Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/2093 of 18 November 2015 amending Regulation (EC) No 718/2007 implementing Council Regulation (EC) No 1085/2006 establishing an instrument for pre-accession assistance (IPA)
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/2093of 18 November 2015amending Regulation (EC) No 718/2007 implementing Council Regulation (EC) No 1085/2006 establishing an instrument for pre-accession assistance (IPA)THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1085/2006 of 17 July 2006 establishing an Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA)OJ L 210, 31.7.2006, p. 82., and in particular Article 3(3) thereof,Whereas:(1)Regulation (EC) No 1085/2006 (the IPA Regulation) lays down the objectives of and the main principles regarding pre-accession assistance to candidate and potential candidate countries. The detailed rules for implementing the pre-accession assistance are set out in Commission Regulation (EC) No 718/2007Commission Regulation (EC) No 718/2007 of 12 June 2007 implementing Council Regulation (EC) No 1085/2006 establishing an instrument for pre-accession assistance (IPA), OJ L 170, 29.6.2007, p. 1..(2)Although the IPA Regulation only applied until 31 December 2013, the IPA Regulation continues to regulate the implementation of budgetary commitments made up to 31 December 2013. Furthermore, Article 212 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 of the European Parliament and of the CouncilRegulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union and repealing Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 (OJ L 298, 26.10.2012, p. 1). provides that Article 166(3) of Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 of 25 June 2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities (OJ L 248, 16.9.2002, p. 1). continues to apply to those budgetary commitments which remain available until 31 December 2018.(3)Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 introduced the possibility for the Commission to create and manage Union trust funds for external action. Such Union trust funds could be an appropriate way to implement pre-accession assistance in order to achieve the objectives of the IPA Regulation, in particular those pursued under its transition assistance and institution building, regional development and human resources development components.(4)The use of a Union trust fund for external action could therefore be an appropriate way to implement assistance in the context of the crisis in Syria. Since the start of the crisis in Syria, Turkey has undertaken remarkable efforts in hosting a growing number of refugees, reaching more than 2 million people in October 2015. As a consequence, the country is facing the challenge of responding to short-term humanitarian needs of refugees, including minors and vulnerable persons, but is also facing more medium- and long-term challenges, in particular, in the regions hosting most of the refugees, relating to social services, competitiveness and infrastructures as well as access to education, including for refugees.(5)The efficiency of the Union assistance provided under the regional development component and the human resources development component of IPA in Turkey could be increased in terms of addressing the challenges described above if the assistance were to be implemented by the Regional Trust Fund established in response to the Syrian crisis. The Regional Trust Fund was established by Decision C(2014) 9615Commission Decision C(2014)9615 of 10 December 2014 on the establishment of a European Union Regional Trust Fund in response to the Syrian Crisis, "the Madad Fund". for a duration of 60 months. All financial contributions of the Union to the Regional Trust Fund should comply with the relevant financial instruments contributing to it, including as regards geographical scope.(6)The regional development component of IPA may contribute toward the financing of the type of actions provided for under Regulation (EC) No 1080/2006 of the European Parliament and the CouncilRegulation (EC) No 1080/2006 of the European Parliament and the Council of 5 July 2006 on the European Regional Development Fund, OJ L 210, 31.7.2006, p. 1.. This type of actions includes promoting: innovation and entrepreneurship; investments connected with water supply and water and waste management; waste-water treatment and air quality; education investments, including in vocational training; and investments in health and social infrastructure which contribute to regional and local development.(7)The human resource development component of IPA may contribute toward the financing of the type of actions provided for under Regulation (EC) No 1081/2006 of the European Parliament and the CouncilRegulation (EC) No 1081/2006 of the European Parliament and the Council of 5 July 2006 on the European Social Fund, OJ L 210, 31.7.2006, p. 12.. This type of actions includes measures aiming at increased participation in education and training throughout the life-cycle, including through actions aiming to achieve a reduction in early school leaving and increased access to initial, vocational and tertiary education and training.(8)Considering all the above, it is appropriate to provide for the possibility of using Union trust funds, established under Article 187 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012, for implementing pre-accession assistance.(9)In particular, it is necessary to provide for the rules relating to planning, programming, reporting, monitoring and drawing up payment applications, as well as managing the contribution from the Union trust fund when pursuing pre-accession assistance objectives within the respective programme areas, particularly regarding budgetary implementation, publicity and eligibility.(10)In order to allow for the prompt application of the measures provided for in this Regulation, this Regulation should enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.(11)The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the IPA II Committee set up by Article 13 of Regulation (EU) No 231/2014 of the European Parliament and of the CouncilRegulation (EU) No 231/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2014 establishing an Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA II), OJ L 77, 15.3.2014, p. 11..(12)Regulation (EC) No 718/2007 should therefore be amended accordingly,HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: