We would like to inform all interested parties that the recognition of the status of “Body Governed by Public Law” as well as the eligibility as “Assimilated Partner” lies in the responsibility of the relevant Member State. In case a potential applicant is requesting a preventive assessment in relation to the status,  the JS is only entitled to provide a non-binding opinion as orientation on the basis of which the potential applicant can decide whether to apply or not, remaining in the competence of each Member State the final decision on that issue.

We warmly invite you to start with the creation of your personal User account: access can be requested and obtained on the Information System Users Management - GUSI .

SIU system is accessible via the following link

When filling in data in SIU, please consider that the Legal Representative shall generally be the apical position in the organization (e.g. President, Mayor, etc.), as ruled in the organization’s founding documents (e.g. Statute). The Legal Representative data shall always be included in SIU (Section C for LA and Section E for PPs), even if he/she is not the one signing the AF and/or the annexes.

The person in charge of signature is the person who actually signs the AF and/or annexes, and can be different from the Legal Representative; his/her data shall be included in SIU (Section D for LA and Section E for PPs) only if the person who signs is different from LR. Explanation on where the power to sign the AF and/or the documents derives from shall be provided in the  Power of Signature declaration – for LA and for each PP – to be annexed in SIU (see below for details).

The Power of Signature is the declaration attesting that the Legal Representative or person in charge of signature holds the power to sign the AF and/or the annexes on behalf of the organisation applying. The Power of Signature is compulsory also in case the Legal Representative of the applicant has not delegated anybody and retains the power to sign. Please note that  the person indicated in the SIU as Legal Representative or as the person in charge of signature must be the same persons mentioned in the Power of Signature declaration.

The Programme provides a template for this declaration which can be modified according to the needs of the organization. 

The declaration on the Power of Signature shall be used to explain – for each PP - where the power to sign the AF and/or the annexes derives from.

Different situations may occur:

1 - The Legal representative signs the AF and/or the annexes

In the Power of Signature declaration reference shall be made only to the Legal Representative with the indication of the organization’s founding document where the legal representation is ruled. No attached document is required in this case.

2 - The person in charge of signature is different from the Legal Representative and is entitled to sign on behalf of the Organisation on the basis of a general rule (law or statute)

In the Power of Signature declaration reference shall be made to both the Legal Representative (the same as in SIU) and the person in charge of signature (the same as in SIU); the document enabling to sign has to be attached (in case the document is too heavy to be uploaded in SIU, a relevant abstract can be accepted).

3 - The person in charge of signature is different from the Legal Representative and is entitled to sign on behalf of the Organisation on the basis of a specific/ad hoc disposition/act

In the Power of Signature declaration reference shall be made to both the Legal Representative (the same as in SIU) and the person in charge of signature (the same as in SIU); the specific/ad hoc document enabling to sign has to be attached.

As described in the CP “any project proposal likely to have a significant effect on natural habitat Natura 2000 sites shall be subject to appropriate assessment of its implications for the site in view of the site’s conservation objectives and shall be financed only after having ascertained that it will not adversely affect the integrity of the site concerned as regulated by Habitat Directive 92/43/EEC”.

In SIU – Section F, the following questions have to be answered:

A - Project with likely effect on natural habitat Natura 2000 sites - (Yes / No)

YES - Answer “Yes” if your project proposal could cause significant effects on the Natura 2000 sites (according to Habitat Directive).  In this case please reply also to question B below.

NO - Answer “No” if your project proposal is not expected to cause significant effects on the Natura 2000 sites.

B - Only soft intangible measures are concerned  - (Yes / No)

YES - if in your project proposal only soft intangible measures are concerned so that the expected effects on Natura 2000 sites are not to be considered significant (a coherent statement has to be provided in section K “Statements”).

NO - If not only soft intangible measures are concerned thus a specific assessment is needed as ruled by applicable legislation and two options are possible:

1. the assessment is already available (a coherent statement has to be provided in section K “Statements”);
2. the assessment is not yet available but it will be produced before financing decision (a coherent commitment has to be provided in section L “Commitments“).

Justification

If your answer is "Yes" to the previous question please describe the soft intangible measures, explaining why the expected effects on Natura 2000 sites are not to be considered significant.

If your answer is "No" to the previous question please provide details on the environmental assessment and competent authority.

STAMP: No stamp obligation is foreseen in the annexes.

ID DOCUMENT: in case of users without digital signature, the handwritten signed documents must be accompanied by a copy of a valid identity document (e.g. ID Card, passport) of the signatory.

PROGRAMME TEMPLATES: declarations shall be filled in and signed using the templates provided by the Programme without any modification, with the exception of the declaration on Power of Signature which shall bear the Letterhead of the LP/PP and can be adapted to each LP /PP specificities.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE: the AF and annexes shall be filled in in English; the legal document attesting the power to sign (e.g. delegation) is the only document which does not have to be translated in English and can be submitted in the original language.