24.12.2013

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 352/65

(1)

Regulation (EC) No 58/2003 empowers the Commission to delegate powers to the executive agencies to implement all or part of a Union programme or project, on its behalf and under its responsibility.

(2)

The purpose of entrusting the executive agencies with programme implementation tasks is to enable the Commission to focus on its core activities and functions which cannot be outsourced, without relinquishing control over, and ultimate responsibility for, activities managed by those executive agencies.

(3)

The delegation of tasks related to programme implementation to an executive agency requires a clear separation between the programming stages involving a large measure of discretion in making choices driven by policy considerations, this being carried out by the Commission, and programme implementation, which should be entrusted to the executive agency.

(4)

By Decision 2007/60/EC (2), the Commission created the Trans-European Transport Network Executive Agency and entrusted it with the management of Community actions in the field of the trans-European transport network.

(5)

Subsequently, by Decision 2008/593/EC (3), the Commission extended the period of operation of the Trans-European Transport Network Executive Agency and redefined its objectives and tasks so that it became responsible also for the implementation of financial aid from the trans-European transport network budget under the 2007-2013 Multiannual Financial Framework.

(6)

The Trans-European Transport Network Executive Agency has demonstrated to be a well-organised agency which performs its mandated tasks in an effective and efficient manner in compliance with the legal framework governing its activities. The interim evaluation of the agency has shown that it holds sound productivity indicators and performs its technical and financial management to the satisfaction of stakeholders. The agency has successfully contributed to the implementation of the trans-European transport network programme and has allowed the Commission to focus on and improve the management of its policy and institutional tasks. The interim evaluation has also shown that the agency is a more cost-efficient option for the management of the trans-European transport network programme, as compared to the Commission in-house management scenario. Savings resulting from the delegation of tasks to the agency have been estimated at some EUR 8,66 million over the period of years 2008 to 2015.

(7)

In its Communication of 29 June 2011‘楢 budget for Europe 2020‘�a href="#ntr4-L_2013352EN.01006501-E0004" id="ntc4-L_2013352EN.01006501-E0004" shape="rect"> (4)