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DG Regio Mailing 18 June 2008: Participation of the Commission in Steering Committees
Clarification on the participation of the European Commission in Steering Committee meetings of European Territorial Cooperation programmes.
Article 64 of the Structural Funds General Regulation states that "At its own initiative, or at the request of the monitoring committee, a representative of the Commission shall participate in the work of the monitoring committee in an advisory capacity." Under Article 19 of the ERDF Regulation, the Monitoring Committee is responsible for project selection. However, under the same article, the Monitoring Committee may establish a Committee reporting to it in order to select projects for funding.
As this optional committee - often referred to as a "Steering Committee" or "Programming Committee" - is responsible to the Monitoring Committee, then the same rules apply to both. Therefore, the Commission is also an advisor to the Steering Committee, has the right to participate, and should receive all invitations and papers for meetings of that Committee.
