APPENDIX

ETHICAL PRINCIPLES AND RULES OF CONDUCT ACCORDING TO WHICH BENEFICIARIES MUST CARRY OUT THEIR ACTIVITY, AND EFFECTS OF BREACH OF THESE PRINCIPLES

In accordance with article 55.2 of Act 19/2014, of 29 December, on transparency, access to public information and good government, the administrations and bodies covered by the scope of the Act must include, in the conditions regulating the process for the award of grants or aid, the ethical principles and rules of conduct according to which beneficiaries must carry out their activity, and the effect of any breach of such principles.

In compliance with this legal provision, the ethical principles and rules of conduct according to which beneficiaries must carry out their activity and the effects of any breach of such principles are published.

These principles and rules of conduct are considered to be minimum standards and may be complemented in the specific conditions regulating the aid with different levels of requirements according to the amount of the grant or aid, or the type and characteristics of the beneficiaries.

Ethical Principles and Rules of Conduct

1. Grant recipients must show respect for the fundamental rights and freedom of individuals.

2. Beneficiaries of grants must show exemplary ethical conduct and must refrain from engaging in, fostering, proposing or promoting any kind of corrupt practice, and must inform the competent body of any manifestation of such practice which, in their opinion, is present in the procedure or could affect it. In particular, they will refrain from carrying out any action that could breach the principles of equality of opportunity and free competition.

3. In general, beneficiaries of aid in carrying out their activity undertake the following obligations:

a) To observe the ethical principles, rules and standards of the activities, trades or professions that correspond to the subsidized activity.

b) Not to carry out actions that put the public interest at risk.

c) To report any irregular situations that may arise in the grant award notices or in the processes deriving from them.

4. In particular, beneficiaries of aid undertake the following obligations:

a) To notify the awarding body immediately of possible situations of conflict of interests.

b) Not to request, directly or indirectly, that public officer or employee influence the award of the aid.

c) Not to offer or provide personal or material advantages to public officers or employees, either for themselves or for third parties with the intention of affect a procedure for the award of aid.

d) To collaborate with the competent body in the actions carried out by that body to monitor and assess compliance with the obligations established in the conditions of the grant award process, particularly by providing any information requested from them for such purposes related to the receipt of public funds.

e) To comply with the obligations to provide information that transparency legislation imposes on beneficiaries in relation to the Administration or administrations in question, notwithstanding compliance with the obligations of transparency incumbent on the directly by law, in the cases established in article 3.4 of Act 19/2014, of 29 December, on transparency, access to public information and good government.

Effects of any breach of the ethical principles and rules of conduct

In the event of breach of the ethical principles and rules of conduct, the penalty regime established in Act 19/2014, of 29 December will be applicable, as well as the penalties established in article 84 with regard to beneficiaries of aid, notwithstanding any other possible consequences established in ruling legislation on grants.