Introductory text

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 laying down common provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, the Cohesion Fund, the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and laying down general provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, the Cohesion Fund and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006^f1, and in particular Article 91(2) thereof,

Whereas:

Commission Implementing Decision 2014/190/EU^f2 sets out, among others, the annual breakdown by Member State of resources from the specific allocation for the Youth Employment Initiative (‘YEI’), together with the list of eligible regions for the YEI pursuant to Article 91(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013.

By Regulation (EU) 2019/711 of the European Parliament and of the Council^f3 amending Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013, the specific allocation for the YEI for 2019 has been increased.

The regions eligible for the increase of the resources for the specific allocation for the YEI for 2019 are determined in accordance with Article 16 of Regulation (EU) No 1304/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council^f4 by making reference, however, to the latest available annual data on youth unemployment. Pursuant to Article 65(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013, expenditure under the YEI is eligible until 31 December 2023, both for the regions already listed in the two lists of Annex IV to Implementing Decision 2014/190/EU and for the regions eligible for the increase of the resources for the specific allocation for the YEI for 2019. The existing lists should therefore continue to apply and should be complemented with a list of the regions eligible for the increase of the resources for the specific allocation for the YEI for 2019. For reasons of clarity and transparency, Annex IV to Implementing Decision 2014/190/EU should therefore be amended accordingly.

In accordance with Annex VIII to Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 the breakdown by Member State of the increased resources for 2019 should follow the same steps applied for the initial allocation and the allocation of the resources for 2017-2020. The annual breakdown of the specific allocation for the YEI set out in 2011 prices in Annex III to Implementing Decision 2014/190/EU should therefore be amended accordingly.

In order to allow Member States to plan ahead, the annual breakdown should also be provided in current prices to reflect the indexation of 2 % per year in accordance with Article 91(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013. Annex X to Implementing Decision 2014/190/EU should therefore be amended accordingly.

Implementing Decision 2014/190/EU should therefore be amended,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: