Introductory text

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

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

Having regard to Regulation (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)^f1, and in particular Article 12 thereof,

Whereas:

In accordance with Article 33 of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 447/2014^f2, the rules applicable to the European territorial cooperation goal (ETC) provided for in Regulations (EU) No 1303/2013^f3 and (EU) No 1299/2013^f4 of the European Parliament and of the Council shall apply.

The implementation of cross-border cooperation programmes, both under the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA II) and the ETC, has been affected by the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic in an unprecedented manner. This has created an exceptional situation that needs to be addressed with specific measures. These measures should enable cross-border cooperation programmes under IPA II to contribute to respond to the rapidly emerging needs in a flexible and effective manner with regard to the most exposed sectors, such as healthcare, business including small and medium-sized enterprises and labour market, thus enhancing the socio-economic recovery in the programmes' areas.

The specific measures introduced by Regulations (EU) 2020/460^f5 and (EU) 2020/558^f6 of the European Parliament and of the Council apply to the cross-border cooperation programmes under ETC and to the cross-border cooperation programmes under IPA II, as far as Articles 33 to 48 of Implementing Regulation (EU) No 447/2014 refer to provisions amended by Regulations (EU) 2020/460 and (EU) 2020/558. However, it is appropriate to also amend certain provisions of Implementing Regulation (EU) No 447/2014 not covered by those specific measures.

With a view to alleviating the burden on public budgets responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, managing authorities should be given the exceptional possibility to request a co-financing rate of 100% to be applied for the accounting year 2020–2021, in accordance with budget appropriations and subject to available funding.

In order to provide more flexibility in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, more flexibility should be provided to Member States in programme implementation, and a simplified procedure not requiring a Commission decision should be provided for changes to cross-border cooperation programmes. The information to be submitted to the Commission about such changes should be clarified.

Given the urgency of the situation related to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is appropriate to allow for the prompt application of the measures provided for in this Regulation, which should therefore enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Implementing Regulation (EU) No 447/2014 should therefore be amended accordingly.

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the IPA II Committee established by Regulation (EU) No 231/2014,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: