policymakers . _________________ 64 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 industry64 the european parliament highlighted the importance of a common european cybersecurity approach , recognising the need to raise awareness and considered cyber - resilience as a crucial responsibility for business leaders and national and european industrial security policymakers for data protection and the protection of intellectual property . _________________ 64 document ref . a8 - 0183 / 2017 , available at : http : / / www . europarl . europa . eu / sides / getdoc . do ? type=ta&language=en&reference=p8 - ta - 2017 - 0240


### 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 , public administrations 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 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 )


### the availability of large - scale data sets and testing and experimentation facilities are of major importance for the development of artificial intelligence . ### the availability of large - scale data sets and testing and experimentation facilities to secure the internal market where artificial intelligence is used and access to text and data mining are of major importance for the development of artificial intelligence .


### up to eur 2 698 240 000 for specific objective 1 , high performance computing ### up to eur 2 404 289 438 in 2018 prices for specific objective 1 , high performance computing


### support the design and delivery of long - term trainings and courses for students , it professionals and the workforce ; ### support the design and delivery of both general and specialised long - term trainings and high - quality courses for students , teachers , academics , ict professionals , other qualified persons and the broader workforce , taking into consideration different levels of skills ;


### 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 '


### all interventions will be designed and implemented primarily through the digital innovation hubs , as defined in article 15 . ### all interventions will be designed and implemented primarily through the digital innovation hubs , as defined in article 16 .


### access to on the job training by taking part in traineeships in competence centres and companies deploying advanced technologies . ### access to on the job training and blended learning opportunities&#160 ; by taking part in traineeships in competence centres and companies deploying advanced technologies .


### 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 . moreover , high performance computing competence centres in member states will provide high performance computing services to industry , including smes and start - ups , academia and public administrations . _________________ 63 impact assessment accompanying the document ' proposal for a council regulation on establishing the eurohpc joint undertaking '


### 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


### the general objective of the programme should be to support the digital transformation of industry and to foster better exploitation of the industrial potential of policies of innovation , research and technological development , for the benefit of businesses and citizens all over the union . the programme should be structured into five specific objectives reflecting key policy areas , namely : high - performance computing , cybersecurity , artificial intelligence , advanced digital skills , and deployment , best use of digital capacities and interoperability . for all these areas , the programme should also aim at better aligning union , member states and regional policies , and pooling of private and industrial resources in order to increase investment and develop stronger synergies . ### the general objective of the programme should be to support the digital transformation of industry and to foster better exploitation of the industrial potential of policies of innovation , research and technological development as well as to modernise specific sectors of public interest , for the benefit of businesses , especially smes , and citizens all over the union . furthermore , the programme should strengthen the union ' s competiveness and the resilience of its economy .


### in its resolution of 1 june 2017 on digitising european industry64 the european parliament highlighted the importance of a common european cybersecurity approach , recognising the need to raise awareness and considered cyber - resilience as a crucial responsibility for business leaders and national and european industrial security policymakers . __________________ 64 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 industry64 the european parliament highlighted , in the context of potential vulnerabilities as regards cyber attacks , sabotage , manipulation of data or industrial espionage , the importance of a common european cybersecurity approach , recognising the need to raise awareness on enhancing cybersecurity and considered cyber - resilience and implementation of security and privacy by default and by design as a crucial responsibility for business leaders and national and european industrial security policymakers , as well as highlighting the need to make cybersecurity requirements mandatory for public procurement with regard to it equipment and iot products . __________________ 64 document ref . a8 - 0183 / 2017 , available at : http : / / www . europarl . europa . eu / sides / getdoc . do ? type=ta&language=en&reference=p8 - ta - 2017 - 0240


### transfer expertise and know - how between regions , in particular by networking smes and midcaps established in one region with digital innovation hubs established in other regions which are best suited to provide relevant services ; ### transfer expertise and know - how between regions , in particular by networking smes , midcaps and start - ups established in one region with digital innovation hubs established in other regions which are best suited to provide relevant services ;


### 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 .


### where applicable , a balanced geographical distribution across the union , including the outermost regions ; ### where applicable , a balanced geographical distribution across the union , including the outermost regions to reduce the digital divide between regions , citizens and businesses ;


### 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 citizens and industry 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 while at the same time increasing the efficiency of public spending . 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 may benefit from the access to high quality digital services across europe . it is also important that these services be accessible to people with disabilities .


### the annual growth survey published by the commission in 201769 shows that the quality of european public administrations has a direct impact on the economic environment and is therefore crucial to stimulating productivity , competitiveness , economic cooperation , growth and employment . in particular , efficient and transparent public administration and effective justice systems are necessary to support economic growth and deliver high quality services for firms and citizens . __________________ 69 com 725 final ### the annual growth survey published by the commission in 201769 shows that the quality of european public administrations has a direct impact on the economic environment and is therefore crucial to stimulating productivity , competitiveness , economic cooperation , sustainable growth , employment and high - quality work . in particular , efficient and transparent public administration and effective justice systems are necessary to support economic growth and deliver high quality services for firms and citizens . __________________ 69 com 725 final


### up to eur 2 498 369 000 for specific objective 2 , artificial intelligence ### up to eur 2 226 192 703 in 2018 prices for specific objective 2 , artificial intelligence


### support the design and delivery of short - term trainings and courses for entrepreneurs , small business leaders and the workforce ; ### support the design and delivery of short - term trainings and high - quality courses for entrepreneurs , including self - employed persons , leaders of smes and start - ups , and the workforce , including public servants ;


### the deployment of ready to use / operational technology : supercomputing as a service resulting from r&i to build an integrated european hpc ecosystem , covering all scientific and industrial value chain segments . ### the deployment of ready to use / operational technology : supercomputing as a service resulting from r&i , in particular new technologies that have previously benefitted or that currently benefit from union funding , to build an integrated european hpc ecosystem , covering all scientific and industrial value chain segments .


### ' digital innovation hub ' means legal entity designated or selected in an open and competitive procedure in order to fulfil the tasks under the programme , in particular providing access to technological expertise and experimentation facilities , such as equipment and software tools to enable the digital transformation of the industry . ### ' digital innovation hubs ' serve the purposes of : foster innovation at regional and / or national levels , narrowing the gap between r&d results and adoption and take - up of products and services through paths that go from proof - of - concept , to prototype and demonstrator assist entrepreneurs and industry , in particular the european enterprise network and smes , to attract digitally skilled people contributing to a geographically balanced and cohesive development widespread digital innovative technologies and services to industry and the public sector .


### ' digital innovation hub ' means legal entity designated or selected in an open and competitive procedure in order to fulfil the tasks under the programme , in particular providing access to technological expertise and experimentation facilities , such as equipment and software tools to enable the digital transformation of the industry . ### ' digital innovation hub ' means legal entity designated or selected in an open , transparent and competitive procedure , in order to fulfil the tasks under the programme , in particular providing access to technological expertise and experimentation facilities , such as equipment and software tools , as well as specialised trainings in advance digital skills , to enable the digital empowerment of all european citizens and the digital transformation of the industry and public institutions .


### 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 ;


### 1 . ensure that eu citizens can access , share , use , and manage their personal health data securely across borders irrespective of their location or the location of the data . complete the ehealth digital service infrastructure and extend it by new digital services , support deployment of the european exchange format for electronic health records . ### 1 . ensure that eu citizens can access , share , use , and manage their personal health data securely and in a way that guarantees their privacy across borders irrespective of their location or the location of the data . complete the ehealth digital service infrastructure and extend it by new digital services , support deployment of the european exchange format for electronic health records .


### 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 micro , small and medium - sized enterprises .


### 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 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 work programme may also provide that legal entities established in associated countries and legal entities established in the eu but controlled from third countries are not eligible for participation in all or some actions under specific objective 3 for security reasons . in such cases calls for proposals and calls for tenders shall be restricted to entities established or deemed to be established in member states and controlled by member states and / or nationals of member states . ### the work programme may also provide that legal entities established in associated countries and legal entities established in the eu but controlled from third countries are not eligible for participation in all or some actions under specific objective 1 , 2 and 3 for strategic autonomy and security reasons . in such cases calls for proposals and calls for tenders shall be restricted to entities established or deemed to be established in member states and controlled by member states and / or nationals of member states .


### the commission shall adopt a decision on the selection of entities forming the initial network . these entities shall be selected by the commission from candidate entities designated by member states on the basis of the criteria mentioned in paragraph 2 and the following additional criteria : ### the commission shall adopt a decision on the selection of entities forming the initial network . these entities shall be selected and labelled by the commission from candidate entities designated by member states on the basis of the criteria mentioned in paragraph 2 and the following additional criteria :


### 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 .


### 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 within all sectors and by companies of all sizes and by the public sector and academia , thereby addressing the strong digitisation discrepancies . a network of digital innovation hubs should ensure the widest geographical coverage across europe59 . a first set of digital innovation hubs should be selected by the commission based on member states’ proposals and then the network will be enlarged through an open and competitive process . the digital innovation hubs should 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 should act as single - entry points in accessing tested and validated technologies and promote open innovation . they should also provide support in the area of advanced digital skills . the network of digital innovation hubs should also facilitate the participation of the outermost regions in the digital single market . __________________ 59 as indicated in the communication on digitising european industry 180 final )


### the general objective of the programme should be to support the digital transformation of industry and to foster better exploitation of the industrial potential of policies of innovation , research and technological development , for the benefit of businesses and citizens all over the union . the programme should be structured into five specific objectives reflecting key policy areas , namely : high - performance computing , cybersecurity , artificial intelligence , advanced digital skills , and deployment , best use of digital capacities and interoperability . for all these areas , the programme should also aim at better aligning union , member states and regional policies , and pooling of private and industrial resources in order to increase investment and develop stronger synergies . ### the general objective of the programme should be to promote , consolidate and support the digital transformation of industry and to foster better exploitation of the industrial potential of policies of innovation , research and technological development , for the benefit of businesses , public administrations and all citizens all over the union . the programme should support a fair digital transition and uphold the common values of the european union , including the right to education , the protection of workers’ rights , guarantee fair competition , promote equality and ensure that digitation contributes to rising social and labour standards , and promote prosperity for all european citizens , democracy and security . the programme should be structured into five specific objectives reflecting key policy areas , namely : high - performance computing , cybersecurity , artificial intelligence , advanced digital skills , and deployment , best use of digital capacities and interoperability . for all these areas , the programme should also aim at better aligning union , member states and regional policies , and pooling of private and industrial resources in order to increase investment and develop stronger synergies , thereby creating a prosperous data - based inclusive economy promoting innovative projects and ensuring the creation of real added value .


### the general objective of the programme should be to support the digital transformation of industry and to foster better exploitation of the industrial potential of policies of innovation , research and technological development , for the benefit of businesses and citizens all over the union . the programme should be structured into five specific objectives reflecting key policy areas , namely : high - performance computing , cybersecurity , artificial intelligence , advanced digital skills , and deployment , best use of digital capacities and interoperability . for all these areas , the programme should also aim at better aligning union , member states and regional policies , and pooling of private and industrial resources in order to increase investment and develop stronger synergies . ### the general objective of the programme should be to support the digital transformation of industry and to foster better exploitation of the industrial potential of policies of innovation , research and technological development as well as to modernise specific sectors of public interest , for the benefit of businesses , especially smes , and citizens all over the union . furthermore , the programme should strengthen the union ' s competiveness and the resilience of its economy .


### 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 .


### the support to the union ' s intervention in this area was expressed by the council60 and , by the european parliament61 . moreover , in 2017 nine member states signed the eurohpc declaration62 , a multi - government agreement where they commit to collaborate with the commission to build and deploy state - of - the - art hpc and data infrastructures in europe that would be available across the union for scientific communities , public and private partners . ### the support to the union ' s intervention in this area was expressed by the council and , by the european parliament . moreover , in 2017 nine member states , and since then another thirteen member states , signed the eurohpc declaration , a multi - government agreement where they commit to collaborate with the commission to build and deploy state - of - the - art hpc and data infrastructures in europe that would be available across the union for scientific communities , public and private partners .


### 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 )


### 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 will contribute to mainstream climate actions and lead to the swift achievement of an overall target of at least 25% of the eu budget expenditures supporting climate objectives74 over the mff 2021 - 2027 period and 30% as soon as possible at the latest by 2027 . relevant actions will be identified during the programme ' s preparation and implementation , and reassessed in the context of the relevant evaluations and review processes . it is imperative that the eu delivers on its commitment to be a frontrunner in implementing the un sustainable development goals although there is a lack of a clear and visible commitment to that end in the mff proposals , therefore , the mainstreaming of the sdgs should be present in all eu policies and initiatives of the next mff . _________________ 74 com 321 final , page 1


### ' digital innovation hub ' means legal entity designated or selected in an open and competitive procedure in order to fulfil the tasks under the programme , in particular providing access to technological expertise and experimentation facilities , such as equipment and software tools to enable the digital transformation of the industry . ### ' digital innovation hub ' means legal entity designated or selected in an open , transparent and competitive procedure in order to fulfil the tasks under the programme , in particular by raising awareness of what digitised industry can offer by acting as a contact point between companies , research institutes and public / private investors and providing access to technological and digital expertise , training courses and experimentation facilities to industries , smes , the creative industry and public administrations , such as equipment and software tools to enable the digital transformation of the industry . ‘ digital innovation hubs’ should encourage smes and start - ups to implement and use digital technologies in their production processes in order to generate more added value .


### 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 . it emphasised as well the importance of basic digital skills which should encompass knowledge of the possibilities that digital skills offer , advanced use of basic digital tools , safe internet behaviour and search methodologies to identify credible sources , and promote awareness - raising about rights online . it would also contribute to allowing citizens to have a critical understanding of different forms of digital media and thereby increasing and enhancing the resources and opportunities offered by ‘ digital literacy’ . _________________ 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


### up to eur 1 998 696 000 for specific objective 3 , cybersecurity and trust ### up to eur 1 780 954 875 in 2018 prices for specific objective 3 , cybersecurity and trust


### as part of the control system , the audit strategy may be based on the financial audit of a representative sample of expenditure . that representative sample shall be complemented by a selection based on an assessment of the risks related to expenditure . ### as part of the control system , the audit strategy shall be based on the financial audit of at least a representative sample of expenditure . that representative sample shall be complemented by a selection based on an assessment of the risks related to expenditure .


### the digital innovation hubs may receive funding in the form of grants . ### the digital innovation hubs shall receive funding in the form of grants .


### the support to the union ' s intervention in this area was expressed by the council60 and , by the european parliament61 . moreover , in 2017 nine member states signed the eurohpc declaration62 , a multi - government agreement where they commit to collaborate with the commission to build and deploy state - of - the - art hpc and data infrastructures in europe that would be available across the union for scientific communities , public and private partners . _________________ 60 61 62 ### the support to the union ' s intervention in this area was expressed by the council60 and , by the european parliament61 . moreover , in 2017 nine member states signed the eurohpc declaration62 , a multi - government agreement where they commit to collaborate with the commission to build and deploy state - of - the - art hpc and data infrastructures in europe that would be available across the union for scientific communities , public and private partners , in order to increase europe’s digital and technological competitiveness on the world scene .


### ensure a continuous capacity at the union level to observe , analyse and adapt to fast - evolving digital trends , as well as sharing and mainstreaming best practices ; ### ensure a continuous capacity at the union level to observe , analyse and adapt to fast - evolving digital trends , as well as sharing and mainstreaming best practices through constant cooperation between all concerned at eu level ;