Commission Decision of 26 October 2006 establishing the Trans-European Transport Network Executive Agency pursuant to Council Regulation (EC) No 58/2003

6.2.2007 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 32/88
COMMISSION DECISION
of 26 October 2006
establishing the Trans-European Transport Network Executive Agency pursuant to Council Regulation (EC) No 58/2003
(2007/60/EC)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 58/2003 of the Council of 19 December 2002 laying down the statute for executive agencies to be entrusted with certain tasks in the management of Community policies (1), and in particular Article (3)(1) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Regulation (EC) No 58/2003 confers on the Commission the power to decide to set up executive agencies in accordance with the statute established by that Regulation and to give them responsibility for certain tasks relating to the management of one or more Community programmes or actions.
(2) The purpose of empowering the Commission to set up executive agencies is to allow it to focus on core activities and functions which cannot be outsourced, without relinquishing control over, or ultimate responsibility for, activities managed by the executive agencies.
(3) The management of Community action in the field of the trans-European transport network concerns the implementation of projects which do not involve political decision-making and requires a high level of technical and financial expertise throughout the project cycle.
(4) Tasks relating to the implementation of such Community action may be delegated to an executive agency with a clear separation between programming, the establishment of priorities and programme evaluation, for which the Commission will be responsible, and the implementation of the projects, which will be entrusted to the executive agency.
(5) Cost/benefit analysis carried out for this purpose has shown that the setting-up of an executive agency would make it possible to improve the effectiveness of the implementation of the trans-European transport network at a lower cost. In view of the characteristics inherent in the trans-European transport network, the stress must be on the delegation of technical tasks, the main aim being to strengthen the links between the trans-European transport network and the communities of experts.
(6) The agency must mobilise a high level of expertise in accordance with the objectives defined by the Commission, and under its supervision. The setting up of the agency must also make it possible to optimise the implementation of the trans-European transport network by making it easier to recruit staff specialised in matters relating to the trans-European transport network.
(7) The setting-up of the agency must increase flexibility in the implementation of Community action in the field of the trans-European transport network. The agency's annual work programme must enable it in particular to contribute to the achievement of the annual priorities for the implementation of the trans-European transport network, as planned and agreed by the Commission. The agency must also ensure better coordination of funds with other Community instruments.
(8) Management based on the results obtained by the agency, with the establishment of the necessary procedures and supervision and coordination circuits, must enable the Commission to simplify the arrangements for the implementation of the trans-European transport network. The Commission will be able to capitalise on the technical work carried out by the agency by developing in parallel, in an appropriate manner, tasks which involve making policy judgments.
(9) Cooperation between the agency and the Commission and the accomplishment of its specific tasks must make it possible to raise the profile of Community action in the field of the trans-European transport network.
(10) The measures provided for in this Decision are consistent with the opinion of the Committee of the Executive Agencies,