Approval of the Partnership Agreement

1.   The Commission shall assess the Partnership Agreement and its compliance with this Regulation and with the Fund-specific rules while respecting the principle of proportionality, taking into account the strategic nature of the document, the number of programmes covered and the total amount of resources allocated to the Member State concerned. In its assessment, the Commission shall, in particular, take into account how the Member State intends to address relevant country-specific recommendations, its integrated national energy and climate plan as well as the European Pillar of Social Rights.
2.   The Commission may make observations within 3 months of the date of submission by the Member State of the Partnership Agreement.
3.   The Member State shall review the Partnership Agreement, taking into account the observations made by the Commission.
4.   The Commission shall adopt a decision by means of an implementing act approving the Partnership Agreement no later than 4 months after the date of first submission of that Partnership Agreement by the Member State concerned.
5.   When the Partnership Agreement is included in a programme in accordance with Article 10(6), the Commission shall adopt a single decision by means of an implementing act approving both the Partnership Agreement and the programme no later than 6 months after the date of first submission of the programme by the Member State concerned.