Decision No 2/98 of the Association Council between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Lithuania, of the other part of 30 October 1998 adopting the terms and conditions for the participation of Lithuania in Community programmes in the fields of training, youth and education
Date: 1998-10-30
Institutions: EC–Lithuania Association Council
Subjects: Association Council (EU), EU programme, Lithuania, education policy, vocational training, young person

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(Acts whose publication is not obligatory)

COUNCIL

DECISION No 2/98 OF THE ASSOCIATION COUNCIL

between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part,
and the Republic of Lithuania, of the other part

of 30 October 1998

adopting the terms and conditions for the participation of Lithuania in
Community programmes in the fields of training, youth and education

(98/642/EC)

THE ASSOCIATION COUNCIL,

Having regard to the Europe Agreement establishing an
association between the European Communities and their
Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of
Lithuania, of the other part (1), and in particular Article
110 thereof,

Whereas, according to Article 110 of the Europe Agree-
ment and Annex XX thereto, Lithuania may participate
in Community framework programmes, specific pro-
grammes, projects or other actions notably in the fields of
training, youth and education;

Whereas, according to the same Article, the terms and
conditions for the participation of Lithuania in those
activities shall be decided by the Association Council,

Annexes I and II which shall form an integral part of this
Decision.

Article 2

This Decision shall apply for
the
Leonardo da Vinci, Youth for Europe and Socrates
programmes.

the duration of

Article 3

This Decision shall enter into force the first day of the
month following that of its adoption by the Association
Council.

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Done at Brussels, 30 October 1998.

Article 1

Lithuania shall participate in the European Community
programmes Leonardo da Vinci, Youth for Europe and
Socrates according to the terms and conditions set out in

For the Association Council

The President

W. SCH(cid:154)SSEL

(1) OJ L 51, 20. 2. 1998, p. 3.

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ANNEX I

TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR THE PARTICIPATION OF LITHUANIA IN THE
LEONARDO DA VINCI, YOUTH FOR EUROPE AND SOCRATES PROGRAMMES

1. Lithuania will participate in all activities of the Leonardo da Vinci, Youth for Europe and Socrates
in conformity, unless otherwise provided in this
programmes (hereinafter called ‘the programmes')
Decision, with the objectives, criteria, procedures and deadlines as defined in Council Decision 94/819/EC
of 6 December 1994 establishing an action programme for the implementation of a European Community
vocational training policy (1), Decision 818/95/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14
March 1995 adopting the third phase of the ‘Youth for Europe' (2) programme and Decision 819/95/EC of
the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 March 1995 establishing the European Community
action programme ‘Socrates' (3).

2. The terms and conditions for the submission, assessment and selection of applications related to eligible
institutions, organisations and individuals of Lithuania will be the same as those applicable to eligible
institutions, organisations and individuals of the Community.

Language preparation and training activities concern the official languages of the Community. In excep-
tional circumstances, other languages could be accepted if the implementation of the programmes so
requires.

3. To ensure the Community dimension of the programmes, transnational projects and activities proposed by
Lithuania will be required to include a minimum number of partners from the Member States of the
Community. This minimum number will be decided in the framework of the implementation of the
programmes, taking into account the nature of the various activities, the number of partners in a given
project, and the number of countries participating in the programme. Projects and activities carried out
solely between Lithuania and EFTA States which are parties to the EEA Agreement or any other third
countries, including those with an Association Agreement with the Community, to which participation in
the programmes is open, are not eligible for Community financial support.

4. In conformity with the terms of the relevant provisions of the Decisions on Leonardo da Vinci, Youth for
Europe and Socrates, Lithuania will provide the appropriate structures and mechanisms at national level
and will take all other necessary steps to ensure national coordination and organisation of the implementa-
tion of the programmes.

5. Lithuania will pay each year a contribution to the general budget of the European Communities to cover

the costs resulting from its participation in the programmes (see Annex II).

The Association Committee is entitled to adapt this contribution whenever necessary.

6. The Member States of the Community and Lithuania will make every effort, within the framework of
existing provisions, to facilitate the free movement and residence of students, teachers, university adminis-
trators, young people and other eligible persons moving between Lithuania and the Member States of the
Community for the purpose of participating in activities covered by this Decision.

7. Without prejudice to the responsibilities of the Commission of the European Communities and the Court
of Auditors of the European Communities in relation to the monitoring and evaluation of the programmes
pursuant to the Decisions concerning Leonardo da Vinci, Youth for Europe and Socrates (Articles 10, 9 and
8 respectively), the participation of Lithuania in the programmes will be continuously monitored on a
partnership basis involving the Commission of the European Communities and Lithuania. Lithuania will
submit to the Commission relevant reports and take part in other specific activities set out by the
Community in that context.

8. Without prejudice to the procedures referred to in Article 6 of the Decision on Leonardo da Vinci, Article
6 of the Decision on Youth for Europe and Article 4 of the Decision on Socrates, Lithuania will be invited
to coordination meetings on any question concerning the implementation of this Decision prior to the
regular meetings of the Committees. The Commission will inform Lithuania about the results of such
regular meetings.

9. The language to be used as regards the application process, contracts, reports to be submitted and other
administrative arrangements for the programmes, will be one of the official languages of the Community.

(1) OJ L 340, 29. 12. 1994, p. 8.
(2) OJ L 87, 20. 4. 1995, p. 1.
(3) OJ L 87, 20. 4. 1995, p. 10.

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ANNEX II

FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION OF LITHUANIA TO LEONARDO DA VINCI, SOCRATES
AND YOUTH FOR EUROPE

1. The financial contribution of Lithuania will cover:

— subsidies or any other financial support from the programmes to Lithuanian participants,
— financial support from the programmes to the functioning of the national agencies, where applicable,
— supplementary administrative costs related to the management of the programmes by the Commission

stemming from Lithuania’s participation.

2. For every financial year, the aggregated amount of subsidies or any other financial support received from
the programmes by the Lithuanian beneficiaries and by the national agencies of Lithuania will not exceed
the contribution paid by Lithuania, after deduction of the supplementary administrative costs.

Should the contribution paid by Lithuania to the general budget of the European Communities, after
deduction of the supplementary administrative costs, be higher than the aggregated amount of the subsidies
or other financial support received by the Lithuanian beneficiaries and by the national agencies from the
programmes, the Commission of the European Communities will transfer the balance to the next bud-
getary exercise, and it will be deducted from the following year’s contribution. Should such a balance be left
when the programmes come to an end, the corresponding amount will be reimbursed to Lithuania.

3. Leonardo da Vinci

Lithuania’s annual contribution will be ECU 1 390 000 from 1998. From this sum, an amount of ECU
90 000 will cover supplementary administrative costs related to the management of the programme by the
Commission stemming from Lithuania’s participation.

4. Socrates

Lithuania’s annual contribution will be:

— ECU 493 000 in 1998 for its participation in Chapter II (school education, Comenius) and Chapter III
(horizontal measures). From this sum, an amount of ECU 32 000 will cover supplementary adminis-
trative costs related to the management of the programme by the Commission stemming from
Lithuania’s participation,

— ECU 1 312 000 in 1999 for its participation in the entire Socrates programme, including Chapter I
(Erasmus). From this sum, an amount of ECU 86 000 will cover supplementary administrative costs
related to the management of the programme by the Commission stemming from Lithuania’s participa-
tion.

5. Youth for Europe

Lithuania’s annual contribution will be:

— ECU 192 600 in 1998 for participating in actions AI and BI,

— ECU 364 000 in 1999 for participating in all the actions of the programme, except action D.

From these sums, an annual amount of ECU 12 600 in 1998, and ECU 24 000 in 1999 will cover
supplementary administrative costs related to the management of the programme by the Commission
stemming from Lithuania’s participation.

6. The financial regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities will apply, notably

to the management of the contribution of Lithuania.

After the entry into force of this Decision and at the beginning of 1999, the Commission will send to
Lithuania a call for funds corresponding to its contribution to the costs under this Decision.

This contribution shall be expressed in ecus and paid into an ecu bank account of the Commission.

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The calculation of the annual contribution is based on a participation during a full financial year. Should
the Association Council Decision enter into force in the course of a year, the contribution for that year will
be adapted taking into account the state of implementation of the programmes for that particular year.

Lithuania will pay its contribution to the annual costs under this Decision according to the call for funds, at
the latest three months after the call for funds is sent. Any delay in the payment of the contribution shall
give rise to the payment of interest by Lithuania on the outstanding amount from the due date. The interest
rate corresponds to the rate applied by the European Monetary Cooperation Fund, for the month of the due
date, for its operations in ecus (1), increased by 1,5 percentage points.

7. Lithuania will pay the supplementary administrative costs referred to in paragraphs 3, 4 and 5 from its

national budget.

8. Lithuania will also pay from its national budget 10 % in 1998 and 30 % in 1999 of the remainder of its

annual contribution to the programmes, referred to in paragraphs 3, 4 and 5.

Subject to regular PHARE programming procedures, the remaining 90 % (1998) and 70 % (1999) will be
paid from Lithuania’s annual PHARE programmes.

(1) Rate published monthly in the Official Journal of the European Communities — C series.