Editing Common Agricultural Policy (section)

==== Ex ante conditionalities ====
Ex ante conditionalities (EACs) help to ensure that MS have set the right background conditions for spending funds effectively and efficiently through their program.
Some EACs are ''general'' in the sense that they apply to all of the [[European Structural and Investment Funds]] (ESIFs).
* Example: MS must have in place arrangements for applying EU public procurement law in the fields covered by the ESIF Funds. This is important because many program will allocate significant sums to projects covered by public procurement rules.
* Other EACS are fund-specific (they do not apply to all ESIF Funds). The EAFRD has its own EACs. 
* Example: MS must have set out standards for Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC) in national law and must specify them in their RDPs. 
MS declare their fulfilment or non-fulfilment of EACs in their programs, and summaries it in their Partnership Agreement. The Commission checks this information.

When a MS does not meet some or all EACs, usually the MS is required to follow an action plan which allows it to meet the EAC by the end of 2016.