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1. The Commission shall assess the relevance, comprehensiveness and appropriateness of each beneficiary’s Reform Agenda or, where applicable, any amendment to that Agenda, without undue delay. When carrying out its assessment, the Commission shall act in close cooperation with the beneficiary concerned, and may make observations, seek additional information or require the beneficiary to review or modify its Reform Agenda.

2. As regards the objective set out in Article 13(1)(j) of this Regulation, the Commission, in accordance with Decision 2010/427/EU, shall duly take into account the role and the contribution of the EEAS.

3. When assessing the Reform Agendas, the Commission shall take into account relevant available analytical information about the beneficiary, including its macroeconomic situation and debt sustainability, the justification and the elements provided by the beneficiary as referred to in Article 13, as well as any other relevant information such as the information listed in Article 11.

4. In its assessment, the Commission shall consider in particular the following criteria:

(a) whether the Reform Agenda represents a relevant, comprehensive, coherent and adequately balanced response to the objectives set out in Article 3 and elements set out in Article 13;

(b) whether the Reform Agenda and its measures are consistent with the principles, strategies, plans and programmes referred to in Articles 4 and 11;

(c) whether the Reform Agenda can be expected to accelerate progress towards bridging the socio-economic gap between the beneficiary and the Union, and thereby enhances their economic, social and environmental development and supports the convergence towards the Union’s standards, reduces inequalities and reinforces social cohesion;

(d) whether the Reform Agenda can be expected to further strengthen the fundamentals of the enlargement process as referred to in Article 3(2), point (a);

(e) whether the Reform Agenda can be expected to accelerate the transition of the beneficiaries towards sustainable, climate-neutral and climate resilient and inclusive economies by improving regional connectivity, making progress on the twin transition of green and digital, including biodiversity, reducing strategic dependencies and boosting research and innovation, education, training, employment and skills and the wider labour market, with particular attention on youth;

(f) whether the measures included in the Reform Agenda are compatible with the principles of ‘do no significant harm’ and of ‘leaving no one behind’;

(g) whether the Reform Agenda appropriately addresses potential risks in compliance with preconditions and payment conditions;

(h) whether the payment conditions proposed by the beneficiary are appropriate and ambitious, consistent with the enlargement policy framework, as well as sufficiently meaningful and clear to allow for the corresponding release of funds in case of their fulfilment and whether the proposed reporting indicators are appropriate and sufficient to monitor and report on the progress made towards the overall objectives;

(i) whether the arrangements proposed by the beneficiary are expected to effectively prevent, detect and correct irregularities, fraud, corruption and conflicts of interest, organised crime and money laundering as well as to effectively investigate and prosecute criminal offences affecting the funds under the Facility, and ensure that there is no double funding from the Facility and other Union programmes, in particular support provided under Regulation (EU) 2021/1529, as well as other donors from the Facility and other Union programmes and also other donors;

(j) whether the Reform Agenda effectively reflects the input of relevant stakeholders, including beneficiaries’ parliaments, local and regional representative bodies and authorities, social partners and civil society organisations.

5. For the purpose of the assessment of the Reform Agendas submitted by the beneficiaries, the Commission may be assisted by independent experts.