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DECISION No 848/2004/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT  
AND OF THE COUNCIL 
of 29 April 2004 
 
establishing a Community action prog ramme to promote organisations  
active at European level in the field of  
equality between men and women  
  THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE CO UNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,  
 Having regard to the Treaty establishing the Euro pean Community, and in pa rticular, Article 13(2) 
thereof,  Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,  Having regard to the Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee 
1, 
 Acting in accordance with the procedure la id down in Article 251 of the Treaty 
2, 
                                                 
1  OJ C 80, 30.3.2004, p. 115. 
2 Opinion of the European Parliament of 20 November 2003 (not yet published in the 
Official Journal), Council Common Position of 6 February 2004 (OJ C 95 E, 20.4.2004, p. 1), 
Position of the European Parliament of 30 March 2004 (not yet published in the Official 
Journal) and Council Decision of 20 April 2004. 
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Whereas: 
 
(1) The principle of equality between men and wome n is a fundamental principle of Community 
law, laid down in Article 2 and Article 3(2) of  the Treaty and clarified by the case-law of the 
Court of Justice of the European Communities.   Under the Treaty, equality between men and 
women is one of the Community's specific tasks and objectives and the Community is 
actively to promote such equality in all fields of Community action. 
 (2) Article 13(1) of the Treaty confers on the C ouncil the power to take appropriate action to 
combat all discrimination based, inter alia, on sex.  Pursuant to Article 13(2), when the 
Council adopts Community incentive measures , excluding any harmonisation of the laws 
and regulations of the Member States, to suppor t action taken by the Member States in order 
to contribute to the achievement of that obj ective, it is to act in accordance with the 
procedure referred to in Article 251 of the Treaty. 
 
(3) Article 21 of the Charter of Fundamental Ri ghts of the European Union prohibits any 
discrimination on grounds of sex and Article 23 lays down the principle of equality between 
men and women in all areas. 
 (4) Experience of action at Community level has sh own that promoting gender equality calls in 
practice for a combination of measures and, in particular, of legislat ion and practical action 
designed to reinforce one another. 
 (5) The Commission's White Paper on European G overnance advocates the participation of 
citizens in shaping and implementing policy, th e involvement of civ il society and civil 
society organisations, and more effective and tr ansparent consultation of  interested parties. 
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(6) The Fourth World Conference on Women held  in Beijing adopted on 15 September 1995 a 
Declaration and a Platform fo r Action calling on governments, the international community 
and civil society to take stra tegic action to eliminate both di scrimination against women and 
the barriers to gender equality. 
 (7) By Decision 2001/51/EC 
1, the Council established a Community Action Programme 
relating to the Community framework strategy on  gender equality.  Th ese actions should be 
supplemented by support measures in the areas concerned. 
 (8) Budget lines A-3037 (No ABB 040501) and A-3046 (No ABB 040503) of the general 
budget of the European Union for the year 2003 and preceding years were intended to 
support the European Women's Lobby and wo men's organisations working to promote 
equality between men and women. 
 (9) Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 of 25 June 2002 on the 
Financial Regulation applicable to the ge neral budget of the European Communities 
2, 
hereinafter referred to as "the  Financial Regulation", requires the adoption of a basic act for 
existing support measures which is in line with its provisions. 
 (10) The activities of certain organisations help to  promote gender equalit y, particularly in the 
case of Community measures targ eted specifically at women. 
                                                
 
1 OJ L 17, 19.1.2001, p. 22. 
2 OJ L 248, 16.9.2002, p. 1. 
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(11) The European Women's Lobby, in particular , which comprises most of the women's 
organisations in the 15 Member States and ha s over 3 000 members, plays a major role in 
promoting, monitoring and disseminating Comm unity measures aimed at women with a 
view to achieving equality between men and women.  Its activity serves the general 
European interest. 
 (12) Consequently, a structured programme should be  adopted to provide fi nancial assistance to 
such organisations in the form of an operati ng grant for activities wi th aims of general 
European interest in the area of gender equality or with an objective which forms part of the 
European Union's policy in this area and in the form of certain grants for action. 
 (13) This programme covers a wide geographic area owing to the fact th at the new Treaty of 
Accession was signed on 16 April 2003 and that  the Agreement on the European Economic 
Area (EEA) provides for increased cooperation in  the field of gender equality between the 
European Community and its Member States, on the one hand, and the countries of the 
European Free Trade Association (EFTA), on the other.  The EEA Agreement lays down the procedures for the participation of the EF TA States party to the EEA Agreement in 
Community programmes in this field.  Furt hermore, this programme should be opened up 
for participation by Romania and Bulgaria, in acc ordance with the conditions set out in their 
Europe Agreements, in their Additional Protoc ols and in the decisi ons of the respective 
Association Councils, and to Turkey in accord ance with the conditi ons laid down in the 
Framework Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Turkey on 
the general principles for the participati on of the Republic of Turkey in Community 
programmes 
1. 
                                                 
1 OJ L 61, 2.3.2002, p. 29. 
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(14) The specific nature of organisations active at Eu ropean level in the field of the promotion of 
equality between men and women should be taken into account when laying down the 
procedures for granting such assistance. 
 (15) This Decision lays down, for the entire durat ion of the programme, a financial framework 
constituting the prime reference, within the m eaning of point 33 of the Interinstitutional 
Agreement of 6 May 1999 between the Eur opean Parliament, the Council and the 
Commission on budgetary discipline and im provement of the budgetary procedure 
1, for the 
budgetary authority during the annual budgetary procedure. 
 (16) The Joint Declaration of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission of 
24 November 2003 on the basic acts for grants provides, on an exceptional basis, for 
transitional clauses concerning th e period of eligibility  of expenditure to be introduced in 
this programme, 
 HAVE DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:  
Article 1
 
 
Objective of the programme 
 1.   This Decision hereby establishes a Community  Action Programme (herei nafter referred to as 
"the programme") to promote organi sations active at European level in the field of equality between 
men and women. 
                                                
 
1 OJ C 172, 18.6.1999, p. 1.  Agreement as amended by Decision 2003/429/EC of the 
European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 147, 14.6.2003, p. 25). 
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2.   The general objective of th e programme is to support the activ ities of such organisations, of 
which an ongoing programme of work or a specific action serves the general European interest in 
the field of equality between men and women or  pursues an objective which is part of the 
European Union's policy in this area.  3.   The programme shall start on 1 Janua ry 2004 and shall end on 31 December 2005. 
 
Article 2
 
 
Access to the programme 
 1.   In order to be eligible fo r a grant, an organisation active at  European level in the field of 
equality between women and men must comply with  the provisions laid down in the Annex and its 
activities must: 
 
(a) contribute to the development and implementa tion of Community actions  to promote equality 
between men and women; 
 
(b) be in accordance with the principles underlying, and the legal provisions governing, 
Community action in the policy area of  equality between men and women; 
 
(c) have transnational potential. 
 
2.   The organisation in question must have been legally established for mo re than one year, acting 
alone or in the form of vari ous coordinated associations. 
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Article 3  
 
Participation of third countries 
 In addition to organisations estab lished in the Member States, participation in the programme shall 
be open to organisations active at European leve l in the field of equality between men and women 
which are established in:  (a) Accession States which signed th e Treaty of Accession on 16 April 2003;  
 (b) the EFTA/EEA countries, in accordance with the conditions laid down in the 
EEA Agreement; 
 (c) Romania and Bulgaria, on the basis that the co nditions for their participation are to be laid 
down in accordance with the European Agreements, their additional Protocols and the Decisions of the respective Association Councils; 
 (d) Turkey, on the basis that the conditions fo r its participation are to be laid down in 
accordance with the Framework Agreement be tween the European Community and the 
Republic of Turkey on the general principles  for the participati on of the Republic of 
Turkey in Community programmes. 
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Article 4  
 
Selection of beneficiaries 
 
1.   Operating grants shall be awar ded directly to the beneficiaries referred to in point 2.1 of the 
Annex.  2.   The award of an operating grant on the basis of an ongoing programme of work, or the award of 
a grant for a specific action, to an organisation whic h is pursuing an objective of general European 
interest forming part of the European Union' s policy of promoting equality between men and 
women must meet the general crite ria laid down in the Annex.  Or ganisations entitled to receive 
grants under points 2.2 and 2.3 of the Annex shall be selected following a call for proposals. 
 
Article 5
 
 
Awarding of the grant 
 1.   Operating grants awarded under points 2.1 an d 2.2 of the Annex to or ganisations active at 
European level in the field of equality between  men and women may cover no more than 80% of 
the organisation's total eligible expenditure for the calendar year for which the grant is awarded. 
 
2.   Pursuant to Article 113(2) of the Financ ial Regulation, and by reason of the nature of the 
organisations covered by this Decision, a der ogation shall be made fr om the principle of 
degressivity for grants awarded under the programme. 
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Article 6  
 
Financial provisions 
 1.   The financial framework for the implementati on of the programme for the period from 2004 to 
2005 shall be EUR 2,2 million.  2.   The annual appropriations shal l be authorised by the budgetary au thority within the limits of the 
financial perspective.  
Article 7 
 
Transitional clauses 
 For grants awarded in 2004, it will be possible for th e period of eligibility of expenditure to start on 
1 January 2004, provided that the expenditure doe s not precede the date on which the grant 
application was lodged or the date on whic h the beneficiary's budgetary year starts. 
 During 2004, in the case of benefi ciaries whose budgetary year starts before 1 March, an exception 
may be granted to the obligation to  sign the grant agreement within the first four months of the start 
of the beneficiary's budgetary year, as referred to in Article 112(2) of the Financial Regulation.  In 
this case, the grant agreement should be signed by 30 June 2004 at the latest. 
 
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Article 8  
 
Monitoring and evaluation 
 
By 31 December 2006 at the latest, the Commi ssion shall submit a report to the European 
Parliament and the Council on the achievement of the objectives of the pr ogramme.  That report 
shall be based on the results obtained by the benefi ciaries and shall assess, in particular, their 
effectiveness in achieving the objective s set out in Article 1 and the Annex. 
 
Article 9  
 
Entry into force 
 This Decision shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the 
Official Journal of the European Union.  It shall apply from 1 January 2004.  Done at Strasbourg, 29.4.2004   For the European Parliament For the Council  The President The President  P. COX M. McDOWELL  
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ANNEX  
 
 1. Activities to be supported  
The general objective laid down in  Article 1 is to reinforce Co mmunity action in the field of 
equality between men and women and the effect iveness of such action by offering financial 
support to organisations active at European leve l in the field of equality between women and 
men, including the European Women's Lobby.  
1.1. The activities of organisations  working to promote equality  between men and women which 
may help reinforce and increase the effectiv eness of Community action will include the 
following: 
 
– the representation of interested parties at Community level,  – awareness-raising activities aimed at prom oting gender equality, in  particular through 
studies, campaigns and seminars, 
 
– the dissemination of information on Comm unity action to promote gender equality; 
 
– action promoting, inter alia , the reconciliation of work ing and family life, the 
involvement of women in decision-making, th e fight against gender-related violence, 
gender stereotyping and di scrimination at work, 
 
– measures fostering cooperat ion with women's organisati ons in third countries and 
raising awareness of the situ ation of women worldwide. 
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1.2. Activities carried out by th e European Women's Lobby in representing and coordinating 
non-governmental women's organi sations, and in relaying information on women to the 
European institutions and non-governmental organisations, will include the following: 
 
– following- up the Beijing Platform for Action (United Nations), 
 – working towards improving European legisl ation on gender equality and the inclusion 
of women in all policy areas, 
 – participation at meetings and conferences on gender equality,  – taking action to ensure that the views and interests of women are included in national 
and European policies, in particular by encouraging their participation in 
decision-making, 
 – reinforcing equality between men and wo men in the EU enlargement process and 
developing cooperation with women's organi sations in the acceding Member States. 
 
2. Carrying-out of the act ivities to be supported 
 
The activities carried out by or ganisations which are eligible  to receive a Community grant 
under the programme will come under one of the following strands: 
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2.1. Strand 1: ongoing activities of the European Women's Lobby, whose me mbers are inter alia, 
women's organisations in the Member States of  the European Union, s ubject to observance of 
the following principles: 
 
– it must be free to select its members,  – it must be free to pursue its activ ities in accordance with point 1.2. 
 
2.2. Strand 2: ongoing activities of an organisati on pursuing an objective of general European 
interest in the field of gender equality or an objective forming part of the European Union's 
policy in this area.  In accordance with Article 2, this applies to a non-profit-making body carrying out its 
activities exclusively in order to achieve equality between wo men and men or an organisation 
with a wider aim which carries out part of it s activities exclusively to promote equality 
between women and men.  An annual operating grant may be awarded to support the  implementation of such an 
organisation's ongoing programme of work.  
2.3. Strand 3: specific actions of an organisati on pursuing an objective of general European 
interest in the field of equality between wome n and men or an objective forming part of the 
European Union's policy in this area. 
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3. Selection of beneficiaries 
 3.1. An operating grant may be awarded directly  to the European Women's Lobby under Strand 1 
of the programme upon approval of an  appropriate workplan and budget. 
 3.2. Organisations entitled to receive an operati ng grant under Strand 2 of the programme will be 
selected on the basis of calls for proposals. 
 3.3. Organisations entitled to receive a grant for specific action under Strand 3 of the programme 
will be selected on the basis of calls for proposals. 
 4. Checks and audits  4.1.
 The beneficiary of an operating grant is to  keep available for the Commission all the 
supporting documents, including the audited fi nancial statement, re garding expenditure 
incurred during the grant year, for a period of five years following the last payment.  The 
beneficiary of a grant is to ensure that, where applicable , supporting documents in the 
possession of partners or members of the organi sations are made available to the Commission. 
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4.2. The Commission may arrange for an audit of the us e made of the grant to be carried out either 
by its own staff or by any other qualified outsi de body of its choice.  Such audits may be 
carried out at any time during the lifetime of  the grant agreement and during a period of 
five years from the date of payment of the ba lance.  Where appropria te, the audit findings 
may lead to recovery de cisions by the Commission.  
 4.3. Commission staff and outside  personnel authorised by the Commission are to have an 
appropriate right of access, in  particular to the beneficiar y's offices and to all such 
information, including informati on in electronic format, as may be needed in order to conduct 
such audits. 
 4.4. The Court of Auditors and the European An ti-Fraud Office (OLAF) are to enjoy the same 
rights, especially of access, as the Commission. 
 4.5. In order to protect the European Communitie s' financial interests against fraud and other 
irregularities, the Commission may carry out on -the-spot checks and inspections under the 
programme in accordance with Council Regulation (Euratom, EC) No 2185/96 
1.  Where 
necessary, investigations shall be conducted by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and 
these shall be governed by Regulation (EC) No  1073/1999 of the European Parliament and of 
the Council 2. 
 
     
 
                                                 
1 OJ L 292, 15.11.1996, p. 2. 
2 OJ L 136, 31.5.1999, p. 1.