Regulation 3 Functions of the Northern Ireland Department of Finance in relation to PEACE PLUS

This regulation applies during the period beginning with the day on which the Financing Agreement^f1 enters into force and ending with 1st July 2032.

The Department has the functions of the national authority for the purposes of the Financing Agreement (as set out in Articles 7.2 and 10.3 of the Financing Agreement).

The Department must act as the United Kingdom’s representative in the group of auditors (in accordance with Article 7.6 of the Financing Agreement).

In this regulation—

• “Financing Agreement” means the Financing Agreement between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Ireland and the European Commission on the PEACE PLUS Programme 2021-2027, done in Brussels on the 13th and 15th March 2023;

• “Department” means the Northern Ireland Department of Finance;

• “group of auditors” has the meaning given by Article 7.6(2) of the Agreement;

• “programme” means the Interreg cross-border cooperation programme PEACE PLUS for the programming period 2021 to 2027, as approved by Commission Implementing Decision C(2022) 4931 of 8 July 2022, including as amended from time to time in accordance with Article 19 of Regulation (EU) 2021/1059 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2021 on specific provisions for the European territorial cooperation goal (Interreg) supported by the European Regional Development Fund and external financing instruments.