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Amendments to Regulation (EU) 2021/523 Regulation (EU) 2021/523 is amended as follows:

(1) Article 3 is amended as follows:

(a) in paragraph 1, the following point is added: ‘(h) supporting investments contributing to the objectives of the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP) referred to in Article 2 of Regulation (EU) 2024/795 of the European Parliament and of the Council. Regulation (EU) 2024/795 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 February 2024 establishing the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP), and amending Directive 2003/87/EC and Regulations (EU) 2021/1058, (EU) 2021/1056, (EU) 2021/1057, (EU) No 1303/2013, (EU) No 223/2014, (EU) 2021/1060, (EU) 2021/523, (EU) 2021/695, (EU) 2021/697 and (EU) 2021/241 ().’;"

(2) in Article 7(3), the following subparagraph is added: ‘By way of derogation from the first subparagraph, when support from the financial instruments is combined in a financial product in a subordinated position to the EU guarantee under this Regulation and/or EU guarantee established by Regulation (EU) 2015/1017, the losses, revenues and repayments from financial products as referred to in paragraph 1, as well as potential recoveries, may also be attributed on a non pro rata basis between the financial instruments and the EU guarantee under this Regulation and/or EU guarantee established by Regulation (EU) 2015/1017.’;

(4) Article 13 is amended as follows:

(a) paragraph 5 is replaced by the following: ‘5. The remaining 25 % of the EU guarantee under the EU compartment shall be granted to other implementing partners, which shall also provide a financial contribution to be determined in the guarantee agreements. Where the Commission determines that such other implementing partners do not make full use of the remaining 25 % of the EU guarantee under the EU compartment, the unused amounts may be granted to the EIB Group. In that case the EIB Group shall provide an additional corresponding financial contribution in accordance with the requirements laid down in the third sentence of paragraph 4.’ ;

(b) in paragraph 7, the second subparagraph is replaced by the following: ‘Contracts between the implementing partner and the final recipient or the financial intermediary or other entity referred to in Article 16(1), point (a), under the EU guarantee referred to in the first subparagraph of Article 4(2) shall be signed at the latest by 31 August 2026. In other cases, contracts between the implementing partner and the final recipient or the financial intermediary or other entity referred to Article 16(1), point (a), shall be signed by 31 December 2028.’;

(5) in Article 23, the following paragraph is added: ‘3. In the context of the procedures referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Article, the Commission shall take into account any Sovereignty Seal awarded in accordance with Article 4 of Regulation (EU) 2024/795 to a project.’ ;

(6) in Article 26, the following paragraph is added: ‘5. In addition to paragraph 4, implementing partners shall also examine projects that have been awarded the Sovereignty Seal in accordance with Article 4 of Regulation (EU) 2024/795 where those projects fall within their geographic and activity scope.’.

(3) in Article 10(4), the second subparagraph is replaced by the following: ‘Where no guarantee agreement has been concluded within 12 months from the conclusion of the contribution agreement, the contribution agreement shall be terminated or prolonged by mutual agreement. Where the amount of a contribution agreement has not been fully committed under one or more guarantee agreements within 12 months from the conclusion of the contribution agreement, that amount shall be amended accordingly. The unused amount of provisioning attributable to amounts allocated by Member States pursuant to the provisions on the use of the ERDF, the ESF+, the Cohesion Fund and the EMFAF delivered through the InvestEU Programme laid down in Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 of the European Parliament and of the Council or to the provisions on the use of the EAFRD delivered through the InvestEU Programme laid down in the CAP Strategic Plans Regulation shall be re-used in accordance with those respective Regulations. The unused amount of provisioning attributable to amounts allocated by a Member State under Article 4(1), third subparagraph, of this Regulation shall be paid back to the Member State. Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2021 laying down common provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund Plus, the Cohesion Fund, the Just Transition Fund and the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund and financial rules for those and for the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, the Internal Security Fund and the Instrument for Financial Support for Border Management and Visa Policy ().’;"