Proposal for a EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND COUNCIL DECISION establishing the Community action programme "European voluntary service for young people"
Date: 1996-12-23
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: European integration, action programme, marginalisation, voluntary military service, young person

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels,  23.12.1996 
COM(96) 610  final 

96/0318 (COD) 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO 
THE COUNCIL AND THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 

EUROPEAN  VOLUNTARY  SERVICE 
FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE 

Proposal  for a 

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND COUNCIL DECISION 

establishing the Community  action  programme 
"European voluntary  service for young people" 

(presented by the Commission) 

EUROPEAN  VOLUNTARY  SERVICE FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE 

TABLE OF  CONTENTS 

Introduction 

I. 

The  issues at  stake 

II. 

The  added  value  provided  by  Community  action 

Partnership 

Validation  and  follow-up 

Mobility 

Cooperation  with  third  countries 

III. 

The  programme 

m 

i 

o-

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INTRODUCTION 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

The  Commission  proposes  a  Community  action  programme  geared  towards  the 
integration of young people into active life through transnational activities that are 
of  benefit  to  the  community.  This  proposal,  forming  part of  the  objectives  of  a 
youth policy, offers  young  Europeans an educational experience allowing them to 
gain  skills  and  abilities  and  to  act  as responsible citizens. 

The  Commission  therefore  wishes  to  provide  an  appropriate  framework  for  the 
development  of  a  European  voluntary  service  for  young  people,  to  help  young 
people to become more mobile within the framework  of active citizenship, to open 
up  new  prospects  for  partnerships  in  the  actions  conducted  within  each  Member 
State  and  to  promote  exchanges  of  experience,  transfers  of  good  practice  and 
cooperation  between  all  those  involved  in the  integration  of  young  people. 

Through this new approach  based on local and transnational partnerships  between 
actors  from  the  public  and  private  sectors,  the  Commission's  aim  is  to  give  a 
European  dimension  to  formative  experiences  for  a  larger  number  of  young 
people.  A  further  aim  is  to ensure  an  impact  and  spin-off  effects  that  are  as  far-
reaching  as  possible  among  young  people  themselves  and  among  structures, 
organisations  and  partners  in  the  economic  world. 

The  idea  of  establishing  a  European  voluntary  service  was  mooted  long  ago 
without,  however,  leading  to  any  real  Community  initiative  or  action  on  this 
issue1.  A  new  political  will  has  gradually  emerged,  however,  over  the  last  few 
years. 

At European Union level, the second phase of the programme  "Youth for  Europe" 
(1992-1994)  made  it possible  for  the  Commission to  promote  voluntary  service 
activities  in  a  Community  context  across  the  Member  States.  One  of  the  main 
results  of  this  second  phase  was  undoubtedly  to  raise  awareness  in  the  Member 
States.  This  type  of  activity  was retained,  at the  proposal  of  the  Commission,  in 
the third  phase of the programme  (1995-1999).  The  specific  context  surrounding 
the  programme's  objectives  means  that  the range  of  action  is very  limited  and  is 
largely  in  the  form  of  awareness  campaigns,  spin-off  effects  and  incentives  to 
develop  the  concept  within  the  Member  States.  Moreover,  implementation  is 
carried  out  centrally. 

6. 

The  European  Parliament  has always  supported  the  idea of a voluntary  service at 
Community  level.  In  its  1991  framework  report  on  policies  for  young  people  in 

Report  by the  Ac  Hoc  Committee on  "A People's Europe" - Bulletin 
of  the  EC,  Supplement  7/85  -  see,  in  particular,  the  proposal  to  establish 
a  programme  for  "Community  trainee  volunteer  development  workers". 

OJ  L217  of  6 Auaust  19 91. 

Europe,  it  proposed  an  enlargement  of  "voluntary  activities"  for  young  people^. 
On 22 September  1995, it adopted a Resolution4 which considered that a European 
civilian  service  could  consolidate  and  complement  exchanges  between  young 
European  volunteers  and  also  stressed  the  need  to  develop  increasingly  close 
cooperation  with  the  countries  of  central  and  eastern  Europe  as  well  as  the 
"growing  need  for  significant  actions on behalf  of  developing  countries". In this 
Resolution,  the  European  Parliament  asked  the  Commission  to  submit  a 
communication  on the establishment  of a European  voluntary  service  in order  to 
open up full  consultation with the non-governmental  organisations concerned and 
to  initiate  thinking  on  the  practical  means  for  its  implementation. 

During  its  Presidency  of  the  Council  of  Ministers  (June-December  1994),  the 
German  government  gave  priority  to  voluntary  service.  Discussions  led  to  the 
adoption  of  the  "Conclusions  of  the  Council  and  Ministers  of  Youth  on  the 
promotion  of  voluntary  service  periods  for  young  people" . 

These  Conclusions  bear  out  the  growing  interest  of  all  the  Member  States  in the 
development  of voluntary  service activities at European  level. They also stress, in 
particular,  the  potential  contribution  that  voluntary  service  could  make  to  the 
commitment  of  young  people  to  the  construction  of  Europe  and  ask  the 
Commission  to  "propose practical  measures to promote  cooperation  between  the 
countries  taking  part  in the  Youth  for  Europe  III  programme  as well  as  between 
the  organisations  dealing  with  voluntary  service". 

In addition, the Council Resolution on cooperation  in the area of youth with third 
countries, adopted  at the instigation of the Spanish Presidency on 5 October  1995, 
stresses the need  to step up cooperation  - particularly  for  voluntary  service - with 
those  third  countries  with  which  the  Community  has  association  or  cooperation 
agreements. 

Prompted  by these requests, which were also relayed  by youth organisations, and 
the  very  limited  extent  of  existing  experience,  in  January  1996  the  Commission 
adopted,  at  the  initiative  of  Mrs  E.  Cresson,  a  working  document  "Towards  a 
European  Voluntary  Service  for  Young  People",  which  laid  the  foundations  for 
testing the arrangements  for  decentralised  implementation  of  long-term  voluntary 
service  activities  in  anticipation  of  the  multi-annual  programme  envisaged,  in 
order to give a clear  Community  added value to existing or planned  actions in the 
various  Member  States. 

Sport  on Community policies and their impact on young people - A3-142/91. 

Report of the Committee on Youth, Culture, Education, Media and 

B4-1127/95  (PE 193.734). 

OJ C348 of 9 December  1994, p 2. 

- 4 -

9. 

10. 

11. 

The Parliament  supported the Commission's proposed  strategy and, in  1996, gave 
a clear policy  signal  by channelling  ECU  15 million  into a new budget  heading6. 
The Commission, applying the principles of the SEM 2000 programme (sound and 
efficient  financial  management)7, has accordingly gone ahead with this pilot action 
in which some 2500 young people aged between  18 and 25 should take part.  This 
pilot  action  has already  made it possible to establish the soundness of  a range  of 
working  approaches  which  are  very  important  for  the  proposed  programme, 
particularly  as  regards  the  feasibility  of  decentralised  management  of  long-term 
activities,  the  need  to  provide  for  support  measures,  the  importance  of  ways  of 
promoting  new types of partnership (pilot  networks), the key  role  of  the  training 
of  the  various  operators  in  the  success  and  the  quality  of  the  projects.  These 
aspects,  along  with  other  more  tangible  information  on  the  progress  of 
implementation  of  the  pilot  action,  are  described  in  detail  in  the  preliminary 
progress report attached  . Furthermore, monitoring will yield pointers for the day-
to-day  running  of  this  type  of  action  and  thus  provide  a  tried  and  tested 
operational  framework  for  the  implementation  of  the  multi-annual  programme 
from  its outset.  Lastly, an  independent  ex ante evaluation  has also  confirmed  the 
importance  of  these  elements  for  the  architecture  of  the  programme  proposed. 

The  Commission  is  responsible  for  implementing,  coordinating,  monitoring  and 
evaluating the pilot action under the principle of cooperation set out in Article  126 
of  the  Treaty.  It  is  for  this  reason  that  the  Member  States  have  all  designated 
measures  responsible  for  implementing  this  action  at  national  level,  as  proposed 
by  the  Commission.  In order,  moreover,  to  involve them  more  closely,  from  the 
outset, in all levels of implementation,  the Commission has taken the initiative of 
setting  up  a working  party  made up of  representatives  appointed  by  the  relevant 
Ministers  and  has met  individual  delegations  from  each  Member  State  and  from 
Norway  and  Iceland  in order  to discuss developments  and  prospects  in this  area. 
These meetings  provided  a  forum  for  free  and  in-depth  discussion  of  all  general 
aspects  of  this  action,  the  implementation  of  the  pilot  action  and  legal  and 
administrative  obstacles. Lastly, the  Commission has also continued  its  dialogue 
with  non-governmental  youth  organisations, particularly  the  Youth  Forum. 

For  the  monitoring  of  this  action  the  Commission  has  already  put  in  place  the 
structure  needed  for  continuous  assessment,  in  anticipation  of  the  multi-annual 
programme.  The  Member  States  and  the  European  Parliament  will  be  regularly 
informed  of the findings.  Moreover,  the Commission will submit a second  report 
on the progress of implementation  of the pilot  action both within  the  Community 
and with  non-Community  countries. Special  attention will also have to be paid  in 
this  context  to  activities  with  third  countries,  both  in  order  to  take  account  of 
experiments  in  progress  as  part  of  the  pilot  action  and  in  order  to  have  pointers 

b 

8 

3 3 - 1 0 1 1. 

SEC 

( 9 5) 

1 8 1 - 3 /5 

Annex  2 

-  1 

-

for  any  scope  for  subsequent  development  and  ways  of  involving  young  people 
in these countries. This will provide the basis for  starting the external  section  for 
activities  in non-EU countries after  specific  evaluation  as part of the pilot  action. 
This  report  will  be  submitted  to  the  European  Parliament  and  the  Council.  The 
Commission  will  take  due  account  of  the  outcome  of  discussions  under  the  co-
decision  procedure  relating  to  the  draft  decision  and  will  put  forward  any 
amendments  deemed  to be  necessary, particularly  as regards  activities  with  third 
countries. 

12. 

13. 

The  proposal  on  which  this  document  is  based  also  takes  full  account  of  the 
principles  formulated  by  the  Commission  in  respect  of  the  second  stage  of  the 
SEM  2000  ("Sound  and  Efficient  Financial  Management")  programme9.  The 
proposed  action  is  based  on  the  findings  of  an  ex-ante  evaluation  whose  results 
are given  in the Annex  , and  on the initial  results of the current  pilot  action  and 
which  are  set  out  in  the  preliminary  progress  report  attached  to  this  document. 
These  findings  and  results  confirm  that  the  architecture  of  the  programme 
proposed  has  a  solid  legal  and  financial  foundation. 

This proposal forms  part, like the Youth for  Europe programme, of a  Community 
youth  policy.  Without  prejudging  the  future,  the  Commission  considers  that  the 
interactions and synergies between these two programmes will need to be analysed 
very  carefully  so  that  youth  policy  at  Community  level  can  be  developed  in  an 
integrated  way. 

14. 

As  this  is  an  initiative  that  forms  part  of  youth  policy,  three  further  points  also 
need  to  be  made  to  avoid  any  misinterpretation: 

Positive steps should  be taken in the framework  of the present  programme 
in  order  to  facilitate  access by young  people  who  have  most  difficulty  in 
participating  in programmes at European, national, regional  or local  level. 
The programme  should  give  such young  people the chance to  reveal  their 
potential  and  capabilities  and  to  take  part  in  a  recognised  educational 
experience.  European  Voluntary  Service  is  not  an  elitist  programme,  a 
programme  for  disadvantaged  young  people  or  a  programme  to  combat 
exclusion.  The  Commission,  whose  approach  has  been  borne  out  by  the 
findings  of  the  ex-ante  evaluation,  stresses that  it  does  not  intend  to  treat 
disadvantaged people as a wholly separate group, which would  marginalise 
them even further,  but to open the programme to all young people  without 
pre-conditions.  Every  effort  must  therefore  be  made  to  help  those  young 
people  for  whom  participation  in action  programmes  - at Community  and 
at  national,  regional  or  local  level  -  and  all  programme  activities  raises 

SEC  595  1814/5 

10 

The  ex-ante  evaluation  of  the  Multiannual  European  Voluntary 
Service  Programme  for  Young  People  -  Report  prepared  by  the  Tavistock 
Institute,  UK,  October  1996. 

- 6 -

serious  problems  and  to  allow  them  to  discover  their  potential,  their 
abilities  and  receive  a high-quality  formative  experience. , 

European  voluntary  service  is the  result  of  a  voluntary  commitment  and 
of  the  individual  decision  of  each  young  person  concerned.  It  is  not  a 
substitute for military service, the alternative service formulae  available in 
particular for conscientious objectors or the compulsory community  service 
that  exist  in  Member  States  and  for  which  they  have  exclusive 
competence.  National  legislators  must  decide  whether  or  not  to  allow 
conscientious  objectors  to  take  part  in  European  voluntary  service 
following  the  conclusion  of  agreements  between  European  voluntary 
service  and  national  civilian  services. 

These  activities  do  not  replace  potential  or  existing  paid  employment. 

15. 

This  document  contains: 

a  Communication  from  the  Commission to the Council  and  the  European 
Parliament; 
a  draft  Decision  of the  Council and  the  European  Parliament  establishing 
the  Community  action programme of European  Voluntary  Service and  its 
annexes; 

The  Communication  will  successively: 

look  at  the  issues raised  by  the proposed  action 
examine  the  Community  added  value  of the  proposed  strategy 
present  the  "European  voluntary  service  for  young  people"  programme. 

1. 

THE  ISSUES  AT  STAKE 

16. 

17. 

18. 

19. 

20. 

The  Treaty  on  European  Union  aimed  to  mark  a  new  stage  in  the  process  of 
creating  an  ever  closer  union  among  the  peoples  of  Europe11.  The  Florence 
European  Council  stressed  the  importance12  of  helping  young  people  to  become 
integrated  into  active  life  and,  in  this  respect,  noted  with  interest  the  idea  of  a 
European  voluntary  service.  Several  ideas  about  European  voluntary  service  are 
also  being  discussed  at  the  Intergovernmental  Conference  as  part  of  efforts  to 
enhance  European  citizenship. 

Young people do not perceive the European Union as a natural community  shaped 
by a desire to  live and work together; in the long term this may  call into  question 
what  has  already  been  achieved  from  the  point  of  view  of  the  construction  of 
Europe. 

Young  people  in  our  European  societies  are  increasingly  in  temporary  and 
precarious  situations.  It is no longer easy for  young people to move  from  school 
or  university  to  permanent  employment.  For  tens  of  thousands  of  today's  young 
Europeans, envisaging the future  has become increasingly  problematic  as a result 
of  economic  difficulties,  increasingly  individual  behavioural  patterns,  growing 
inequalities,  etc.  Young  people  have,  however,  a  substantial  capacity  for 
mobilisation. 

This is supplemented  by the fact  that young people nowadays face  a  fundamental 
contradiction  which needs to be resolved: while they are the minority  that is most 
threatened  by  exclusion,  they  are,  at  the  same  time,  the  social  group  that  is 

* expected  to  oversee  the  operation  and well-being  of  our  future  societies. 

A  twofold  challenge  therefore  needs  to  be  addressed:  taking  account,  as  far  as 
possible, of young people's expectations while meeting the needs of society. From 
this point  of view,  the originality  of the proposed  approach  lies in the  fact  that  it 
attempts to reconcile the active citizenship of young people in a European  context 
with  the  acquisition  of  abilities and  skills validated  at  European  level  and  in the 
fact  that  it  provides  support  for  partners  who  back  up the  actions  undertaken  by 
these young people. All public bodies and associations involved in the  integration 
of  young  people  may  in  effect  be genuine  "social  levers". 

21. 

Being young citizens and protagonists of European  society cannot be restricted to 
the area of the European Union, since interactions  with citizens living outside the 
Union's  frontiers  must  also be taken  into  account.  In this way  third  countries  can 
benefit  from  the  know-how  of  young.Europeans  who  can,  in  their  turn,  learn 

Treaty on European Union - Title  I, Article A. 

Treaty on European  Union - Article B, paragraph 1 

- 8 -

about  and  understand  other  social realities that  are as valid  as their  own.  Taking 
part in an action outside Europe together with other Europeans is also an excellent 
way  of  discovering  one's European  roots. 

22. 

For  young  people,  lack  of  experience  is  one  of  the  main  barriers  to  their 
integration  into  society. Making  it possible for  them  to carry  out  work  that  is of 
benefit  to  the  community  in  another  Member  State  of  the  European  Union  -  as 
this document  proposes  - may  help them  to  become  integrated  into  active  life. 

23. 

European Voluntary Service is a genuine educational experience that everyone can 
put  to  good  use  in their  personal  or  even  professional  development: 

• 

• 

• 

From  a  personal  point  of  view:  young  people  can  learn  to  be  the  prime 
movers of their  own decisions, to take responsibility, to develop  a critical 
sense,  to  become  more  independent  and  improve  their  communication 
skills, through  a transnational  experience  that  brings  Europe  to  life. 

From  the point  of view of  society  itself: it offers  them  the  opportunity  to 
take an active and practical role in the creation of European  solidarity  and 
thus to discover,  in daily  life, the notion of the interdependence  of  human 
beings  and  to  become  aware  that  collective  interests  exist  alongside 
individual interests, at both local and European level. From a more  specific 
point  of view,  it  is also important  to  stress that a Community  action  such 
as European  voluntary  service promotes  an understanding  between  young 
people  and  citizens  as a whole that  extends  beyond  frontiers. 

From  the  point  of  view  of  intercultural  learning:  it  provides  young 
volunteers with an opportunity to understand the wealth and limits of their 
own traditions and  cultures, to look at other  cultural, social and  economic 
realities  and  to  make  them  more  aware  of  other  cultures.  In this  context, 
the fight against racism and xenophobia is an important added value of the 
proposed  action. 

-  9  -

10 

II. 

THE ADDED  VALUE  PROVIDED  BY  COMMUNITY  ACTION 

24. 

25. 

26. 

27. 

From  the  point  of  view  of  cooperation  on  youth  issues,  the  Community's  role 
complements  that of the  Member  States. The approach  proposed  in this  Decision 
is  based  on  the  principle  of  subsidiarity  which  will  chiefly  entail  improved 
cooperation  with the competent  authorities  at all  levels. It will  also take  concrete 
shape  through  the  establishment  of  partnerships  at  both  local  and  transnational 
level that will build bridges not only between the initiatives of Member  States but 
also  between  young  people  everywhere.  As  the  ex-ante  evaluation  stresses, 
moreover,  an  expectation  that  is  frequently  expressed  is  that  the  multiannual 
programme should contribute to the development of youth policies in the Member 
States. 

The  European  voluntary  service  programme  aims  to  encourage  young  people  to 
become  citizens  of  the  European  Union  and  to  enhance  their  contribution  to 
European  society.  The  programme  is  intended  to  be  a  means  of  making  more 
visible  and  illustrating  what  it  actually  means to  be  a young  citizen  in  European 
society  today. 

The  local  dimension  is  one  of  the  key  factors  around  which  European  voluntary 
service  is  structured.  Helping  young  people  to  take  charge  of  their  futures  has to 
start  at  local  level.  Successful  experience  in  a  local  context  also  means  that 
follow-up  will  have  a  greater  chance  of  success.  This  is  true  both  for  young 
people,  who  will  have  learnt  more  about  and  better  understood  their  relationship 
with  their  initial  environment,  and  for  the  local  communities  involved  in .the 
experience  who  can  build  on  the  contribution  provided  by  this  experience  and 
enhance  or  even  enlarge  their  scope  of  action. 

The  initiative  proposed  by  the  Commission  therefore  places  the  local  level  on  a 
par with the European level and makes it possible to demonstrate  and help people 
practically  to  understand  that  Europe  is  a  opportunity  to  be  seized  by  all  young 
people.  It  also presupposes  that  the  relationship  between  young  people  and  their 
immediate  environments  is  a key  factor  in  larger-scale  development. 

28. 

As  the  following  points  show,  the  initiatives  that  the  Commission  proposes  to 
support  through this Decision  are of a type  likely  to provide  a clear  added  value, 
at  different  levels, to  existing  or  planned  actions  in  the  Member  States. 

29. 

From  a  general  point  of  view,  these  initiatives  should  make  it  possible to: 

enhance  existing  experiments  in  the  Member  States  by  giving  them  an 
added  Community  dimension; 

encourage and support projects of this type that are being prepared  in other 
Member  States  or  even  to  encourage  initiatives  of  this  type  in  Member 
States  where  no  such  projects  yet  exist; 

-  10 -

11 

promote  the  values  of  the  European  Community  among  young  people; 

encourage  exchanges  of  experience,  contacts,  transfers  of  good  practice 
and  cooperation  between  all  those  involved  in  the  integration  of  young 
people; 

work  towards a minimum framework  for these actions that removes  some 
of  the  obstacles that  exist at national  level  and that  curb  the  development 
of  transnational  voluntary  service  experiments; 

encourage  the transnational  mobility  of young people  as a complement  to 
other  Community  exchange  programmes. 

30. 

From  a  specific  point  of  view: 

Young  volunteers: these initiatives make it possible for  them to gain  skills 
and  abilities from  an educational  experience  in an environment  other  than 
their  normal  environment;  they  will  also be  able to  discover,  on  the  spot 
and  in practice,  how  European  society  is being constructed.  Validation  of 
this  experience  and  the  prospect  of  follow-up  further  enhance  the  added 
value  of  the  Community  action  proposed  in this  document. 

People  concerned:  in addition  to the direct  benefits  that  they  are  likely  to 
gain  from  the  action  and  its  spin-off  effects,  the  proposed  activities  also 
make  it  possible,  through  transnational  partnerships,  to  build  more 
permanent  bridges  between  young  people  in  the  EU  and  with  young 
people  in  non-EU  countries. 

31. 

The  aim  of  these  initiatives  is  therefore: 

on  the  one  hand,  to  develop  links  between  experiments  conducted  at 
national  level  and  at  Community  level; 

on the other  hand, to encourage experiments that are not just  national,  but 
also transnational, and that bring young people from  different  countries  of 
the Community  into teams working towards specific  objectives  that are of 
benefit  to  society. 

32. 

From  this point  of view,  four  important  features  of the programme  -  partnership, 
validation,  monitoring  and  mobility  - are  likely  to make  a particular  contribution 
to  the  added  value  of  the  Community  action  set  out  in this  document. 

12 

Partnership 

33. 

34. 

The  principle  of  partnership  -  in  which  the  young  person  is  considered  as  a  full 
partner - is one of  the cornerstones  of the approach  set out  in this document:  local 
partnerships  within  host  and  sending  projects  between  a  range  of  partners 
concerned  by  the  needs  that  these  projects  attempt  to  resolve  (between  one  or 
more  organisations  dealing  with  youth,  protection  of  the  environment,  heritage 
conservation,  training  or  information  etc.,  the  inhabitants  of  a  town  or  village, 
local  authorities,  administrations);  tripartite  partnerships  at  transnational  level 
between  young  volunteers,  host  projects  and  sending  projects. 

Moreover,  the  European  Voluntary  Service  programme  may  bring  about  new 
relationships  between  partners  who  learn  to  work  together  even  though  their 
concerns  differ.  In  this  respect,  the  ex-ante  evaluation  stresses that  there  are  large 
numbers,  throughout  Europe,  of  local  development  projects,  projects  by  youth 
organisations, municipalities  and  new  social  movements  as  well  as  a whole  range 
of  solidarity  schemes.  These  initiatives  are  rarely  linked,  however,  and  in  some 
cases  even  run  counter  to  one  another.  From  this  point  of  view,  the  dynamic 
brought  about  by  European  voluntary  service  actions  may  have  spin-off  effects  at 
various  levels: 

associations,  bodies,  authorities  or  institutions  which  have  entered  into  a 
partnership  on  this  occasion  can  continue  to  cooperate  on  other  projects. 
A  European  voluntary  service  action,  if  it  proves  to  be  of  benefit,  may 
lead  to the creation  of  similar  spin-off  initiatives. It  may  also pave  the  way 
for  professional  work  on  sites improved  by  volunteers  or  on  similar  sites; 

local  initiatives  will  be  able to establish transnational  contacts  with  similar 
initiatives  at  European  level.  Both  host and  sending  projects  will  therefore 
benefit  from  transfers  of  good  practice  which  could  lead  to  the  creation  of 
project  networks taking  the  same approach  and  benefitting  the  populations 
concerned; 

participation  in  the  European  Voluntary  Service  programme  will  make 
these  projects  more  visible,  will  enhance  their  work  and  their  initiatives 
and  will  also  provide  them  with  an  opportunity  to  discover  what  young 
people  can  learn  from  their  action  and  then  to  help  other  young  people  in 
their  immediate  environment  or  elsewhere  to  benefit  from  this  learning 
potential.  This  participation  will  also  make  the  local  community  better 
known  in  wider  circles  and  will  highlight  its  dynamic  nature.  Under  this 
programme,  projects  will  therefore  be  able  to  take  on  and  try  out  an 
international  dimension. 

35. 

Lastly,  it  should  be  stressed  that  the  principle  of  partnership  -  local,  regional  and 
national  as  well  as  transnational  -  does  not  stop  with  European  voluntary  service 
per  se,  but  extends  beyond  this  by  following  up  the  young  person's  activity, 
building  on  what  he  has  learnt  and  helping  him  to  become  integrated. 

-  12  -

13 

Validation and  follow-up 

36. 

37. 

38. 

39. 

40. 

The objectives of the programme proposed in this document and its expected spin 
off  effects  make  it  necessary  to  recognise  the  contribution  made  by  young 
volunteers  and  to  validate the skills that they  have  acquired.  While  diplomas  are 
not  the  answer  in  this  context,  the  European  Union  must  make  the  European 
dimension  of  this programme  visible  so that young people  can  make  the most of 
their experience in their CVs. As the ex-ante evaluation shows, this validation and 
visibility may well be important  for many participants. The Commission  therefore 
proposes to organise European validation  in cooperation  with the Member  States. 

The European  voluntary  service activities  promoted  by this  proposal  offer  fertile 
ground for  initiative: they are intended to stimulate a spirit of enterprise as regards 
both  social  projects  and  projects  of  a  more  economic  nature  or  even  business 
creation.  For  Europe,  which  wishes  to  promote  the  integration  of  young  people 
into  active  life,  a  Community  programme  like  the  European  voluntary  service 
programme  cannot  stop at the very  moment  at which  its action  is starting to  bear 
fruit.  Building  on the experiences of young volunteers  should therefore  be one  of 
its  components. 

An  innovative  approach  is  envisaged  for  the  integration  of  young  people  into 
active  life.  Specific  mechanisms will have to be established to provide them  with 
help,  at  the  end  of  their  service, with jobseeking,  the  creation  of  new  economic 
activities  or  placement  in  education  and  vocational  training  systems. 

From this point of view, the partners - both host and sending projects  - could play 
a  supporting  role.  This  support  -  be  it  from  a  person,  an  enterprise  or  an 
association  - should help young people wishing to  set up a venture  to resolve  the 
obstacles  that  stand  in  the  way  of  young  people's  projects.  Human  help  and 
logistical  support  for  projects  are  the  most  immediate  forms  of  help.  It  is  often 
enough  for  a piece  of  information  or  a contact  with  a new  partner  to  change  the 
face  of an environment that had up to then been considered hostile to the venture. 

The  Commission  also  considers  that  the  complementary  aspects  of  actions 
supported  by  this  programme  and  local  employment  initiatives  should  be 
developed  as far  as possible. These could, for  instance, provide new jobs in which 
young  people  who  have  been  on  European  voluntary  service  could  build  on  the 
experience  that  they  have  gained. 

This  future  capital  will,  in  many  cases, be  a way  of  setting  in  motion  long-term 
integration. 

14 

Mobility 

41. 

42. 

43. 

44. 

Point II of the Commission's working document  "Towards a European  Voluntary 
Service  for  Young  People"  describes  a  number  of  administrative  and  legal 
obstacles  to  young  people's  participation.  The  multiannual  programme  to  which 
this  draft  Decision  relates  is  based  on  Article  126  of  the  Treaty  on  European 
Union which rules out any harmonisation in this area and cannot therefore  resolve 
the problems  raiseo^iy these various obstacles which hamper the development  of 
a European voluntary service at transnational level. The solution to these problems 
is largely the responsibility of the Member States. The Commission's Green Paper 
on  "Education, training, research: obstacles to transnational mobility" should  also 
sustain  and  contribute  to  discussions on the  free  movement  of  volunteers. 

Detailed  discussions  of  the  various  aspects  of  the  problems  that  rights  of 
residence,  social  protection  and  compulsory  contributions  raise  for  a  European 
voluntary  service,  in particular  the  bilateral  discussions that  the  Commission  has 
organised with Member  States' delegations, show that in most cases administrative 
measures  could  be  taken  by  the  Member  States  to  overcome  some  of  these 
obstacles  so that  the maximum possible number  of young people can take part  in 
European  voluntary  service.  The  Commission  has,  in  this  respect,  opted  for  a 
pragmatic  and  progressive  approach  and  has  put  forward  the  draft  Resolution 
attached  as an annex to the draft  Decision1 J. This draft  Resolution entails a strong 
commitment  by  Member  States. 

The preceding  sections show that European voluntary  service for  young people is 
an educational  project  whose aim is to contribute to the personal development  of 
young  volunteers  through  their  participation  in activities  which  are  of  benefit  to 
« the  local  community.  European  voluntary  service cannot therefore  be  assimilated 
with  paid  work.  This  also  means that  the  relationship  between  the  volunteer  and 
the host project  is in no way comparable to the relationship between  an employer 
and  an  employee.  Lastly, the  programme,  as proposed  in this document,  ensures 
that young volunteers are not a burden on the host country. The Commission also 
plans,  in  this  respect,  to  enter  into  agreements  in  the  insurance  field  in  order  to 
avoid  any  potential  problems  and  ensure  the  social  coverage  of  all  young 
volunteers  taking  part  in the  programme. 

It  is  on  this  basis  that  the  Member  States  should  envisage  administrative  and 
legislative  provisions  that  recognise  the  special  status  of  the  young  volunteers 
taking  part  in  the  European  Voluntary  Service  programme.  There  are  already 
solutions in some Member  States. The exchanges of experience and good  practice 
that  the  programme  wishes to  promote  could  also  take  place  at  this  level  for  the 
benefit  of  young  people. 

14 

15 

45. 

The Commission considers that the freedom  of movement that applies to nationals 
of Member.States must also apply  to nationals of third  countries legally  resident 
in  a  Member  State,  even  if  particular  arrangements  have  to  be  envisaged, 
particularly  from  the point  of  view of  social  security  and  rights  of  residence. 

Cooperation  with third  countries 

46. 

Cooperation  with third  countries  will  in the  first  instance  involve  countries  with 
which the Community has signed Association Agreements. Voluntary service will 
be  opened  up  to  external  actions  gradually  and  on  the  basis  of  a  specific 
evaluation.  It  will  also  differ  as  a function  of  the  geographical  areas  concerned. 
In  general,  there  are  four  different  groups: 

1) 
2) 
3) 
4) 

associated  countries  and  applicant  countries; 
non-EU  Mediterranean  countries; 
developing  countries: ACP/LAA 
other  countries:  CIS,  non-associated  countries  of  Central  and  Eastern 
Europe,  South  Africa,  former  Yugoslavia. 

47. 

48. 

49. 

For the first  group, the Europe agreements or the additional  protocols signed with 
the  associated  countries  establish  the  principle  of  participation  in  Community 
programmes  with  a  legal  basis.  Any  countries  who  so  wish  can  thus  participate 
subject  to  the  conditions  set  out  in the  association  agreements. 

For the non-EU  Mediterranean  countries, exchanges  of young people  are  already 
an  objective  of  the  "MEDA"  regulation  and  the  Barcelona  Declaration. 

For  other  countries, European  voluntary  service  will  have  to  be  considered  on  a 
case-by-case  basis  depending  on  the  specific  political  contexts  in  each  country. 
European  youth  organisations  and  other  associations  are  already  active  in  South 
Africa,  the  former  Yugoslavia,  other  countries  eligible  under  the  PHARE  and 
TACIS programmes,  LAA  and  ACP  countries. 

-  15 

16 

III. 

THE  PROGRAMME 

50. 

51. 

52. 

53. 

54. 

The  Commission  proposes  the  adoption  by  the  Council  and  the  European 
Parliament  of  a  Decision,  based  on  Article  126  of  the  Treaty,  relating  to  the 
establishment  of  a  multiannual  programme  of  European  Voluntary  Service  for 
young  people.  It  is  proposed  that  the  programme  develops  in  a  progressive  and 
planned  way  in  order  to  ensure  its  quality  and  its  long-term  impact.  The 
Commission has not, at this stage, gone into operational  detail but has put  forward 
a framework  that  is flexible  enough to be in keeping with the situations of  young 
people  and  the  various  other  partners.  From  this  point  of  view,  it  should  be 
stressed that the implementation of the programme should be based on the  lessons 
learnt  from  the  pilot  action  and  an  analysis of the ex-ante  evaluation.  Moreover, 
as  the  preliminary  findings  of  the  pilot  action  progress  report  attached  to  this 
document  stress, a  substantial  proportion  of  the  programme  should  take  place  in 
a largely decentralised way, applying a bottom-up approach in order to cater  more 
effectively  for  the  needs  of  the players  in the  field. 

As  the  ex-ante  evaluation  stresses,  a  programme  concerned  with  personal 
development  entails an individual approach: individual choices must be  supported 
by a process through which the needs of young people, voluntary service activities 
and  the  needs  of  projects  can  be  matched.  This  is  borne  out  by  the  experience 
with  the  pilot  action.  It  is  also for  this reason,  again  on the  basis of  the  findings 
of  the  ex-ante  evaluation  backed  up by  the  initial  results  of the  pilot  action,  that 
the  programme  is  structured  so  that  it  can  provide  an  answer  to  the  individual 
needs of young people: provision is made for different  forms of voluntary  service, 
. of  differing  durations, and  the  option  of combining  different  educational  options 
(Articles  1  and  2  of  the  draft  decision).  The  five  sections  of  the  programme 
(Annex  to  the  draft  decision)  are therefore  designed  in  an  integrated  way,  form 
a  whole  and  cannot  be  reduced  to  a set  of  isolated  actions  or  measures. 

European  voluntary  service  activities,  carried  out  within  the  Union  by  young 
people (in principle those aged  18 to 25) resident in the Community form  the core 
of the programme. Long-term activities represent its most important part. They are 
supplemented by short-term activities through which access to this type of activity 
can  be  extended  and  young  people  can  be  made  aware  of  the  potential  that  this 
type  of  activity  offers. 

Long-term  and  short-term  activities are also envisaged  in the third  countries  with 
which  the  Community  has signed association  and  cooperation  agreements.  These 
activities  will  be  built  up  gradually. 

. 

Lastly,  three  other  types  of  venture  are  proposed:  assistance  with  innovative 
networks in order to meet the contemporary  demands of young people in the most 
appropriate  way; support  for  the spirit of initiative and enterprise  in order to build 

-  16 -

17 

on  the  experience  acquired;  complementary  measures to  develop  the  quality  and 
the  European  dimension  of  all  the programme's  activities. 

55. 

Lastly, on the basis of experience gained from  its action in the areas of education; 
training  and  youth,  as  well  as  the  analysis  of  the  ex-ante  evaluation  and  its 
recommendations, and the preliminary results of the pilot action, the  Commission 
proposes  positive  measures  (which  have  been  proposed)  to  help  those  young 
people  for  whom  participation  in existing  action  programmes  at Community  and 
at national,  regional  and  local  level, raises the most problems for  cultural,  social, 
economic,  physical and  geographical  reasons. It  also proposes that  efforts  should 
be made  to ensure that the programme  does not replicate  or intensify  inequalities 
between  men  and  women  (Articles  1 and  4  of  the  draft  decision). 

The  pilot  action  also  confirms  the  need  for  decentralised  structures  as the  basis 
for  a  common  approach  and  has  enabled  Member  States  to  propose  structures 
which  have  been  given  the  task  of  implementing  the  decentralised  part  of  this 
pilot action. Still in connection with cooperation with the Member  States, the pilot 
action  has  clarified  what  should  be  done  to  remove  obstacles  to  the  mobility  of 
young  volunteers  (Article  7 of  the  proposal  for  a  Decision  and  draft  Resolution 
attached). 

56. 

As regards financial aspects, co-financing  will be applied. Public and private  funds 
at  European  Union  level  and  at  national,  regional  and  local  level  may  contribute 
financial  assistance  in  addition  to  Community  support. 

SECTION  1:  INTRA-COMMUNITY 

57. 

58. 

This  section  covers  support  for  European  voluntary  service  activities  carried  out 
within  the  European  Union  by  young  people  resident  in the  Community. 

It has quickly  emerged  from  the pilot  action that  long-term  activities  alone  could 
not  cater  for  the needs and  constraints of various target  groups, particularly  those 
who  have  little  or  no  transnational  experience  and/or  those  not  in  a  position  to 
commit themselves to longer-term activities. Moreover, the findings of the ex-ante 
evaluation,  which  takes account  inter alia  of the  results of  Community  action  in 
the areas of education, training and youth, corroborate this and show that it is also 
important  to  provide  support  for  short-term  activities.  The  Commission  has 
accordingly  included  support  for  short-tern  activities  in  this  section.  These 
activities  will  make  it  possible  for  young  people  to  familiarise  themselves  with 
European  voluntary  service  activities  and  to  discover  their  potential  and  impact. 
They  will also help young people that cannot normally  participate because of their 
regular  work activities or socio-economic circumstances to take part in the  action: 

in  the case of young  people, especially  the most disadvantaged,  who  have 
never  had  a  European  experience,  these  short-term  activities  will  allow 
them  to  gain  this  initial  experience  and  may  well  be  a  stepping  stone 
towards  longer-term  European  activities; 

-  17  -

in the case of young people who have not had an  opportunity  to take part 
in  longer-term  activities  because  of  their  family,  health,  financial 
circumstances,  etc.,  they  will  provide  an  opportunity  to  take  part  in  an 
action 
to  be  recognised  as 
responsible  citizens. 

involving  responsible  citizenship  and 

59. 

60. 

61. 

Lastly, they  will allow local projects which have little or no European  experience 
to  lay  the  foundations  for  a longer-term  transnational  action. 

In contrast to long-term activities, short-term activities will give priority to support 
for  projects  for  groups  of  young  people,  although  support  for  individual  actions 
will not be excluded, particularly  for activities lasting over one month. In the case 
of  short-term  activities,  living  in  a  multi-cultural  group  is  an  important  starting 
point  for  promoting  intercultural  learning  and  provides  support  -  by  acting  as  a 
peer group - for  young people who have never had a transnational  experience and 
even  more  for  disadvantaged  young  people. 

The educational  project  on which  European  voluntary  service activities are  based 
requires  sound  preparation  and  supervision  of  young  volunteers  so  that  these 
young  people  can  be  readily  integrated  into these projects.  In the  particular  case 
of  long-term  projects,  specific  measures  need  to  be  envisaged  to  bring  together 
young  volunteers,  to  enhance  the  European  dimension  of  activities  and,  in 
particular,  to  promote  language  and  intercultural  learning.  As  mentioned  in  the 
interim  pilot  action  progress  report,  preparation  and  supervision  are  already  part 
of  the  pilot  action. 

62. 

From  the  point  of  view  of  follow-up  at  the  end  of  European  voluntary  service, 
measures  to  help  young  volunteers  to  formulate  and  clarify  their  longer-term 
personal  plans  should  also  be  envisaged. 

SECTION  2 -  THIRD  COUNTRIES 

63. 

The activities  covered by  Section 2 are voluntary  service activities carried  out by 
young  people  from  the  Community  in  non-EU  countries. 

Activities  within  this  section,  which  is in  keeping  with  the  general  objectives  of 
the  programme,  entail  gradual  stepping  up  of  cooperation  with  third  countries 
geared  towards  intercultural  learning  and  cooperation  between  young  people; 
towards understanding, exchanges of ideas and peace between the European Union 
and  third  countries;  towards  improved  knowledge  and  awareness  among  young 
people  of  the  realities  of  life  in  third  countries;  towards  the  discovery  and 
comprehension  by  young  people  from  the  EU  and  young  people  from  third 
countries  of  the  cultural  and  social  values  and  heritage  of  their  respective 
countries; towards the diversification  of partnerships between European and third-
country  projects  as  well  as  inter-regional  cooperation  within  these  countries. 

-  18 

19 

64. 

Given  that  this  Section  covers  a  very  complex  field  and that experience  in  this 
field is more limited than in the case of intra-Community action, the Commission 
proposes that development should be progressive and pragmatic. The approach for 
developing this external section will be described in a specific evaluation after the 
pilot action.  On this basis, short-term activities and measures to support ventures 
whose aim  is to  lay the foundations  for the development of significant  long-term 
activities  will  be  organised  as  a first  stage.  Due  account  should  be  taken of  the 
specific  features  of  these  activities  in  the  monitoring  of  the  programme  as 
described  in  particular  in par. 85. 

65. 

Lastly, the  comments  made above in point  61 on the preparation  and  supervision 
of  young  volunteers  also  apply  to activities  in third  countries. 

SECTION  3  -  INNOVATIVE  NETWORKS 

66. 

67. 

The  response  to  the  calls  for  expression  of  interest  and  the  Commission's  many 
bilateral  contacts  with  potential  pilot  networks  and  European  voluntary  service 
organisations  under  the  pilot  action  point  to  the  need  for  a  long-term  effort  to 
diversify  the  range  of  activities  likely  to  best  match  the  current  demand  from 
young  people.  This  concerns  both  the opening  up to  European  voluntary  service 
of  networks  active  in  several  areas  connected  with  social  development  and  the 
opening  up  existing  networks  of  voluntary  service  organisations  to  other 
approaches. The crucial  importance of this diversification  and this opening  is also 
stressed  in  the  ex ante evaluation  report. 

This  Section  covers  both  intra-Community  activities  and  activities  with  third 
countries  and  is accordingly  based on these findings.  It is intended  to support  the 
opening up to European voluntary  service of networks active in a number of  fields 
connected  with  the  development  of  society;  to  encourage  endeavours  to  set  up 
voluntary  service  organisations  and  to  persuade  groups  having  values  to  which 
young people themselves give priority to take part in the programme. The ongoing 
evaluation  systems that will be integrated  within  each of these networks  will  also 
help  to  bring  the  programme  and  its  implementation 
into  line  with  the 
contemporary  demands  of  young  people. 

SECTION  4 -  DEVELOPING  A  SENSE OF  INITIATIVE  AND  ENTERPRISE 

68. 

The  pilot  action  soon  showed  that  the  national  authorities  and  the  various  field 
operators  see this aspect as one of the most significant  added  values of  European 
voluntary  service.  Although  the  pilot  action  includes  ways  of  testing  practical 
arrangements,  it  is  clear  that  both  European  validation  and  follow-up  of  young 
people  upon  completion  oï  their  period  of  service  require  a  proper  legal 
framework  which  implies  the  cooperation  of  the  Member  States  and  a  long-term 
approach.  The Commission  has therefore  provided  for  a specific  section  to  cater 
for  these  requirements  and  has devoted  an  article  (Art.  8) of  its  draft  decision  to 
validation. 

19 

20 

The support provided under this Section takes the form of follow-up assistance for 
young  volunteers  on  the  basis  of  the  projects  of  the  young  people  concerned, 
sponsored  by  partners.  Grants  and  premiums  are  not  therefore  paid  directly  to 
young  volunteers.  These projects may take a wide range of  forms,  including the 
launch and creation of ventures, businesses, etc., or additional  vocational training 
or academic education. 

69. 

It should be stressed, as regards the launch or creation of businesses, that this type 
of support takes account  of the age of the entrepreneurs which  is seen as an  asset 
and not as  a handicap. 

70. 

Lastly, this section will also serve as a very  important indicator  for  the  evaluation 
of  the programme  in terms  of  follow-up  and  impact. 

SECTION  5 -  COMPLEMENTARY  MEASURES 

71. 

The  pilot  action  and  the  ex-ante  evaluation  highlight  the  need  to  include  certain 
complementary  measures  in  the  programme.  The  ex-ante  evaluation  stresses  in 
particular  the  need  for  central  and  decentralised  strategies  to  support  the 
recruitment,  preparation  and  counselling  of  volunteers,  and  ways  of  finding 
partners  for  projects  and  organisations.  It  also  recommends  that  an  action  be 
included  in  the  programme  to  foster  local,  regional  and  national  cooperation 
between  institutions/organisations  and  between  sectors  of  activity  (partnerships). 
This  is  borne  out  by  the  preliminary  progress  report  on  the  pilot  action.  The 
actions covered by Section 5 are accordingly  intended to support the  development 
of  the  quality  and  European  dimension  of  all  the  programme's  activities.  They 
cover  preparation  and  supervision,  support  for  the  development  of  European 
partnerships  and  information  on and evaluation  of all aspects of the  programme's 
activities  and  their  spin-off  effects.  Three  actions  are  proposed  for  this  purpose: 

5.1 
5.2 
5.3 

Preparation  and  supervision 
European  partnerships 
Information  and  evaluation 

5.1 

Preparation  and  supervision 

72. 

It  quickly  emerged  from  contacts  with  operators  at various  levels under  the  pilot 
action that there was a need to allow certain education players (mentors, contacts, 
etc.)  and  project  managers  to  train  up  to  the  tasks  implicit  in  supervising  and 
preparing  young volunteers  in an international  context.  As indicated  below,  while 
ad hoc experiments will  be conducted  under the pilot action, clearly  a pluri-annual 
programme  alone  -  in  that  it  permits  a  long-term  approach  -  can  fulfil  this 
requirement.  The  actions  envisaged  in  this  connection  seek  to  cater  for  this 
requirement. 

20 

21 

Two  target  groups  are  envisaged: 

supervisors; 
European  project  leaders. 

73. 

It  will  also  be  necessary  to  support  and  promote  the  production  of  educational 
materials  specifically  designed  for  short-term  and  long-term  European  voluntary 
service  activities  within  the  European  Union  and  in third  countries. 

Supervisors 

74. 

Long-term  young  volunteers  as  well  as  the  projects  in  which  they  are  working 
need  to  be  overseen  by  supervisors: 

mentors  for  young  volunteers  within  host  projects; 

reference  persons,  independent  of  host  projects,  at  local,  regional  or 
national  level. 

75. 

76. 

Host  projects  will  have  to  provide  the  necessary  guarantees  as  regards  the 
supervision  of young  volunteers  throughout  their  service. It should  be stressed  in 
this respect that this supervision will be provided by personal mentors  responsible 
for  the  educational  and  personal  support  that  young  people  are  likely  to  need 
during  their  service. 

In  addition  to  these  tutors,  systems  independent  of  host  projects  should  be 
established  in  each  Member  State  with  a  team  of  reference  persons  who  can,  in 
all  confidentiality  and  confidence,  deal  with  the  various  problems  that  young 
people,  young  people's  supervisors  and  host  project  leaders  may  encounter. 

77.  Mentors and reference  persons therefore  have a key role to play in the success and 
the  quality  of  European  voluntary  service  activities.  From  this  point  of  view, 
Section  5.1  is in particular  intended  to allow the various mentors and  supervisors 
to  acquire  the  skills  and  resources  needed  to  supervise  young  people  in  an 
international  context,  especially  within  long-term  activities. 

European  project  leaders 

78. 

The  success  of  European  voluntary  service  projects  also  depends  on  the  quality 
of  their  management.  Local  projects  wishing  to  take  part  in  the  programme's 
actions  often  have  little or no  experience  of  managing  transnational  projects.  For 
this reason,  the Commission considers that  it is essential to provide  opportunities 
for training  at European  level so that this target group can gain the experience and 
resources  needed  efficiently  to  manage  such  projects. 

22 

5.2 

Partnerships 

79. 

At this stage in the proceedings the pilot action confirms that local projects, which 
are  the  foundation  of  European  voluntary  service,  do  not  have  the  European 
contacts  they  would  need  to  be  able  to  identify  potential  partners  on  their  own. 
The  pilot  action  provides  an  ad  hoc response  to  this need  and  makes  it  possible 
to try  out  practical  solutions. The fact  remains, however,  that this  is a  long-term 
task  which  needs  specific  measures  -  not  feasible  given  the  resources  and 
framework  of  the  pilot  action  -  as  part  of  a  long-term  approach  and  within  a 
clearly-defined  legal  framework.  The  Commission has  therefore  made  provision 
for  a  specific  complementary  measure  in the programme  proposed. 

initiatives 

to  support 

This action of the programme is not intended to duplicate other types of assistance 
and 
local  development  (LEDA,  etc.)  or  European 
partnerships  between  local  communities  (twin  towns,  etc.).  In  the  light  of  the 
findings  of the ex-ante evaluation, the Community needs to contribute to  Member 
States's  efforts  to  encourage  local/regional/national  partnerships  between  public 
and private partners that are geared towards European voluntary service and could 
well  take  the  form  of  European  partnerships.  A  further  aim  of  this  action  is  to 
facilitate  and  promote  the  establishment  of  these  transnational  partnerships. 

80. 

81. 

Support for the preparation, launch and operation of these partnerships is essential, 
bearing  mind  that  local  projects  often  lack  the  European  contacts  that  they  need 
to  locate  potential  partners  themselves. 

As  the  ex-ante  evaluation  notes,  it  will  also  be  necessary  to  create  mechanisms 
helping to bring the various partners into contact, in order, in particular, to involve 
.  the  maximum  possible number  of  small  local  associations  and  young  people  not 
belonging  to  associations.  Some  of  the  paths  that  the  pilot  action  has  taken  are 
intended  to  create these conditions.  It  is for  this  reason that  the  Commission  has 
targeted  both  specialist  organisations  and  the  establishment  of  pilot  networks. 

5.3 

Research,  information  and  evaluation 

82. 

83. 

Cooperation, at European level, in the area of research, information  and evaluation 
will  play  a  key  part  in  the  success  of  the  Community  action.  As  the  ex-ante 
evaluation  notes, a system will need to be set up for the continuous collection and 
dissemination  of  data  on  the  operation  of  the  programme. 

In  the  area  of  information,  the  creation  of  systems  which,  at  local,  regional  and 
national  level,  provide  information  and  advice  on  the  various  aspects  of  the 
programme,  including legal and administrative aspects, for  as many young  people 
as possible, will  need  to be encouraged  and  supported.  As the ex-ante  evaluation 
notes,  priority  needs  to  be given  to  simple  and  readily  accessible  mechanisms  of 
the  "local  information  counter"  type  and,  in  this  context,  to  the  promotion  of  a 
wide  range  of  private  as  well  as  public  information  channels  -  commercial  and 

.  ??  -

23 

public  channels  such  as  the  media,  municipalities, 
leisure  facilities  and 
employment offices  and other places frequented  by large numbers of young people 
-  in  order  to  contact  young  people  who  are  not  members  of  trie  conventional 
networks of organisations or associations. As the ex-ante evaluation  also stresses, 
disseminating information  on past experiences of European voluntary  service and, 
in  particular,  on  the  pilot  action  should  play  a  part,  through  discussions  and 
transfers  of experience, in highlighting the European added value of the  proposed 
action. 

84. 

85. 

86. 

Studies  should  make  it  possible  to  highlight  a  number  of  aspects  linked  to  the 
programme's  objectives  and  in particular  aspects  connected  with  the  exercise  of 
responsible  citizenship  and  the  integration  of  young  people  into  active  life. 
Moreover,  as  the  ex-ante  evaluation  stresses,  feasibility  studies  of  voluntary 
service  conducted  by  young  people  themselves  should  also  be  possible  in  this 
Section. 

The  ex-ante  evaluation  rightly  stresses the evaluation  problems that  are raised,  in 
general, by innovative programmes. In the case of the European Voluntary  Service 
programme,  the report notes that these problems  are aggravated  by the  intangible 
nature of the results and processes linked to the programme. Concepts such as, for 
instance,  enhanced  personal  development  or  the  promotion  of  responsible 
citizenship  are  difficult  to  place  on  an  operational  footing. 

The  report  also notes that account  should be taken of  links between  the  proposed 
programme  and  other  youth  programmes,  especially  the  Youth  for  Europe 
programme.  From  this  point  of  view,  and  in  keeping  with  the  recommendations 
of  the  ex-ante  evaluation,  the  Commission  considers  that  a  more  general 
evaluation  framework  for  youth  programmes  needs  to  be  prepared  as  part  of 
Section  5.3,  as an  integral  part  of the  evaluation  of  the multiannual  programme. 
It  also  considers  that  the  evaluation  of  the  pilot  act4on  should  be  seen  as  an 
integral  part  of  the  evaluation  of  the  programme.  Lastly,  Article  10 of  the  draft 
decision  stipulates  that  sometime  in  the  second  year  of  implementation  of  the 
programme  the  Commission  will  submit  to  the  Council  and  the  European 
Parliament  an  evaluation  report  which  can  if  need  be  serve  to  define  new 
guidelines  and  arrangements  for  implementation. 

87. 

Lastly,  the  Commission  also  takes  up  the  ex-ante  evaluation's  recommendations 
that  it  is  important  for  young  people  from  different  backgrounds  to  take  part  in 
the evaluation  process and  for  the various  partners  to be pro-actively  involved  in 
formulating  the  programme's  evaluation  framework. 

«B-

OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL 

DECISION 

establishing  the  Community  Action  Programme 
"European voluntary  service  for young  people" 

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  establishing  the  European  Community,  and  in  particular 
Articles  126 thereof, 

Having  regard  to  the  proposal  from  the  Commission1, 

Having  regard  to  the  opinion  of  the  Economic  and  Social  Committee2, 

Having  regard  to  the  opinion  of the  Committee  of  the  Regions3, 

Acting  in  accordance  with  the procedure  referred  to  in Article  189b of  the  Treaty4, 

Whereas the Essen European  Council, meeting  on 9-10 December  1994, and the  Cannes 
European  Council,  meeting  on  26-27  June  1995,  stressed  the  need  to  undertake  new 
actions  to  promote  the  social  and  occupational  integration  of  young  people  in  Europe; 

Whereas  the  conclusions  of  the  Florence  European  Council  (21-22  June  1996)  stressed 
the importance  of helping young people to become integrated  into active  life  and,  in this 
respect,  noted  with  interest  the  idea  of  a European  voluntary  service; 

Whereas the Council requested the Commission to propose practical measures to  promote 
transnational  cooperation  in the  field  of voluntary  service5; 

Whereas  the  Council,  in  its  Resolution  of  5  October  1995  on  cooperation  with  third 
countries  in  the  youth  field,  stressed  the  need  to  step  up  cooperation,  particularly  with 
regard  to  voluntary  service,  with  third  countries  with  which  the  Community  has 
concluded  association  and  cooperation  agreements; 

Conclusions  of  the  Council  and  the  Ministers  of  Youth  of  30 
November on the promotion of voluntary service periods for young people, OJ 
C348 of  9.12.1994. 

Council  Resolution of  5 October  1995  on  ccoperation  with third  countries in  the youth  field  (OJ  No C296  of 
10.11.1995) 

! </ 

Whereas  the  European  Council  of  25-26  June  1984  asked  Member  States  to  take  steps 
to  encourage  young  people to take part  in projects  organised  by the  Community  outside 
its  frontiers,  and  whereas  they  recommended  that  Member  States take  on  board  as  one 
of  the  objectives  of  their  social  policies  the  incorporation  of  social  protection  for 
development  volunteers  or  the  correction  of  shortcomings; 

Whereas  the  Parliament  has  also  expressed  its  support,  on  many  occasions,  for  the 
development of a voluntary  service at Community level, in particular in its Resolution of 
22  September  1995  on the  establishment  of  European  civilian  service7; 

Whereas  voluntary  service  activities  also  exist  in  a  range  of  forms  in  several  Member 
States  and  a number  of  non-governmental  organisations  are  working  in  this  field; 

Whereas, despite these experiences, transnational voluntary service actions remain limited; 

Whereas  it  is  necessary  to  create  new  opportunities  for  the  transfer  and  application  of 
experience  and  good  practice  and  to promote  new  partnerships; 

Whereas the pilot  action  launched  in January  1996 and  still in progress  is designed  inter 
alia  to  test  the  arrangements  for  decentralised  implementation  of  long  term  voluntary 
service  activities  looking  ahead  to  the  multi-annual  programme  envisaged,  and  whereas 
the  initial  results  of  this  pilot  action  are described  in  an  interim  progress  report; 

Whereas  an  independent  ex ante  evaluation  for  a multi-annual  programme  of  voluntary 
service  has  been  carried  out  in  accordance  with  the  principles  put  in  place  by  the 
Commission  for  the  second  phase  of  its  SEM  2000  ('sound  and  efficient  management') 
programme  ; 

Whereas  this  interim  report  already  provides  a  basis  for  the  programme's  legal  and 
financial  structure, and  a framework  for  its administrative management;  and whereas  the 
Commission  will  scrutinise  the  results  of  the  pilot  action  at  the  half-way  stage  (second 
progress report)  before  taking  full  stock of the final results upon completion  of the  pilot 
action  for  the purpose  of  the discussions to be held  as part  of  the  co-decision  procedure 
on the  proposal  for  a  decision  and  will,  if  need  be,  submit  amendments  to  its  proposal, 
particularly  in  relation  to  activities  in non-EU  countries; 

Whereas  a  number  of  legal  obstacles  stand  in the  way  of  the  development  of  voluntary 
service; 

Whereas  this  Decision  therefore  establishes a Comm  nity  framework  which  is  intended 
to  overcome  these  obstacles  and  to  promote  the development  of transnational  voluntary 
service  activities; 

B 4 - 1 1 2 7 / 95 

(PE  1 9 3 . 7 3 4) 

S E C ( 9 5 ) 1 8 1 4 /5 

Whereas  participation  in  voluntary  service  activities  by  young  people  is  an  educational 
experience  that  may  promote  their  integration  into  active  life; 

Whereas  it  is  necessary  to  reinforce  the  links  between  the  actions  undertaken  by  this 
programme  and those pursued within  the framework  of social policy,  particularly  action 
on  training  and  access  to  employment  for  young  people  supported  under  the  European 
Social  Fund  (both  mainstream  and  the  'Employment-Youthstart'  Community  Initiative), 
the  fight  against  racism  and  xenophobia,  and  cooperation  with  third  countries; 

Whereas,  in  order  to  facilitate  this  transition  into  active  life,  complementary  links  need 
to  be  established  between  European  voluntary  service and  local  employment  initiatives; 

Whereas  voluntary  service may  help to meet new  social  needs  and  may  also reveal  new 
kinds  of  professions  and  activities; 

Whereas  participation  in  the  voluntary  service  actions  covered  by  this  Decision  takes 
place  on  a  purely  voluntary  basis,  since  these  activities  are  non-profit-making  and  the 
volunteer/host  project 
the 
employee/employer  relationship; 

in  no  case  be  assimilated  with 

relationship  can 

Whereas  young  volunteers  taking  part  in  this  programme  will  have  adequate  means  of 
subsistence  and  will  not,  therefore,  represent  a burden  to  the  host  country; 

Whereas European voluntary  service activities are not a substitute for military service, for 
the  alternative  service  formulae  provided  in particular  for  conscientious  objectors  or  for 
the  compulsory  civilian  service  that  exist  in  Member  States  and  are  not  a  substitute  for 
potential  or  existing  paid  employment; 

Whereas all young people resident in a Member State may apply to take part in European 
voluntary  service,  without  discrimination; 

Whereas  the  participation  of  young  nationals  of  third  countries  legally  resident  in  a 
Member  State  also  needs  to  be  promoted; 

Whereas  implementation  of  this  programme  must  be  based  on  decentralised  structures 
designated  by  Member  States  in  close  cooperation  with  the  national  authorities 
responsible for youth  questions, with a view to ensuring that Community  action  supports 
and  complements  national  activities  whilst  respecting  the  principle  of  subsidiarity,  as 
defined  in  Article  3b  of  the  Treaty; 

Whereas in its Communication of  13 June  1995 on "A European strategy for  encouraging 
local  development  and  employment  initiatives"9,  the  Commission  notes  that  local 
development  and  employment  initiatives  are  spreading  throughout  the  European  Union 
as  they  are  found  to  provide  a  genuine  response  to  current  aspirations; 

C O M ( 9 5 ) 2 7 3. 

-  4  -

?  A 

Whereas  European  voluntary  service  activities  directly  involve  local  and  regional 
authorities,  bearing  in mind the role they will play  in direct  support  for  projects  as well 
as in the  development  of  local information  and  in following  up young  people  at the end 
of their  service; 

Whereas  the  social  partners  should  play  an  important  role  in  the  development  of  a 
European voluntary  service not only to avoid any activity that is a substitute for  potential 
or  existing  employment  but  also  to  build  on  the  experience  acquired  in  order  to  help 
young  people  to  become  integrated  into  active  life; 

Whereas the Agreement  on the European Economic Area10 sets out enlarged'cooperation 
in  the  field  of  education,  training  and  youth  between  the  European  Community  and  its 
Member  States,  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  countries  of  the  European  Free  Trade 
Association  and  the  European  Economic  Area,  on  the  other  hand,  and  that  Article  4  of 
Protocol  31  states  that  the  countries  of  the  European  Free  Trade  Association  and  the 
European  Economic  Area  shall  take  part,  from  1  January  1995,  in  all  Community 
programmes in the field of education, training and youth that are already  in force  or have 
been  adopted; 

Whereas  the  programme  "European  voluntary  service  for  young  people"  is  open  to  the 
participation  of  the  associated  countries  of  Central  and  Eastern  Europe,  in  accordance 
with the conditions  set out  in the Additional  Protocols to the Association Agreements  on 
participation  in  Community  programmes  to  be  concluded  with  those  countries;  whereas 
this  programme  is  open  to  the  participation  of  Cyprus  and  Malta  on  the  basis  of 
additional  appropriations  under  the  same  rules  as  apply  to  the  EFTA  countries,  in 
accordance  with  procedures  to be  agreed  with  those  countries; 

Whereas  the  Association  and  Cooperation  agreements  provide  for  exchanges  of  young 
people; 

Whereas  this  Decision  establishes  for  the  full  duration  of  the  programme  a  financial 
framework  which  constitutes the preferential  point  of  reference  for  the budget  authority 
during  the  annual  budgetary  procedure  within  the  meaning  of  Point  1  of  the  Joint 
Declaration  of  6  March  1995  by  the  European  Parliament,  the  Council  and  the 
Commission; 

Whereas  the  Community's  financial  perspective  is  valid  up  until  1999  and  will  have  to 
be  revised  for  the  period  beyond  that  date; 

Whereas an agreement on a modus vivendi between the European Parliament, the Council 
and the Commission concerning the implementing measures of the acts adopted  pursuant 
to  the  procedure  referred  to  in  Article  189b of  the  Treaty  took  place  on  20  December 
1994; 

HAVE  DECIDED  AS  FOLLOWS: 

OJ  Ll  of  3 . 1 . 1 9 9 4,  p  3. 

-  5 

1 

Article  1 

Establishment  of  the  programme  "European  voluntary  service  for  young  people" 

1. 

2. 

This  Decision  establishes the Community  action  rogramme  "European  voluntary 
service  for  young  people", as described  in the Annex  and  hereinafter  referred  to 
as the  "programme", concerning  European  voluntary  service activities  for  young 
people within  the  Community  and  in third  countries. 

The  programme  is adopted  for  the period  from  1 January  1998 to  31  December 
2002. 

This  programme  comes  within  the  context  of  the  general  objectives  of  a 
cooperation  policy  in  the  youth  field  as  set  out  in  the  programme  Youth  for 
is  intended,  while  respecting  equal 
Europe  (Article  1,  paragraph  2).  It 
opportunities for men and women, to encourage mobility among young Europeans 
as  part  of  an  active  citizenship,  to  give  them  the  chance  of  an  educational 
experience  in a variety  of sectors of activity,  to promote their  active  contribution 
to  the  construction  of  Europe  and  cooperation  between  the  European  Union  and 
third  countries, through  their  participation  in transnational  activities  of  benefit  to 
the  community. 

Article  2 

Framework,  objectives  and  resources 

1. 

This  programme,  based  on  increased  cooperation  between  the  Member  States, 
offers young Europeans a recognised educational experience, at transnational level, 
involving  both  the  acquisition  of  skills  and  abilities  and  the  demonstration  of 
responsible citizenship  in order to help them to become integrated  into active  life. 

2. 

In  accordance  with  the  general  objective  set  out  in  Article  1,  the  specific 
objectives  of  this  programme  shall  be  as  follows: 

a) 

b) 

c) 

to  step  up  participation  by  young  people  resident  in  a  Member  State  in 
the 
long-term  or  short-term 
community,  within  the  Union  and  in third  countries; 

transnational  activities  of  benefit 

to 

to  promote  an  educational  experience  accredited  at  the  European  level; 

to  encourage  a  spirit  of  initiative  and  enterprise  among  young  people  in 
order  to promote their  integration  into active  life  and their  contribution  to 
the  development  of  the  objectives  of  the  programme; 

d) 

to  promote  access  to  the  programme  for  all  young  people; 

3. 

For  this purpose, and  in accordance  with the  general  objective  set out  in  Article 
1,  and  the  specific  objectives  described  in  the  previous  paragraph,  the  main 
elements  of  this programme  shall  be as  follows: 

a) 

b) 

c) 

d) 

e) 

to support long-term or short-term transnational activities of benefit  to the 
community,  within  the  Union  and  with third  countries; 

to  support  networks  of  innovative  initiatives,  particularly  in  the  social, 
environmental  and  cultural  fields  and  with  regard  to  the  fight  against 
different  forms  of  exclusion; 

to  support  projects  that  help  to  build  on  the  experience  acquired  and  are 
intended  to  further  the  follow-up  of  these young  people; 

linguistic  and 
to  develop  and  support  the  preparation,  particularly 
intercultural,  and the  supervision of  young  volunteers,  in particular  long-
term volunteers, "mentors" and European* project  leaders so that the young 
volunteers  can  benefit  from  high-quality  actions  connected  with  the 
objectives  of  the  programme; 

to  support  the  quality  of  all  the  programme's  activities,  the  development 
of their  European dimension and to contribute to cooperation  in the youth 
field  by  supporting  Member  States'  endeavours  to  improve  services  and 
measures  linked  to  European  voluntary  service,  particularly  through 
measures  to  provide  young  people  with  information  on  the  objectives  of 
the  programme  and  through  studies  and  continuing  evaluation  through 
which the operation and guidelines of the programme  can  be brought into 
line  with  the  needs  of  target  groups. 

Article  3 

Financial  provisions 

1. 

The  financial  framework  for  the  implementation  of  the  programme  during  the 
period  1998-1999  shall  be  ECU  60  million,  in  keeping  with  current  financial 
perspectives. Proposals shall be put forward  in accordance with the procedure  set 
out in Article  10 in order to determine the financial  framework  for  the final three 
years  of  the  programme  (2000-2002). 

2. 

The  budget  authority  shall  determine  the  appropriations  available  for  each 
financial  year  within  the  limits  of  the  financial  perspective. 

Article  4 

Positive  action  to  facilitate  access  to  the  programme 

1. 

Special  attention  shall  be  paid  to ensuring that  all young  people  can  have  access, 
without  discrimination,  to  the  programme's  activities. 

<L1 

2. 

The Commission and the Member States shall ensure that special efforts are made 
for  young  people  who  experience  the  most  difficulties  in  being  included  in 
existing  action  programmes  at both Community  and national,  regional  and local 
levels,  due to cultural, social, physical, economic or geographical  reasons. These 
efforts  shall  be proportional  to the problems encountered by this target group. 

Article  5 

Participation  by  associated  countries 

This  programme  shall  be  open  to the participation  of the  associated  countries  of  central 
and  eastern  Europe  (CCEE)  in  accordance  with  the  conditions  set  out  in  the  Europe 
agreements  and  the Additional  Protocols to the Association Agreements  on  participation 
in  Community  programmes  that  have  been  or  are to  be concluded  with  those  countries. 
This  programme  shall  be  open  to  the  participation  of  Cyprus and  Malta  on  the  basis  of 
additional  appropriations  under  the  same  rules  as  apply  to  the  EFTA  countries,  in 
accordance  with  the  procedures  to  be  agreed  with  those countries. 

1. 

2. 

1. 

2. 

Article  6 

Links  with  other  Community  actions  and  cooperation 
with  the  relevant  international  organisations 

The  Commission  and  the  Member  States  shall  ensure  that  the  programme  is 
compatible with and complementary  to other actions undertaken for young  people 
by  the  Member  States  and  the  Community. 

They  shall  promote  cooperation 
to  allow 
complementarity  of  the programme  with the relevant  international  organisations, 
in particular  the  Council  of  Europe. 

this  programme 

relating 

to 

Article  7 

Cooperation  with  Member  States 

The  Commission  and  the  Member  States  shall  take  the  necessary  measures  to 
develop  the  structures  set  up  at  European,  national,  regional  and  local  level  for 
achieving  the  objectives  of  the  programme,  for  facilitating  the  access  of  young 
people  and  other  partners  at  local  level  to  the  programme,  for  evaluating  and 
monitoring the actions set out in the programme and for applying consultation and 
selection  mechanisms. 

Each  Member  State  shall  endeavour  to  adopt  the  measures  necessary  to  ensure 
that the young people participating  in the programme  do not encounter  obstacles, 
especially  as  regards  the  right  of  residence  in  the  host  Member  State  for  the 
period  of  the  voluntary  service  and  the  maintenance  of  their  entitlements,  in 
particular  those  linked  to  their  social  protection. 

> 

Article  8 

Validation 

Young  volunteers  shall  receive  a  European  certificate,  drawn  up  by  the  Commission  in 
cooperation with the Member States, attesting to their participation in European voluntary 
service  and  the  experience  and  skills that  they  have  acquired  during  this  period. 

Article  9 

Committee 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

The  Commission  shall  implement  this  programme  in  accordance  with  this 
Decision. 

In the performance  of this task, the Commission shall be assisted by a committee 
composed of two representatives appointed  by each Member  State and chaired  by 
the  representative  of  the  Commission. 

The  representative  of  the  Commission  shall  submit  to  the  committee,  in 
accordance  with  the  procedure  set out  in paragraph  4, a draft  of  the  measures  to 
be  taken  in  respect  of: 

the  committee's  internal  rules  of  procedure; 

the  annual  plan  of  work  for  the  implementation  of  the  actions  of  the 
programme; 

the  general  balance  between  all  the  sections  of  the  programme; 

the  criteria  for  determining  indicative  allocation  of  funds  among  the 
Member  States; 

the  procedures  for  monitoring  and  evaluating  the  programme. 

The Committee shall deliver its opinion on the draft  measures referred  to in point 
3 within  a time limit which the chairman may  lay down according  to the  urgency 
of the matter.  The opinion shall be delivered  by the majority  laid  down in Article 
148  (2)  of  the  Treaty  in  the  case  of  decisions  which  the  Council  is  required  to 
adopt on a proposal  from  the Commission. The votes of the representatives of the 
Member  States  shall  be  weighted  in  the  manner  set  out  in  that  Article.  The 
chairman  shall  not vote. 

The  Commission  shall  adopt  measures which  shall apply  immediately.  However, 
if  these  measures  are  not  in  accordance  with  the  opinion  of  the  committee,  they 
shall be communicated  by the Commission to the Council forthwith.  In that event: 

a) 

the  Commission  may  defer  application  of  the  measures  which  it  has 
decided  for  a period  of two months  from  the date of  that  communication; 

5. 

6. 

1. 

2. 

3. 

b) 

the  Council, acting  by  a qualified  majority,  may  take  a different  decision 
within  the time  limit  referred  to  in point  a). 

The  Commission may  consult the committee  on any  other  matters relating to  the 
implementation  of  this  programme. 

The representative of the Commission shall submit to the committee a draft  of the 
measures to be taken.  The committee shall deliver  its opinion  on the  draft  within 
a  time  limit  which the  Chairman  may  lay  down  according  to  the  urgency  of  the 
matter,  if  necessary  by taking  a vote. 

The  opinion  shall  be  recorded  in  the  minutes;  in  addition,  each  Member  State 
shall  have  the  right  to  ask to  have  its position  recorded  in  the  minutes. 

The  Commission  shall  take  the  utmost  account  of  the  opinion  delivered  by  the 
committee. It  shall inform  the committee  of the  manner  in which  its opinion  has 
been taken  into  account. 

Article  10 

Monitoring  and  evaluation 

On  implementation  of  this  Decision,  the  Commission  shall  take  the  necessary 
measures to  ensure the  monitoring  and  continuous  evaluation  of  the  programme, 
taking  account  of  the  general  objective  referred  to  in  Article  1,  the  specific 
objectives  defined  in  the  Annex,  the  provisions  laid  down  in  Article  4  and  any 
input  provided  by  the  committee  set up  under  Article  9. 

During  the  course  of  the  second  year  of  this  programme,  the  Commission  shall 
* present to the European Parliament and to the Council an evaluation report which 
will  serve  to  define  any  new  implementing  guidelines  and  methods,and  a  new 
budget  framework  for  the  final  three years  of  the  programme. 

In  the  light  of  the  evaluation  report  referred  to  in  paragraph  2 and  the  proposals 
made by the Commission, the European Parliament and the Council shall envisage 
the  possibility  of  adjusting  the  programme,  extending  some  actions  or  making 
provision  for  new  actions. 

Article  11 

This Decision  shall enter  into  force  on the date of  its publication  in the  Official  Journal. 

Done  at 

, 

For  the  European  Parliament 
The  President 

For  the  Council 
The  President 

-  10 -

Jh 

ANNEX 

In  order  to  promote  mobility  among  young  people  within  the  framework  of  active 
citizenship,  their  practical  participation  in the creation  of  European  solidarity  and their 
integration  into  active  life,  the  Community  shall  support  European  voluntary  service 
activities  within  the  Union  and in third  countries,  projects  to  follow  up these  activities 
and  European  cooperation  measures  to  develop  their  quality  and  their  European 
dimension. 

The  basic principles  on  which  the  Community  action  is  based  are  as  follows: 

local  partnerships  between  the  various  public/private  partners  involved  in  the 
integration  of  young  people  into  active  life; 

transnational partnerships between host projects  - validated  by the Member  States 
and  the  Commission  -  and  sending  projects;  % 

guarantees  from  the  point  of  view  of  the  preparation  and  supervision  of  young 
volunteers  and  their  physical  conditions,  insurance  and  social  protection; 

the inclusion,  within  host projects,  of  "mentors" having  an important  role to  play 
in the supervision of young  volunteers and  in the validation  of the skills acquired 
and  the  preparation  of  measures  following  up the  experience; 

validation  of  the  educational  experience; 

follow-up  for  young  volunteers  and  the enhancement  of  the  skills that they  have 
acquired. 

In  order  to  meet  these  basic  objectives,  the  Community  is  organising  the  current 
programme  which  is  made  up  of  five  main  sections. These  five  sections  are  interlinked 
and  are  flexible  enough  to  meet  the  needs  of  the  young  people  concerned  in  the  most 
appropriate  way. 

SECTION  1 -  INTRA-COMMUNITY 

1. 

The Community  shall support long-term (in principle for  six months to one years) 
and  short-term  (in  principle  from  three  weeks  to  three  months)  transnational 
projects  allowing young  people - aged between  18 and 25 - resident  in a Member 
State  to  play  an  active  part  in  activities  which  help  to  meet  the  needs  of  society 
in  a  wide  range  of  fields  (social,  environmental,  cultural,  etc.)  and  which  are 
likely  to  have  a  direct  impact  on  the  well-being  of  the  populations  of  the  host 
communities. The aim of these projects  shall be to provide young people from  the 
Union  with  an  educational  experience  and  to  bring  them  into  contact  with  other 
cultures  and  experience  new  ideas  and  projects  in  an  intercultural  context. 

2. 

The  assistance  awarded  under  this  section  should  not  exceed  50%  of  the  total 
expenditure  incurred,  subject  to  point  3. 

-  11 -

3} 

3. 

In accordance with Article 4, paragraph 2, ot the Decision, efforts  shall be made 
to help young  people facing  cultural,  social, economic,  physical  or  geographical 
difficulties.  These efforts must be proportional to the difficulties  that participation 
in  existing  action  programmes  raises  for  this  target  group.  In  this  context, 
financial  assistance greater than the  50% set out  in point  3 may  be  awarded,  or 
support, where appropriate, for other activities likely to facilitate participation by 
this target group, including preparation and follow-up  actions. 

4. 

Assistance shall be  awarded  to: 

LONG-TERM  ACTIVITIES 

5. 

6. 

Long-term  activities  shall  place  the  emphasis  on  the  acquisition  of  appropriate 
experience  from  European  voluntary  service  projects  and  on  the  follow-up  of 
young  volunteers' activities. 

The  Commission  shall  certify,  at  European  level,  the  skills  acquired  from  this 
formative  experience  and  from  the  follow-up  of  young  volunteers  at  the  end  of 
these  activities. 

PREPARA TIONAND  SUPER VISION 

7. 

8. 

Actions intended (particularly as regards language, intercultural development, etc.) 
to  build  on  the  European  dimension  of  activities,  to  prepare  young  long-term 
volunteers  prior  to  departure  and  to  promote  their  integration  during  these 
activities  and  at the  end  of  European  voluntary  service. 

Actions  (particularly  training  in  setting  up  projects  etc..)  to  promote  the 
development  of  follow-up  projects  for  young  volunteers  at  the  end  of  their 
European  voluntary  service. 

SHORT-TERM  ACTIVITIES 

9. 

10. 

The  Community  shall  support short-term  transnational  projects  intended  to  make 
young  people  genuinely  aware  of the potential  of  actions  linked  to  the  principle 
of  active  citizenship, the  impact  that these activities  may  have on  their  lives  and 
to  familiarise  all  the partners  with  the  concept  of  active  citizenship. 

These  projects  will  initially  involve  groups  of  young  people.  Support  for 
individual  participation  in  a  host  project  may  be  envisaged  depending  on  the 
length  of  the  project,  its nature  or the profile  of  the  young  volunteer. 

SECTION  2 -  THIRD  COUNTRIES 

1. 

The Community shall support long-term (in principle 6-12 months) and  short-term 
(in  principle  from  three  weeks  to  three  months)  transnational  projects  allowing 
young  people  - aged  between' 18 and  25 - resident  in  a Member  State  to  play  an 
active  part  in  third  countries  in  activities  which  meet  the  needs  of  society  in  a 
wide  range of fields  (social, environmental, cultural,  etc.) and  which  are  likely  to 

-  12 -

ni 

have a direct impact on the well-being of the populations of the host communities. 
The  aim  of  these projects  shall  be to  provide  young  people  with  an  educational 
experience and to bring them into contact with other cultures and experience  new 
ideas and  projects  in  an  intercultural  context. 

2. 

The  appropriations  awarded  under  this  Section  shall  in  principle  cover  the  costs-
of the  activities  of young  people  residing  in the  Member  States. 

3. 

Assistance  shall  be awarded  for: 

LONG-TERM  ACTIVITIES 

4. 

5. 

Long-term  activities  shall  place  the  emphasis  on  the  acquisition  of  appropriate 
experience  from  European  voluntary  service  projects  and  from  the  follow-up  of 
young  volunteers'  activities. 

The  Commission  shall  certify,  at  European  level,  the  skills  acquired  from  this 
formative  experience  and  from  the  follow-up  of  young  volunteers  at  the  end  of 
these  activities. 

PREPARATION  AND  SUPERVISION 

6. 

7. 

8. 

Actions  making  it  possible  to  lay  or  consolidate  the  foundations  needed  for  the 
development  of  transnational  European  voluntary  service  projects  with  third 
countries,  in  particular  long-term  activities. 

Actions intended (particularly as regards language, intercultural development, etc.) 
to  build  on  the  European  dimension  of  activities,  to  prepare  young  long-term 
volunteers  prior  to  departure  and  to  promote  their  integration  during  these 
activities  and  at the  end  of  European  voluntary  service. 

Actions  (particularly  training  in  setting  up  projects  e t c .)  to  promote  the 
development  of  follow-up  projects  for  young  volunteers  at  the  end  of  their 
European  voluntary  service. 

SHORT-TERM  ACTIVITIES 

9. 

10. 

The  Community  shall  support short-term  transnational projects  intended  to  make 
young  people  genuinely  aware  of  the  impact  that  these  activities  may  have  on 
their lives and to familiarise  all the partners with the concept of active citizenship. 

These  projects  will  initially  involve  groups  of  young  people.  Support  for 
individual  participation  in  a  host  project  may  be  envisaged  depending  on  the 
length  of  the  project,  its  nature  or  the  profile  of  the  young  volunteer. 

SECTION  3  -  INNOVATIVE  NETWORKS 

1. 

2. 

3. 

Assistance  shall  be  awarded  for  actions  coordinated  by  innovative  networks, 
particularly in the social, environmental and cultural fields and with regard to the 
fight against different  forms  of exclusion. 

This  assistance  shall  cover  innovative  networks  of  initiatives  both  within  the 
Union and with third countries. 

Support for these innovative networks shall be intended to help, on the one hand, 
these networks to develop practical European voluntary  service activities and, on 
the  other  hand, to  help these  networks to  take  on a European voluntary  service 
dimension. 

SECTION  4  -  DEVELOPING  A  SENSE  OF  INITIATIVE AND  ENTERPRISE 

1. 

2. 

Assistance may  be awarded  for  projects  intended  to build,  in  a concrete  way,  on 
the experience  that young people have acquired  from  European  voluntary  service 
and  thus  to  promote  their  integration  into  active  life. 

This assistance will allow young volunteers to develop their sense of initiative and 
enterprise  by  helping  them  to: 

launch  complementary  training  projects; 

develop voluntary service initiatives that follow on from  the activities that 
they  have  undertaken; 

launch  economic  activities,  including  business  creation. 

3. 

Special  attention  should  be  paid  to  the  commitment  of  (public  and/or  private) 
partners  to  these  projects  in  order  to  support,  help  and  sponsor  young  people's 
strategies  of  integration  into  active  life. 

SECTION  5  -  COMPLEMENTARY  MEASURES 

5.1 

Preparation  and  supervision 

1. 

2. 

In addition  to  actual  voluntary  service activities, assistance will  also be  awarded 
for  actions  intended  to  underpin  the  work  of  "mentors"  and  European  project 
leaders. These actions shall concern activities supported at intra-Community  level 
as  well  as  in  third  countries. They  are  intended,  on the  one  hand,  to  ensure  that 
the content  of the formative  experience  is of high quality  and, on the other  hand, 
to  help  to  develop  certification  methods. 

The  term  "mentors"  means  people  supporting  and  supervising  young  volunteers 
during European voluntary service activities within hosting projects and those who 
act  as  contact  points  for  young  volunteers  and  projects  within  relay  structures  at 
national,  regional  or  local  level. 

-  14  -

Special  attention shall be paid to projects having little or no experience  of transnational 
activities. 

Mentors 

3. 

Activities intended to prepare and support mentors from the point of view of their 
tasks  of  supporting  and  supervising  young  volunteers  during  transnational 
voluntary  service activities. 

European project  leaders 

4. 

Activities  intended to develop the ability of European project leaders  effectively 
to  carry  out  their  administrative  tasks  in  a  European  context  (financial  and 
administrative  management  and  follow-up  of  European  projects,  legal  aspects, 
etc.). 

5.2 

Partnerships 

1. 

2. 

3. 

to  promote  partnerships  at 
The  Community 
local/national/regional  level - between public and private partners - geared towards 
European  voluntary  service  and  leading  potentially  to  transnational  partnerships. 

support  activities 

shall 

Assistance shall be awarded  for activities to facilitate  and promote the creation of 
transnational  partnerships between local/regional/national  partnerships wishing to 
work  together  within  the  framework  of this  programme  either  within  the  Union 
or  with  third  countries. 

'

•• 

. •• 

* 

Special  attention  shall  be paid to local projects/initiatives  which  have  little  or  no 
experience  of  or  opportunity  for  contacts  at  European  level. 

5.3 

Research,  information  and  evaluation 

1. 

2. 

Support  for  activities  to  launch  awareness,  information  and  advisory  systems  at 
local,  regional,  national  and  transnational  level  to  promote  and  support  the 
objectives  of  the  programme. 

In  the  particular  area  of  studies  and  evaluation  connected  with  the  objectives  of 
the  programme,  the  Community  will  concentrate  its  efforts  on  the  analysis  and 
dissemination of data and the promotion  of Community  cooperation  in this  field. 
The  Commission  will,  in  cooperation  with  the  Member  States,  monitor  and 
evaluate  this programme  in an ongoing way in order, when  necessary, to bring  it 
into  line  with  needs  arising  during  implementation. 

-  15  -

PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL RESOLUTION 

The  Council  considers  that  the  following  steps  should  be  taken  for  the  effective 
implementation  of the programme  "European voluntary  service for young people". 

A. 

Right  of  residence 

As the programme of European voluntary service for young people provides participants 
with adequate means of  subsistence and adequate social coverage  and since they do not 
therefore represent a burden for the host country, the Member States shall take the steps 
necessary  for  participants: 

• 

in  the  case  of  nationals  of  Member  States: 

automatically  to  be  awarded a residence permit 

• 

in the case of nationals  of third countries legally resident  in a Member State: 

to be awarded a residence permit without difficulties  and, where necessary, a visa 
for  the  duration  of  the  voluntary  service;  and  to  retain,  on  their  return  from 
European  voluntary  service, the right of  residence in the Member  State in  which 
they  are  normally  resident 

• 

in  the  case  of  nationals  of  third  countries  resident  in  third  countries: 

to  benefit  from  simplified  formalities  for  the  award  of  a  residence  permit  and, 
where  necessary,  a visa  for  the  duration  of  the  European  voluntary  service 

B. 

Social  protection 

1. 

General  remarks 

Member  States  shall  ensure  that  volunteers  under  this  programme  are 
given  proper  social  cover  for  the duration  of their  service. 

Member  States  shall  take  all  the  steps  necessary  for  young  volunteers  -
both  nationals  of  EU  countries  and  nationals  of  third  countries  legally 
resident  in a EU country  - taking part in the programme  to  retain,  for  the 
duration  of  their  voluntary  service,  their  social  security  entitlements, 
including  their  entitlements  to  any  non-contributory  benefits. 

2. 

Specific  provisions 

Since  European  voluntary  service  for  young  people  is an  educational  experience 
in the context  of an informal  education programme, the Member  States shall  take 
all  the  steps  necessary: 

it 

a) 

as regards entitlement to unemployment  benefits 

for jobseekers - nationals of Member States or of third countries legally resident 
in a Member State - not to lose, at the end of European voluntary  service, their 
acquired  entitlements  to  unemployment  benefits  and,  during  the  period  of 
voluntary  service, to be exempt from  the obligation to be available for  work. 

b) 

as regards family  allowances 

for  the  parents  of  young  volunteers  -  nationals  of  Member  States  or  of  third 
countries  legally  resident  in  a  Member  State  -  to  continue  to  receive  family 
allowances. 

C. 

Tax  and social security  contributions 

The  Member  States  shall  endeavour  to  take  all  the  steps  necessary  to  ensure  that 
European voluntary service activities for young people are not assimilated with paid work 
or  employment  and therefore  that  such activities are not subject  to mandatory  taxation 
and  social security schemes. 

?  -

European voluntary service 
for young people 

Multiannual  programme  for European voluntary  service 

Financial  Statement 

/  _ 

1 

T I T LE  OF  OPERATION 

European  voluntary  service 

2 

BUDGET  HEADING  INVOLVED 

B3-1011 

3 

LEGAL  BASIS 

Article  126 of  the  Treaty  on  European  Union. 

European  Parliament  and  Council  Decision No  97/ 

of 

4 

DESCRIPTION  OF  OPERATION 

4.1 

General  objective 

The aim of the programme proposed  is to promote voluntary  service activities  for  young 
people  aged  18-25  both within the  European  Union  and  in non-EU  countries  (associated 
countries,  Mediterranean  countries, developing  countries, etc.). The  European  voluntary 
service programme  will  provide  young  people  with  a educational  experience  which  will 
be  accredited  by  a  European  certificate,  will  be  recognised  by  the  players  of  the  social 
and  business  sectors, and  will  consist  of  short-term  (3  weeks  -  3 months)  or  long-term 
( 6 - 12  months)  voluntary.service activities  benefitting  the  hosting  communities.  These 
activities could,  for example, involve assistance to people; social services; environmental 
protection;  the preservation  and  enhancement  of  heritage; tackling  drug  abuse; the  fight 
against  racism  or  xenophobia;  activities  in the  arts, sports or  culture,  etc. 

The  idea  is  to  use  routes  other  than  the  traditional  educational  or  vocational  training 
pathways  to  give  young  people  an  original  way  of  integrating  into  society  while  at  the 
same time  offering  them  the opportunity  to make  a real  contribution  to  building  Europe 
-  and  with  it  a  sense  of  European  identity  and  citizenship  -  and  also  to  demonstrating 
solidarity  between  EU  and  non-EU  countries. 

The  programme  comprises  five  sections,  the  first  four  of  which  will  directly  involve 
young  people  through: 

- 

long-  or  short-term  voluntary  service  activities  performed  within  the  European 
Union  and  involving  young  people  resident  in the  EU  (Section  1); 

v 

long- or short-term activities involving young people from  Member States in non-
EU  countries  (Section  2);  short-term  activities  involving  young  people  from 
different  Member  States  in  a project  in a  non-EU  country; 

voluntary  service activities  in  innovative  networks  (Section  3); 

projects  following  up  voluntary  service  activities  with  support  for  the  spirit  of 
initiative  and  enterprise in order  to build on the experience acquired  (Section 4). 

- 

- 

Section  5  will  consist  of  a  range  of  complementary  measures  designed  to  ensure  the 
smooth running of the programme and to enhance its quality and the European  dimension 
(preparation/supervision, coordination,  information,  studies, evaluation,  partnerships). 

4.2 

Period  covered  and  arrangements  for  renewal  or  extension 

Five-year  action  programme  (1998-2002). 

Renewal  and  revision  as a  function  of  the  programme  evaluation  findings. 

5 

CLASSIFICATION  OF  EXPENDITURE  OR  REVENUE 

5.1 

Non-compulsory  expenditure 

5.2 

Differentiated  appropriations 

5.3 

Type  of  revenue  involved 

None 

6 

TYPE OF EXPENDITURE OR REVENUE 

The general principle applied for  most of the projects is that of granting a subsidy for co-
financing  with  other  sources  from  the  public  or private  sector (institutional  partnerships 
involved:  NGOs, local  authorities, private  initiatives, the business sector) to a maximum 
of  50% of the cost.  Consideration may  be given to a higher  subsidy in the case of young 
people  finding  it difficult  to gain  access to existing  action  programmes  or  in the  case of 
an  innovatory  project. 

By  way  of  exception,  subsidies  of  over  50%  may  be  paid  for  information  or  study 
activities  carried  out  by  third  parties  and  for  activities  to  support  initiative  and 
entrepreneurial  spirit. 

kt 

7 

FINANCIAL  IMPACT 

7.1  Method  of  calculating  total  cost  of  operation  (definition  of  unit  costs) 

7.1.1  Method  of  calculation  and  type of activity 

The  total  cost  of  the  operation  is  calculated  partly  on  the  basis  of  an  estimate  of  unit 
costs  for. each  of  the  actions  envisaged  depending  on  their  specific  features,  and  partly 
on the basis of their frequency  or anticipated scope. The total cost required for  the action 
is thus  the  result  of  applying  these unit costs to the  activities  which  can be  perceived  in 
a  strictly  quantitative  way  (point  1  below)  or  of  extrapolating  data  from  the  pilot 
experiments  in  progress  and  data  derived  from  related  activities  implemented  as part  of 
Community  exchange and mobility  programmes, as regards activities defined  in terms of 
scope  (point  2  below). 

1. 

The  quantitative  approach  can  be used  for  the  following  activities: 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

long-  or  short-term  EU  voluntary  service  activities 
long-  or  short-term  voluntary  service  activities  in  non-EU  countries 
voluntary  service  activities  within  innovatory  networks 
support  for  the  spirit  of  initiative  and  enterprise 
training  up  of  education  players  and  project  managers  (mentors, 
coordinators,  advisers). 

2. 

The  global  approach  is more  appropriate  for  the  following  activities: 

- 
- 
- 

partnerships 
studies, information,  evaluation 
structures  for  the  coordination/implementation  of  the  programme  (at 
central  and  decentralised  levels). 

7.1.2  Associated  unit  costs 

Long- and short-term voluntary  service activities within and outside the European  Union 

The basic principle for these activities is that of Community co-financing  which may not, 
as  a  rule,  exceed  50% of  the  total  cost of  the  project. 
For activities falling  within the section for non-EU countries, only expenditure  connected 
with  young  volunteers  resident  in  one  of  the  EU  countries*will  be  covered  by  the 
appropriations  earmarked  for  the  European  voluntary  service  programme. 

Long-term 

The  Commission's  financial  aid  will  be  used  to  co-finance  the  following  eligible 
expenditure  for  a  period  of  voluntary  service: 

/  ? 

- 
- 
-" 
- 
- 
- 
- 

payment of  an allowance  to young  volunteers 
insurance cover against sickness, accidents,  invalidity,  third party  liability 
accommodation 
food 
preparatory  activities (particularly  language tuition and intercultural  preparation) 
travelling  costs 
administrative management and back-up (field supervision and support) throughout 
the  period  of  voluntary  service,  plus  miscellaneous  costs  (specific  programme 
costs). 

The  Commission's  financial  contribution  may  not  exceed  50% of  the  overall  budget  for 
the  programme.  The  estimated  average  costs, based  on  what  has  been  learned  from  the 
pilot  action,  are  as  follows: 

EU/LT 

Volunteer's  allowance 

Insurance 

Accommodation 

Food 

Preparation 

Travelling costs 

Supervision/Administration 
/other 

ECU 

2 200 

250 

2 500 

2 800 

1  400 

500 

750 

Non-EU  countries/LT 

Volunteer's  allowance 

Insurance 

Accommodation 

Food 

Preparation 

Travelling costs 

Supervision/Administration/ 
other 

TOTAL 

10 400 

TOTAL 

Community  contribution 

5 200 

Community  contribution 

ECU 

1 400 

800 

2 000 

2 200 

1 400 

1 000 

1 300 

10 100 

5 050 

The  bulk  of  non-Community  co-financing  can  reasonably  be  expected  to  cover 
accommodation  and  subsistence  (notional  accounting  of  contributions  in  kind).  The 
Community  contribution  could  thus  be  devoted  to  certain  elements  essential  for  the 
insurance,  volunteers'  allowances, 
travelling, 
implementation  of 
preparation,  supervision. 

the  project: 

Short-term 

Short-term  activities  will  in  principle  be  group-based  in  order  to  keep  costs  down 
while  still  giving  prominence  to  the  opportunities  for  cross-cultural  learning. 

Exchanges  under  the  Youth for  Europe  programme  show  that  the  daily  cost  for  a 
young  person,  excluding  insurance  and  travelling,  is  approximately  ECU  25.  Assuming 
an  average  duration  of  60  days,  subsistence  and  programme  costs  for  a  volunteer 
would  thus  be  1  500  Ecus,  giving  a  total  per  capita  cost  for  short-term  activities  as 
follows: 

EU/short-term 

Subsistence  and 
programme costs 

Travelling costs 

Insurance 

TOTAL* 

Community  contribution 

Innovatory  networks 

ECU 

1 500 

500 

100 

2 100 

1 050 

Non-EU  countries/short- 
term 

Subsistence  and  programme 
costs 

Travelling costs 

Insurance 

TOTAL 

. 

Community  contribution 

ECU 

1 500 

1 000 

200 

2 700 

1 350 

The  sums needed  for  this section  are based  on the experience  with  pilot  networks  set up 
as  part  of  the  European  voluntary  service  pilot  action.  The  cost  per  volunteer  is 
(innovatory  and 
substantially  higher  because  of 
experimental  dimension, integrated projects in terms of preparation,  supervision,  back-up 
and  evaluation).  The  first  networks  organised  under  the  pilot  action  suggest  that  the 
Community  contribution  per  volunteer  would  be  ECU  8  000  for  this  type  of  activity, 
calculated  on  the  basis  of  around  40  volunteers  per  network.  The  unit  cost  per  network 
would  thus  be  ECU  320  000. 

the  specific 

involved 

features 

Support  for  the  spirit  of  initiative  and  enterprise 

Average assistance for  supplementary/additional  training: ECU 4 000 (possible  reference 
=  average  amount  of  aid  spent  on  training  for job  seekers  in  France  in  1996:  FF  5.31 
billion  for  236  000  training  periods,  i.e.  FF 22  500  per  training  period  or  ECU  3 468). 

Average  aid  for  the  creation  of  a  new  activity/implementation  of  an  initiative: 
as this is more complex to implement than a training action, it is once again assumed that 
the  cost  would  be  higher.  The  unit  cost  is thus  put  at  ECU  6 000. 

Complementary  measures 

Supervision.  Experience  since the  start of the pilot  action  and  that  gained  through  other 
Community  actions  make  it  possible to: 

- 

- 

calculate  the  cost  of  arrangements  for  decentralised 
implementation 
(national  structures)  and  for  back-up/central  coordination  (operational 
support  structure)  of the programme  for  the different  types of  supervisory 
activities; 

estimate  the  average  unit  cost  of  training  up  mentors,  coordinators, 
advisors,  project  managers:  ECU  30  000  per  seminar  for  30  people. 

Lr 

Partnership: to calculate the amount to be allocated  under this heading  the parallel has 
been drawn with similar action to assist networking and cooperation between structures 
conducted  in the area of education, training and youth. 

Information-studies-evaluation:  the  amount  necessary  for  these  actions  has  been 
extrapolated  from  experience  with programmes  in the areas of education,  training  and 
youth  and in that of implementing the European voluntary  service pilot action. 

7.1.3  Explanatory information  on the calculations  (Sections  1 and 2) 

The calculation is therefore as follows (tl 

ie hypothesis used for the exact number and the distributionof volunteers is given in 9.1.3) 

EU  Long-term 

for  1998 
for  1999 

EU  short-term 

for  1998 
for  1999 

Non-EU  long-term 

for  1998 
for  1999 

Non-EU  short-term 

for  1998 
for  1999 

No of 
volunteers 

2 870 
3 575 

No of 
volunteers 

1 080 
2 205 

No of 
volunteers 

pm 
360 

No of 
volunteers 

pm 
220 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

Unit 
cost 

5 200 
5 200 

Unit 
cost 

1 050 
1 050 

Unit 
cost 

5 050 

Unit 
cost 

Total (ECU) 

Rounded  off 
(million  ECU) 

== 

14 924 000 
18 590 000 

14.9 
18.6 

= 

1  134 000 
2 315 250 

1.1 
2.3 

Total (ECU) 

Rounded  off 
(million  ECU) 

1 818 000 

1.8 

== 

= 

1 350 

297 000 

0.3 

7.2 

Itemised  breakdown  of cost 

BREAKDOWN 

1998 

1999 

2000 

2001 

2001 

TOTAL 

Section  1 INTRACOMMUNITY 

Al  Long-term activities 

A2 Short-term  activities 

Sub-total  Section 1 

Section  2 NON-EU  COUNTRIES 

B1 Long-term  activities 

B2  Short-term  activities 

Sub-total  Section  2 

14.9 

18.6 

1.1 

2.3 

16.0 

20.9 

pm 

pm 

pm 

1.8 

0.3 

2.1 

Section  3 INNOVATORY  NETWORKS 

C  Support for  innovatory  networks 

1.6 

2.2 

Section  4 The spirit of  initiative and 
enterprise 

D Aid to  initiatives  and  training 

1.7 

2.4 

Section  5  COMPLEMENTARY 
MEASURES 

E. Preparation and  supervision  (training, 
coordination) 

3.6 

4.6 

F.  Partnerships 

G.  Information/Studies/Evaluation 

Sub-total  Section 5 

TOTAL 

0.7 

1.4 

5.7 

1.0 

1.8 

7.4 

25.0 

35.0 

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

- 

• 

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

.  -

0.0 

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

7.3 

Operational  expenditure  on studies, expertise,  etc., included  in  part  B of the 
budget 

1998 

1999 

2000 

2001 

2002 

Total 

In million  ECU 

Studies 

Experts'  meetings 

Conferences  and  congresses 

Information  and  publications 

TOTAL 

0.4 

0.3 

0.2 

0.5 

1.4 

0.6 

0.3 

0.2 

0.7 

1.8 

7.4 

Schedule  for  commitment/payment  appropriations 

Commitment  appropriations 

25.0 

35.0 

-

-

-

-

1998 

1999 

2000 

2001 

2002+ 

TOTAL 

Payment  appropriations 

1998 
1999 
2000 
2001 

2002  + 

17.5 
7.5 

24.5 
10.5 

TOTAL 

25.0 

35.0 

8 

FRAUD  PREVENTION MEASURES 

17.5 
32.0 
10.5 

60.0 

All contracts, agreements and legal commitments concluded between the Commission and 
the beneficiaries  of payments allow for first- and second-degree checks in situ (i.e. on the 
direct beneficiary  of the Community  subsidy or the second-degree beneficiary  in the case 
of  an activity  managed  in a  decentralised  manner)  by  the  Commission  and  the  Court  of 
Auditors.  Moreover,  the  recipients  of  aid  in  respect  of  actions  are  obliged  to  submit 

1  Ç 

financial  reports and accounts which are analysed both from  the point of view of contents 
and  from  the point of view of eligibility  of expenditure  in accordance with the  objective 
of  Community  financing  and  taking  due  account  of  the  contractual  obligations  and  the 
principles  of  sound  and  efficient  financial  management. 

The agreements between the Commission and the organisations designated to manage the 
decentralised  activities  will  include  a number  of clauses which these organisations  must 
incorporate in the agreements with the final beneficiaries  in order to guarantee the highest 
level  of  protection  possible  in respect  of the  interests both  of the  final  beneficiaries  and 
of  the  Community. 

9 

ELEMENTS  OF  COST-EFFECTIVENESS  ANALYSIS 

9.1 

Specific  objectives;  target  population 

Basic  position 

Voluntary  service  activities  already  exist  to  some  extent  in  certain  Member  States,  but 
their  scope  is  still  limited  as  ares their  contents, transnational  aspects, tangible  results  in 
terms  of  social  integration,  their  interaction  with  other  institutional  players  in  civil 
society.  Furthermore,  there  is no  consistency  in this  area  at  Community  level,  although 
the  introduction  of  a  European  dimension  into  this  type  of  activity  could  substantially 
enhance  interest  and  impact,  and  at  the  same  time  boost  the  understanding  and 
commitment  of young people in relation to the construction of a Europe which  tomorrow 
they  will  have  to  support  and  carry  forward. 

Alongside this lack  of a common purpose in the area of voluntary  service is the fact  that 
in  many  countries  action  taken  for  the  benefit  pf  priority  target  groups  -  particularly 
young  people  -  and  implemented  at  the  national  level  has  failed.  And  the  proliferation 
of  such  arrangements  is  reflected  in  an  increasing  marginal  cost  for  an  ever  declining 
marginal  effectiveness. 

The  arrangements  for  integration  through  employment  are  sometimes  hampered  by 
undesirable  effects;  these  include  the  'windfall'  effect  (i.e.  the  measure  is  used  by 
beneficiaries  but they would have acted in the same manner without it); substitution  effect 
(use of  financial  assistance or a grant to the detriment of people not receiving a grant: no 
net  creation  of  employment  or  activity);  'shift'  effect  (assistance  targeting  a  problem 
population  but  displacing  the problem  to another  population  group). These  three  effects 
in  combination  generate  a  dilution  effect.  In  other  words,  when  it  comes  to  jobs,  the 
number  of jobs  actually  created  is lower than the number of jobs subsidised. The  specific 
features  (emphasis on creation of activities and new services) and the individualised back 
up  in  European  voluntary  service  and  their  proximity  in  local  terms  means  that  these 
activities  should  be  less vulnerable to  such effects.  This makes them  more  attractive  and 
is a  guarantee  of  greater  effectiveness. 

10 

M 

Overall  impact 

The  European  voluntary  service  programme  takes  a  new  look  at  the  problem  of 
integrating young people into working life by seeking to address the issue from  a broader 
standpoint  than  that  of  employability  of young  people  in the  strict  sense, and  by  taking 
action  which  directly  benefits  the  young  people  rather  than  the  different  players  or 
intermediaries (mainly  in the economic context) traditionally given the role of  facilitators 
of their  integration. 

This  approach  will  permit  bridges  to  be  established  between  employment  policies  and 
social  and  public  policies,  particularly  those  targeting  young  people,  in  order  to  take 
better account of the changes in the world of work (alternation between paid  employment, 
social  activities,  leisure  time, etc.). 

Numerous  aspects  set  European  voluntary  service activities  apart  from  existing  national 
arrangements  (assisted  contracts, training  aid,  voluntary  activities): 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

the  European  dimension  (or  international  dimension  for  activities  with  non-EU 
countries);  added  value  in  terms  of  language  and  cross-cultural  learning; 

tangible  contribution  to  the  active  development  of  the  concept  of  European 
citizenship  and  to  defining  its content  among  and  by  young  people; 

local  anchoring  and  matching  of  volunteer  tasks  to  requirements  hitherto 
unsatisfied  within  a  local  community  (creation  of  activities);  flexibility  and 
adaptability  of  the  arrangement,  quality  of  individual  back-up  of  the  young 
volunteer; 

possibility  of  repatriation  to  the  sending  country  or  of  extension  within  the  host 
country  of experience  acquired, and possibility of starting up a new activity  upon 
completion of the period of service thanks to assistance for initiative and training; 

the arrangement  is not  focused  exclusively  and immediately  on the  employability 
or  the  qualifications  of  the  young  people,  but  on  all-round  stimulation  of  their 
social  aptitudes:  reawakening  their  energies,  and  a  positive  attitude  by  giving 
meaning  to the social content through solidarity, the building-up of  responsibility 
within  an environment  ("the  foreigner")  marking  a break with  habit.  The point  is 
to  offer  young  people  an  experience  capable  of  re-establishing  their  sense  of 
belonging  to  a  community,  and  re-awakening  their  conscience  as  citizens;  these 
are  effects  which  are  difficult  to  measure  in  economic  terms  but  which  are 
essential  in  terms  of  social  cohesion; 

preparation  of  young  people  for  a  working  life  which  will  be  renewed  and 
reshaped  in relation to the  traditional  order we know and which  implies the well-
trodden  path  of  education-work-cessation  of  work-retirement; 

- 

local impact: knock-on activities, strengthening of the social fabric, leaving behind 
the  stereotypes  born  of  lack  of  knowledge  about  other  people;  etc. 

Notion  of  critical  mass 

If the  European  voluntary  service programme  is to  have  the  desired  impact the  volume 
of  activity  -  primarily  meaning  the  number  of  young  volunteers  involved  -  must  reach 
an adequate  level  and achieve the critical  mass without which this  impact  will  fall  below 
expectation  and the number  of players  involved  will  be too  small  in relation  to the  scale 
of the problem addressed (number  of beneficiaries  and potential  institutional  partners out 
of proportion in relation to the actual volume of activity) and the European dimension and 
the  ethos  of  the  programme  will  be  lost  in  the  mass  of  other  arrangements  targeting 
young  people. 

The action's multiplier effect  cannot take off at European level unless a minimum  number 
of  partners  (young  people,  local  authorities,  associations,  the  business  sector,  etc.)  are 
involved.  If  we  can  get  the  right  number  to  act,  to  innovate  and  to  change  their  habits, 
to  form  new  partnerships, then  the  action  envisaged  is  likely  to  generate  significant  and 
durable  effects,  to bring about a radical change in behaviour and to create an impetus and 
a  degree  of  autonomy  specific  to  the  activities  of  European  voluntary  service. 

Given the programme's  ambitious  nature (in terms of preparation,  back-up, adaptation  to 
the  needs  of  young  people  and  in  terms  of  final  objectives),  there  has  to  be  substantial 
initial  investment taking account  inter alia of the critical mass of activities to be achieved 
if  the  infrastructures  to  be  set  up  are  to  be  cost-effective  and  if  interest  is to  be  elicited 
at  the  local  level  and  subsequently  generate  a  knock-on  effect.  The  external  ex-ante 
evaluation  conducted  as part  of the  preparation  of this proposal  confirms  the  substantial 
potential  that  exists  for  activities  in  the  area  of  voluntary  service;  this  is  also  borne  out 
by the  initial  results  of the pilot action  (over  700  host projects  -  many  of  which  involve 
several  volunteers  -  recorded  in  three  months  by  the  operational  support  structure 
coordinating  the  decentralised  section  of the  pilot  action). 

This  critical  mass cannot  be achieved  with the  budgetary  constraints  stemming  from  the 
current  financial  perspective  (1995-1999).  Be  that  as  it  may,  this  critical  mass  must  be 
built  up  to  gradually  as the  programme  picks  up  momentum.  The  target  figures  for  the 
first two years as regards the volume of young volunteers and are in the following  ranges: 

Year 

1998 

1999 

2000 

2001 

2002 

Number of young people 

4 000 - 4 400 

6 500 - 7 000 

-

-

-

Experience  and  good  practise  learned  from 
the  pilot  action  conducted  by  the 
Commission  in  1996  and  1997  should,  from  1998,  lend  a  greater  dimension  to  the 
programme.  Considering  the  starting  point  (experimental  stage),  it  is  reasonable  to  set 
as  a  target  for  1998,  the  first  year  of  the  programme,  a  number  of  young  volunteers 
which  is  almost  twice  that  of  the  pilot  action,  thereafter  pursuing  an  increment  of  50% 
for  the  following  year. 

12 

The  build-up  of  the  programme  to  a  critical  mass  in  terms  of  activities  generated  and 
young  people  involved  will  really  take  hold  during  the  third  year.  This, build-up  could 
be  swift  and  on  a  large  scale,  for  two  years  of  pilot  action  and  two  years  of  the  actual 
programme  will  have  made  it  possible  to  build  up  networks,  to  raise  awareness  among 
potential  partners,  to  run  in  infrastructures  and  to  prepare  projects  in  line  with  this 
planned  build-up. 

The evaluation  of the voluntary  service programme during the second year  will  probably 
point  to  the  need  to  emphasise  certain  activities:  studies  on  young  people,  providing 
information  for  young  people  and  the  different  players  involved,  training,  networking, 
types  of  activity,  etc.  This  therefore  implies  providing  for  possible  revision  and 
redirection  of certain  activities or certain objectives, along  with the establishment of new 
budget  amounts  for  the  remainder  of  the  programme  (as  from  the  year  2000). 

Additional  comment 

While  the  European  voluntary  service  programme  will  involve  numerous  activities,  its 
cornerstone will be the activities which  involve young people directly. In this connection, 
it  is interesting,  by  way  of  introduction,  to place  in a proper  perspective  the  total  cost of 
a  volunteer  for  the  Community  budget  in  relation  to  that  of  a young  non-active  person 
for  national  budgets.  The  total  average  cost  for  the  Community  budget  of  a  long-term 
volunteer  is put  at  ECU  5 200.  By  way  of  comparison,  here  are  some  figures  for: 

- 

public  expenditure  per  student  in  the  countries  of  the  European  Union 

Public  expenditure  per  student  (1992) 
(third  cycle) 

COUNTRY 

Average  expenditure 
(ECU) 

COUNTRY 

Average  expenditure 
(ECU) 

Germany 

Austria 

Belgium 

Denmark 

Greece 

Luxembourg 

Spain 

Finland 

5 046 

4 483 

5 277 

5  169 

-

-

2 904 

6 664 

France 

Ireland 

Italy 

Netherlands 

Portugal 

United  Kingdom 

Sweden 

Non-weighted  average 

4 638 

5 600 

4 507 

6 718 

-

7 989 

5 485 

4 707 

The  above  figures  do  not  include  public  financing  contributing  to  the  subsistence 
expenditure  of  students. 

13 

the minimum annual guaranteed income (irrespective of age, but applicable 
to young people  fulfilling  conditions of eligibility). 

Annual  minimum  guaranteed  income 
(1992) 

COUNTRY 

Guaranteed  income 
(ECU) 

COUNTRY 

Guaranteed  income 
(ECU) 

Germany 

Austria 

Belgium 

Denmark 

Greece 

Luxembourg 

Spain 

Finland 

3 096 

-

5 400 

4 464 

-

7 788 

-

-

France 

Ireland 

Italy 

Netherlands 

Portugal 

United  Kingdom 

Sweden 

Non-weighted  average 

3  792 

3 624 

3 000 

6 396 

-

2 988 

-

4 505 

9.1.1  Sections  I  and  2: long-term  and short-term  activities 

The ex-ante  evaluation  stresses that in the interests of consistency the programme  should 
be geared  to the individual needs of young people and therefore  have a flexible  structure. 
The  evaluation  accordingly  concludes  that  the  European  voluntary  service  programme 
should provide not only for  long-term  activities but also for  short-term activities in order 
to  enable  young  people  to  combine  different  options. 

The  existence  of  a  section  of  short-term  activities  will  make  it  easier  to  involve  in  the 
programme  young  people  for  whom  it is difficult  to gain  access to  existing  programmes 
(because  of  their  economic  or  social  circumstances, their  level  of  education  or  training, 
handicaps,  etc),  and  for  whom  a period  of  long-term  voluntary  service  would  therefore 
be inappropriate. The ex-ante evaluation  stresses that interest in an experience of life  and 
activity in a foreign  country often  goes hand in hand with academic achievement and high 
income  and  that  young  people  facing  problems  (ethnic  minorities,  low  income  groups) 
are  less  likely  to  undertake  a  long-term  voluntary  service  experience. 

Target  population:  the  programme  primarily  targets  young  Europeans  aged  18-25. 

While, the  action  potentially  targets  all  this  population,  the  core  of  the  target  is  more 
restricted:  young  people  seeking  an  alternative  experience  before  commencing  their 
careers, young people  sidelined  from  the traditional  education and training tracks, young 
job  seekers, young  people  who  have no qualifications,  young  people  with  problems  (for 
geographical,  social,  cultural,  physical,  economic  and  other  reasons).  Various  studies 
quoted  by  the ex-ante  evaluation  show that depending on the country  concerned  12-42% 

14 

r  1 

of young people  take part  in voluntary  service activity  (in the  broader  sense of  the  term 
and  irrespective  of  duration).  The  target  population  is  potentially  at  least  equal  to  this 
percentage  of  young  people  which  already  takes part  in voluntary  activities. 

Specific  objectives: to involve young people resident in EU countries and aged  18-25 in 
voluntary  service activities throughout  the countries of the  European  Union  and  in  non-
EU countries with which the EC has established association and cooperation  agreements. 

The  aim  of  these  voluntary  service  activities  is  to  offer  young  people  new  ways  of 
personal  development  and  integration  into  working  life  by  taking  part  in  activities  of 
direct benefit to a host community and introducing every young person -  unshackled  from 
the  constraints/inflexibility/formalism  specific  to  the  traditional  education  and  training 
pathways  -  as a  fully-fledged  player  within  this  host  community. 

The non-EU country  section will make it possible to promote activities involving non-EU 
countries  as  an  area  of  action  for  young  people,  in  order  to  foster  among  these  young 
people  the  values  of  solidarity,  tolerance  and  interest  in  other  people. 

Sample  distribution  of  young  volunteers  in  Sections  1, 2  and  3  of  the  programme, 
used  for  the  purposes  of  calculations: 

1998 

1999 

2000 

2001 

2002 

5 years 

Year 

Short-term 

1 080 

2 425 

EU 

Non-EU  countries 

1080 
pm 

2 205 
220 

Long-term 

2 870 

3 935 

EU 

Non-EU countries 

2 870 
pm 

3 575 
360 

Total  Sections  1 and 2 

3 950 

6 360 

Innovatory  networks 

200 

280 

Total  number  of young 
people 

4 150 

6 640 

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

The projected  distribution between long term and short term projects  is in the ratio  of 40 
to  60. The distribution  between  EU projects  and non-EU  projects  is in the ratio  of  90 to 
10 because  of the  increased  cost and the complexity  peculiar  to projects  implemented  on 
the  territory  of  non-EU  countries. 

15 

Budget  for  Sections  1 and  2  of  the  programme 

BREAKDOWN 

1998 

1999 

2000 

2001 

2002 

TOTAL 

SECTION  1:  INTRA-COMMUNITY 

Al  LONG-TERM  ACTIVITIES 

A2  SHORT-TERM  ACTIVITIES 

SUBTOTAL  FOR  SECTION  I 

SECTION  2:  N O N - EU  COUNTRIES 

Bl  LONG-TERM  ACTIVITIES 

B2  SHORT-TERM  ACTIVITIES 

SUBTOTAL  FOR  SECTION  2 

-

14.9 

1.1 

16.0 

pm 

pm 

pm 

18.6 

2.3 

20.9 

1.8 

0.3 

2.1 

TOTAL 

16.0 

23.0 

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

These  figures  do  not  take  account  of  the  different  support  measures  needed  to 
accompany  the  running  of  the  programme  and  implemented  under  Section  5  of  the 
programme. 

In  order  to  keep  costs  down,  thought  could  be  given  to  associating  private  players 
more  closely,  e.g.  firms  attracted  by  the  European  dimension  of  the  educational 
experience  offered  by  European  voluntary  service  activities  could  become  involved  in 
the  long-term  activities  of  the  programme  by  having  some  of  their  young  employees 
or  trainees  take  part.  The  firm  would  then  be  asked  to  match  the  Community 
contribution  in  funding  the  expenditure  in  respect  of  the  volunteer.  A  further  incentive 
in  this  connection  would  be  to  allow  the  firms  concerned  to  deduct  this  contribution 
from  the  various  charges  and  taxes  they  pay  for  training  (apprenticeship  tax,  trading 
tax,  1% training  levy, .etc.). 

The  cost  for  this  category  of  young  people  would  thus  not  burden  the  programme's 
appropriations  either  for  the  costs  directly  linked  to  activities  or  for  costs  connected 
with  supervisory  measures. 

The  volume  of  volunteers  could  thus  be  stepped  up  for  instance  as  follows. 

Sabbatical  year 

Number  of  volunteers 

of\vhichEU(80%) 

of which  non-EU  countries  (20%) 

1998 

100 

80 

20 

1999 

2000 

2001 

2002 

5 years 

250 

200 

50 

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

In  addition,  it  is  essential  for  the  business  sector  to  contribute  in  terms  other  than 
monetary  to  the  European  voluntary  service  programme.  They  could  play  a  very  useful 
role  in  backing  and  following  up  young  volunteers  by  giving  them  advice,  help  in  kind, 
mentoring.  This  would  be  advantageous  all  round.  It  would  be  an  opportunity  for  firms 
to  show  their  commitment  to  the  fabric  of  society,  the  host  community  would  benefit 

from  this  integrating  role  played  by  the  firm,  the  young  person  will  see  his  energy 
channelled  to  good  effect  through  the  commitment  around  him. 

9.1.2 

Innovatory  networks 

The  pilot  action  has  highlighted  what  the  ex-ante  evaluation  has  confirmed,  i.e.  the 
need  to  encourage  organisations  and  institutions  involved  in  voluntary  service  to  take 
part 
specific 
in  an 
the  current  expectations  of  young  people  and  society 
adjustments 
(environment,  fight  against  racism,  fight  against  drug  abuse, etc.). 

innovatory  way,  particularly  by  endeavouring 

to  cater  for 

to  make 

Specific-objectives:  to step up cooperation between the Member  States, interregional  and 
interlocal  cooperation  (establishment  of  transnational  relations  starting  from  the  local 
level) and cooperation between the Commission and the Member States through exchange 
of  experience,  development  of  common  initiatives,  the  creation  and  strengthening  of 
networks  and  links  at  intra-Community  level  for  the  benefit  of  young  people,  the 
implementation  of  concerted  action  for  young  people  and  benefitting  them  directly;  to 
foster  the development  of new interinstitutional  partnerships involving associations, local 
authorities,  the  business  sector  locally  and  Europe-wide. 

Target  population:  NGOs, local authorities, institutions belonging  to networks or  eager 
to  form  a  network  in  order  to  implement  integrated  transnational  voluntary  service 
projects  around  a theme  and/or  major  innovation. 

Budget: 

Innovatory  networks 

1998 

1999 

2000 

2001 

2002 

5  years 

Number  of  networks 

Number of volunteers  (ca. 40 per 
network) 

5 

7 

200 

280 

Cost  (in  million  ECU) 

1.6 

2.2 

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

9.1.3  Support for  the spirit  of  initiative and enterprise 

The  activities  under  the  European  voluntary  service  programme  have  basically  been 
designed  with  a view  to  the  long  term.  The  point  is to  provide  a  profitable  experience, 
a  springboard  or  a  bridge  for  the  creation  of  future  activities.  When  constructive  and 
dynamic  projects  can  emerge  after  completion  of voluntary  service,  it  is essential  for  its 
promoter  not  to  be  hampered  in  his  initiative,  meaning  also  financial  obstacles  (initial 
investments, start-up capital, etc.). Otherwise the philosophy underpinning the programme 
and  which  is seeking  to achieve  long-term  integration  of young  people  in durable  social 
activities,  would  be  at  odds  with  the  instruments  it  makes  available. 

17 

,-  f 

Armed  with  the  skills acquired,  his  training  and  the  self-confidence  built  up  during  the 
period  of  European  voluntary  service,  the  young  volunteer  will,  through  the  section 
"Support for  the  spirit of  initiative and enterprise" be offered  the wherewithal  to use his 
experience  in  a tangible  and  appropriate  fashion. 

Target  population:  young  people  having  participated  in  the  activities  under  the  pilot 
action  or the  European  voluntary  service programme. Notionally,  it  is hoped  to  provide 
follow-up  support  for  around  10%  of  long-term  activities  and  2.5%  of  short-term 
activities  under  this  section. 

Specific  objectives:  to  support  projects  and  initiatives  by  young  people  during  or  after 
their voluntary  service and on the basis of the experience acquired  during this service, to 
foster their access to additional training activities identified  during their  service; to allow 
young  people  to  benefit  from  their  experience  in  terms  of  social,  vocational  and 
occupational  integration,  and,  in  this  context,  to  make  the  best  use  of  the  educational 
experience acquired by issuing young people with a European certificate  upon completion 
of  their  period  of  voluntary  service; to  enable  local  authorities  to  create  and  strengthen 
new  social  approaches,  to  stimulate  the  emergence  and  development  of  new  sources  of 
jobs  or  social  activities  and  to  try  out  new  forms  of  integration  of  young  people. 

Two  types  of  aid  will  be  available  as  a  function  of  the  lessons  learned  and  the  needs 
identified  by  the  young  person  after  his/her  voluntary  activity: 

- 

- 

Aid  for  the  creation  or  launching  of  initiatives:  such  aid  will  not  be  a 
subsidy  for  setting  up  a  business  but  rather  an  incentive  to  initiative  in 
overcoming  specific  start-up  problems  which  all  too  often  stifle  young 
people's  initiative. 

Aid  for  training  or  additional  training:  such  assistance 
would  be  given  with  the  idea  of  providing  an  appropriate 
response to  the need  emerging  during  and  then  articulated 
after  the  period  of  voluntary  service  to  undertake  fresh  or 
additional  training. 

The  criteria  for  allocation  of  such  aid  will  be  determined  in  order  to  select  projects  on 
their  merits  (i.e.  their  prospective  viability  and  durability)  and  their  dependence  on 
Community  funding  (i.e.  likelihood  of  being  a non-starter  without  Community  aid). 

s> 

B u d g et  (reminder of unit costs: aid  for training = 4 000  ECU; aid to initiative = 6 000  ECU) 

YEAR 

1998 

1999 

2000 

2001 

2002 

5 years 

Numhcr 

MECU 

Numhcr 

MECU 

Number 

MI-CU 

Number 

MI;CU 

Numhcr 

Miru 

Numhcr 

MP.CU 

Type of aid 

Initiative 

165 

1.0 

235 

Training 

165 

0.7 

235 

1.4 

1.0 

TOTAL 

330 

1.7 

470 

2.4 

9.1.4  Complementary  measures 

The  pilot  action  highlights  what  the  ex-ante  evaluation  has  confirmed,  i.e.  the  need  to 
implement as part of the programme  certain additional  measures. It stresses inter  alia the 
need to develop at centralised  and decentralised  levels systems of aid for  recruitment  and 
support for the preparation and counselling of volunteers (national structures) and clearing 
house  arrangements  for  projects  and  organisations  (centralised  structure  in  conjunction 
with  the  national  structures).  It  also  recommends  the  incorporation  into  the  programme 
of  action 
locally,  regionally  and  nationally  between 
institutions/organisations  and  between  sectors  of  activities  (partnerships). 

to  encourage  cooperation 

Additionally, the pilot action confirms  the need for  decentralised (designation of  national 
structures in each  Member  State)  and  centralised  structures  (setting-up  of an  operational 
support structure)  in order to develop a common  approach and  implement  and  coordinate 
the  different  sections  of  the  programme  {inter  alia  through  the  use  of  electronic 
communication networks and the development of common data bases) from  the European 
level  to the  local  level. 

Specific  objectives: it will therefore  be necessary to support national  structures with this 
as their  mission,  through  a  Community  contribution  to  their  operationing  expenditure. 

The  pilot  action  has  enabled  Member  States to  propose  structures  whose  task  will  be  to 
implement the decentralised  section of this pilot  action. Most of these national  structures 
are  in  fact  the  national  agencies  set  up  under  the  Youth for  Europe  programme,  which 
will (as is already  the case under the pilot action) permit substantial gains in  effectiveness 
and  savings.  But  the  number  of  activities  envisaged  and  the  need  for  more  painstaking 
individual  back-up  than  with  exchanges  of  young  people  mean  that  the  human  and 
material  resources  will  have  to  be  stepped  up  considerably  within  these  agencies  in 
conjunction  with  the  Member  States. 

An operational  support  structure to  back up and coordinate the national  structures  is also 
needed  at  the  central  level  in  order  to  lead  the  network  of  national  structures,  to  secure 
genuine consistency  in their activities and to take part  in the establishment of support and 
guidance mechanisms capable of coping with both routine and contingency  circumstances, 

a 

as recommended by the ex-ante evaluation/This operational support structure will provide 
no technical  or administrative  assistance whatever to the Commission and  is intended  to 
serve  the  national  structures  with  which  it  will  cooperate  closely  in  order  to  collect, 
analyse, aggregate and disseminate all sorts of facts and figures on the different  activities 
within the programme,  taking care to set up a computerised  system enabling the national 
structures to monitor and keep abreast of activities virtually  continuously (particularly  as 
regards  supply  and  demand  of  sending/hosting  projects  and  volunteers). 

The partnerships  will  endeavour  to stimulate, for  European voluntary service and  against 
a transnational  backdrop, local/regional/national cooperation between players in the public 
and  private  sectors. 

Target  population:  the  target  population  are  the  various  players  involved  in  the 
implementation,  monitoring, coordination  and supervision of projects: national  structures 
designated  by  the  Member  States  to  carry  the  Community  torch  for  certain  missions 
the  target  publics,  coordinating  preparatory  and 
(stimulating  projects, 
supervisory  activities, assisting and  following  up projects, taking part in the  inter-agency 
network,  relations  with  local  authorities,  etc.),  public  and  private  institutional  partners 
likely  to  become  involved  at  different  levels  (local/regional/national)  in  the  area  of 
European  voluntary  service  activities. 

informing 

The  preparatory  and  supervisory  measures  included  in  the  section  on  supervision  are 
targeted  at  all  players  involved  in  the  implementation,  operation  and  monitoring  of 
projects.  These  include  mentors  for  the  volunteers,  project  coordinators  and  managers, 
advisers, trainers. 

The  information/studies  section  is  intended  for  the  whole  of  the  population  targeted  by 
the  programme  (as  a target  for  information  and  as  an  area  of  investigation  for  studies): 
young  Europeans  aged  18-25  and  other  players/leaders  in the  area  of  youth  policy. 

Budget  (million  ECU) 

1998 

1999 

2000 

2001 

2002 

5  years 

Section  5: COMPLEMENTARY MEASURES 

D  Supervision 

E  Partnership 

F  Infonnation/studies/monitoring/evaluation 

Subtotal  for  Section 5 

3.6 

0.7 

1.4 

5.7 

4.6 

1.0 

1.8 

7.4 

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

These  estimated  costs  are  based  on  the  experience  under  the  1996  pilot  action  and  that 
of  Community  action  in  the  area  of  education,  training  and  youth,  and  also,  as  regards 
the  preparatory  and  supervisory  activities,  on  the  number  of  persons  concerned  and  per 
capita  cost  (cf.  details  below). 

20 

r  d 

Community  contribution  to  the  financing  of  national  and  centralised  coordination  structures  (for 
reference,  use  has  been  made  of  the  amount  of  financing  for  national  structures  under  the  voluntary 
service pilot action, i.e. ECU  1.6 million  in  1996, and the  financing  granted to the operational  support 
structure  for the pilot action, i.e. ECU 0.6 million  in 1996). 

Coordination, information and operational support 
structures for programme implementation 

National level (co-financing by the 
Member States) 

Central level 

TOTAL 

1998 

1999 

2000 

2001 

2002 

TOTAL 

1.8 

2 

0.6 

2.4 

0.8 

2.8 

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Training  activities:  cost  and  calculation  base 

Cost 

Training 

of  which,  training  for  educational  players 

1998 

1999 

2000 

2001 

2002 

5  years 

1.20 

0.60 

1.80 

0.90 

of  which,  training  for  coordinators 

0.60 

0.90 

Calculation  base 

1998 

1999 

2000 

2001 

2002 

5  years 

Number  of  seminars  for  educational  players 

Number  of  seminars  for  coordinators 

20 

20 

30 

30 

Cost  of  seminar  (ECU) 

30  000 

30  000 

9.2 

Grounds  for  the  operation 

9.2.1 

In the current  climate  of economic  and  social  gloom  for  many  young  Europeans 
(uncertain job  prospects, threat of social exclusion, new requirements  in terms of 
education  and training)  great attention must be focused  on the period  of transition 
to  adulthood.  The  European  voluntary  service  programme  has  been  designed 
mindful  of  this  context  which  is common  to  most  Member  States.  It  endeavours 
to  explore  and  use the concept  of  voluntary  service  within  a context  open  to  the 
transnational  dimension (both within Europe and  looking at non-EU  countries)  in 
order  to  offer  young  people  fresh  possibilities for  finding  their  way  into  working 
life  and  discovering  what  European  citizenship  can  involve. 

21 

9.2.2  The  Commission  has  long  since  been  aware  of  increasing  demand  from  the 
Member  States, the  European  Parliament  and  the NGOs  for  specific  measures  to 
be  adopted  to  improve  and  bolster  European  activities  in  connection  with 
voluntary  service  for  young  people  as part  of  European  cooperation  in  the  field 
of  youth.  The  ex-ante  evaluation  carried  out  in  accordance  with  the  financial 
directives  of  the  SEM  2000  approach  has  confirmed  that  the  circumstances  are 
conducive  to  the  introduction  of  a  multiannual  programme  of  voluntary  service: 
support  from  the  Member  States,  support  from  the organisations  which  could  be 
involved,  genuine  interest  among  young  people. 

9.2.3  The  guidelines  of  the  Commission  White  Paper  Growth,  competitiveness, 
employment, the conclusions of the European Councils of Essen (December  1994), 
Cannes  (June  1995),  Florence  (June  1996)  stress the  need  to  encourage  regional 
and  local  initiatives  to  create jobs  which  cater  for  the  new  requirements  and  on 
the  need  to  step  up  measures  to  fight  against  social  and  vocational  exclusion  of 
young  people,  inter  alia  by  developing  voluntary  service  activities.  The 
Commission  feels  that  the  initiative  it  intends  to  promote  through  this  proposal 
can help to identify  these new requirements more clearly  and bring an  appropriate 
response. 

9.2.4 

It  makes  sense  to  place  cooperation  in  the  area  of  youth  within  a  global 
perspective  and  an  all-round  social  project.  The  European  voluntary  service 
programme  will  make  it  possible  to  establish  more  bridges  between  youth 
activities,  being  an  active  citizen  and  the  issue  of  social  integration  of  young 
people. 

9.2.5  The  multiannual  programme  will  thus  provide  an  essential  instrument  of 
integration  and  revitalisation  of  the  social  link  for  many  young  Europeans  for 
whom  the  future  looks  increasingly  bleak  on  account  of  the  persistent  economic 
problems,  the  increasing  egocentricity  of  behaviour,  the  constant  widening  of 
disparities, etc. 

9.2.6  European  voluntary  service activities  will  simultaneously  provide  an  opportunity 
for  acquiring  aptitudes  and  skills  accredited  by  a  European  certificate,  and  for 
coming to terms with citizenship in danger of erosion from  day-to-day  reality, and 
usually  in  a  multicultural  society. 

9.2.7  Against  this background  European  voluntary  service programme  seeks to bring  a 
tangible  and  appropriate  response  for  young  people  in  line  with  the  need  -
stressed,  in  the  ex-ante  evaluation  -  to  take  account  singly  of  the  specific 
requirements  of the different  categories of young people who  will take  part  in the 
programme. 

9.2.8  Activities under the programme will thus propose innovatory  responses to the new 
demands  in terms  of  education  and  training,  to the problems  of  social  integration 
of young  people, to the specific  difficulties  inherent  in the transition  to  adulthood 
and  the  responsibilities  of  working  life.  Anchoring  the  programme  locally  -  but 

as part of  an overall  transnational  approach -  will  make for  better adaptation to 
the  ever-varying  facets  of  a constantly  changing  world,  while  the  role  of  fully-
fledged player given to the young people will make it possible to truly match their 
specific  needs to the action proposed, as recommended by the ex-ante evaluation. 

9.2.9  The  activities  will  be  based  on  active  and tangible  participation  in the  life  of a 
new  community  and  on  the  creation  of  solid  social  links  within  this  host 
environment,  and  will  seek  to  enable  young  people  to  develop  their  social  and 
occupational  skills  while  making  a  contribution  to  the  wellbeing  of  their  host 
community.  The opportunity  to actually  try out active and responsible  citizenship 
in another  country,  another  environment,  within  a culture  other  than  that  of  their 
xjountries  of  origin  will  enable  them  to  speed  up  the  process  of  their  own 
integration  in  a  changing  society  while  making  an  active  contribution  to  the 
emergence  of  a  European  identity  which  is  positive  and  consistent. 

9.2.10  This  experience  will  thus  help  to  reconcile  young  people  with  the  idea  and  the 
reality  of  being a citizen  in a community  in  which the individual  can  fit  in,  while 
at  the  same  time  helping  to  consolidate  the  construction  of  the  Community 
through  the  emergence  of  a  European  concept  of  citizenship.  The  work  they 
perform  for  the benefit  of  the local  host community  will  enable young  volunteers 
to  experience  directly  what  it  means  to  be  a citizen  of  Europe. 

9.2.11  The  nature  of  the  action  envisaged  and  the  large  volume  of  young  volunteers 
means  the  proposed  programme  will  bring  substantial  benefit  to  society  in  terms 
of economic  development  and  social  cohesion: providing  a stimulus to  initiative, 
raising  skill  levels, enhancing  employability,  encouraging  mobility,  creating  new 
activities,  etc. 

9.2.12  European  voluntary  service  activities  will  enrich  the  local  socio-economic  fabric 
through  their  immediate  impact  (additional  activity)  but  also  in  the  longer  term 
by  the  knock-on  effects  in  quantitative  (gross  volume  of  activity  generated)  and 
qualitative  (stimulation  of  new  forms  of  activity)  terms,  benefiting  the  young 
volunteer  (long  term  integration)  and  the  host  community  (generation  of 
wellbeing)  alike. 

9.2.13  The  momentum  generated  by  European  voluntary  service  activities  may  indeed 
have  a  knock-on  impact:  associations,  organisations,  authorities  or  institutions 
having  entered  into  a  partnership  on  this  occasion  may  wish  to  pursue  their 
cooperation on other projects. After demonstrating its worthwhile nature, European 
voluntary  service  activity  may  lead  to  the  creation  of  other  initiatives  along  the 
same  lines. 

9.2.14  The range of measures envisaged  by the programme  are all geared  to the  objective 
of  transnational  cooperation  which  provides  substantial  value  added  (particularly 
in  terms  of  language  and  cross-cultural  learning)  to  the  actions  operated  bv *'-"-•* 
Member  States  or  by  the  organisations  active  in  the  area  of  voluntary  serv 

rn 

9.2.15  Its  openness  and  integrated  approach  means that  the  European  voluntary  service 
programme will provide young people suffering  de facto exclusion (owing to their 
lack of education, their  low level of qualifications  or their  low incomes) with the 
opportunity  to  be mobile  at  European  level. 

9.2.16  The  activities  implemented  will  make  young  people  the  tangible  instrument 
whereby  access to the European dimension and networking  at European  level  are 
opened  up  locally. 

9.2.17  While  certain  countries  have  a  long  and  well-established  tradition  of  voluntary 
service,  it  is virtually  non-existent  at European  level. The  activities promoted  by 
the Commission will therefore  stand as new forms of activities in relation to those 
which  already  exist  in  each  Member  State  and  which  they  will  complement  and 
enhance  by  injecting  new practices  and  broader  horizons. 

9.2.18  A  multiannual  programme  of  voluntary  service  activity  with  a  European 
dimension  will  constitute  a  laboratory  for  creating  a  European  status  for  young 
volunteers;  as  stressed  in  the  ex-ante  evaluation,  this  would  substantially  reduce 
the  obstacles  to  optimum  development  of  the  action  proposed  and  enable  it  to 
fulfil  its  potential. 

9.2.19  The  approach  for  the  action  proposed  as  part  of  this  proposal  for  a  decision  is 
based  on  the  complementarity  of  the  role  of  the  Community  and  the  Member 
States which will open on to intensified  cooperation with the competent authorities 
at  all  levels  (Community,  national,  regional  and  local).  It  will  also  give  rise  to 
institutional  partnerships  at  the  local  and  transnational  level,  thus  facilitating 
initiatives  involving  Member  States  and  non-EU  countries  and  their  respective 
citizens.  The  ex-ante  evaluation  lays  heavy  emphasis  on  the  importance  of 
organising this type, of partnership and network  in order to improve the quality  of 
the  programme  and» open  up.access to  organisations  and  institutions  of  all  sizes. 

9.2.20  Community  action  will  help  to  bring  genuine  European  dimension  for  activities 
at  local  as  well  as  at  national  level,  and  to  secure  greater  cohesion  in  the 
distribution  of  resources and  in terms  of  the  results. 

9.2.21  In  accordance  with  the  lessons  learned  from  the  pilot  action  and  in  line  with  the 
recommendations  of  the  ex-ante  evaluation,  the  arrangements  for  implementing 
the action  have been designed  in order to combine decentralisation,  effectiveness 
and  economy  of  means  and  intermediaries  optimally  so  that  the  bulk  of 
appropriations  will  benefit  young  people  directly. 

24 

Q 

9.2.22  Community  action will  permit  pooling  of  financial  resources, expertise,  partners 
and networks (clearing house mechanism for projects, development of preparation 
modules) and will give the teaching content of the activities a European dimension 
(language  and  cross-cultural  learning).  It  will  thus  offer  a  financial  advantage 
(economies  of  scale,  pooling  of  resources)  and  an  educational  advantage 
(international and cross-cultural dimension), which are significant compared to the 
isolated  initiatives  undertaken  by the  Member  States  in  this  context. 

9.2.23  The  co-financing  required  for  implementing  the  programme's  activities  will  be 
centred  mainly on the host project.  The programme will therefore  burden  national 
budgets  only  slightly.  The  ex-ahte  evaluation  points  out  that  this  funding 
mechanism, which spares the cash-strapped public sector, is a very positive aspect 
of  the  programme  proposed. 

9.2.24  Placing  the  transnational  dimension  at  the  heart  of  European  voluntary  service 
activities  is,  looking  ahead  to  a  society  in  which  internationalisation  and 
globalisation  will  be  a  systematically  more  integral  part,  a  crucial  asset  in 
preparing  young  people  for  working  life. 

9.2.25  The  international  dimension  of  the  action  will  lend  greater  consistency  and 
credibility  to  the  drive  to  assemble  private  funds  and  to  negotiations  aimed  at 
keeping  certain  costs  (transport,  insurance)  down.  The  establishment  of  a 
foundation  to attract additional  resources particularly  from  the private  sector  (big 
European  companies)  would  make  a  substantial  contribution  to  keeping  the 
financial  impact  of  the  action  down  or  to  increasing  the  annual  intensity  of 
voluntary  service  activities. 

9.2.26  The  programme  enhances  the  individual's  personal  development.  Its  functional 
organisation  (community  life), the knowledge and breadth it generates  (language, 
geographical,  historical,  social,  occupational  environment,  etc.),  the  cultural 
exchanges  it enhances  (between  social milieux, ages, nationalities, etc.)  make  the 
European  voluntary  service programme  a "holistic" educational  method  suited  to 
the  complexity  of  people  as  individuals,  permitting  discovery  of  one's  self  and 
others  as  the  prelude  to  responsible  citizenship. 

9.2.27  The European  voluntary  service programme  is simultaneously  an opportunity  for 
learning  and  practising  citizenship.  It  assembles  around  a  common  project 
individuals from different  geographical, cultural or social backgrounds and thereby 
permits the shouldering of responsibility, self-reliance and solidarity. It contributes 
to  making  each  participant  a  player  who  will  then  have  a  new  vantage  point  as 
regards  life  as  a citizen,  thus  enabling  him  to  play  his  full  active  part. 

25 

t  L 

9.2.28  The  activities  they  will  undertake  will  enable  young  volunteers: 

- 

- 

- 

- 

on a personal  level, to  learn  to make their own  decisions, to  stand 
on their own two feet, and to develop judgement,  self-reliance  and 
the  ability  to  communicate;  the  learning  process  driven  by  the 
European voluntary service programme is one which is in line with 
the  needs  and  aspirations  of  young  people  and  not  something 
which  is  foisted  upon  them; 

for  society,  to  experience  what  solidarity  means  on  a  daily  basis 
and thus  be able to discover  the concept  of the  interdependence  of 
human  beings  and  the  need  to  consider  the  interests  of  the 
community  at  large  at  the  same  time  as  the  interests  of  the 
individual; 

to  better  perceive  and  understand  certain  social 
socially, 
requirements and their origin, the function  of social structures, how 
to  become  involved  in them,  and  the  demands  on  professionals  in 
the  areas  where  these  activities  are  performed; 

for  cross-cultural  learning,  to  appreciate  the  limits  of  their  own 
traditions  and  cultures  and  to  have  contact  with  cultural,  social, 
economic  situations  which  are  different  and  to  develop  their 
understanding  accordingly. 

9.2.29  European  voluntary  service  activities  are  based  on  a  partnership  between 
associations,  the  inhabitants  of  a  town  or  village,  local  elected  representatives, 
administrations  and  the  business  sector.  Rallying  around  a  host  project  young 
people  from  elsewhere  to  contribute  to  the  wellbeing  of  their  own  environment, 
the  European  voluntary  service  programme  prompts  new  partnership  relations 
between  institutions,  something  the  ex-ante  evaluation  considers  very  important. 

9.2.30  As regards activities with non-EU countries, the cooperation  with DGs I and  VIII 
can  help  to  develop  complementarity  and  synergy  and  to  test  out  new  ways  of 
cooperation  and  voluntary  activity. 

9.3  Monitoring  and  evaluation  of  the  programme 

In  accordance  with  Article  10 of  the  draft  decision  establishing  the  European  voluntary 
service  programme,  when  this  decision  is  implemented  the  Commission  will  take  the 
measures  necessary  to  ensure  the  continuous  monitoring  and  assessment  of  European 
voluntary  service,  taking  into  account  the  main  objective  and  the  specific  objectives. 

26 

Monitoring 

Programme implementation  will be continuously monitored  by the Commission from  the 
point  of  view  of  its effectiveness  and  efficiency.  Commission monitoring  will  include: 

- 

- 

regular  reports  which  the  coordination  structures  and  the  various  institutional 
partners  must  submit  to  it; 

the 
the  contributions  from  the  young  people  themselves  benefiting  from 
programme;  the  intention  is to  associate young  people  closely  in  the  monitoring 
and  evaluation  of  the  programme  in  a  number  of  ways  to  be  defined,  e.g. 
participation  in  seminars, interviews, a diary  to  be  kept  by  the  volunteer,  etc. 

Moreover,  aid given under the section  "Support for the spirit of initiative and  enterprise" 
will  per  se  (activity  monitoring  a  voluntary  service  activity)  itself  be  a  monitoring 
instrument  (particularly  Sections  1, 2 and  3). 

Performance  indicators 

The  following  indicators,  some  of  which  are  advocated  by  the  ex-ante  evaluation,  may 
be  used  to  monitor  and  evaluate  the  programme: 

Output  indicators 

Quantitative 

General: 
- 
- 
- 

number  and  origin  of  young  people  taking  part  in  the  programme 
percentage  of  young  people  in difficulty  taking  part  in  the  programme 
equal  participation  by  men  and  women 

Specific: 
- 
- 

number  and  origin  of  young  people  taking  part  in  each  section 
number  of  host  and  sending  projects  submitted  to  the  Commission 
(Sections  1 and  2) 
balance between  long-term  and  short-term  activities  and  average  duration 
of  activities  (Sections  1 and 2) 
balance  between  intra-EU  and  non-EU  country  activities  (Sections  1 and 
2) 
rate  of  conversion  of  voluntary  service  activities  into  initiatives/training 
(Section  4) 
failure  rate  of  voluntary  service  activities  (Sections  1, 2  and  3) 
failure  rates  of  aid  to  the  spirit  of  initiative  and  enterprise  (Section  4) 

- 

- 

- 

- 
- 

27 

U 

Qualitative 

General: 
- 
- 

typology  of  sectors  in which  the activities  are  performed 
geographical distribution of activities; balance of partnerships (north-south, 
regional  links) 

Specific: 
- 

- 
- 

quality  of  educational  content  (Sections  1, 2 and  3) 
language  skills acquired  (Sections  1, 2 and  3) 
innovatory  dimension  of  the project  (Sections  3 and  4) 
benefit  for  the  host  community  (Sections  1, 2  and  3). 

Impact  indicators 

Quantitative 

General: 
- 
- 

rate  of  creation  of  new  activities  by  the young  people  themselves 
rise  in  demand  from  volunteers  and  in  provision  of  activities  by  the 
various  institutional  partners 

Specific: 
- 

- 

Qualitative 

rate  of  recruitment  of  young  people  having  completed  a  period  of 
voluntary  service  (Sections  1, 2 and  3) 
number  of  unmet  requests  for  voluntary  service  (Sections  1 and  2). 

General: 
- 
- 

- 

- 

- 

Specific:' 
- 
- 
- 

tailoring  of  activities  to  individual  requirements 
rate  of  penetration  of  voluntary  service  in  countries  with  no  tradition 
thereof 
participation  by young  people  and the extent  to which  they  are  willing  to 
shoulder  responsibility 
contribution 
the  notion  of  European 
citizenship; awareness of the European dimension by the different  partners* 
involved 

to  definiting  and  developing 

contribution  to  local  development  (Sections  1, 2 and  3) 
typology  of  skills  acquired  by  the  volunteer  (Sections  1, 2  and  3) 
persistence  of  the  social  impetus  generated  by  their  action  after  the 
volunteers  have  left  (Sections  1, 2 and  3) 
utilisation  of  the  experience  acquired  during  the  voluntary  service  period 
(Sections  1, 2 and  3) 

28 

- 

- 

harnessing of the experience acquired  during a follow-up  activity  (Section 
4) 
maintenance  of  transnational  partnerships  upon  completion  of  voluntary 
service  activities  (Sections  1, 2,  3 and  5). 

Details  and  frequency  of  planned  evaluations 

Article  10 of the decision stipulates that the Commission will  during  the  second year  of 
implementation  of the programme submit to the European Parliament and the Council an 
evaluation report which will be used to define  any new arrangements  for  implementation 
and  a  new  budget  for  the  final  three  years  of  the  programme.  This  evaluation  will  also 
take  account  of  the  results  of  the  evaluation  of  the  pilot  action  and  the  final  evaluation 
of  the  Youth for  Europe  programme. 

As  stated  above,  there  will  be  an  evaluation  of  the  programme  during  the  second  year. 
The relevant report, submitted by the Commission, will be based inter alia on an external 
evaluation  by  an  independent  organisation.  The  evaluation  will  also  take  into  account 
(through  the  processing  of  data  relating  to  the  various  indicators  referred  to  above)  the 
opinion  of  the  young  people  themselves  (self-assessment)  and  that  of  various  persons 
directly  involved  in  the  projects  (coordination  of  structures,  institutional  partners)  or 
beneficiaries  of  the  projects  (community  members,  associations, districts, villages,  etc.) 
who  have  benefitted  from  the  presence  of  the  young  volunteers.  The  findings  of  a 
comparison  between  a  group  of  young  people  who  took  part  in  the  programme  and  a 
control  group  of  young  people  who  did  not  will  also  form  part  of  the  evaluation. 

Administrative  expenditure 

10 
The  administrative  resources  needed  will  be  assembled  on  the  basis  of  the  annual 
Commission decision on the earmarking of funds, taking account inter alia of the  staffing 
levels  and  additional  amounts  allowed  by  the  budgetary  authority. 

29 

10.1 

Impact  on  the  number  of  staff 

TYPE  OF  JOB 

STAFF  TO  BE ALLOCATED  FOR 
ADMINISTERING THE  ACTION 

OF  WHICH 

DURATION 

Permanent 
jobs 

Temporary 
jobs 

Through  use 
.  of existing 
resources 

Through 
use of 
additional 
resources 

Officials  or 
temporary 
agents 

A 
B 
C 

Other  resources 

8 
1 
2 

TOTAL 

11 

2 

2 

8 
3 
2 

13 

10.2  Overall  financial  impact  of  additional  human  resources 

as  from  1998 

as  from 
1998 

(in  ECU) 

AMOUNT 

METHOD  OF  CALCULATION 

Officials 

Temporary  agents 

Other  resources (specify  budget  heading) 

TOTAL 

Additional  expenditure  linked  to  the  additional  human  resources  necessary  for  the 
implementation  of  this  initiative  will  be  covered  through  the  mobilisation  of  existing 
resources:  11 officials,  2 temporary  agents (headings Al,  A2, A4, A5) which  represents 
1,300,000  ECU/year. 

30 

/ *> 

10.3 

Increase  in  other  operating  expenditure  generated  by  the  operation 

(nBCU) 

BUDGET  HEADING 
(NO  AND  DESCRIPTION) 

AMOUNT 

METHOD  OF  CALCULATION 

A 2510 Cost  of committee meetings 

46 200 

2 meetings yearly  of the 
Committee 
(2 representatives  per  Member 
State) 

v 

• 

, 

TOTAL 

125 400 

The  programme  will  additionally  require  expenditure  for  meetings  (heading  A  2500  -
three  meetings  yearly  of  the national  structures: ECU  36  000  based  on  3 x  15 members 
x ECU 800) and mission expenses (heading A  1300 - three missions yearly per  Member 
State:  36  000 ECU  based on  3 x  15 missions x ECU  800). This expenditure  will  be met 
from  existing  resources. 

ISSN 0254-1475 

COM(96) 610 final 

DOCUMENTS 

EN 

16 

Catalogue number  :  CB-CO-96-656-EN-C 

ISBN  92-78-13164-4 

Office  for Official  Publications of the European Communities 

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