14.3.2014 Official Journal of the European Union L 74/1 (Non-legislative acts) II REGULATIONS COMMISSION DELEGATED REGULATION (EU) No 240/2014 of 7 January 2014 on the European code of conduct on partnership in the framework of the European Structural and Investment Funds THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 laying down common provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, the Cohesion Fund, the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Devel- opment and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and laying down general provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, the Cohesion Fund and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006 (*), and in particular Article 5(3) thereof, Whereas: (1) The aim of this Regulation is to provide for a European code of conduct in order to support and facilitate Member States in the organisation of partnerships for Partnership Agreements and programmes supported by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the European Social Fund (ESF), the Cohesion Fund, the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF). These funds now operate under a common framework and are referred to as the ‘European Structural and Investment Funds (hereinafter ‘the ESI Funds). (2)  Working in partnership is a long-established principle in the implementation of the ESI Funds. Partnership implies close cooperation between public authorities, economic and social partners and bodies representing civil society at national, regional and local levels throughout the whole programme cycle consisting of preparation, imple- mentation, monitoring and evaluation. () OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 320. (3) The partners selected should be the most representative of the relevant stakeholders. Selection procedures should be transparent and take into account the different insti- tutional and legal frameworks of the Member States and their national and regional competences. The partners should include public authorities, economic and social partners and bodies representing civil society, including environmental partners, community-based and voluntary organisations, which can significantly influence or be significantly affected by implementation of the Partnership Agreement and programmes. Specific attention should be paid to including groups who may be affected by programmes but who find it difficult to influence them, in particular the most vulnerable and marginalised communities, which are at highest risk of discrimination or social exclusion, in particular persons with disabilities, migrants and Roma people. For the selection of partners, it is necessary to take into account the differences between Partnership Agreements and programmes. Partnership Agreements cover all the ESI Funds providing support to each Member State, while programmes refer only to the ESI Funds contributing to them. The partners for Partnership Agreements should be those relevant in view of the planned use of all the ESI Funds, while for programmes it is sufficient that the partners are those relevant in view of the planned use of the ESI Funds contributing to the programme. The partners should be involved in preparing and imple- menting Partnership Agreements and programmes. For this purpose, it is necessary to establish main principles and good practices concerning timely, meaningful and transparent consultation of the partners on the analysis of challenges and needs to be tackled, the selection of objectives and priorities to address them, and the coor- dination  structures and  multi-level ~ governance agreements necessary for effective policy delivery.