EN Official Journal of the European Union L 247/26

COMMISSION DECISION

of 4 August 2006

fixing an indicative allocation by Member State of the commitment appropriations for the European territorial cooperation objective for the period 2007-2013

(notified under document number C(2006) 3473)

(2006/609/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006 of 11 July 2006 laying down general provisions for the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund and the Cohesion Fund (1), and in particular Article 18(2) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Pursuant to point (c) of Article 3(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006 the European territorial cooperation objective aims at strengthening cross-border cooperation through joint local and regional initiatives and transnational co-operation by means of action conducive to integrated territorial development linked to Community priorities.

(2) Pursuant to point (c) of Article 4(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006 the European Regional Development Fund shall contribute towards achieving the objectives referred to in point (c) of Article 3(2) of that Regulation.

(3) Pursuant to Article 21(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006 2,52 % of the resources available for commitment from the Funds for the period 2007 to 2013 are to be allocated to the European territorial cooperation objective, including 73,86 % for the financing of cross-border cooperation and 20,95 % for the financing of transnational cooperation.

(4) It is necessary to make indicative breakdowns by Member States of the resources to be allocated to the European territorial cooperation objective. Pursuant to Article 18(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006, this should be done in accordance with the criteria and methodology set out in Annex II of Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006.

(5) The fifth paragraph of Annex II of Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006 establishes the method for allocating available resources to the Member States and regions eligible for funding according to paragraphs 1 and 2 of Article 7 of that Regulation.

(6) Paragraph 7 of Annex II of Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006 determines the maximum level of transfer from the Funds to each individual Member State.

(7) Paragraphs 12 to 31 of Annex II of Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006 fix the amounts pertaining to certain specific cases for the period 2007 to 2013, including the special allocation for the PEACE programme, which shall be implemented as a cross-border programme.

(8) Pursuant to Article 24 of Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006 0,25 % of the resources available for commitment from the Funds for the period 2007 to 2013 shall be devoted to finance technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission; the indicative allocation by Member States should therefore be exclusive of the amount corresponding to technical assistance,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The indicative amounts by Member State of the commitment appropriations for the regions eligible for funding from the Structural Funds under the European territorial cooperation objective as referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Article 7 of Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006, including the additional amounts fixed in Annex II of that Regulation, shall be as set out in Table 1 of the Annex.

The annual breakdown by Member State by year of the commitment appropriations referred to in the previous paragraph shall be as set out in Table 2 of the Annex.

Article 2

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 4 August 2006. For the Commission Danuta HÜBNER Member of the Commission

(1) OJ L 210, 31.7.2006, p. 25.