Proposta de DECISÃO DO PARLAMENTO EUROPEU E DO CONSELHO que altera a Decisão 2001/51/CE do Conselho que estabelece um programa de acção comunitária relativo à estratégia comunitária para a igualdade entre homens e mulheres e da Decisão 848/2004/CE do Parlamento Europeu e do Conselho que estabelece um programa de acção comunitária para a promoção das organizações que operam ao nível europeu no domínio da igualdade entre homens e mulheres

(apresentada pela Comissão)

EXPOSIÇÃO DE MOTIVOS

É já longo o compromisso da UE para com a promoção da igualdade entre homens e mulheres, consagrado desde 1957 no Tratado, em várias directivas e num corpo de jurisprudência. O artigo 2.º do Tratado reconhece que a igualdade entre homens e mulheres constitui uma missão fundamental da Comunidade. O n.º 2 do artigo 3.º estabelece que, na realização de todos as acções, a Comunidade terá por objectivo eliminar as desigualdades e promover a igualdade entre homens e mulheres. O artigo 13.º confere à Comunidade competências para tomar as medidas necessárias para combater todas as formas de discriminação, designadamente em razão do sexo. O enquadramento jurídico comunitário garante que, perante a lei, homens e mulheres são iguais, tendo sido já levadas a efeito várias acções aos níveis europeu e nacional neste domínio. Porém, a igualdade entre homens e mulheres na UE é ainda prejudicada pelo facto de uns e outras não usufruírem na prática de direitos iguais. Por outro lado, a sub-representação das mulheres e a violência contra elas são prova da existência de uma discriminação estrutural que tem raízes no género. É pois necessário um apoio continuado para fazer da igualdade entre os sexos uma realidade em todas as esferas da vida.

O Programa de Acção Comunitária relativo à estratégia comunitária para a igualdade entre homens e mulheres (2001-2005) [1], o quinto programa de acção nesta área, foi aprovado pelo Conselho em 20 de Dezembro de 2000, devendo vigorar entre 1 de Janeiro de 2001 e 31 de Dezembro de 2005, com uma dotação de 50 milhões de euros. O programa em questão apoia a estratégia-quadro da Comunidade para a igualdade entre homens e mulheres (2001-2005), uma nova abordagem que abrange todas as políticas comunitárias num esforço para promover a realização da igualdade entre os géneros por via do desenvolvimento de actividades horizontais pertinentes e da melhoria da coordenação das acções relacionadas com a igualdade nos vários domínios de intervenção política.

[1] JO L 17 de 19.01.2001, p. 22.

São os seguintes os objectivos e as vertentes do programa:

(a) Promover e divulgar os valores e as práticas subjacentes à igualdade entre homens e mulheres. Esta vertente abrange actividades de sensibilização para reforçar a dimensão comunitária da promoção da igualdade entre homens e mulheres. Poderá incluir conferências transnacionais, seminários e campanhas, iniciativas à escala da UE, publicações e sítios Internet.

(b) Melhorar a compreensão das questões relacionadas com a igualdade entre homens e mulheres, incluindo a discriminação directa e indirecta em razão do sexo e a múltipla discriminação contra as mulheres, determinando a eficácia de políticas e práticas mediante a respectiva análise prévia, o acompanhamento da execução e a avaliação do impacto. Esta vertente abrange designadamente o apoio ao desenvolvimento de estatísticas e indicadores comparáveis, a análise à escala da UE da dimensão de género das políticas e das medidas, o acompanhamento da implementação da legislação comunitária em matéria de igualdade, bem como estudos e a publicação do relatório anual sobre igualdade entre homens e mulheres.

(c) Desenvolver a capacidade dos principais intervenientes (ONG, parceiros sociais europeus, redes transnacionais de autoridades regionais e locais) para promover eficazmente a igualdade entre homens e mulheres, em especial através de apoio ao intercâmbio de informações e boas práticas e ao estabelecimento de redes de âmbito comunitário.

O anexo da Decisão do Conselho que institui o programa apresenta exemplos de acções possíveis a empreender no âmbito de cada vertente. As acções deverão ser executadas num contexto transnacional para que delas possa ser retirada uma mais-valia comunitária. O Comité do Programa definiu da seguinte forma as prioridades anuais para os convites à apresentação de propostas: igualdade de remuneração em 2001, conciliação da vida profissional e familiar em 2002, mulheres na tomada de decisão em 2003 e repartição de papéis e estereótipos de género em 2004/2005.

Este programa contribui para integrar a dimensão da igualdade entre homens e mulheres em todas as políticas e utilizar as suas potencialidades para promover a igualdade e simultaneamente reforçar a sensibilização para as questões em jogo. Reforça ainda a cooperação e a parceria entre os intervenientes na área da igualdade entre homens e mulheres, especialmente as autoridades nacionais, os organismos que operam neste domínio, os parceiros sociais e as ONG. Foi realizada uma avaliação intercalar com o apoio de peritos independentes, tendo em vista fornecer à Comissão dados sobre como reforçar e promover o sistema de apoio da Comunidade à promoção da igualdade entre homens e mulheres.

Outro programa de acção da Comunidade vocacionado para promover organizações que operam no plano europeu em prol da igualdade entre homens e mulheres foi aprovado pelo Parlamento Europeu e o Conselho em 29 de Abril de 2004 [2] para o período compreendido entre 1 de Janeiro de 2004 e 31 de Dezembro de 2005, com uma dotação de 2,2 milhões de euros. A presente decisão confere a uma prática já afirmada de apoio às organizações que trabalham em prol da igualdade entre homens e mulheres uma base de sustentação consubstanciada num instrumento jurídico.

[2] JO L 157 de 30.04.2004, p. 18.

Os dois programas terminam simultaneamente num momento de grandes mudanças para a construção e o funcionamento da União alargada que exige uma reflexão aprofundada sobre a estratégia futura para dar cumprimento à Agenda de Política Social, em especial no que se refere à estrutura dos programas de acção da Comunidade na esfera social e de emprego. Existem actualmente cinco programas desta natureza, os quais são implementados de forma análoga e apoiam tipos de medidas comparáveis. Para além dos dois programas para a igualdade entre homens e mulheres, há dois programas de acção que apoiam o método aberto de coordenação na área do emprego (Medidas de Incentivo ao Emprego) e da inclusão social (Programa de Acção para a Inclusão Social) e um programa centrado no combate à discriminação. À excepção dos programas da igualdade, todos eles terminam em finais de 2006.

A proposta de Decisão do Parlamento Europeu e do Conselho para um Programa-Quadro de financiamento de acções na esfera social e do emprego abrangerá o mesmo período que as Perspectivas Financeiras, a saber, 2007-2013 [3]. A Comissão analisou em pormenor o futuro da implementação da Agenda de Política Social, incluindo os objectivos e o funcionamento dos programas de acção da Comunidade bem como as interacções entre os mesmos. A nova proposta para o período 2007-2013 visa simplificar a estrutura orçamental mercê da fusão dos programas de acção existentes num Programa-Quadro que prevê os mesmos tipos de intervenções co-financiadas, isto é, análises e estudos, apoio aos mecanismos europeus de intercâmbio de informações, sensibilização e apoio às organizações de sociedade civil. A vertente "igualdade entre homens e mulheres" do Programa-Quadro proposto para 2007-2013 assentará na experiência anterior e continuará a apoiar financeiramente o desenvolvimento e a aplicação do direito comunitário no domínio da igualdade entre homens e mulheres e de promoção da integração desta dimensão nas políticas da UE. Abrangerá igualmente o apoio às redes-cúpula da UE que congregam organizações que operam no domínio da igualdade entre homens e mulheres.

[3] COM (2004) 488 final.

Durante o período de transição até à adopção do novo Programa-Quadro, para além das linhas já traçadas, é essencial garantir a continuidade da assistência da Comunidade à promoção da igualdade entre homens e mulheres, bem como evitar interrupções no funcionamento do mecanismo actualmente existente para apoiar a realização dos objectivos consagrados no artigo 13.º do Tratado CE. Os princípios e os objectivos, bem como as áreas de intervenção da estratégia-quadro da Comunidade para a igualdade entre homens e mulheres, as quais coincidem com as que foram delineadas na Decisão 2001/51/CE e no anexo à presente decisão, conservam plenamente a respectiva validade durante o ano de transição.

Atendendo a estas circunstâncias, a Comissão Europeia propõe que ambos os programas na área da igualdade entre homens e mulheres sejam prolongados sem alterações até 2006.

Assim, a Comissão propõe:

- prolongar até finais de 2006 a vigência do programa de acção relativo à estratégia comunitária para a igualdade entre homens e mulheres (2001-2005) e do programa de acção comunitária para a promoção das organizações que operam ao nível europeu no domínio da igualdade entre homens e mulheres;

- ajustar em conformidade com este prolongamento o orçamento global do programa relativo à estratégia comunitária para a igualdade entre homens e mulheres (2001-2005), passando a respectiva dotação para 61,5 milhões de euros; e

- ajustar em conformidade com o referido prolongamento o orçamento global do programa de acção comunitária para a promoção das organizações que operam ao nível europeu no domínio da igualdade entre homens e mulheres, passando a respectiva dotação para 3,3 milhões de euros.

2004/0194 (COD)

Proposta de DECISÃO DO PARLAMENTO EUROPEU E DO CONSELHO que altera a Decisão 2001/51/CE do Conselho que estabelece um programa de acção comunitária relativo à estratégia comunitária para a igualdade entre homens e mulheres e da Decisão 848/2004/CE do Parlamento Europeu e do Conselho que estabelece um programa de acção comunitária para a promoção das organizações que operam ao nível europeu no domínio da igualdade entre homens e mulheres

O PARLAMENTO EUROPEU E O CONSELHO DA UNIÃO EUROPEIA,

Tendo em conta o Tratado que institui a Comunidade Europeia, nomeadamente o n.º 2 do artigo 13.º,

Tendo em conta a proposta da Comissão [4],

[4] JO C [...], [...], p.[...]

Tendo em conta o parecer do Comité Económico e Social Europeu [5],

[5] JO C [...], [...], p.[...]

Tendo em conta o parecer do Comité das Regiões [6],

[6] JO C [...], [...], p.[...]

Deliberando em conformidade com o procedimento previsto no artigo 251.º do Tratado [7],

[7] JO C [...], [...], p.[...]

Considerando o seguinte:

(1) O Conselho instituiu, através da Decisão 2001/51/CE, um Programa relativo à estratégia comunitária para a igualdade entre homens e mulheres, com o propósito de melhorar a compreensão das questões relacionadas com a igualdade entre homens e mulheres, promover e divulgar os valores e as práticas a ela subjacentes e desenvolver nos intervenientes a capacidade de promover eficazmente a igualdade entre homens e mulheres.

(2) O Parlamento Europeu e o Conselho instituíram, através da Decisão 2004/848/CE, o programa de acção comunitária para a promoção de organizações que operam ao nível europeu no domínio da igualdade entre homens e mulheres, com o intuito de apoiar as actividades destas organizações cujo programa de trabalho permanente ou acções pontuais visem o interesse geral europeu no domínio da igualdade entre homens e mulheres ou prossigam um objectivo que se inscreva na política da União Europeia neste domínio.

(3) O período de vigência de ambos os programas termina em 31 de Dezembro de 2005. É essencial assegurar a continuidade da política comunitária na promoção da igualdade entre homens e mulheres, tendo em vista a consecução dos objectivos consagrados no artigo 13.º do Tratado.

(4) É necessário prolongar a vigência dos programas por um período transitório de um ano até à instituição de um novo programa-quadro plurianual, que financiará acções na esfera social e do emprego no período 2007-2013 e comportará uma vertente sobre igualdade entre homens e mulheres.

(5) A Decisão 2001/51/CE do Conselho, que estabelece um programa relativo à estratégia comunitária para a igualdade entre homens e mulheres teve por base o artigo 13.º do Tratado. Porém, na sequência das alterações introduzidas pelo Tratado de Nice, o n.º 2 do artigo 13.º constitui a base jurídica específica para a adopção de medidas comunitárias de incentivo destinadas a contribuir para o combate à discriminação. Em consequência, é oportuno basear a alteração da Decisão 2001/51/CE no n.º 2 do artigo 13.º.

ADOPTARAM A PRESENTE DECISÃO:

Artigo 1.º

A Decisão 2001/51/CE é alterada do seguinte modo:

1. No artigo 1.º, a data de 31 Dezembro de 2005 é substituída por 31 Dezembro de 2006.

2. No n.º 1 do artigo 11.º, o montante de referência de 50 milhões de euros é substituído por 61,5 milhões de euros.

Artigo 2.º

A Decisão n.º 848/2004/CE é alterada do seguinte modo:

1. No n.º 1 do artigo 3.º, a data de 31 Dezembro de 2005 é substituída por 31 Dezembro de 2006.

2. No n.º 1 do artigo 6.º, o enquadramento financeiro de 2,2 milhões de euros é substituído por 3,3 milhões de euros.

Artigo 3.º

A presente decisão entra em vigor na data da sua publicação no Jornal Oficial da União Europeia.

Artigo 4o

Os Estados-Membros são destinatários da presente decisão.

Feito em Bruxelas, em [...]

Pelo Parlamento Europeu Pelo Conselho

O Presidente O Presidente

LEGISLATIVE FINANCIAL STATEMENT

Policy area(s): Employment and Social Affairs - Equality for men and women

Activit(y/ies): Support for the promotion of gender equality

Title of action:

DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

amending Council Decision 2001/51/EC establishing a Programme relating to the Community framework strategy on gender equality and Decision No 848/2004/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a Community action programme to promote organisations active at European level in the field of equality between men and women

Amendment to Council Decision 2001/51/EC

1. BUDGET LINE(S) + HEADING(S)

Articles 04.0502 and 04.010405

2. OVERALL FIGURES

2.1. Total allocation for action (Part B): EUR million for commitment

EUR 11.5 million for commitment

This amount represents the budgetary impact of the proposal to extend the programme, which is due to end on 31 December 2005, for the additional year concerned, 2006. It is roughly equivalent to the budget for the year 2005.

2.2. Period of application:

1 January 2006-31 December 2006

2.3. Overall multiannual estimate of expenditure:

(a) Schedule of commitment appropriations/payment appropriations (financial intervention) (see point 6.1.1)

EUR million (to three decimal places)

>POSIÇÃO NUMA TABELA>

(b) Technical and administrative assistance and support expenditure(see point 6.1.2)

>POSIÇÃO NUMA TABELA>

>POSIÇÃO NUMA TABELA>

(c) Overall financial impact of human resources and other administrative expenditure

(see points 7.2 and 7.3)

>POSIÇÃO NUMA TABELA>

>POSIÇÃO NUMA TABELA>

2.4. Compatibility with financial programming and financial perspective:

X Proposal is compatible with existing financial programming.

Proposal will entail reprogramming of the relevant heading in the financial perspective.

Proposal may require application of the provisions of the Interinstitutional Agreement.

2.5. Financial impact on revenue: [8]

[8] For further information, see separate explanatory note.

X Proposal has no financial implications (involves technical aspects regarding implementation of a measure)

OR

Proposal has financial impact - the effect on revenue is as follows:

(NB All details and observations relating to the method of calculating the effect on revenue should be shown in a separate annex.)

(EUR million to one decimal place)

>POSIÇÃO NUMA TABELA>

(Please specify each budget line involved, adding the appropriate number of rows to the table if there is an effect on more than one budget line.)

3. BUDGET CHARACTERISTICS

>POSIÇÃO NUMA TABELA>

4. LEGAL BASIS

Article 13 (2) EC Treaty

5. DESCRIPTION AND GROUNDS

5.1. Need for Community intervention

5.1.1. Objectives pursued

The objective of the prolongation is to ensure the continuation of the Community Action Programme on gender equality during the year 2006. The present programme will expire on 31 December 2005. The prolongation is deemed necessary to guarantee continuity of Community action in a transitional period characterised by important institutional changes until the adoption of a new comprehensive multiannual Framework Programme on the financing of actions in the employment and social field, including gender equality.

The objective of the Decision remains unchanged: to support and supplement efforts to promote gender equality including complementing legislative developments by:

- promoting and disseminating the values and practices underlying gender equality;

- improving the understanding of issues related to direct and indirect gender discrimination based on sex through improved knowledge and measurement and through the evaluation of the effectiveness of policies and practices; and

- developing the capacity of target players to promote gender equality.

5.1.2. Measures taken in connection with ex ante evaluation

This programme is the prolongation of the 5th Programme relating to the Community framework strategy on gender equality (2001-2005). An external ongoing evaluation started at the beginning of 2003 and will end in December 2006. The executive summary of the interim evaluation will be available on .

The Commission has drawn up an interim evaluation report based on the external evaluation available that will be made public soon. As explained in the interim evaluation report, the Action Programme has been designed to support the implementation of the Framework Strategy on gender equality with three main objectives, raising awareness, improving analysis and evaluation and developing capacity of players to promote gender equality. Results from the first three years show that the funded activities meet the objectives. Furthermore activities designed to raise awareness will in the process build up capacity - and vice versa - and both kinds of action either rely on or can be expected to promote policy analysis. This makes the classification of the eligible activities into the three strands somewhat artificial, as noted by the external evaluators.

The programme has an important role to play in supporting policy cooperation at European level. The broad formulation of the main objectives of each strand allows the funding of a wide range of projects with different durations, types of users and objectives to respond to the variety of objectives defined in the Framework Strategy on gender equality. Valuable direct contributions have been made by activities funded under strand 2 (such as expert networks and statistical work) and strand 1 (such as the Council Presidency and the Commission's conferences). The transnational projects run by national authorities have contributed to reinforcing synergy between national policies on gender equality.

On the other hand, the contribution of transnational projects subsidised under strand 3 is less apparent. Many projects deal with the development of methods and tools for which it is still too early to assess their impact. This will require further investigation in the course of the external evaluation.

5.1.3. Measures taken following evaluation

In the light of the preliminary findings of the interim evaluation, the Commission intends to develop more systematic information on the outputs of the Programme and its various activities. It is important to improve the synergy between the three strands by encouraging the flow of information and knowledge between the various activities.

For this purpose a regularly updated Commission website should be the major source of information and this message should be clearly passed to all project promoters. The comparable statistics developed by EUROSTAT in cooperation with the Member States, the studies conducted by the expert networks, the Commission's assessment of National Action Plans for Employment and social inclusion are all accessible from the Commission website. European conferences are also an opportunity to make the Programme's outputs better known.

Finally, it should be borne in mind that the fundamental raison d'être of such a Programme is its European added value. The Programme has to contribute to the development and the implementation of EU law concerning gender equality and to the promotion of the gender dimension in EU policies. This should be further analysed in the course of the external evaluation. In the context of the enlarged European Union, the Commission will pay attention to keeping all activities funded by the Programme in line with this fundamental requirement.

5.2. Action envisaged and budget intervention arrangements

In the context of the Amsterdam Treaty, gender mainstreaming has been firmly anchored in Article 3. In parallel to gender mainstreaming, specific actions in favour of women have proved to be essential in order to eliminate persistent inequalities.

Three sub-objectives have been identified to which correspond three major strands for actions under this Programme which run concurrently:

- promoting and disseminating values and practices underlying gender equality;

- improving the understanding of issues related to direct and indirect discrimination based on sex through improved knowledge and measurement and through the evaluation of the effectiveness of policies and practices;

- developing the capacity of target players to promote gender equality.

The Programme will work with a variety of target players selected from among policymakers in national, regional and local administrations, independent bodies responsible for the promotion of gender equality, non-governmental organisations, social partners, research institutes, the media, opinion-formers, the judiciary and law enforcement agencies.

The lessons of past programmes suggest that maximum added-value is obtained when programmes concentrate on a limited number of high-quality, large-scale coordinated activities where the emphasis is on supporting Member States' efforts to promote change at national, regional and local levels. This involves Member States' governments, local and regional authorities, social partners, grass-root NGOs, independent experts and academics.

The three strands will continue to operate as in the first five years as follows:

* Awareness-raising (Strand 1)

This strand aims at disseminating the lessons of the Programme and adding to the momentum needed for the acceptance of change in society. It will contribute to creating the political conditions necessary for legislative or other developments.

With the aim of supporting and improving the synergy between national policies on gender equality and also to develop a Community added value, this strand will support the implementation of initiatives, to be developed by the Member States authorities, on particular topics approved annually, after discussion with the Programme Committee.

It includes classical information and communication tools and targeted visibility/awareness-raising events or campaigns.

* Analysis and evaluation (Strand 2)

This strand aims at developing and improving various tools for collecting information, putting it into a useable and comparable form and ensuring its dissemination to the target players in the Member States. This will build on work carried out during the previous equality programmes.

The Programme should assist players in the different Member States to learn from the experience of others, with the objective of improving the effectiveness of their efforts to promote gender equality. Information about what is happening in the Member States needs therefore to be made available in a form which is readily accessible and which will be used by the players.

* Capacity building (Strand 3)

This strand aims at adding value to the capacity of players to address gender equality effectively. This is achieved by disseminating to these players good practices and lessons from experience and involving them in a process of transnational exchange and dialogue at EU level.

Past experience related to the grounds for combating gender discrimination has underlined the importance of working in partnership with target players in the Member States and with organisations working in the field of gender equality. Previous Community action in the field of equal opportunities between women and men and initiatives in the fields of disability and social inclusion have shown the value of bringing players together in transnational partnerships which can form the basis for the exchange of good practice.

5.3. Methods of implementation

The delivery mechanisms stipulated in the proposal are in keeping with to the classic Community approach to grants and co-funding on the basis of a detailed financial request. The actions to be taken may be funded by service contracts following open calls for tender or restricted calls for proposals addressed to the Member States or by subsidies for joint financing with other sources. In the latter case, the level of financial assistance from the Commission may not exceed, as a general rule, 80% of the expenditure actually incurred by the recipient. The Programme is managed centrally by the Commission.

The programme budget may also cover expenditure associated with preparation, follow-up, monitoring, auditing and evaluation activities directly necessary for the management of the programme and for the realisation of its objectives, such as studies, meetings, information and publication activities, expenditure associated with IT networks for the exchange of information and any other administrative and technical support expenditure on which the Commission may decide for the management of the programme.

6. FINANCIAL IMPACT

6.1. Total financial impact on Part B (over the entire programming period)

(The method of calculating the total amounts set out in the table below must be explained by the breakdown in Table 6.2. )

6.1.1. Financial intervention

Commitments (in EUR million to three decimal places)

>POSIÇÃO NUMA TABELA>

6.1.2. Technical and administrative assistance, support expenditure and IT expenditure (commitment appropriations)

>POSIÇÃO NUMA TABELA>

6.2. Calculation of costs by measure envisaged in Part B (over the entire programming period) [9]

[9] For further information, see separate explanatory note.

(Where there is more than one action, give sufficient detail of the specific measures to be taken for each one to allow the volume and costs of the outputs to be estimated.)

Commitments (in EUR million to three decimal places)

>POSIÇÃO NUMA TABELA>

If necessary explain the method of calculation

7. IMPACT ON STAFF AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENDITURE

7.1. Impact on human resources

>POSIÇÃO NUMA TABELA>

7.2. Overall financial impact of human resources

>POSIÇÃO NUMA TABELA>

The amounts are total expenditure for twelve months.

7.3. Other administrative expenditure deriving from the action

>POSIÇÃO NUMA TABELA>

The amounts are total expenditure for twelve months.

I. Annual total (7.2 + 7.3) // EUR 1.636.240

II. Duration of action // 1 year

III. Total cost of action (I x II) // EUR 1.636.240

The needs for human and administrative resources shall be covered within the allocation granted to the managing Directorate General in the framework of the annual allocation procedure.

8. FOLLOW-UP AND EVALUATION

8.1. Follow-up arrangements

The prolongation will continue to be implemented along the same lines as the Programme in its first five years. Implementation will involve participation in selection panels of calls for proposals, monitoring of ongoing contracts and financial control of all transactions between the Commission and the beneficiaries.

8.2. Arrangements and schedule for the planned evaluation

The Programme will be monitored throughout its operation. The Programme Committee will receive regular information prepared by the Commission. The monitoring will be adapted according to the needs of each of the strands and will include aspects of both quality assurance and financial regularity.

In addition, the Programme is subject to an interim report on its implementation which is currently in the process of adoption / has been adopted by the Commission on ... [10]. The ongoing evaluation will continue to provide the Commission with regular evaluation findings until the final report on the implementation of the Framework Strategy and this Programme which will be drawn up by 31 December 2006. The Commission was and will be assisted by external evaluators for both reports.

[10] SEC (2004) ... (to be inserted)..

9. ANTI-FRAUD MEASURES

All the measures funded are subject to ex ante, in itinere and ex post analysis by the responsible departments as regards content quality and cost-effectiveness. The grant application forms will require information on the identity and nature of potential beneficiaries so that their reliability can be assessed in advance. Fraud prevention measures (checks, reports) are included in the agreements or contracts between the Commission and beneficiaries. The Commission will check reports and ensure that work has been properly carried out before intermediate and/or final payments are made. Special attention will be made in order to avoid double funding. In addition, controls by the Commission or the Court of Auditors of the European Communities may be carried out on the basis of documents or on the spot.

LEGISLATIVE FINANCIAL STATEMENT

Policy area(s): Employment and Social Affairs - Equality for men and women

Activit(y/ies): Support for the promotion of gender equality

Title of action:

DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

amending Council Decision 2001/51/EC establishing a Programme relating to the Community framework strategy on gender equality and Decision No 848/2004/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a Community action programme to promote organisations active at European level in the field of equality between men and women

Amendment to Council Decision No 848/2004/EC

1. BUDGET LINE(S) + HEADING(S)

A-3037 (No ABB 040503) and A-3046 (No ABB 040501)

2. OVERALL FIGURES

2.1. Total allocation for action (Part B): EUR million for commitment:

1.1 EUR million for commitment

This amount represents the budgetary impact of the proposal to extend the programme, which is due to end on 31 December 2005, for the additional year concerned, 2006. It is roughly equivalent to the budgets for the years 2004 and 2005.

2.2. Period of application:

1 January 2006-31 December 2006

2.3. Overall multiannual estimate of expenditure:

(a) Schedule of commitment appropriations/payment appropriations (financial intervention) (see point 6.1.1)

EUR million (to three decimal places)

>POSIÇÃO NUMA TABELA>

(b) Technical and administrative assistance and support expenditure(see point 6.1.2)

>POSIÇÃO NUMA TABELA>

>POSIÇÃO NUMA TABELA>

(c) Overall financial impact of human resources and other administrative expenditure

(see points 7.2 and 7.3)

>POSIÇÃO NUMA TABELA>

>POSIÇÃO NUMA TABELA>

2.4. Compatibility with financial programming and financial perspective

X Proposal is compatible with existing financial programming.

Proposal will entail reprogramming of the relevant heading in the financial perspective.

Proposal may require application of the provisions of the Interinstitutional Agreement.

2.5. Financial impact on revenue: [11]

[11] For further information, see separate explanatory note.

X Proposal has no financial implications (involves technical aspects regarding implementation of a measure)

OR

Proposal has financial impact - the effect on revenue is as follows:

(NB All details and observations relating to the method of calculating the effect on revenue should be shown in a separate annex.)

(EUR million to one decimal place)

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(Please specify each budget line involved, adding the appropriate number of rows to the table if there is an effect on more than one budget line.)

3. BUDGET CHARACTERISTICS

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4. LEGAL BASIS

Article 13(2) EC Treaty

5. DESCRIPTION AND GROUNDS

5.1. Need for Community intervention

5.1.1. Objectives pursued

The objective of the prolongation is to ensure the continuation of the Community Action Programme to promote organisations active at European level in the field of equality between women and men. The present programme will expire on 31 December 2005. The prolongation is deemed necessary to guarantee continuity of Community action in a transitional period characterised by important institutional changes (enlargement of the Union, a new European Parliament and a new Commission) until the adoption of a new comprehensive multiannual Framework Programme on the financing of actions in the employment and social field including gender equality.

The objective of the Decision remains unchanged: to support the activities of organisations active at European level in the field of equality for women and men, of which an ongoing programme of work or a specific action serves the general European interest the field of equality for women and men or pursues an objective which is part of the European Union's policy in this area.

5.1.2. Measures taken in connection with ex ante evaluation

The Programme which it is proposed to extend is a new one aimed at providing a legal basis for awarding grants to organisations active at European level in the field of equality for men and women for the years 2004 and 2005. Its adoption was made necessary by the new structure of the Commission's budget under the new Financial Regulation with effect from 2004.

5.1.3. Measures taken following ex post evaluation

The activities of the European Women's Lobby have in the past been subject to several annual evaluations by the Commission's departments. In addition, an audit report was drawn up in 1999 at the European Parliament's request. These results have shown that the Lobby's activities have an effective, significant impact, in particular by informing women of their rights, and that it has a substantial influence on policymakers at European, national, regional and local level with regard to the promotion of gender equality.

A report presenting the results obtained by the beneficiaries is scheduled for December 2006, in particular with a view to assessing its effectiveness as regards the achievement of its objectives.

5.2. Action envisaged and budget intervention arrangements

In the context of the Amsterdam Treaty, gender mainstreaming has been firmly anchored in Article 3. In parallel to gender mainstreaming, specific actions in favour of women have proved to be essential in order to eliminate persistent inequalities. The activities of certain organisations help to promote gender equality. The European Women's Lobby in particular, which is present in almost all Member States and has over 3000 members, plays a major role in promoting, monitoring and disseminating Community measures aimed at women with a view to achieving equality between women and men.

The general objective of the Programme is to reinforce Community action in the field of equality between men and women and the effectiveness of such action by offering financial support to organisations active at European level in the field of equality between women and men, including the European Women's Lobby.

The activities carried out by organisations which are eligible to receive a Community grant under the Programme will come under one of the following strands:

Strand 1: ongoing activities of the European Women's Lobby, whose members are, inter alia, women's organisations in the Member States of the European Union, subject to observance of the following principles:

- it must be free to select its members,

- it must be free to pursue its activities.

Strand 2: ongoing activities of an organisation 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. This applies to a non-profit-making body carrying out its activities exclusively in order to achieve equality between women and men or an organisation with a wider aim which carries out part of its 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.

Strand 3: specific actions of an organisation pursuing an objective of general European interest in the field of equality between women and men or an objective forming part of the European Union's policy in this area.

5.3. Methods of implementation

The delivery mechanisms stipulated in the proposal are in keeping with the classic Community approach to grants and co-funding on the basis of a detailed financial request. The actions to be taken may be funded by subsidies for joint financing with other sources. In this case, the level of financial assistance from the Commission may not exceed, as a general rule, 80% of the expenditure actually incurred by the recipient. The Programme is managed centrally by the Commission

6. FINANCIAL IMPACT

6.1. Total financial impact on Part B (over the entire programming period)

(The method of calculating the total amounts set out in the table below must be explained by the breakdown in Table 6.2. )

6.1.1. Financial intervention

Commitments (in EUR million to three decimal places)

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6.1.2. Technical and administrative assistance, support expenditure and IT expenditure (commitment appropriations)

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6.2. Calculation of costs by measure envisaged in Part B (over the entire programming period) [12]

[12] For further information, see separate explanatory note.

(Where there is more than one action, give sufficient detail of the specific measures to be taken for each one to allow the volume and costs of the outputs to be estimated.)

Commitments (in EUR million to three decimal places)

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If necessary, explain the method of calculation

7. IMPACT ON STAFF AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENDITURE

7.1. Impact on human resources

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* Existing resources

7.2. Overall financial impact of human resources

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The amounts are total expenditure for twelve months.

7.3. Other administrative expenditure deriving from the action

>POSIÇÃO NUMA TABELA>

The amounts are total expenditure for twelve months.

1 Specify the type of committee and the group to which it belongs.

I. Annual total (7.2 + 7.3) // EUR 36.000

II. Duration of action // 1 year

III. Total cost of action (I x II) // EUR 36.000

The needs for human and administrative resources shall be covered within the allocation granted to the managing Directorate General in the framework of the annual allocation procedure.

8. FOLLOW-UP AND EVALUATION

8.1. Follow-up arrangements

The prolongation will continue to be implemented along the same lines as the Programme in its first two years. Implementation will involve participation in selection panels of calls for proposals, monitoring of ongoing contracts and financial control of all transactions between the Commission and the beneficiaries.

8.2. Arrangements and schedule for the planned evaluation

Given that this Programme is designed to promote gender equality, the functions of monitoring and evaluation naturally form part of the activities implemented, in such a way as to derive maximum benefit from them.

The Programme is subject to the submission of a report by the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on the achievement of its objectives. This report shall be based on the results obtained by the beneficiaries and shall assess, in particular, their effectiveness in achieving the said objectives.

9. ANTI-FRAUD MEASURES

All the measures funded are subject to ex ante, in itinere and ex post analysis by the responsible departments as regards content quality and cost-effectiveness. The grant application forms will require information on the identity and nature of potential beneficiaries so that their reliability can be assessed in advance. Fraud prevention measures (checks, reports) are included in the agreements or contracts between the Commission and beneficiaries. The Commission will check reports and ensure that work has been properly carried out before intermediate and/or final payments are made. Special attention will be made in order to avoid double funding. In addition, controls by the Commission or the Court of Auditors of the European Communities may be carried out on the basis of documents or on the spot.