1. The Community may finance the following activities in connection with the application of this Regulation:
(a) the production and revision of sectoral accreditation schemes referred to in Article 13(3);
(b) the activities of the secretariat of the body recognised under Article 14, such as the coordination of accreditation activities, the processing of technical work linked to the operation of the peer evaluation system, the provision of interested parties with information and the participation of the body in the activities of international organisations in the field of accreditation;
(c) the drawing up and updating of contributions to guidelines in the fields of accreditation, notification to the Commission of conformity assessment bodies and conformity assessment;
(f) the performance of preliminary or ancillary work in connection with the implementation of the conformity assessment, metrology and accreditation activities linked to the implementation of Community legislation, such as studies, programmes, evaluations, guidelines, comparative analyses, mutual joint visits, research work, the development and maintenance of databases, training activities, laboratory work, proficiency testing, inter-laboratory tests and conformity assessment work;
(g) activities carried out under programmes of technical assistance, cooperation with third countries and the promotion and enhancement of European conformity assessment and accreditation policies and systems among interested parties in the Community and at international level.
2. The activities referred to in paragraph 1(a) shall be eligible for Community financing only if the Committee set up by Article 5 of Directive 98/34/EC has been consulted on the requests to be submitted to the body recognised under Article 14 of this Regulation.