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1. The Commission shall monitor the implementation of the STEP and measure the achievement of the STEP objectives, on the basis of the monitoring frameworks of the Union programmes referred to in Article 3. The monitoring of the implementation shall be targeted and proportionate to the activities carried out under the STEP.

2. The Commission shall ensure that data for monitoring the implementation of the activities carried out under the STEP are collected efficiently, effectively and in a timely manner. To that end, recipients of Union funding shall contribute with data for monitoring based on existing reporting requirements, where necessary and in a proportionate manner.

3. The Commission shall submit an annual report to the European Parliament and to the Council on the implementation of the STEP and shall make that report publicly available.

4. The annual report shall include consolidated information on the progress made in the implementation of the STEP objectives under each of the programmes referred to in Article 3, including, where available, qualitative and quantitative information on the STEP’s support per Member State and on cross-border projects.

5. The annual report shall also include the following information:

(a) overall expenditure of the STEP broken down by programme;

(b) the performance of the STEP based on the performance indicators defined in the respective programmes;

(c) an overview of the contribution of the STEP to the Union’s strategic objectives in ensuring long-term competitiveness;

(d) an analysis of the geographical and technological distribution of the projects that have been awarded the Sovereignty Seal.