Amended proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) ON COMMUNITY FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE INTERNATIONAL FUND FOR IRELAND
Date: 1994-10-21
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU financing, Ireland, United Kingdom, activity report, cross-border cooperation, international aid

COMMISSION  OF  THE  EUROPEAN  COMVTUNITIES 

C0M(94) 456 final 
Brussels, 21.10.1994 

94/ 0064 (CNS) 

Amended proposal  for a 

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) 

ON  COMMUNITY  FINANCIAL  CONTRIBUTIONS  TO THE  INTERNATIONAL 

FUND  FOR  IRELAND 

(presented  by  the  Commission  pursuant 
the  EC-Treaty) 

of 

to  A r t i c le  189  A  (2) 

EXPLANATORY  MEMORANDUM 

At its  Plenary  Session  on  27  September  1994  the European  Parliament  adopted  a Resolution 
amending  the proposal  for  a Council  Regulation  on  Community  financial  contributions to the 
International  Fund for  Ireland.  In  accordance  with  Article  189a(2) of  the  Treaty  establishing 
the  European  Community,  the  Commission  has  decided  to  amend  the  above-mentioned 
proposal  to  take  account  of  Parliament's  opinion. 

The  Commission  has  accepted  the  amendment  to  Article  3  (new  article  3a)  which  covers 
annual  reporting  procedures  to  the  budgetary  authority. 

The Commission  has accepted  the amendment  to Article  4, which  reflects  current  accounting 
practices  with  regard  to  payments  of  this  kind. 

The  amendment  to  Article  6  has  been  accepted  as  it  clarifies  the  precise  timeframe  during 
which  the  proposed  Regulation  would  apply. 

However,  the  Commission  is  unable  to  accept  the  amendment  to  Article  1 which  states  that 
the  annual  amount  of  the  contribution  to  be  made  under  the  proposed  Regulation  would  be 
established  as part of  the annual  budgetary  procedure.  In the  Commission's  view  this matter 
is  adequately  covered  by  budgetary  procedures  and  legislation. 

•$-

Amended proposal  for a 

COUNCIL REGULATION- (EC) 

ON  COMMUNITY  FINANCIAL  CONTRIBUTIONS  TO THE  INTERNATIONAL 

FUND  FOR IRELAND 

The  Council  of  the  European  Union 

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  establishing  the  European  Community  and  in  particular 

Article  235  thereof; 

Having  regard to  the proposal  of  the  Commission, 

Having  regard  to  the opinion  of  the  European  Parliament0*, 

Whereas Article  10(a) of the Anglo-Irish  Agreement of  15 November  1985  provides that 

the two governments shall  cooperate to promote the economic  and social  development of 

those  areas  of  both  parts  of  Ireland  which  have  suffered  most  severely  from  the 

consequences  of  the  instability  of  recent  years,  and  shall  consider  the  possibility  of 

securing  international  support  for  this  work; 

Whereas  in order to contribute to the work  envisaged  in Article  10(a) of  the  Anglo-Irish 

Agreement  the  International  Fund  for  Ireland  was  established  to promote  economic  and 

social  advance and to encourage contact, dialogue and reconciliation between  nationalists 

and unionists throughout  Ireland; 

(1) 

Opinion  delivered  on 

Whereas the Joint Declaration of the Taoiseach Albert Reynolds and Prime Minister John 

Major of  14 December  1993 provides  a framework  for  a peace process  in this part of the 

European  Union; 

Whereas  the  Commission  in  its  statement  of  16  December  1993  expressed  the  wish  to 

give  practical  support  to  this process; 

Whereas the General  Affairs  Council  in its statement of  20 December  1993  declares that 

the  ending  of  the  bitter  conflict  in  Northern  Ireland  would  bring  many  social  and 

economic  benefits  to  the  region,  the  Member  States  concerned  and the  European  Union 

as  a whole; 

Whereas  the  governments  of  the  United  Kingdom  and  Ireland  in  1988  invited  the 

Community  to  contribute  to  the  International  Fund  for  Ireland; 

Whereas  15 MECU per annum has been provided from the Community  budget since  1989 

to support projects of the International  Fund for  Ireland which  have a genuine  additional 

impact  in  the  areas  concerned; 

Whereas the programmes of the International Fund for Ireland encourage cross-border and 

cross-community  cooperation  and  thereby  promote  dialogue  and reconciliation  between 

nationalists  and  unionists; 

Whereas the  International  Fund  for  Ireland has  since  its establishment  provided  support 

to  over  3.000  projects  to  the  benefit  of  both  communities; 

Whereas the International  Fund for  Ireland  encourages  those  in the  most  deprived  areas 

to participate in and take responsibility  for the economic  regeneration of their own areas; 

Whereas  the  International  Fund  for  Ireland  is  an  example  of  successful  Anglo-Irish 

cooperation in promoting reconciliation between the two communities and their economic 

and  social  progress; 

Whereas  a framework  for  continued  Community  support  for  the  International  Fund  for 

Ireland  should  be  established; 

Whereas such support should take the form of financial  contributions for a period of three 

years  and be reassessed  in due course; 

Whereas  this  support  will  contribute  to  reinforcing  the  solidarity  between  the  Member 

States and between  their peoples; 

Whereas the Treaty  provides no powers other than  those in Article 235, for  the adoption 

of  this  Regulation; 

HAS  ADOPTED THIS REGULATION. 

Article 1 

An  annual  contribution  shall  be  made to the  International  Fund  for  Ireland,  hereinafter 

called  the Fund,  for  each  of  the years  1995,  1996, 1997. 

Article 2 

The  contribution  shall  be  used  by  the  Fund  in  priority  for  projects  of  a cross-border  or 

cross-community  nature. 

The contribution  shall  be  used  in  such  a way that  it has a genuine  additional  impact on 

the areas concerned and should not therefore  be used as a substitute for other public and 

private  expenditure. 

A Commission  representative shall be enabled to continue to assist as an observer at the 

Board  meetings of  the Fund. 

Article 3 

The Commission  shall  administer  the contribution  mentioned  in  Article 1. 

Article 3a 

The Commission  shall  submit  an  annual  report to the Budgetary  Authority  covering the 

following  matters, inter  alia : 

a survey  of the Fund's activities; 

a list  of projects  which  have received  aid; 

an assessment  of  the  nature  and  impact  of  the  interventions, in  respect, notably. 

of the objectives  of the Fund  and the criteria  laid  down in  Article 2(1)  and (2); 

an annex containing the results of the verifications  and controls carried out by the 

Commission  representative or his delegates, in accordance  with the provisions of 

Article  2 (3). 

Article 4 

The annual contribution  shall be paid over in two parts in accordance with the  following 

provisions: 

an advance of 80% will be paid over after  signature by the chairman of the Board 

of the Fund of the Commission's standard undertaking relating to grants and  after 

having  made  the  undertaking  to  use  the  contribution  in  accordance  with  the 

provisions  of  Article  2  and,  as  far  as  contributions  for  1996  and  1997  are 

concerned,  after  receipt  and  acceptance  bv  the  Commission  of  the  beneficiary's 

annual  activity  report and audited  accounts in respect of the previous assessment; 

the  remaining  20%  will  be  paid  over  after  receipt  and  acceptance  by  the 

Commission  of the beneficiary's  annual  activity  report  and  audited  accounts. 

Article 5 

Before  the  end  of  1996,  the  Commission  shall  draw  up  an  evaluation 

report  to  the 

European  Parliament  and  the  Council  assessing  the  need  for  continuing  contributions 

beyond  1997. 

Article 6 

This Regulation  shall  enter into  force on  1. January  1995 and shall  remain in force  until 

31.12.1997. 

This  Regulation  shall  be  binding  in  its  entirety  and  directly  applicable  in  all  Member 

States. 

Done at  Brussels 

For the Council 

1. 

TITLE OF OPERATION: 

FINANCIAL STATEMENT 

2. 

3. 

4. 

COMMUNITY  CONTRIBUTIONS  TO  THE  INTERNATIONAL  FUND  FOR 
IRELAND. 

BUDGET HEADING INVOLVED: B2-604 

LEGAL BASIS: 

Draft Proposal  for a Council  Regulation  under Article 235 

DESCRIPTION  OF OPERATION 

4.1.  General  objective:  to  encourage  contact,  dialogue  and  reconciliation 
between  nationalists  and  unionists  throughout  Ireland  by  promoting  the 
economic  and social  advance of  the two communities. 

4.2. 

Period covered and arrangements for  renewal  or extension: 
1995,  1996,  and  1997.  An  assessment  will  be  made  before  the  end  of 
1996 with a view to possible  renewal  or extension of the arrangement. 

5. 

CLASSIFICATION  OF EXPENDITURE OR REVENUE 

5.1.  Non-compulsory  expenditure 

5.2.  Non-differentiated  appropriations 

6. 

TYPE OF EXPENDITURE 

Subsidy for joint financing  with other sources in the public and/or private 
sector. 

7. 

FINANCIAL IMPACT 

7.1. 

Indicative schedule of appropriations 

7.1.1.  Schedule for proposed new operation 

MECU (in current prices) 

Commitment 
appropriations 

Payment 
appropriations 

1995 

1996 

1997 

TOTAL 

20 

20 

20 

20 

20 

20 

60 

60 

V 

FRAUD  PREVENTION  MEASURES:  the  Commission  is  represented  on  the 
Board of the Fund and the final  annual  contribution  is only  paid over after  receipt 
and  acceptance  of  the  Fund's  annual  report  and  audited  accounts. 

SPECIFIC  OBJECTIVE 

9.1. 

Through  economic  and  social  development  to  promote  reconciliation 
between  the two communities  in both parts of Ireland which  have  suffered 
most  severely  from  the  consequences  of  the  instability  of  recent years. 

9.2.  Grounds  for  the  operation 

The  Community,  recognising  that  the  objectives  of  the  Fund  are  a 
reflection  of  those  pursued  by  itself,  has  given  practical  backing  (MECU 
15 pa.) since  1989. Continuation of this contribution would provide a clear 
indication of Community support for the peace process in Northern Ireland. 

9.3.  Monitoring  and  evaluation  of  the  operation 

The  Commission  will  make  a  detailed  assessment  of  the  impact  of 
Community  support  to  the  Fund's  operations  before  the  end  of  1996.  It 
will  also  monitor  the  Fund's  activities  through  its  continuing  presence  on 
the  Board  as  an  observer. 

t 
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BSN 0254-1475 

COM(94) 456  final 

DOCUMENTS 

EN 

09 oi 

Catalogue number : CB-CO-94-478-EN-C 

ISBN 92-77-81300-8 

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