Article 1 
1. The purpose of this Regulation is to implement measures to promote gender equality in Community development cooperation policies, strategies and interventions. To this end, the Community shall provide financial assistance and appropriate expertise aimed at promoting gender equality into all its development cooperation policies and interventions in developing countries. 2. The Community support shall be aimed at complementing and reinforcing the policies and capacities of developing countries as well as the assistance provided through other instruments of development cooperation. Article 2 For the purposes of this Regulation: (a) "gender mainstreaming" concerns planning, (re)organisation, improvement, and evaluation of policy processes, so that a gender equality perspective is incorporated in all development policies, strategies and interventions, at all levels and at all stages by the actors normally involved therein; (b) specific measures to prevent or compensate for disadvantages linked to sex may be maintained or introduced with a view to ensuring equality in practice between men and women; such measures should, in the first instance, aim at improving the situation of women in the field covered by this Regulation. Article 3 The objectives to be pursued by this Regulation, in accordance with the goal of promoting gender equality and empower women as specified by the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women, the outcome of the Special Session of the General Assembly "Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the 21st Century", are the following: (a) to support gender mainstreaming in all areas of development cooperation, combined with specific measures in favour of women of all ages, with the goal of promoting gender equality as an important contribution to poverty reduction; (b) to support endogenous public and private capacities in developing countries which can take the responsibility and initiative for promoting gender equality. Article 4 1. Activities in the field of promoting gender equality eligible for financing include, in particular: (a) supporting specific measures related to access to, and monitoring of, resources and services for women, in particular, in the areas of education and training, health, economic and social activities, employment and infrastructure, and to participation in political decision-making processes; (b) promoting the collection, dissemination, analysis and improvement of statistics disaggregated by sex and age, development and dissemination of methodologies, guidelines, ex-ante and ex-post gender impact assessments, thematic studies, qualitative and quantitative indicators, and other operational instruments; (c) supporting awareness-raising and advocacy work and the establishment of stakeholders' networks in the field of gender equality; (d) supporting activities aiming at strengthening institutional and operational capacities of key stakeholders in partner countries in the development process, such as the provision of gender specialists, training and technical assistance. 2. The instruments to be financed in the course of the activities referred to in paragraph 1 may take the form of: (a) methodological and organisational studies on gender mainstreaming relevant to all age-groups; (b) technical assistance including gender impact assessment, education, training, the information society or other services; (c) supplies, audits, evaluation and monitoring missions. 3. Community financing may cover: (a) investment projects, with the exception of the purchase of real estate, and (b) operating expenditure of a beneficiary body including recurring administrative and maintenance costs that should not exceed the cost foreseen for administrative expenditure. Operating grants shall be awarded on a gradually decreasing basis. Article 5 In the selection and implementation of activities referred to in Article 4(1), particular attention shall be paid to: (a) the potential of interventions and programmes to act as a catalyst and a multiplier in order to support the strategy of gender mainstreaming on a large scale in Community interventions; (b) strengthening strategic partnerships and initiating transnational cooperation which reinforces, in particular, regional cooperation in the area of gender equality; (c) the pursuit of cost-effectiveness and sustainable impact in the design and planning of interventions; (d) the clear definition and monitoring of objectives and indicators; (e) efforts made to promote synergies with policies and programmes targeting reproductive and sexual health and rights and poverty diseases, in particular HIV/AIDS programmes, measures to combat violence, girl-child issues, the education and training of women of all ages, ageing people, the environment, human rights, conflict prevention, democratisation and the participation of women in the political, economic and social decision-making process; (f) gender mainstreaming in the six priority areas of EC development policy; (g) the importance of paying special attention to the education of girls, and to the fact that the situation of unequal opportunities for girls could start to be redressed by recruiting and training local female teachers.
Article 2 
For the purposes of this Regulation: (a) "gender mainstreaming" concerns planning, (re)organisation, improvement, and evaluation of policy processes, so that a gender equality perspective is incorporated in all development policies, strategies and interventions, at all levels and at all stages by the actors normally involved therein; (b) specific measures to prevent or compensate for disadvantages linked to sex may be maintained or introduced with a view to ensuring equality in practice between men and women; such measures should, in the first instance, aim at improving the situation of women in the field covered by this Regulation. Article 3 The objectives to be pursued by this Regulation, in accordance with the goal of promoting gender equality and empower women as specified by the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women, the outcome of the Special Session of the General Assembly "Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the 21st Century", are the following: (a) to support gender mainstreaming in all areas of development cooperation, combined with specific measures in favour of women of all ages, with the goal of promoting gender equality as an important contribution to poverty reduction; (b) to support endogenous public and private capacities in developing countries which can take the responsibility and initiative for promoting gender equality. Article 4 1. Activities in the field of promoting gender equality eligible for financing include, in particular: (a) supporting specific measures related to access to, and monitoring of, resources and services for women, in particular, in the areas of education and training, health, economic and social activities, employment and infrastructure, and to participation in political decision-making processes; (b) promoting the collection, dissemination, analysis and improvement of statistics disaggregated by sex and age, development and dissemination of methodologies, guidelines, ex-ante and ex-post gender impact assessments, thematic studies, qualitative and quantitative indicators, and other operational instruments; (c) supporting awareness-raising and advocacy work and the establishment of stakeholders' networks in the field of gender equality; (d) supporting activities aiming at strengthening institutional and operational capacities of key stakeholders in partner countries in the development process, such as the provision of gender specialists, training and technical assistance. 2. The instruments to be financed in the course of the activities referred to in paragraph 1 may take the form of: (a) methodological and organisational studies on gender mainstreaming relevant to all age-groups; (b) technical assistance including gender impact assessment, education, training, the information society or other services; (c) supplies, audits, evaluation and monitoring missions. 3. Community financing may cover: (a) investment projects, with the exception of the purchase of real estate, and (b) operating expenditure of a beneficiary body including recurring administrative and maintenance costs that should not exceed the cost foreseen for administrative expenditure. Operating grants shall be awarded on a gradually decreasing basis. Article 5 In the selection and implementation of activities referred to in Article 4(1), particular attention shall be paid to: (a) the potential of interventions and programmes to act as a catalyst and a multiplier in order to support the strategy of gender mainstreaming on a large scale in Community interventions; (b) strengthening strategic partnerships and initiating transnational cooperation which reinforces, in particular, regional cooperation in the area of gender equality; (c) the pursuit of cost-effectiveness and sustainable impact in the design and planning of interventions; (d) the clear definition and monitoring of objectives and indicators; (e) efforts made to promote synergies with policies and programmes targeting reproductive and sexual health and rights and poverty diseases, in particular HIV/AIDS programmes, measures to combat violence, girl-child issues, the education and training of women of all ages, ageing people, the environment, human rights, conflict prevention, democratisation and the participation of women in the political, economic and social decision-making process; (f) gender mainstreaming in the six priority areas of EC development policy; (g) the importance of paying special attention to the education of girls, and to the fact that the situation of unequal opportunities for girls could start to be redressed by recruiting and training local female teachers.
Article 3 
The objectives to be pursued by this Regulation, in accordance with the goal of promoting gender equality and empower women as specified by the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women, the outcome of the Special Session of the General Assembly "Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the 21st Century", are the following: (a) to support gender mainstreaming in all areas of development cooperation, combined with specific measures in favour of women of all ages, with the goal of promoting gender equality as an important contribution to poverty reduction; (b) to support endogenous public and private capacities in developing countries which can take the responsibility and initiative for promoting gender equality. Article 4 1. Activities in the field of promoting gender equality eligible for financing include, in particular: (a) supporting specific measures related to access to, and monitoring of, resources and services for women, in particular, in the areas of education and training, health, economic and social activities, employment and infrastructure, and to participation in political decision-making processes; (b) promoting the collection, dissemination, analysis and improvement of statistics disaggregated by sex and age, development and dissemination of methodologies, guidelines, ex-ante and ex-post gender impact assessments, thematic studies, qualitative and quantitative indicators, and other operational instruments; (c) supporting awareness-raising and advocacy work and the establishment of stakeholders' networks in the field of gender equality; (d) supporting activities aiming at strengthening institutional and operational capacities of key stakeholders in partner countries in the development process, such as the provision of gender specialists, training and technical assistance. 2. The instruments to be financed in the course of the activities referred to in paragraph 1 may take the form of: (a) methodological and organisational studies on gender mainstreaming relevant to all age-groups; (b) technical assistance including gender impact assessment, education, training, the information society or other services; (c) supplies, audits, evaluation and monitoring missions. 3. Community financing may cover: (a) investment projects, with the exception of the purchase of real estate, and (b) operating expenditure of a beneficiary body including recurring administrative and maintenance costs that should not exceed the cost foreseen for administrative expenditure. Operating grants shall be awarded on a gradually decreasing basis. Article 5 In the selection and implementation of activities referred to in Article 4(1), particular attention shall be paid to: (a) the potential of interventions and programmes to act as a catalyst and a multiplier in order to support the strategy of gender mainstreaming on a large scale in Community interventions; (b) strengthening strategic partnerships and initiating transnational cooperation which reinforces, in particular, regional cooperation in the area of gender equality; (c) the pursuit of cost-effectiveness and sustainable impact in the design and planning of interventions; (d) the clear definition and monitoring of objectives and indicators; (e) efforts made to promote synergies with policies and programmes targeting reproductive and sexual health and rights and poverty diseases, in particular HIV/AIDS programmes, measures to combat violence, girl-child issues, the education and training of women of all ages, ageing people, the environment, human rights, conflict prevention, democratisation and the participation of women in the political, economic and social decision-making process; (f) gender mainstreaming in the six priority areas of EC development policy; (g) the importance of paying special attention to the education of girls, and to the fact that the situation of unequal opportunities for girls could start to be redressed by recruiting and training local female teachers.
Article 4 
1. Activities in the field of promoting gender equality eligible for financing include, in particular: (a) supporting specific measures related to access to, and monitoring of, resources and services for women, in particular, in the areas of education and training, health, economic and social activities, employment and infrastructure, and to participation in political decision-making processes; (b) promoting the collection, dissemination, analysis and improvement of statistics disaggregated by sex and age, development and dissemination of methodologies, guidelines, ex-ante and ex-post gender impact assessments, thematic studies, qualitative and quantitative indicators, and other operational instruments; (c) supporting awareness-raising and advocacy work and the establishment of stakeholders' networks in the field of gender equality; (d) supporting activities aiming at strengthening institutional and operational capacities of key stakeholders in partner countries in the development process, such as the provision of gender specialists, training and technical assistance. 2. The instruments to be financed in the course of the activities referred to in paragraph 1 may take the form of: (a) methodological and organisational studies on gender mainstreaming relevant to all age-groups; (b) technical assistance including gender impact assessment, education, training, the information society or other services; (c) supplies, audits, evaluation and monitoring missions. 3. Community financing may cover: (a) investment projects, with the exception of the purchase of real estate, and (b) operating expenditure of a beneficiary body including recurring administrative and maintenance costs that should not exceed the cost foreseen for administrative expenditure. Operating grants shall be awarded on a gradually decreasing basis. Article 5 In the selection and implementation of activities referred to in Article 4(1), particular attention shall be paid to: (a) the potential of interventions and programmes to act as a catalyst and a multiplier in order to support the strategy of gender mainstreaming on a large scale in Community interventions; (b) strengthening strategic partnerships and initiating transnational cooperation which reinforces, in particular, regional cooperation in the area of gender equality; (c) the pursuit of cost-effectiveness and sustainable impact in the design and planning of interventions; (d) the clear definition and monitoring of objectives and indicators; (e) efforts made to promote synergies with policies and programmes targeting reproductive and sexual health and rights and poverty diseases, in particular HIV/AIDS programmes, measures to combat violence, girl-child issues, the education and training of women of all ages, ageing people, the environment, human rights, conflict prevention, democratisation and the participation of women in the political, economic and social decision-making process; (f) gender mainstreaming in the six priority areas of EC development policy; (g) the importance of paying special attention to the education of girls, and to the fact that the situation of unequal opportunities for girls could start to be redressed by recruiting and training local female teachers.
Article 5 
In the selection and implementation of activities referred to in Article 4(1), particular attention shall be paid to: (a) the potential of interventions and programmes to act as a catalyst and a multiplier in order to support the strategy of gender mainstreaming on a large scale in Community interventions; (b) strengthening strategic partnerships and initiating transnational cooperation which reinforces, in particular, regional cooperation in the area of gender equality; (c) the pursuit of cost-effectiveness and sustainable impact in the design and planning of interventions; (d) the clear definition and monitoring of objectives and indicators; (e) efforts made to promote synergies with policies and programmes targeting reproductive and sexual health and rights and poverty diseases, in particular HIV/AIDS programmes, measures to combat violence, girl-child issues, the education and training of women of all ages, ageing people, the environment, human rights, conflict prevention, democratisation and the participation of women in the political, economic and social decision-making process; (f) gender mainstreaming in the six priority areas of EC development policy; (g) the importance of paying special attention to the education of girls, and to the fact that the situation of unequal opportunities for girls could start to be redressed by recruiting and training local female teachers.
Article 6 
1. Financial support pursuant to this Regulation shall take the form of grants or contracts. 2. A grant may finance the entire costs of an action only if it is shown that this is essential for it to be carried out, with the exception of actions resulting from the implementation of financing agreements with third countries or actions managed by international organisations. In other cases, a financial contribution from the beneficiaries defined in Article 7 shall be sought. In specifying the amount of the contribution requested, regard shall be given to the capacity of the partners concerned and the nature of the operation in question. 3. Contracts with beneficiaries may cover the financing of their operating expenditure, in accordance with Article 4(3)(b). 4. The provision of financial assistance under this Regulation may entail co-financing with other donors, in particular with Member States, the United Nations, and international or regional development banks or financial institutions. Article 7 1. The partners eligible for financial assistance under this Regulation include: (a) administrative authorities and agencies at national, regional and local government levels; (b) local communities, NGOs, particularly those operating in the field of gender equality, women's organisations, community-based organisations, trade unions, and other not-for-profit natural and legal persons; (c) the local private sector; (d) regional organisations; (e) international organisations, such as the United Nations and its agencies, funds and programmes, as well as development banks, financial institutions, global initiatives, international public/private partnerships; (f) research and development studies institutes and universities. 2. Without prejudice to paragraph 1(e), Community financial assistance in the form of grants shall be available to partners whose head office is located in a Member State or in a third country that is a beneficiary or potential beneficiary of Community assistance under this Regulation, provided that this office is the actual centre which directs business operations. In exceptional cases, this office may be located in another third country. Priority will be given to endogenous structures that can play a role in developing local capacities with respect to gender. Article 8 1. Where operations are the subject of financing agreements between the Community and the recipient country, such agreements shall stipulate that the payment of taxes, duties or any other charges is not to be covered by the Community. 2. All financing agreements, grant agreements or contracts concluded pursuant to this Regulation shall provide for the Commission and the Court of Auditors to conduct on-the-spot checks in accordance with the usual procedures laid down by the Commission under the rules in force, in particular those of the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities(6). 3. The necessary measures shall be taken to emphasise the Community character of the aid provided pursuant to this Regulation. Article 9 1. Participation in invitations to tender and the award of procurement contracts shall be open on equal terms to all natural and legal persons of the Member States, assimilated countries, and in all developing countries. It shall be open to other third countries on the condition of reciprocity. It may be extended, under exceptional and duly justified circumstances, to other third countries. 2. Supplies shall originate in the Member States, the beneficiary country or other developing countries. In the cases mentioned in paragraph 1, supplies may originate in other third countries. Article 10 1. In order to secure the objectives of consistency and complementarity referred to in the Treaty and to ensure maximum effectiveness of these operations as a whole, the Commission may take all necessary coordination measures, including in particular: (a) the establishment of a system for the systematic exchange and analysis of information on the operations financed and those which the Community and the Member States propose to finance; (b) the on-the-spot coordination of the implementation of operations through regular meetings and exchanges of information between the representatives of the Commission and the Member States in the recipient country, local authorities and other decentralised bodies. 2. The Commission should raise the question of gender as a standing item on the agenda during meetings between representatives of the Commission, Member States and partner countries in order to increase awareness of gender issues in emerging areas of development cooperation. 3. The Commission shall draw on the experiences of Members States, other donors and partner countries in the field of gender mainstreaming and women's empowerment. 4. The Commission, together with the Member States, may take any initiative necessary for ensuring proper coordination with the other donors concerned, in particular those forming part of the United Nations system.
Article 7 
1. The partners eligible for financial assistance under this Regulation include: (a) administrative authorities and agencies at national, regional and local government levels; (b) local communities, NGOs, particularly those operating in the field of gender equality, women's organisations, community-based organisations, trade unions, and other not-for-profit natural and legal persons; (c) the local private sector; (d) regional organisations; (e) international organisations, such as the United Nations and its agencies, funds and programmes, as well as development banks, financial institutions, global initiatives, international public/private partnerships; (f) research and development studies institutes and universities. 2. Without prejudice to paragraph 1(e), Community financial assistance in the form of grants shall be available to partners whose head office is located in a Member State or in a third country that is a beneficiary or potential beneficiary of Community assistance under this Regulation, provided that this office is the actual centre which directs business operations. In exceptional cases, this office may be located in another third country. Priority will be given to endogenous structures that can play a role in developing local capacities with respect to gender. Article 8 1. Where operations are the subject of financing agreements between the Community and the recipient country, such agreements shall stipulate that the payment of taxes, duties or any other charges is not to be covered by the Community. 2. All financing agreements, grant agreements or contracts concluded pursuant to this Regulation shall provide for the Commission and the Court of Auditors to conduct on-the-spot checks in accordance with the usual procedures laid down by the Commission under the rules in force, in particular those of the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities(6). 3. The necessary measures shall be taken to emphasise the Community character of the aid provided pursuant to this Regulation. Article 9 1. Participation in invitations to tender and the award of procurement contracts shall be open on equal terms to all natural and legal persons of the Member States, assimilated countries, and in all developing countries. It shall be open to other third countries on the condition of reciprocity. It may be extended, under exceptional and duly justified circumstances, to other third countries. 2. Supplies shall originate in the Member States, the beneficiary country or other developing countries. In the cases mentioned in paragraph 1, supplies may originate in other third countries. Article 10 1. In order to secure the objectives of consistency and complementarity referred to in the Treaty and to ensure maximum effectiveness of these operations as a whole, the Commission may take all necessary coordination measures, including in particular: (a) the establishment of a system for the systematic exchange and analysis of information on the operations financed and those which the Community and the Member States propose to finance; (b) the on-the-spot coordination of the implementation of operations through regular meetings and exchanges of information between the representatives of the Commission and the Member States in the recipient country, local authorities and other decentralised bodies. 2. The Commission should raise the question of gender as a standing item on the agenda during meetings between representatives of the Commission, Member States and partner countries in order to increase awareness of gender issues in emerging areas of development cooperation. 3. The Commission shall draw on the experiences of Members States, other donors and partner countries in the field of gender mainstreaming and women's empowerment. 4. The Commission, together with the Member States, may take any initiative necessary for ensuring proper coordination with the other donors concerned, in particular those forming part of the United Nations system.
Article 8 
1. Where operations are the subject of financing agreements between the Community and the recipient country, such agreements shall stipulate that the payment of taxes, duties or any other charges is not to be covered by the Community. 2. All financing agreements, grant agreements or contracts concluded pursuant to this Regulation shall provide for the Commission and the Court of Auditors to conduct on-the-spot checks in accordance with the usual procedures laid down by the Commission under the rules in force, in particular those of the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities(6). 3. The necessary measures shall be taken to emphasise the Community character of the aid provided pursuant to this Regulation. Article 9 1. Participation in invitations to tender and the award of procurement contracts shall be open on equal terms to all natural and legal persons of the Member States, assimilated countries, and in all developing countries. It shall be open to other third countries on the condition of reciprocity. It may be extended, under exceptional and duly justified circumstances, to other third countries. 2. Supplies shall originate in the Member States, the beneficiary country or other developing countries. In the cases mentioned in paragraph 1, supplies may originate in other third countries. Article 10 1. In order to secure the objectives of consistency and complementarity referred to in the Treaty and to ensure maximum effectiveness of these operations as a whole, the Commission may take all necessary coordination measures, including in particular: (a) the establishment of a system for the systematic exchange and analysis of information on the operations financed and those which the Community and the Member States propose to finance; (b) the on-the-spot coordination of the implementation of operations through regular meetings and exchanges of information between the representatives of the Commission and the Member States in the recipient country, local authorities and other decentralised bodies. 2. The Commission should raise the question of gender as a standing item on the agenda during meetings between representatives of the Commission, Member States and partner countries in order to increase awareness of gender issues in emerging areas of development cooperation. 3. The Commission shall draw on the experiences of Members States, other donors and partner countries in the field of gender mainstreaming and women's empowerment. 4. The Commission, together with the Member States, may take any initiative necessary for ensuring proper coordination with the other donors concerned, in particular those forming part of the United Nations system.
Article 9 
1. Participation in invitations to tender and the award of procurement contracts shall be open on equal terms to all natural and legal persons of the Member States, assimilated countries, and in all developing countries. It shall be open to other third countries on the condition of reciprocity. It may be extended, under exceptional and duly justified circumstances, to other third countries. 2. Supplies shall originate in the Member States, the beneficiary country or other developing countries. In the cases mentioned in paragraph 1, supplies may originate in other third countries. Article 10 1. In order to secure the objectives of consistency and complementarity referred to in the Treaty and to ensure maximum effectiveness of these operations as a whole, the Commission may take all necessary coordination measures, including in particular: (a) the establishment of a system for the systematic exchange and analysis of information on the operations financed and those which the Community and the Member States propose to finance; (b) the on-the-spot coordination of the implementation of operations through regular meetings and exchanges of information between the representatives of the Commission and the Member States in the recipient country, local authorities and other decentralised bodies. 2. The Commission should raise the question of gender as a standing item on the agenda during meetings between representatives of the Commission, Member States and partner countries in order to increase awareness of gender issues in emerging areas of development cooperation. 3. The Commission shall draw on the experiences of Members States, other donors and partner countries in the field of gender mainstreaming and women's empowerment. 4. The Commission, together with the Member States, may take any initiative necessary for ensuring proper coordination with the other donors concerned, in particular those forming part of the United Nations system.
Article 10 
1. In order to secure the objectives of consistency and complementarity referred to in the Treaty and to ensure maximum effectiveness of these operations as a whole, the Commission may take all necessary coordination measures, including in particular: (a) the establishment of a system for the systematic exchange and analysis of information on the operations financed and those which the Community and the Member States propose to finance; (b) the on-the-spot coordination of the implementation of operations through regular meetings and exchanges of information between the representatives of the Commission and the Member States in the recipient country, local authorities and other decentralised bodies. 2. The Commission should raise the question of gender as a standing item on the agenda during meetings between representatives of the Commission, Member States and partner countries in order to increase awareness of gender issues in emerging areas of development cooperation. 3. The Commission shall draw on the experiences of Members States, other donors and partner countries in the field of gender mainstreaming and women's empowerment. 4. The Commission, together with the Member States, may take any initiative necessary for ensuring proper coordination with the other donors concerned, in particular those forming part of the United Nations system.
Article 11 
1. The financial framework for the implementation of this Regulation for the period 2004 to 2006 is hereby set at EUR 9 million. 2. The annual appropriations shall be authorised by the budgetary authority within the limits of the financial perspectives. Article 12 1. The Commission shall be responsible for drafting strategic programming guidelines, defining the Community's cooperation in terms of measurable objectives, priorities, deadlines for specific areas of action, assumptions and expected outcomes. Programming shall be multiannual and indicative. 2. An annual exchange of views shall take place once a year on the basis of a presentation by the representative of the Commission of the general guidelines for the operations to be carried out, in the framework of a joint meeting of the Committees referred to in Article 14(1). Article 13 1. The Commission shall be responsible for appraising, deciding on and administering operations covered by this Regulation according to the budgetary and other procedures in force, and in particular those laid down in the Financial Regulation. 2. The work programme shall be adopted under the procedure referred to in Article 14(2). Article 14 1. The Commission shall be assisted by the geographically competent Committee for development. 2. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Articles 4 and 7 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply, having regard to the provisions of Article 8 thereof. The period laid down in Article 4(3) of Decision 1999/468/EC shall be set at 45 days. 3. The Committee shall adopt its rules of procedure.
Article 12 
1. The Commission shall be responsible for drafting strategic programming guidelines, defining the Community's cooperation in terms of measurable objectives, priorities, deadlines for specific areas of action, assumptions and expected outcomes. Programming shall be multiannual and indicative. 2. An annual exchange of views shall take place once a year on the basis of a presentation by the representative of the Commission of the general guidelines for the operations to be carried out, in the framework of a joint meeting of the Committees referred to in Article 14(1). Article 13 1. The Commission shall be responsible for appraising, deciding on and administering operations covered by this Regulation according to the budgetary and other procedures in force, and in particular those laid down in the Financial Regulation. 2. The work programme shall be adopted under the procedure referred to in Article 14(2). Article 14 1. The Commission shall be assisted by the geographically competent Committee for development. 2. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Articles 4 and 7 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply, having regard to the provisions of Article 8 thereof. The period laid down in Article 4(3) of Decision 1999/468/EC shall be set at 45 days. 3. The Committee shall adopt its rules of procedure.
Article 13 
1. The Commission shall be responsible for appraising, deciding on and administering operations covered by this Regulation according to the budgetary and other procedures in force, and in particular those laid down in the Financial Regulation. 2. The work programme shall be adopted under the procedure referred to in Article 14(2). Article 14 1. The Commission shall be assisted by the geographically competent Committee for development. 2. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Articles 4 and 7 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply, having regard to the provisions of Article 8 thereof. The period laid down in Article 4(3) of Decision 1999/468/EC shall be set at 45 days. 3. The Committee shall adopt its rules of procedure.
Article 14 
1. The Commission shall be assisted by the geographically competent Committee for development. 2. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Articles 4 and 7 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply, having regard to the provisions of Article 8 thereof. The period laid down in Article 4(3) of Decision 1999/468/EC shall be set at 45 days. 3. The Committee shall adopt its rules of procedure.
Article 15 
1. After each budget year, the Commission shall submit in its annual report on EC development policy to the European Parliament and to the Council, information on the operations financed in the course of that year and the Commission's conclusions on the implementation of this Regulation over the previous budget year. The summary shall in particular provide information about the strengths, weaknesses and outcomes of operations, those with whom contracts have been concluded as well as the results of any independent evaluations of specific operations. 2. One year before the expiry of this Regulation, the Commission shall submit an independent appraisal report on its implementation to the European Parliament and the Council with a view to establishing whether its objectives have been achieved and providing guidelines for improving the effectiveness of future operations. On the basis of this appraisal report, the Commission may make proposals for the future of this Regulation and, if necessary, proposals for its amendment. Article 16 This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. It shall apply until 31 December 2006. Done at Strasbourg, 21 April 2004. For the European Parliament The President P. Cox For the Council D. Roche (1) Opinion of the European Parliament of 18 December 2003 (not yet published in the Official Journal), Common Position of the Council of 19 February 2004 (not yet published in the Official Journal) and Position of the European Parliament of 30 March 2004 (not yet published in the Official Journal). (2) OJ L 354, 30.12.1998, p. 5. Regulation as amended by Regulation (EC) No 1882/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 284, 31.10.2003, p. 1). (3) OJ C 131 E, 5.6.2003, p. 153 (4) OJ C 172, 18.6.1999, p. 1. Agreement as amended by Decision 2003/429/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 147, 14.6.2003, p. 25). (5) OJ L 184, 17.7.1999, p. 23. (6) Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 (OJ L 248, 16.9.2002, p. 1).
Article 16 
This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. It shall apply until 31 December 2006. Done at Strasbourg, 21 April 2004