30.5.2002 Official Journal of the European Communities L141/1 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 12 February 2001 approving the single programming document for Community structural assistance under Objective 2 in regions of North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany (notified under document number C(2001) 233) (Only the German text is authentic) (2002/387|CE) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Com- munity, Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June 1999 laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds (1), and in particular Article 15(5) thereof, After consulting the Committee on the Development and Conversion of Regions and the Committee pursuant to Article 147 of the Treaty, Whereas: 1 Articles 13 et seq. of Title II of Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 lay down the procedure for preparing and implementing single programming documents. Article 15(1) and (2) of Regulation (EC) No 1260/ 1999 provides that, after consultation with the partners referred to in Article 8 of the Regulation, the Member State may submit to the Commission a development plan which is treated as a draft single programming document, and which contains the information referred to in Article 16 of the Regulation. (1) OJL 161, 26.6.1999, p. 1. G) Under Article 15(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999, on the basis of the regional development plan submitted by the Member State and within the partnership estab- lished in accordance with Article 8 of that Regulation, the Commission is to take a decision on the single programming document, in agreement with the Member State concerned and in accordance with the procedures laid down in Articles 48 to 51. The German Government submitted to the Commission on 19 April 2000 an acceptable draft single program- ming document for the regions in the Land of North Rhine-Westphalia fulfilling the conditions for Objec- tive 2 pursuant to Article 4(1) and those qualifying for transitional support under Objectives 2 and 5(b) pursuant to Article 6(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1260/ 1999. The draft contains the information listed in Article 16 of the Regulation, and in particular a descrip- tion of the priorities selected and an indication of the financial contribution from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Social Fund (ESF). The date of submission of the draft which was considered acceptable by the Commission constitutes the date from which expenditure under the plan is eligible. Under Article 52(4) of Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999, as an acceptable plan was submitted between 1 January and 30 April 2000, the date from which expenditure under the plan is eligible is 1 January 2000. Under Article 30 of the Regulation, it is necessary to lay down the final date for the eligibility of expenditure.