Operational Programme
PURPOSE OF THIS FUNCTIONALITY
This document describes the steps and action options at the level of the Commission for an Operational Programme (OP) in SFC2014.
CONCERNED FUNDS
The procedure is the same for all Operational Programmes and funds using SFC2014 as the default interface, depending on the internal procedures of your DG. If WAVE/RDIS should be used instead then the different actions should be carried out in the relevant application and not SFC2014.
USER ROLES AND PERMISSIONS NEEDED
Only EC Operational Agent (ECOA) user with Update Access is able to make any action.
BEFORE YOU START, CHECK THAT…
The Operational Programme has been sent to the Commission: The status is set to 'Sent'.
Workflow
This section shows the lifecycle to create and manage the OP.
There are no modifying OPs once they have been submitted. The Commission cannot change an OP – only respond.
Click here to see the OP workflow diagram in high resolution.
Icons
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Mock-up Icons |
Real Icons |
Actions |
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Help, Explanation, Guideline |
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Confirm update of (inline table) data, Update & send of document |
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Cancel update of (inline table) data |
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Edit |
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Compare |
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Show, View |
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Delete record |
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Add record |
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Download all Files of one or more Documents in a zip file. |
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Send observation |
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Negative Indication (Not yet sent, inactive, …) |
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Positive Indication (Sent, Active, …) |
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Import Data |
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Mock-up Icons |
Real Icons |
Workflow Actions/Statuses |
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Create new/Open |
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Validate/Ready to send |
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Send/Sent |
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Return for modification/Returned for modification by EC/Returned for modification by MS |
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Accept Decision/Decision OK |
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Accept MS Decision/Adopted by MS |
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Link to Commission Decision/Adopted by EC |
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Adopted by MS |
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Reopen |
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Delete |
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Cancel/Cancelled |
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Withdraw on MS request/Withdrawn on request of MS |
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Documents
Document types
The following document types will be foreseen:
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Description |
Internal Code |
Integral |
Non-Integral |
System |
Required |
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Informal Commission's Observations |
PRG.ICO |
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X |
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Official Commission's Observations |
PRG.OCO |
X |
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Commission Decision |
CD.D |
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X |
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Corrigendum |
CD.C |
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X |
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Other Commission Document |
PRG.OC |
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X |
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Other Commission Internal Document |
PRG.OI |
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X |
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Acknowledgment of Receipt |
ACK.PRGSNT |
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X |
X |
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EC withdrawal letter |
PRG.WIL |
X |
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Commission/ARES reference
Uploading documents not registered in ARES
If you wish to send a document to the Member State and it is not yet registered in ARES, you have to follow the instructions below in order to attach the document:
1. Enter the following information:
Enter a title for your document.
Enter a Document Date for your Document
Click on the Attachment creation Add button 
to add a new row in the table.
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You can add multiple attachments by clicking on the Add button
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You can remove unwanted attachments by selecting the row and
clicking on the Attachment Delete
button 
Enter a Title for your attachment.
Select the Language of the document.
Select the file to upload.
Click on Yes to return the OP.
Uploading documents using the ARES number
As a Commission user you can import your document directly from ARES to be uploaded in SFC2014 by entering the ARES reference number in the Commission Reference field (in the documents section). The ARES number will be immediately validated.
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Note |
When entering the Commission reference (ARES reference) the attachments will automatically be imported from ARES. If you already uploaded attachments, they will be replaced by the ones from ARES. After the upload action you will be able to remove those attachments that you don't want to show to the Member State. |
1. Enter or select the following information:
(1) Choose the Document type (if applicable)
(2) Enter the Title
(3) Enter the Document Date
(4) Enter the Commission Reference ARES number
The system will detect the document(s) from ARES and the attachments will be automatically uploaded
(5) Click Yes to confirm the action
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Remark |
If you get an "invalid ARES number" (the number cannot be found in ARES), check the ARES number has been entered correctly: Ares(2015)+digits with no space. If the ARES reference has been entered correctly, then check that the Document has been filed correctly in ARES. If the problem persists, please provide us with the document ARES number, the 'type' of document you are trying to upload in SFC2014, and the CCI of the Programme. We can then verify if there is a problem with the registration. |
Hiding Attachments uploaded from ARES
If you have sent an Attachment in error you cannot delete the attachment but you can choose to hide it so it is no longer visible to the Member State.
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Remark |
If the ARES document has already been sent it cannot be deleted, but the sender can decide to hide the content for the Member State in case of an erroneous and/or accidental send. The ARES document must be a non-integral document. |
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Clicking on the Add
button will open a pop up
window allowing you to add a new document
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Selecting a document row and click on the Edit button
will allow you to modify the document information.
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Selecting a row and clicking on the Delete button will remove the data of the
selected row.
1. Go to the Documents
section (1) and
choose the attachment you want to hide from the list (2) and click on the Update 
button
(3):
The Document details screen pop-up window appears:
(1) Choose the attachments you want to hide by clicking on the boxes in the Hide Content column
(2) Click on the Update link to confirm the hide action
After hiding the documents the files are no longer visible to the Member State:
Action options for the Operational Programme
1. Login to https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/sfc2014/frontoffice/ui
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Remark |
An EC Operational Agent User (ECOA) with Update access will have different Action options available. The Programme has been SENT to the Commission. |
2. To access into the OP section, first click on the Programming link in the menu and then on the Operational Programme link
3. Choose the OP version you want from the list in the search screen (3) and click on Show programme link (4).
A number of Action Options are available:
Withdraw at the request of the MS
Reject with Commission Decision
Return for modification by EC
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Remark |
An EC Operational Agent User (ECOA) with Update access can return an Operational Programme version containing missing elements or found incorrect. The Programme has been SENT to the Commission. |
1. To return, click on the Return link inside the OP:
The system will ask you to confirm the action.
During return the EC User can optionally add a document "Official Commission's Observations" with attachments that will be send together with the return action to the Member State.
This can be done either by using the Commission Reference ARES number OR by manually uploading the documents.
2. Enter or select the following information:
Enter the Reason for return.
Click on Yes to confirm the return of the OP.
You can also attach a document when returning the OP. However, this step is optional. This can be done in two different ways:
· Uploading Documents not registered in ARES
· Uploading Documents using the ARES number (Commission reference)
Please refer to Commission/ARES reference section of this guide.
After sending back the OP, its status will change from 'Sent' to 'Returned for Modification by EC' and the MS Managing Authorities will have access again to execute any required modification:
Accept Commission decision
This case occurs when an EC Operational Agent with Update access wants to accept the decision taken on an Operational Programme. When the decision has been taken the commitment can be initiated.
1. To accept the Commission decision click on Accept Commission decision link.
The Accept Commission decision confirmation pop-up window appears:
2. Click on Yes to accept the Commission Decision on this OP.
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Remark |
A previously set Eligibility Period (start date and end date) can be overwritten or corrected during the accept action. |
On success, the Operational Programme has an accepted decision and its status was set to 'Decision OK'.
Accept MS decision
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Remark |
THIS OPTION IS NOT AVAILABLE FOR HOME FUNDS (AMIF, ISF) To accept the MS decision on an Operational Programme, the OP must be in a status 'Sent' at the level of the Commission and must have a version number > 1. In this case the last applied Commission decision is still valid and no new Commission decision is required. |
1. To accept the MS decision click on Accept MS decision
The Accept MS decision confirmation pop-up window appears:
2. Click on Yes to accept the MS Decision on this OP
The OP Status becomes 'Adopted by MS', and the last available Commission decision on that Programme still appears in the list:
Withdraw at the request of the MS
This scenario occurs when at the request of the Member State the Commission withdraw a Programme version and stop the amendment procedure, as withdrawals are subject to confirmation by the EC.
Preconditions:
- The Member State must request to withdraw the Programme uploading a document called 'MS REQUEST TO WITHDRAW PROGRAMME VERSION'.
- The user at the EC has the role of EC Operational Agent.
- The version Programme which the MS wants to withdraw is the last one.
- The Programme has been sent previously to the EC.
- The Programme version is in status 'Sent' or 'Returned for Modification by EC' at the level of the Commission, or in status 'Open', 'Ready to send', 'Returned for Modification by MS' or 'Cancelled' at the owner node of the MS.
1. Click on the 'Withdraw at the request of the MS' link inside the Programme:
During withdrawal by the Commission, the actor can add a document ("EC Withdrawal letter") with attachments that will be send together with the withdrawal action to the Member State.
2. Enter the following information:
Enter a title for your document.
Enter a Document Date for your Document
Click on the Attachment creation Add button to add a new row in the table.
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You can add multiple attachments by clicking on the Add button
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You can remove unwanted attachments by selecting the row and
clicking on the Attachment Delete
button
Enter a Title for your attachment.
Select the Language of the document.
Select the file to upload.
Click on Yes to return the OP.
Post conditions:
- On success, the Programme version status was set to 'Withdrawn at the request of the MS'.
- If the MS wants to create a new version based on the withdrawn one, then the version is a major version and it is incremented by one (ex. 1.0 > 2.0).
Reject with Commission Decision
An EC user with Update access can reject a specific version of an OP and link it to a negative Commission Decision reference.
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Remark |
It is a must to have the role of EC Operational Agent or EC Publishing Officer with Update access. The OP version is in status ‘Sent’. The Commission Decision record exists. |
1. Click on the 'Reject with Commission Decision' link inside the Programme:
The Reject with Commission Decision confirmation screen pop-up window appears:
2. Select the correct decision from the list and click on Yes to confirm the reject action.
On success, the Operational Programme Proposal has been linked to a negative Commission Decision.
The status of the Operational Programme Proposal version was set to 'Not Adopted by EC'.
The Member State has been notified that a negative Commission Decision was taken on the Operational Programme version.
Re-open an Operational Programme
An EC User with Update access can reopen an OP previously accepted, adopted by a Commission decision, adopted by the MS, Not Adopted by EC, withdrawn or returned for modification by EC – this option will change the status of the OP.
The Operational Programme is in a status 'Decision OK', 'Adopted by EC', ‘Adopted by MS’, ‘Not Adopted by EC’, ’Withdrawn at the request of the MS’ or 'Returned for Modification by EC'.
No Object Versions of other Object Types are linked to the Operational Programme Version, independent of the Status of these other Object Versions.
No more recent Operational Programme Version exists.
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Remark |
The 'Reopen' option should only be used exceptionally and when the status chosen has been used accidentally. |
1. Click on the Reopen link to change the OP status:
The Re-open confirmation screen pop-up window appears:
2. Click on Yes to confirm the 'Reopen' action or on No to go back to the OP.
On success, the Operational Programme has been reopened and its status was set to its previous status.