Changes from report parliamentary committee draft to plenary report

Added5. The Board of Trustees shall appoint a Scientific Advisory Committee consisting of renowned independent experts, competent in areas relevant to PRIMA. The Board of Trustees shall establish the number of Scientific Advisory Committee members, and the arrangements for their appointment in accordance with Article 49 of Regulation (EU) 2021/695.’;

Added(14) Article 14 is replaced by the following:

Added‘Article 14

AddedMonitoring and Evaluation

Added1. The activities, efficiency and transparency of PRIMA, as well as the evaluation of the success rates, shall be continuously monitored and subject to periodic reviews to ensure the highest impact, scientific excellence and the most effective and efficient use of resources. The outcome of the monitoring and of the periodic reviews shall feed into the monitoring of European partnerships as part of the Horizon Europe evaluations, pursuant to Articles 50 and 52 of Regulation (EU) 2021/695.

Added2. The PRIMA-IS shall organise the continuous monitoring and reporting of the management and the implementation of their activities and the periodic reviews of the outputs, results and impact of the funded indirect actions implemented in accordance with Article 50 of Regulation (EU) 2021/695 and Annex III to that Regulation.

Added3. The Commission shall conduct an interim evaluation of PRIMA by 31 December 2025 and a final evaluation ▌by 31 December 2031 in the framework of the Horizon Europe evaluations, and shall conduct corresponding evaluations for those actions carried out under the framework of Horizon 2020 in accordance with Article 52 of Regulation (EU) 2021/695, with the assistance of external independent experts selected on the basis of an open and transparent process.

Added4. The interim and final evaluations referred to in paragraph 3 shall examine the success rates and the absorption rates of the Southern Mediterranean Participating States, as well as how PRIMA fulfils its mission and objectives, cover all its activities and evaluate its European added value, effectiveness, efficiency, including its openness and transparency, the relevance of the activities pursued, including in industry and by SMEs, NGOs and civil society, and their consistency and complementarity with relevant regional, national and Union policies, including synergies with other parts of Horizon Europe, such as other partnerships, missions, clusters and thematic or specific programmes. The evaluations shall take into account the views of all relevant stakeholders, at both Union and national level. They shall include, where relevant, an assessment of the most effective policy intervention mode for any future action, as well as the relevance and coherence of any possible renewal of PRIMA, given the overall policy priorities and the research and innovation support landscape, including the positioning against other initiatives supported through Horizon Europe. When carrying out those evaluations, the Commission shall fully consider the administrative impact on PRIMA and shall seek to reduce the administrative burden and to ensure that the evaluation process is kept simple and fully transparent.

Added5. The Commission shall publish and disseminate the results and conclusions of the evaluations referred to in paragraph 3.’ ;

Added(15) the following Articles 14a, 14b and 14c are inserted :

Added‘Article 14a

AddedConfidentiality

AddedWithout prejudice to Article 11a the PRIMA- IS shall ensure the protection of confidential information, the disclosure of which beyond the Union institutions, bodies, offices or agencies, has the potential to damage the interests of the PRIMA-IS, its members or of the participants in the activities of PRIMA. Such confidential information shall include personal, commercial, sensitive non-classified and classified information.

AddedConflicts of interest

Added1. The PRIMA-IS, its bodies, members and staff shall avoid any conflict of interest in carrying out their activities.

Added2. The PRIMA-IS shall adopt rules for the prevention, avoidance and management of conflicts of interest in respect of its staff, the members and other persons serving in any of its bodies or groups of the PRIMA-IS, in accordance with Article 61 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046.

Added3. The PRIMA-IS shall establish a code of conduct for members of its bodies, which shall include the publication of declarations of professional activities, financial interests and conflicts of interest in accordance with data protection rules.

AddedOngoing actions, activities and commitments

AddedActions or activities of the PRIMA-IS or commitments by the Participating States referred to in this Decision initiated or undertaken under Regulation (EU) No 1291/2013, shall continue to be governed by the provisions of that Regulation except where otherwise provided in this Decision.’.

AddedEntry into force

AddedThis Decision shall enter into force on the twentieth day after its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

AddedAddressees

AddedThis Decision is addressed to the Member States.

AddedDone at ▌,

AddedFor the European Parliament For the Council

AddedThe President The President