Identification of relevant partners for programmes

1. For each programme, Member States shall identify the relevant partners among at least the following:

competent regional, local, urban and other public authorities, including:

regional authorities, national representatives of local authorities and local authorities representing the largest cities and urban areas, whose competences are related to the planned use of the ESI Funds contributing to the programme;

national or regional representatives of higher educational institutions, education, training and advisory services providers and research centres, in view of the planned use of the ESI Funds contributing to the programme;

other public authorities responsible for the application of horizontal principles referred to in Articles 4 to 8 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013, in view of the planned use of the ESI Funds contributing to the programme, and in particular the bodies for the promotion of equal treatment established in accordance with Directive 2000/43/EC, Directive 2004/113/EC and Directive 2006/54/EC;

other bodies organised at national, regional or local level and authorities representing the areas where integrated territorial investments and local development strategies funded by the programme are carried out;

economic and social partners, including:

nationally or regionally recognised social partners’ organisations, in particular general cross-industry organisations and sectoral organisations whose sectors are related to the planned use of the ESI Funds contributing to the programme;

national or regional chambers of commerce and business associations representing the general interest of industries or branches, with a view to ensuring balanced representation of large, medium-sized, small and microenterprises, together with representatives of the social economy;

other similar bodies organised at national or regional level;

bodies representing civil society, such as environmental partners, non-governmental organisations, and bodies responsible for promoting social inclusion, gender equality and non-discrimination, including:

bodies working in the areas related to the planned use of the ESI Funds contributing to the programme and to the application of horizontal principles, referred to in Articles 4 to 8 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 based on their representativeness, and taking into account geographic and thematic coverage, management capacity, expertise and innovative approaches;

bodies representing the local action groups referred to in Article 34(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013;

other organisations or groups which are significantly affected or likely to be significantly affected by the implementation of the ESI Funds; in particular, groups considered to be at risk of discrimination and social exclusion.

2. As regards European territorial cooperation programmes, Member States may involve in the partnership:

European groupings of territorial cooperation operating in the respective cross-border or transnational programme area;

authorities or bodies that are involved in the development or implementation of a macro-regional or sea-basin strategy in the programme area, including priority area coordinators for macro-regional strategies.

3. Where public authorities, economic and social partners, and bodies representing civil society have established an umbrella organisation, they may nominate a single representative to present the views of the umbrella organisation in the partnership.

CHAPTER III

MAIN PRINCIPLES AND GOOD PRACTICES CONCERNING THE INVOLVEMENT OF RELEVANT PARTNERS IN THE PREPARATION OF THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT AND PROGRAMMES

COMMISSION DELEGATED REGULATION (EU) No 240/2014 of 7 January 2014 on the European code of conduct on partnership in the framework of the European Structural and Investment Funds