Legal provisions of COM(2016)115 - Provision of emergency support within the Union

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dossier COM(2016)115 - Provision of emergency support within the Union.
document COM(2016)115 EN
date March 15, 2016

Contents

Article 1 - Subject matter and scope

1. This Regulation lays down the framework within which Union emergency support may be awarded through specific measures appropriate to the economic situation in the event of an ongoing or potential natural or man-made disaster. Such emergency support can only be provided where the exceptional scale and impact of the disaster is such that it gives rises to severe wide-ranging humanitarian consequences in one or more Member States and only in exceptional circumstances where no other instrument available to Member States and to the Union is sufficient.

2. Emergency support provided under this Regulation shall be in support of, and complementary to, the actions of the affected Member State. To this end, close cooperation and consultation with the affected Member State shall be ensured.

Article 2 - Activation of the emergency support

1. The decision about the activation of the emergency support under this Regulation in case of an ongoing or potential disaster shall be taken by the Council on the basis of a proposal by the Commission, specifying where appropriate the duration of the activation.

2. The Council shall immediately examine the proposal of the Commission referred to in paragraph 1 and shall decide, in accordance with the urgency of the situation, on the activation of the emergency support.

Article 3 - Eligible actions

1. Emergency support under this Regulation shall provide a needs-based emergency response, complementing the response of the affected Member States, aimed at preserving life, preventing and alleviating human suffering, and maintaining human dignity wherever the need arises as a result of a disaster referred to in Article 1.

2. Emergency support, as referred to in paragraph 1, may include any of the humanitarian aid actions which would be eligible for Union financing pursuant to Articles 2, 3 and 4 of Regulation (EC) No 1257/96, and may consequently encompass assistance, relief and, where necessary, protection operations to save and preserve life in disasters or in their immediate aftermath. It may also be used to finance any other expenditure directly related to the implementation of emergency support under this Regulation.

3. Emergency support under this Regulation shall be granted and implemented in compliance with the fundamental humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence.

4. The actions referred to in paragraph 2 shall be carried out by the Commission or by partner organisations selected by the Commission. The Commission may notably select, as partner organisations, non-governmental organisations, specialised services of the Member States or international agencies and organisations having the requisite expertise. In doing so, the Commission shall maintain a close cooperation with the affected Member State.

Article 4 - Types of financial intervention and implementing procedures

1. The Commission shall implement the Union's financial support in accordance with Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012. In particular, Union financing for support actions under this Regulation shall be implemented by means of direct or indirect management in accordance with points (a) and (c), respectively, of Article 58(1) of that Regulation.

2. Emergency support under this Regulation shall be financed by the general budget of the Union and by contributions which may be made by other public or private donors as external assigned revenue in accordance with Article 21(4) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012.

3. Union financing for support actions under this Regulation to be implemented by means of direct management may be awarded directly by the Commission without a call for proposals, in accordance with Article 128(1) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012. To that effect, the Commission may enter into framework partnership agreements or rely on existing framework partnership agreements concluded pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1257/96.

4. Where the Commission implements emergency support operations through non-governmental organisations, the criteria concerning financial and operational capacity shall be deemed to be satisfied where there is a framework partnership agreement in force between that organisation and the Commission pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1257/96.

Article 5 - Eligible Costs

1. Union financing may cover any direct costs necessary for the implementation of the eligible actions set out in Article 3, including the purchase, preparation, collection, transport, storage and distribution of goods and services under those actions.

2. The indirect costs of the partner organisations may also be covered in accordance with Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012.

3. Union financing may also cover expenses pertaining to preparatory, monitoring, control, audit and evaluation activities which are required for the management of the emergency support to be provided under this Regulation.

4. Union financing for emergency support actions under this Regulation may cover up to 100 % of the eligible costs.

5. Expenditure incurred by a partner organisation before the date of submission of an application for funding may be eligible for Union financing.

Article 6 - Complementarity and consistency of Union action

Synergies and complementarity shall be sought with other instruments of the Union, in particular with respect to those instruments under which some form of emergency assistance or support may be offered, such as Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002, Decision No 1313/2013/EU, Regulation (EC) No 1257/96, Regulation (EU) No 223/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council (5), Regulation (EU) No 513/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council (6), Regulation (EU) No 514/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council (7), Regulation (EU) No 515/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council (8) and Regulation (EU) No 516/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council (9).

Article 7 - Protection of the financial interests of the Union

1. The Commission shall take appropriate measures ensuring that, when actions financed under this Regulation are implemented, the financial interests of the Union are protected by the application of preventive measures against fraud, corruption and any other illegal activities, by effective checks and, if irregularities are detected, by the recovery of the amounts wrongly paid and, where appropriate, by effective, proportionate and dissuasive administrative and financial penalties.

2. The Commission or its representatives and the Court of Auditors shall have the power of audit, on the basis of documents and on the spot, over all grant beneficiaries, contractors and subcontractors, who have received Union funds under this Regulation.

3. The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) may carry out investigations, including on-the-spot checks and inspections, in accordance with the provisions and procedures laid down in Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 883/2013 (10) of the European Parliament and of the Council and Council Regulation (Euratom, EC) No 2185/96 (11) with a view to establishing whether there has been fraud, corruption or any other illegal activity affecting the financial interests of the Union in connection with a grant agreement or grant decision or a contract funded under this Regulation.

4. Without prejudice to paragraphs 1, 2 and 3, contracts and grant agreements as well as agreements with international organisations and Member States' specialised services, resulting from the implementation of this Regulation shall contain provisions expressly empowering the Commission, the Court of Auditors and OLAF to conduct such audits and investigations, according to their respective competences.

Article 8 - Monitoring and evaluation

1. Actions receiving financial support under this Regulation shall be monitored regularly. At the latest 12 months after the activation of the emergency support for a specific situation in accordance with Article 2, the Commission shall present a report to the Council and, where appropriate, proposals to terminate it.

2. By 17 March 2019, the Commission shall submit an evaluation of the operation of this Regulation to the Council, together with suggestions for the future of this Regulation and, where appropriate, proposals to amend or terminate it.

Article 9 - Entry into Force and activation

1. This Regulation shall enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

2. The Council hereby decides to activate the emergency support under this Regulation as of the day of its entry into force for the current influx of refugees and migrants into the Union, for a period of three years.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.