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25/03/2025
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Specifications related to the Management of Standalone and Referring documents for MS users
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25/03/2025
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SFC2014 - General
General - The Object is 'Returned', so why is the 'Current Node' displayed as 'European Commission'?
When an object is returned by the Commission in SFC2014 it will display as 'Current node' -> 'European Commission'. This is because the version that has been returned is no longer editable by the Member state and they must create a new version of the object in order to edit the information.
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General - Why does SFC2014 ask me to electronically sign when I send an object?
The Sending of information by a Member State to the Commission should be electronically signed in accordance with Directive 1999/93/EC.
Sending of the different objects is generating a snapshot document and after the sending an acknowledge
document is generated by the European Commission.
This acknowledge document is signed but the Member State was not signing the snapshot document. The EU Login now provides a functionality of signing without forcing the user to have a certificate. The action to sign will only be triggered when sending to the European Commission:
(1) Enter your SFC2014 Password
(2) Click on the 'Sign' button
The Signature is…
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General - How can I be sure that my data is submitted/sent to the Commission?
- When data is sent to the Commission, the sender receives an automatic notification from SFC2014
- On the search screen list of Programmes, Payment Applications etc, and in the 'General' section of the object under 'version information', check that the "current node" column is "Commission" and the "status" is "sent".
- In each object (excluding Standalone/referring documents) a snapshot document is added to the 'associated documents' section of the object.
- For single documents, check that the "sent date" is not empty.
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General - Why can't I see a link to Delete an Object (OP, Payment, etc.)?
- The Object has been sent to the Commission already which means you cannot delete it anymore.
- The Object has not been sent to the Commission yet but it contains a document of type 'Other MS document' which has already been sent to the Commission. In this case you cannot delete the Object anymore.
An Object can only be deleted if:
1) its status is 'Open', 'Validated', 'Ready to send' or 'Returned for modification by MS';
and
2) it has never been sent to the Commission before;
and
3) it has no sent documents attached.
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General - The Object is Validated (in status 'Ready to Send') but it is not possible to Send it
SFC2014 enforces the "four-eyes" principle, which means that the user who last validated the Object cannot submit it. Two different users are required; one to validate and another to send.
According to Article 3(2) of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 184/2014, “any transmission of information to the Commission shall be verified and submitted by a person other than the person who entered the data for that transmission. This separation of tasks shall be supported by SFC2014 or by Member State’s management and control information systems connected automatically with SFC2014.”
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General - I cannot fit my text within the character limit of the text box, what can I do?
The text boxes provided in SFC2014 follow the official templates. The limits are defined by the Commission implementing act and cannot be extended.
You can provide additional information in other documents which may help the Commission in its assessment of the programme by adding an 'Other Member State document' type in the document section. However, according to article 2(2) of Commission implementing regulation 184/2014 you cannot make references to this in the programme and the additional information will not form part of the programme covered by the Commission decision.
Article 2
Content of electronic data exchange system
1. The electronic data exchange system (hereinafter referred to as ‘SFC2014’) shall contain at least information specified in the models, formats and templates established in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013, Regulation (EU) No 1299/2013, Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council ( 3 ) and the future Union legal act establishing the conditions for the financial support for maritime and fisheries policy for the programming period 2014-2020 (the ‘EMFF Regulation’).
2. The information provided in the electronic forms embedded in SFC2014 (hereinafter referred to as ‘structured data’) may not be replaced by non-structured data, including the use of hyperlinks or other types of non-structured data such as attachment of documents or images. Where a Member State transmits the same information in the form of structured data and non-structured data, the structured data shall be used in case of inconsistencies.
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General - In the 'free text' fields the numbering of paragraphs restarts after each "style" change, how do I correct this?
If you want to have a list like this in the free text editor:
1. aaaa
2. bbb
3. ccc
o ccc.111
o ccc.222
4. ddd
5. eee
6. fff
You have to follow these steps:
First start with the list without formatting:
aaaa
aaaa.1111
bbbb
Then you mark and number all of them (false) :
1. aaaa
2. aaaa.1111
3. bbbb
Then you indent the one(s) in the middle ( false) :
1. aaaa
1. aaaa.1111
2. bbbb
Then you change numbering to bullets (false) :
1. aaaa
o aaaa.1111
2. bbbb
The alternative is to edit first in a Word document and copy/paste from there.
→ read more
SFC2014 - Documents
Documents - What is the document Size Limit and restrictions for file formats in SFC2014?
The size limit per file is 500MB.
There is no limit on the number of files or the total size of all files in an object.
The following file extensions are allowed:
“.7z”, “.bmp”, “.csv”, “.docx”, “.jpeg”, “.jpg”, “.msg”, “.ods”, “.odt”, “.odp”, “.odg”, “.odc”, “.odf”, “.odi”, “.odm”, “.ott”, “.ots”, “.otp”, “.otg”, “.pdf”, “.png”, “.pptx”, “.rar”, “.rtf”, “.tif”, “.tiff”, “.txt”, “.xlsb”, “.xlsx”, “.zip”, “.gif”, “.eml”
→ read more
Documents - Why can't the EC see the MS documents before they are sent?
The content of a programme can be seen by an EC user even before it is submitted to the Commission. This is to help the Member States during the amendments process.
Documents can only be consulted when they are sent. This is because documents do not have a full workflow as is the case for the structured data and their content is unknown and could contain sensible data which the Member State doesn't want the Commission to know before it is officially submitted.
Therefore, the "Other MS document" type and the "Informal Commission's Observations" document type were foreseen, so that the Member States could send whatever they want to send during the amendment process on an informal basis and the Commission could send them their observations already before the official submission.
→ read more
Documents - I cannot open any document attached to my object, why?
Unfortunately this is a problem in the Microsoft Edge browser, not in SFC2014.
The browser doesn't recognize it's a .pdf file. As a workaround you should save the file and give it the name and extension as indicated on the screen, then you will be able to open it in your downloads folder.
→ read more
Documents - How can I validate the signature in the Acknowledgement documents?
The acknowledgement of receipt is signed with an electronic certificate guaranteeing the date and time of the signature as well as the integrity of this document. The certificate used to sign this document is held by the European Commission and can be verified by the corresponding public key.
The first step to validate the signature is to install the certificate in Acrobat.
(This step is only necessary once per machine)
- First download the SFC certificate file named CertExchangeSFCRootCA.FDF.
- Decompress the zip file and store the certificate on your computer.
- Open Acrobat.
- Go to File > Open and select the certificate from your computer.
- A pop up will be displayed. Click "Set Contact Trust…":
- On the next screen specify that this is a trusted root certificate by checking the option "Use this certificate as a trusted root" and click OK.
- A confirmation message will confirm the import. Click OK and close Acrobat.
→ read more
Documents - I have sent a document by mistake, can I delete it?
Once a document has been sent (there is a date visible in the 'sent date' column) it cannot be deleted.
However, if you are the sender of the document you may choose to 'hide' a sent document so that it is no longer visible within your programme by following the steps below:
1. In the Documents section of your OP (1) select the document from the list (2) and click the Edit button (3):
2. In the Document Details pop-up select the document you wish to hide (1)…
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Documents - I have added a document but the Commission cannot see it, what can I do?
If a Commission user cannot see the other documents you uploaded, this is because these are type 'Other Member State Document' and are sent independently (as you can see below there is no 'sent date') of the Object (PA, OP, RDP IR etc.).
The following steps should be taken for each document in order for them to be sent to the EC:
Select the document to be sent (1) and click on the edit button (2):
Click on the Update &Send link to send the document to the EC:
→ read more
National Audit Report
NAR - General
NAR - Creation - Why can I no longer create a National Audit Report (obsolete)?
As from release version 2.10.7 (29/08/2017) onwards it is not possible anymore to create a NAR referring document under the old menu Audit > National audit report (obsolete), but the referring document "EC comments on national audit report" can still be created and sent by European Commission Users.
The document "MS reply to EC comments on national audit report" remains possible as well but only for the audit reports originally uploaded by the Member State under this module.
The menu National audit report (obsolete) contains the National audit report documents submitted before the structured National audit report was implemented in SFC2014.
The new menu National audit report IGJ/ETC, EMFF, FEAD & IPA-CBC contains the structured National audit report.
No data will be migrated to the (structured) National Audit report menu.
→ read more
NAR - Creation - Why can I no longer create a National Audit Report (obsolete)?
As from release version 2.10.7 (29/08/2017) onwards it is not possible anymore to create a NAR referring document under the old menu Audit > National audit report (obsolete), but the referring document "EC comments on national audit report" can still be created and sent by European Commission Users.
The document "MS reply to EC comments on national audit report" remains possible as well but only for the audit reports originally uploaded by the Member State under this module.
The menu National audit report (obsolete) contains the National audit report documents submitted before the structured National audit report was implemented in SFC2014.
The new menu National audit report IGJ/ETC, EMFF, FEAD & IPA-CBC contains the structured National audit report.
No data will be migrated to the (structured) National Audit report menu.
→ read more
NAR - Creation - Why can I no longer create a National Audit Report (obsolete)?
As from release version 2.10.7 (29/08/2017) onwards it is not possible anymore to create a NAR referring document under the old menu Audit > National audit report (obsolete), but the referring document "EC comments on national audit report" can still be created and sent by European Commission Users.
The document "MS reply to EC comments on national audit report" remains possible as well but only for the audit reports originally uploaded by the Member State under this module.
The menu National audit report (obsolete) contains the National audit report documents submitted before the structured National audit report was implemented in SFC2014.
The new menu National audit report IGJ/ETC, EMFF, FEAD & IPA-CBC contains the structured National audit report.
No data will be migrated to the (structured) National Audit report menu.
→ read more
NAR - Creation - Why can I no longer create a National Audit Report (obsolete)?
As from release version 2.10.7 (29/08/2017) onwards it is not possible anymore to create a NAR referring document under the old menu Audit > National audit report (obsolete), but the referring document "EC comments on national audit report" can still be created and sent by European Commission Users.
The document "MS reply to EC comments on national audit report" remains possible as well but only for the audit reports originally uploaded by the Member State under this module.
The menu National audit report (obsolete) contains the National audit report documents submitted before the structured National audit report was implemented in SFC2014.
The new menu National audit report IGJ/ETC, EMFF, FEAD & IPA-CBC contains the structured National audit report.
No data will be migrated to the (structured) National Audit report menu.
→ read more
NAR - Creation - Why can I no longer create a National Audit Report (obsolete)?
As from release version 2.10.7 (29/08/2017) onwards it is not possible anymore to create a NAR referring document under the old menu Audit > National audit report (obsolete), but the referring document "EC comments on national audit report" can still be created and sent by European Commission Users.
The document "MS reply to EC comments on national audit report" remains possible as well but only for the audit reports originally uploaded by the Member State under this module.
The menu National audit report (obsolete) contains the National audit report documents submitted before the structured National audit report was implemented in SFC2014.
The new menu National audit report IGJ/ETC, EMFF, FEAD & IPA-CBC contains the structured National audit report.
No data will be migrated to the (structured) National Audit report menu.
→ read more
NAR - System audits - Can I register different system audits in one National Audit Report?
Yes, you can enter different system audits for the same CCI/Fund(s)/Audited entity in one NAR.
For this, records must have the same date of final audit report. If these are audits done on different moments and with different final audit reports you have to create separate NARs.
→ read more
NAR - System audits - Can I register different system audits in one National Audit Report?
Yes, you can enter different system audits for the same CCI/Fund(s)/Audited entity in one NAR.
For this, records must have the same date of final audit report. If these are audits done on different moments and with different final audit reports you have to create separate NARs.
→ read more
NAR - System audits - Can I register different system audits in one National Audit Report?
Yes, you can enter different system audits for the same CCI/Fund(s)/Audited entity in one NAR.
For this, records must have the same date of final audit report. If these are audits done on different moments and with different final audit reports you have to create separate NARs.
→ read more
NAR - System audits - Can I register different system audits in one National Audit Report?
Yes, you can enter different system audits for the same CCI/Fund(s)/Audited entity in one NAR.
For this, records must have the same date of final audit report. If these are audits done on different moments and with different final audit reports you have to create separate NARs.
→ read more
NAR - Documents
NAR - Documents - I want to upload & send an 'Other MS Document' but I can't, why does it not appear in the list?
You can upload an 'Other MS document' in the documents section of the NAR but only when the report has reached a final status on the Commission side and its status is "Analysed by EC (Observations)" or "Analysed by EC (No observations; to be followed-up in the next annual bilateral meeting)" or "Analysed by EC (Conclusions transmitted to the authorising officer by delegation, cf. Article 83(1.a) CPR)".
If you need to submit a document before the Commission assessment you will have to upload and send the document in SFC2014 as a Letter to the Commission under the Utilities menu.
→ read more
NAR - Documents - I want to upload & send an 'Other MS Document' but I can't, why does it not appear in the list?
You can upload an 'Other MS document' in the documents section of the NAR but only when the report has reached a final status on the Commission side and its status is "Analysed by EC (Observations)" or "Analysed by EC (No observations; to be followed-up in the next annual bilateral meeting)" or "Analysed by EC (Conclusions transmitted to the authorising officer by delegation, cf. Article 83(1.a) CPR)".
If you need to submit a document before the Commission assessment you will have to upload and send the document in SFC2014 as a Letter to the Commission under the Utilities menu.
→ read more
NAR - Documents - I want to upload & send an 'Other MS Document' but I can't, why does it not appear in the list?
You can upload an 'Other MS document' in the documents section of the NAR but only when the report has reached a final status on the Commission side and its status is "Analysed by EC (Observations)" or "Analysed by EC (No observations; to be followed-up in the next annual bilateral meeting)" or "Analysed by EC (Conclusions transmitted to the authorising officer by delegation, cf. Article 83(1.a) CPR)".
If you need to submit a document before the Commission assessment you will have to upload and send the document in SFC2014 as a Letter to the Commission under the Utilities menu.
→ read more
NAR - Documents - I want to upload & send an 'Other MS Document' but I can't, why does it not appear in the list?
You can upload an 'Other MS document' in the documents section of the NAR but only when the report has reached a final status on the Commission side and its status is "Analysed by EC (Observations)" or "Analysed by EC (No observations; to be followed-up in the next annual bilateral meeting)" or "Analysed by EC (Conclusions transmitted to the authorising officer by delegation, cf. Article 83(1.a) CPR)".
If you need to submit a document before the Commission assessment you will have to upload and send the document in SFC2014 as a Letter to the Commission under the Utilities menu.
→ read more
NAR - Documents -Why can't I create a document if I have the right roles?
You can only attach a file to a National Audit Report & to an Audit Control Report when first the OPs have been identified under the 'Programmes covered' section.
The reason is because as long as there are no programmes covered by the NAR & ACR, the system cannot apply document security based on the Funds covered by these Programmes and therefore requires you to have the document update permission for all Funds.
Thus you must first specify the Programmes covered and then you can create documents for your Funds.
→ read more
NAR - Documents -Why can't I create a document if I have the right roles?
You can only attach a file to a National Audit Report & to an Audit Control Report when first the OPs have been identified under the 'Programmes covered' section.
The reason is because as long as there are no programmes covered by the NAR & ACR, the system cannot apply document security based on the Funds covered by these Programmes and therefore requires you to have the document update permission for all Funds.
Thus you must first specify the Programmes covered and then you can create documents for your Funds.
→ read more
NAR - Documents -Why can't I create a document if I have the right roles?
You can only attach a file to a National Audit Report & to an Audit Control Report when first the OPs have been identified under the 'Programmes covered' section.
The reason is because as long as there are no programmes covered by the NAR & ACR, the system cannot apply document security based on the Funds covered by these Programmes and therefore requires you to have the document update permission for all Funds.
Thus you must first specify the Programmes covered and then you can create documents for your Funds.
→ read more
NAR - Documents -Why can't I create a document if I have the right roles?
You can only attach a file to a National Audit Report & to an Audit Control Report when first the OPs have been identified under the 'Programmes covered' section.
The reason is because as long as there are no programmes covered by the NAR & ACR, the system cannot apply document security based on the Funds covered by these Programmes and therefore requires you to have the document update permission for all Funds.
Thus you must first specify the Programmes covered and then you can create documents for your Funds.
→ read more
Annual Control Report
ACR - General
ACR - Status - The Commission has marked the ACR as assessed with observations, how should I reply?
If the Commission sets the status of the ACR as 'EC Assessment with observations' you have to reply uploading the document 'MS Reply to Commission observations' in the ACR.
This document is a non-integral one, so you can upload it at any time to the EC once the ACR is sent (for registration of these non-integral documents we need to know the Programmes covered by this ACR and this is only known and stable after the ACR was sent to the Commission).
Go to the Documents section (1) and click on the 'add' button (2) select the 'MS Reply to Commission observations' document (3), when you finish to enter all the information click on the 'Update & Send' link (4) to send it to the EC:
If the Commission sends you more than one 'EC Assessment with observations' for different ACRs, you have to upload your reply as 'MS reply to Commission observations' in each of the ACR.
→ read more
ACR - Documents
ACR - Documents -Why can't I create a document if I have the right roles?
You can only attach a file to a National Audit Report & to an Audit Control Report when first the OPs have been identified under the 'Programmes covered' section.
The reason is because as long as there are no programmes covered by the NAR & ACR, the system cannot apply document security based on the Funds covered by these Programmes and therefore requires you to have the document update permission for all Funds.
Thus you must first specify the Programmes covered and then you can create documents for your Funds.
→ read more
ACR - Documents -Why can't I create a document if I have the right roles?
You can only attach a file to a National Audit Report & to an Audit Control Report when first the OPs have been identified under the 'Programmes covered' section.
The reason is because as long as there are no programmes covered by the NAR & ACR, the system cannot apply document security based on the Funds covered by these Programmes and therefore requires you to have the document update permission for all Funds.
Thus you must first specify the Programmes covered and then you can create documents for your Funds.
→ read more
ACR - Documents -Why can't I create a document if I have the right roles?
You can only attach a file to a National Audit Report & to an Audit Control Report when first the OPs have been identified under the 'Programmes covered' section.
The reason is because as long as there are no programmes covered by the NAR & ACR, the system cannot apply document security based on the Funds covered by these Programmes and therefore requires you to have the document update permission for all Funds.
Thus you must first specify the Programmes covered and then you can create documents for your Funds.
→ read more
ACR - Documents -Why can't I create a document if I have the right roles?
You can only attach a file to a National Audit Report & to an Audit Control Report when first the OPs have been identified under the 'Programmes covered' section.
The reason is because as long as there are no programmes covered by the NAR & ACR, the system cannot apply document security based on the Funds covered by these Programmes and therefore requires you to have the document update permission for all Funds.
Thus you must first specify the Programmes covered and then you can create documents for your Funds.
→ read more
ACR - Documents - Why can I not send the document type 'Other Member State Document' in the ACR?
Non-integral documents of the ACR can only be sent when the ACR itself is sent. For registration of these non-integral documents we need to know the Programmes covered by this ACR and this is only known and stable after the ACR was sent to the Commission.
→ read more
ACR - Documents - Why can I not send the document type 'Other Member State Document' in the ACR?
Non-integral documents of the ACR can only be sent when the ACR itself is sent. For registration of these non-integral documents we need to know the Programmes covered by this ACR and this is only known and stable after the ACR was sent to the Commission.
→ read more
ACR - Documents - Why can I not send the document type 'Other Member State Document' in the ACR?
Non-integral documents of the ACR can only be sent when the ACR itself is sent. For registration of these non-integral documents we need to know the Programmes covered by this ACR and this is only known and stable after the ACR was sent to the Commission.
→ read more
ACR - Documents - Why can I not send the document type 'Other Member State Document' in the ACR?
Non-integral documents of the ACR can only be sent when the ACR itself is sent. For registration of these non-integral documents we need to know the Programmes covered by this ACR and this is only known and stable after the ACR was sent to the Commission.
→ read more
ACR - Accounts
ACR - Accounts - I want to update the ACR linked in the Accounts, how can I do it?
You have to do 2 different things:
1/ Create a new version of the ACR under the Audit tab and update it as needed in SFC2014, then send it again to the Commission.
2/ Create a new version of the Assurance package in the Accounts module in SFC2014. Update the link of the ACR with the new version and send it to the Commission.
→ read more
ACR - Accounts - I want to update the ACR linked in the Accounts, how can I do it?
You have to do 2 different things:
1/ Create a new version of the ACR under the Audit tab and update it as needed in SFC2014, then send it again to the Commission.
2/ Create a new version of the Assurance package in the Accounts module in SFC2014. Update the link of the ACR with the new version and send it to the Commission.
→ read more
ACR - Accounts - I want to update the ACR linked in the Accounts, how can I do it?
You have to do 2 different things:
1/ Create a new version of the ACR under the Audit tab and update it as needed in SFC2014, then send it again to the Commission.
2/ Create a new version of the Assurance package in the Accounts module in SFC2014. Update the link of the ACR with the new version and send it to the Commission.
→ read more
ACR - Accounts - I want to update the ACR linked in the Accounts, how can I do it?
You have to do 2 different things:
1/ Create a new version of the ACR under the Audit tab and update it as needed in SFC2014, then send it again to the Commission.
2/ Create a new version of the Assurance package in the Accounts module in SFC2014. Update the link of the ACR with the new version and send it to the Commission.
→ read more
ACR - Audit Opinion
ACR - Audit Opinion - Where should the Opinion be entered, in the Accounts or in the Annual Control Report?
The Audit Authorities have to enter the OPINION in the Accounts and not in the Annual Control Report.
This is communicated to the MS Audit Authorities with the guidelines.
→ read more
ACR - Audit Opinion - Where should the Opinion be entered, in the Accounts or in the Annual Control Report?
The Audit Authorities have to enter the OPINION in the Accounts and not in the Annual Control Report.
This is communicated to the MS Audit Authorities with the guidelines.
→ read more
Audit Communications
ACO - Documents
ACO - Documents - Where do I upload the Delivery Cost Survey after 2024?
The Document type Delivery Cost Survey will be disabled in SFC2014 as of end 2024. The Member States have been informed on 20.09.2024 that they have to submit through SFC2021 Cost of Controls and not SFC2014 after that date.
If a Member State user requires access to the SFC2021 application they should contact their SFC2021 Liaison Officer. If they do not know who the Liaison Officer is they can contact the SFC Support Team via ec-sfc2021-info@ec.europa.eu.
→ read more
ACO - Documents - Which role do I need to be able to read the 'Audit Communication' documents?
'Audit Communications' can be used for sending information to DG AGRI - Dir H in a secure way. Uploading and sending data/documents can only be performed by users having the role 'Coordination Body Update & Send' (MSCB).
As the 'Audit Communication' documents can contain some personal data, they are encrypted by SFC2014. In order to read them in SFC after upload, the role 'MS Audit Personal Data Read' (MSAPDR) will be also requested.
Thus, in addtion to the MSCB, the MSAPDR will be necessary.
→ read more
ACO - Documents - From which Node should be sent the 'Audit communication' documents to the Commission?
DG AGRI (Dir H) expects MS Coordination Bodies (= Member State Node) to act as body responsible for sending/using this data flow.
This means that the reports of all regional Paying Agencies have to be sent from the MS Node (not from the regional nodes).
→ read more
ACO - Audit reference code - What reference should be used in the mandatory field 'Audit reference code'?
Concerning the transmission of Guideline 6. and only for document type 'Continued compliance with the accreditation criteria' there is a mandatory field called 'Audit reference code'.
This field is free text.
We advise you to enter the following reference but it is not required: 'Report following guideline 6 - June 2019'.
→ read more
| Description | Document | Date |
|---|---|---|
|
Letter to MS Accounts 2nd year pre-financing Submission of accounts, management declaration, annual summary, audit opinion & annual control report for the 2nd accounting year by 15/02/2017 when no expenditure has been declared to the Commission until 31/7/2016. |
|