Introductory text

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

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

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006 of 11 July 2006 laying down general provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund and the Cohesion Fund and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999^f1, and in particular Articles 44, 66(3) and 76(4) thereof,

Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 1080/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 July 2006 on the European Regional Development Fund and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1783/1999^f2, and in particular the second subparagraph of Article 7(2) thereof,

Whereas:

Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006, as amended by Regulation (EU) No 539/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council^f3, simplifies and clarifies certain requirements as regards major projects, financial engineering instruments and reporting on financial progress of operational programmes. It is therefore necessary to align the provisions of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1828/2006^f4 with Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006 as amended.

Regulation (EC) No 1080/2006, as amended by Regulation (EU) No 437/2010^f5 provides for eligibility of housing interventions in favour of marginalised communities. It is therefore necessary to align the provisions of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1828/2006 with Regulation (EC) No 1080/2006 as amended.

It is necessary to clarify that the implementation of financial engineering also covers funds or other incentive schemes for energy efficiency and use of renewable energy in buildings, including existing housing.

It is necessary to define the conditions for eligible housing interventions in favour of marginalised communities in the context of an integrated approach, with particular regard to the desegregation measures.

In order to facilitate the provision of data by Member States and the processing of data by the Commission, it is necessary to simplify the requirements on financial information to be provided in the annual and final reports on the implementation of an operational programme.

The threshold for projects to be considered major projects has been raised to EUR 50 million. In order to ensure appropriate monitoring of environmental projects with total investment costs between EUR 25 and 50 million, it is necessary to provide for an obligation to include information on those projects in the annual and final reports on implementation of an operational programme.

Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006 now allows a major project to cover more than one operational programme. It is therefore necessary to update the type of structured data to be provided on major projects and to update the forms for requests for assistance for major projects.

Regulation (EC) No 1828/2006 should therefore be amended accordingly.

For reasons of coherence it is appropriate that the amendments to Regulation (EC) No 1828/2006 apply from the same date as Regulation (EU) No 539/2010 and Regulation (EU) No 437/2010.

It is necessary that all the advantages to beneficiaries which result from Regulation (EU) No 539/2010 and Regulation (EU) No 437/2010 apply as soon as possible. Therefore, this Regulation should enter into force as a matter of urgency.

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Coordination Committee of the Funds,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: