Corrigendum to Commission Regulation (EC) No 2304/2002 of 20 December 2002 implementing Council Decision 2001/822/EC on the association of the overseas countries and territories with the European Community (Overseas Association Decision)

(Official Journal of the European Communities L 348 of 21 December 2002)

The following Annex shall be added to Regulation (EC) No 2304/2002 which appears on page 82:

"ANNEX

STANDARD STRUCTURE FOR SINGLE PROGRAMMING DOCUMENTS FOR OVERSEAS COUNTRIES AND TERRITORIES

Part A: Cooperation strategy

Executive summary

Chapter 1: EC cooperation objectives

Chapter 2: Policy agenda of OCT

Chapter 3: Assessment of the political, economic and social situation

Chapter 4: Assessment of past and ongoing EC cooperation

Chapter 5: Response strategy

Part B: Indicative programme

Chapter 6: Indicative programme

The full text, including the executive summary and chapters 1 to 6, should be limited to approximately 10 pages plus annexes.

PART A: COOPERATION STRATEGY

Executive summary

SPDs should begin with a half-page executive summary. This should include the major challenges facing OCT in the medium and long term, the main objective of the SPD, the principal reasons for the choice of focal area and the overall distribution of funds.

Chapter 1: EC cooperation objectives

In this section, the broad EC cooperation objectives are explicitly stated, as determined by the EC Treaty, EC regulations, international agreements and the recent Statement on EC Development Policy.

Chapter 2: Policy agenda of OCT

This section should provide a concise statement of the aims and objectives of the government, as set out in official policy documents, in medium or long-term plans, reform strategies or development programmes. This should be completed by an indication as to how the Government proposes to achieve these objectives.

Chapter 3: Assessment of the political, economic and social situation

Major domestic policy developments/issues and relevant aspects of the external context should be covered, including the political situation, trade aspects, the economic and social situation, environmental aspects and finally, the sustainability of current policies and medium-term challenges. Particular attention should be given to the assessment of public expenditure management and public procurement.

This should be an analytical and not merely descriptive exercise. The analysis should be dialogue-driven, prepared in close cooperation with other donors (if applicable) and involving non-State actors.

Chapter 4: Assessment of past and ongoing EC cooperation

This section should contain a brief account of the results and "lessons learned" from past and ongoing EC cooperation. Recommendations from relevant evaluations on the OCT, specific sectors or projects should be considered.

A coherence paragraph (EC policy mix) should assess the linkages between the SPD and other Community policies, resources and instruments. Programmes of EU Members States and other donors (if applicable) should be outlined.

Chapter 5: Response strategy

This section should set out the strategic choices for EC cooperation, specifying in which area/sector assistance will concentrate. That choice should flow logically from:

- EC policy objectives;

- an analysis of the OCT situation and its development strategy, determining the relevance and sustainability of the support strategy;

- conclusions reached in the context of any "policy mix"/coherence analysis exercise;

- the indicative volume of funds available;

- lessons learned from past and ongoing EC activities;

- complementarity with assistance from other major donors and the Government's own programmes. Community assistance should be focused in areas where it has comparative advantage or particular expertise.

PART B: INDICATIVE PROGRAMME

Chapter 6: Indicative programme

This Chapter is a presentation of the OCT Indicative programme, which is based on and fully consistent with the strategic analysis. The indicative programme is an integral part of the SPD and should be composed of the following sections:

Financing envelopes

This section should include a breakdown of the indicative amounts set aside under the ninth EDF for the focal area and (if appropriate) other areas. Any uncommitted balances remaining from preceding EDFs should also be included and used to support the priorities outlined in the strategy. The indicative programme may also indicate that, in addition, specific action may be financed via budget lines and may identify areas of such support, while clarifying that financing via budget lines is subject to specific rules and regulations and depend on the availability of funds. Finally, it should be clarified that the ninth EDF also includes the "Investments Facility" as a financing instrument managed by the European Investment Bank, but that the Investment Facility does not form part of the Indicative programme. All amounts should be denominated in euro.

Focal area

This section should contain information on the specific objectives and expected results for the focal area and (if appropriate) other areas, as well as the major assistance planned. It should also include the policy/accompanying measures to be taken by the Government as a contribution to the implementation of the response strategy. The amount earmarked for each area should be indicated. An analysis should be made of the merits of a budgetary support approach as opposed to other methods, and a judgement reached on what method would be most effective. A conclusion in principle in favour of a budgetary support mechanism (whether direct or via a trust fund or other system) would still be subject to an appraisal of public financial management, and of public procurement in the focal area, which would need to be conducted before a financing proposal could be presented.

Indicators

Input, output, outcome, and, as far as possible, impact indicators should be identified on policy areas covered by the focal area. Indicators should take into account the SMART criteria (specific, measurable in the short/medium term, achievable, realistic and time-bound) and include a starting level, a target and a clear time-horizon, to allow for comparisons at the time of annual, mid- and end-of-term reviews.

Cross-cutting issues

Attention needs to be paid to the mainstreaming of cross-cutting issues (gender, environment, institutional development and capacity building) in the areas of assistance.

The indicative programme should be complemented by a set of tables:

- an assistance framework for the focal area, detailing indicators, sources of verification and assumptions. Input, output, outcome, and, as far as possible, impact indicators should be identified on policy areas covered by the focal area. Indicators should take into account the SMART criteria (specific, measurable in the short/medium term, achievable, realistic and time-bound) and include a starting level, a target and a clear time-horizon, to allow for comparisons at the time of annual, mid- and end-of-term reviews,

- an indicative timetable for commitments and disbursements,

- a timeline of activities."