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1. The Commission shall have overall responsibility for the implementation of the Programme, including in the field of security, without prejudice to Member States’ prerogatives in the area of national security. The Commission shall, in accordance with this Regulation, determine the priorities and long-term evolution of the Programme, in line with the user requirements, and shall supervise its implementation, without prejudice to other policies of the Union.

2. The Commission shall manage any of the Programme’s components or sub-components not entrusted to another entity, in particular GOVSATCOM, NEO sub-component, SWE sub-component and the activities referred to in point (d) of Article 55(1).

3. The Commission shall ensure a clear division of tasks and responsibilities between the various entities involved in the Programme and shall coordinate the activities of those entities. The Commission shall also ensure that all the entrusted entities involved in the implementation of the Programme protect the interest of the Union, guarantee the sound management of the Union’s funds and comply with the Financial Regulation and this Regulation.

4. The Commission shall conclude with the Agency and, taking into account the 2004 Framework Agreement, ESA, an FFPA as provided for in Article 130 of the Financial Regulation.

5. Where necessary for the smooth functioning of the Programme and the smooth provision of the services provided by the Programme’s components, the Commission shall, by means of implementing acts, determine the technical and operational requirements needed for the implementation of and evolution of those components and of the services they provide after having consulted users, including through the User Forum referred to in Article 107(6), and other stakeholders. When determining those technical and operational requirements, the Commission shall avoid reducing the general security level and shall imperatively meet backwards compatibility requirements. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 107(3).

6. Without prejudice to the tasks of the Agency or of other entrusted entities, the Commission shall ensure that the uptake and use of the data and services provided by the Programme’s components is promoted and maximised in the public and private sectors, including by supporting appropriate development of those services and user-friendly interfaces, and by fostering a stable long-term environment. It shall develop appropriate synergies between the applications of the Programme’s various components. It shall ensure complementarity, consistency, synergies and links between the Programme and other Union actions and programmes.

7. Where appropriate, the Commission shall ensure the coherence of activities performed in the context of the Programme with activities carried out in the space domain at Union, national or international level. It shall encourage cooperation between the Member States and, when relevant to the Programme, facilitate convergence of their technological capacities and developments in the space domain. To that end, the Commission shall, where appropriate and in their respective field of competence, cooperate with the Agency and ESA.

8. The Commission shall inform the Programme committee referred to in Article 107 of the interim and final results of the evaluation of any procurement procedures and of any contracts, including subcontracts, with public and private entities.