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1. The Commission shall assess the consistency of the Partnership Agreement with this Regulation taking account of the National Reform Programme, where appropriate, and the relevant country-specific recommendations adopted in accordance with Article 121(2) TFEU and relevant Council recommendations adopted in accordance with Article 148 (4) TFEU, as well as of the ex ante evaluations of the programmes, and shall make observations within three months of the date of submission by the Member State of its Partnership Agreement. The Member State concerned shall provide all necessary additional information and, where appropriate, shall revise the Partnership Agreement.

2. The Commission shall adopt a decision, by means of implementing acts, approving the elements of the Partnership Agreement falling under Article 15(1) and those falling under Article 15(2) in the event that a Member State has made use of the provisions of Article 96(8), for the elements requiring a Commission decision under Article 96(10), no later than four months after the date of submission by the Member State of its Partnership Agreement, provided that any observations made by the Commission have been adequately taken into account. The Partnership Agreement shall not enter into force before 1 January 2014.

3. The Commission shall prepare a report on the outcome of the negotiations concerning the Partnership Agreements and the programmes, including an overview of the key issues, for each Member State, by 31 December 2015. That report shall be submitted to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions simultaneously.

4. Where a Member State proposes an amendment to the elements of the Partnership Agreement covered by the Commission decision as referred to in paragraph 2, the Commission shall carry out an assessment in accordance with paragraph 1 and, where appropriate, shall adopt a decision, by means of implementing acts, approving the amendment within three months of the date of submission of the proposal for amendment by the Member State.

4a. Where applicable, the Member State shall submit each year by 31 January an amended Partnership Agreement following the approval of amendments to one or more programmes by the Commission in the preceding calendar year. The Commission shall adopt each year by 31 March a decision confirming that the amendments to the Partnership Agreement reflect one or more programme amendments approved by the Commission in the preceding calendar year. That decision may include the amendment of other elements of the Partnership Agreement pursuant to a proposal referred to in paragraph 4, provided that the proposal is submitted to the Commission by 31 December of the preceding calendar year.

5. Where a Member State amends elements of the Partnership Agreement not covered by the Commission decision as referred to in paragraph 2, it shall notify the Commission thereof within one month of the date of the decision to make the amendment.