Interinstitutional agreement

on the financing of the Convention on the Future of the European Union

(2002/C 54/01)

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION AND THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Whereas:

(1) The European Council, meeting at Laeken on 14 and 15 December 2001, decided to convene a Convention on the Future of the European Union (hereinafter referred to as the "Convention").

(2) The Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council, adopted a Decision on 21 February 2002 establishing a Fund to finance the Convention (hereinafter referred to as "the Fund") and laying down the financial rules for its management.

(3) In accordance with the aforementioned Decision of 21 February 2002, the role of the Fund is to collect the revenue and manage the expenditure of the Convention other than that relating to the infrastructure needed for its operation.

(4) The amount of expenditure of the Fund is estimated at EUR 4000000 (four million) for the period 28 February to 31 December 2002.

(5) The Convention pursues an aim of general interest for the future of the European Union.

(6) The European Parliament, the Council and the Commission are to bear the cost of expenditure linked to the infrastructure necessary for the operation of the Convention.

(7) In addition, the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission intend to contribute to the financing of the Convention,

HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS:

1. The purpose of this Agreement is to arrange for the contribution to be made by the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission to the first budgetary year of the Convention, which shall begin on the date of entry into force of the Decision of 21 February 2002 of the representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council, and end on 31 December 2002.

2. The European Parliament, the Council and the Commission shall contribute to the financing of the Convention from the following sections of the general budget of the European Union:

- Section I - Parliament,

- Section II - Council, and

- Section III - Commission - Part A.

3. In addition to the expenditure linked to the infrastructure necessary for the operation of the Convention, the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission shall, for the first budgetary year, contribute to the funding of the Convention as follows:

- European Parliament: EUR 1000000 (one million),

- Council: EUR 400000 (four hundred thousand),

- Commission: EUR 2600000 (two million six hundred thousand).

4. Any additional contribution charged to the general budget of the European Union may be decided only by common agreement between the three institutions Parties to this Agreement.

5. The contributions of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission shall be paid into the budget of the Fund provided for in Article 3 of the Decisions of 21 February 2002 by transfer to the bank account provided for in Article 4 of that Decision.

6. The three signatory institutions shall record their agreement on the financial rules for the Fund's management as laid down by the Decision of 21 February 2002.

7. The representatives of the European Parliament, of the Presidency of the Council and of the Commission on the Praesidium of the Convention shall be periodically informed of the situation with respect to implementation of expenditure by the Convention Secretariat. They shall report to their respective institutions on this subject, in particular before a discharge is given in respect of implementation of the budget in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 20 of the Decision of 21 February 2002.

8. This Agreement and the relevant provisions of the Decisions of 21 February 2002 shall be implemented by each institution in accordance with its internal rules and procedures.

9. This Agreement shall enter into force on the day of its signature.

Subject to agreement between the three institutions on the amount of their respective financial contributions, this Agreement shall be extended for the second financial year, namely from 1 January 2003 until the Convention's proceedings end.

Done at Brussels, 28 February 2002.

For the European Parliament

The President

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For the Council

The President

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For the Commission

The President

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STATEMENT ANNEXED TO THE INTERINSTITUTIONAL AGREEMENT

The European Parliament and the Council hereby state that the Commission will not have to account for the use made of its contribution to the Fund.