Proposal for a Council Decision establishing a Community action programme to promote the integration of refugees
Date: 1998-12-16
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: action programme, aid to refugees, anti-discriminatory measure, integration of migrants, refugee

COMMISSION  OF THE EUROPEAN  COMMUNITIES 

Brussels,  16.12.1998 
COM(1998) 731  final 

98/0356 (CNS) 

'-•V 

Proposal for a 
COUNCIL DECISION 

establishing a Community action programme to promote the integration of  refugees 

(presented by the Commission) 

EXPLANATORY  MEMORANDUM 

I. 

OVERVIEW 

The  1998  General  Budget  of  the  European  Union  contains  three  linked  budget  lines 
relating  to  refugees,  displaced  persons  and  asylum  applicants,  first  introduced  by  the 
European Parliament in 1997. The objectives of these budget lines are, respectively: 

to  improve  reception  conditions  for  asylum  seekers  and  displaced  persons  and 
to facilitate  access  to  asylum  procedures 
in  the  Member  States  of  the 
European Union1. 

to  facilitate  the  voluntary  return  of  refugees,  displaced  persons,  and  asylum 
applicants  from  the  European  Union  to  their  countries  of  origin,  and  their 
reintegration there2. 

to support the integration of refugees  in the Member States3. 

The  two  budget  lines  on  reception  and  voluntary  return  fall  within  the  field  of 
asylum policy, and are covered by the provisions on justice  and home affairs  in Title VI 
of  the  Treaty  on  European  Union.  The  budget  line  on  integration  falls  within  the  field 
of social  policy,  and  is  a  matter  to  be  dealt  with  under  the  Treaty  establishing  the 
European Community. 

In both  1997 and  1998, the Commission has successfully  established pilot projects under 
all  three  budget  lines. In  implementing  the budget  lines, the  Commission  has taken  full 
account  of  the  need  to  ensure  complementarity  both  between  the  various  measures 
established  under  these  three  budget  lines,  and  also  with  other  actions  taken  by  the 
Commission  relating  to  refugees  and  displaced  people,  in  order  to  ensure  a  cohesive 
and integrated  approach.  The  Commission's  experience  in  relation  to  all  three  budget 
lines has been that there is a great demand for  action at the level of the European Union 
in these fields. 

In  establishing  the  budget  for  1997,  the  European  Parliament  gave  a  clear  indication 
that the  Commission  should  bring  forward  proposals  for  full  legal  bases  for  these 
refugee-related  budget lines by the end of  1998, and the Commission subsequently gave a 
commitment  to  do  so. In  the  course  of the  procedure  to  establish  the  1999 budget,  the 
European  Parliament  has  called  on the  Commission  to bring  forward  a  Communication 
presenting a global approach for refugees, displaced persons and asylum applicants on the 
basis  of  the  existing  actions.  In  the  1999  budget  the  integration  budget  line  has  been 
maintained  in  its  present  form,  but  the  two  budget  lines  relating  to  reception  and 
voluntary return have been amalgamated into a single budget line. 

1  B5-803. 
2  B7-6008. 
3 
B3-4113. 

The  Commission  is  therefore  presenting  a  package  of  two  complementary  proposals, 
which  reflect  the  objectives  of  the  actions  to  be  undertaken,  the  existing  Treaty 
arrangements and the structure of the  1999 budget. 

•  The  first  is  for  a  Community  action  programme  to  promote  the  integration  of 
refugees  in the European  Union4,  based  on Article 235  of the  Treaty  establishing  the 
European Community. 

•  The second  is for  a Joint action establishing measures to provide practical  support  in 
relation to the reception and voluntary repatriation  of refugees,  displaced persons and 
asylum applicants5, based on Article K.3 of the Treaty on European Union. 

Taken  together,  the  two  proposals  represent  a  global  approach  to  refugees,  displaced 
persons  and  asylum  applicants.  Measures  to  improve  reception  conditions  in  the 
European  Union  will  focus  on  asylum  applicants  and  displaced  persons,  that  is to  say, 
persons  who have  not  yet  been  granted  protection  or  who  have  been  granted  a form  of 
temporary  protection.  Integration  measures  will  focus  on  people  who  have  been 
recognised as refugees  or, depending on the Member State concerned, granted some other 
form  of protection enabling them to remain, and are therefore  suitable candidates for  full 
assimilation into the society of the Member States. Measures to promote voluntary return 
will  cover  refugees,  displaced  people  and  asylum  applicants,  reflecting  the  fact  that  all 
individuals seeking or receiving protection in the European Union may nevertheless wish 
to return to their country of origin when conditions there permit a safe return. 

II. 

1. 

GENERAL INTRODUCTION 

WHY  A  COMMUNITY  ACTION  PROGRAMME  TO  PROMOTE  THE 
INTEGRATION OF REFUGEES? 

This  proposal  seeks  to  establish  an  action  programme  to  promote  the  integration  of 
refugees.  It  builds  upon  the  work  carried  out  and  the  experience  gained  in  the 
refugees 
implementation  of 
which was developed  at  the  request  of  the  European  Parliament  from  1997  onwards 
(budget line B3-4113). The programme aims to provide a legal basis for the continuation 
of this work. 

the  pilot  action 

integration  of 

in  favour  of 

the 

It  is  based  on  the  need  to  act  at  European  level  as  a  consequence  of  growing  public 
awareness  that  xenophobia,  lack  of  integration,  and  social  exclusion  are  fundamental 
challenges to democratic societies. 

Within  this  general  context,  the  integration  of  persons  who  have  found  refuge  and 
protection  in  the  Member  States  has  become  a  matter  of  increasing  concern  in  recent 
the 
years.  The 
European Union,  in  Europe  as  a  whole,  and  on  other  continents,  are  contributing  to  a 
significant  increase in its scale and impact in the Member States. 

is  not  new,  but  developments  within 

refugee  phenomenon 

4  COM( 1998) 731. 
5  COM(1998) 733. 

Refugees  are  a  particularly  vulnerable  population  group  whose  integration  in  the 
Member States  requires  specific  measures  adapted  to the  causes, and  conditions  of their 
flight,  which should be launched  prior to or in parallel with general integration activities 
for socially  excluded  groups. Ac the same time, the refugee  population tends to include a 
proportionally  large  number  of  highly  skilled  and  educated  persons  who  can  play  an 
•important and positive role in our societies. 

to  contribute 
example 
for 

to  efforts  already  undertaken 
in 

in  or  across 
The  proposal  aims 
the  Member  States, 
the 
1951 Geneva Convention  on refugees,  by encouraging and  supporting new strategies €or 
the  intégration  of  refugees.  The  European  nature  of  the  programme  allows  for  the 
exchange  and transfer  of  good practice  and experience, the  collection and  dissemination 
of comparable data and statistics, and the development of new synergies which would not 
necessarily emerge in a purely national context. 

their  obligations  under 

fulfilling 

It  is designed to complement  other EU initiatives addressing the  integration of people of 
no.u-EU origin living in the Member States. These include in particular actions within the 
European Social  Fund  and  the  Community  Initiatives  Urban, and Employment/Integra 
which  are  aimed  ax  the  integration  of  disadvantaged  population  groups  within  the 
Member  States,  the  Action  Plan  against  Racism6  put  forward  by  the  Commission. 
Synergies  will  also  be  sought  with  the  youth  programmes  Youth for  Europe  and 
European  Voluntary Service, Complementarity will also be ensured with the Community 
initiative  Leader  which  offers  financial  support  to  local  innovative  approaches  to 
rural development. 

A  mil  evaluation  of  the  pilot  measures  by  outside  experts  will  be  carried  out  early  in 
1999, when  the  results  of the projects  selected  in  1997 will  be  available.  The results  of 
this evaluation will be taken into account in the guidelines for actions to be implemented 
in  the  proposed  Action  Programme.  However,  the  initial  results  of  the  pilot  measures, 
which the Commission has received, are very positive. They show, in particular, the clear 
added-vaiue  arising  from  the  development  of  cooperation  at  the  European  level  and 
underline  tha  fact  that  the  integration  of refugees  requires  specific  measures  taking  into 
account  th.-j  conditions  in  which  refugees  arrive  and  their  special  needs  as  individuals 
especially  during the  initial phase of their integration  into a host society. Such measures, 
v/hich can act as a bridge into mainstream actions designed to promote integration, do not 
at present  fall dir-sctly within  other Community interventions, be it action against racism, 
sod,?.! exclusion, or Structural Funds intervention. 

This,  together  with  the  rise  of  the  refugee  phenomenon  in the  Member  States, provides 
justification  for  the  continuation  of'Community  support  for  such  integration  actions. In 
the  medium  term  it  is  intended  that  these  measures  will  be  taken  forward  in  the 
framework  of  Community  action  to  promote  social  inclusion  (under  Article  137  of the 
EC Treaty as amended by the Treaty of Amsterdam). 

However,  as  announced  in  the  Commission's  Work  Programme  for  1999,  in  order  to 
provide  for  a  smooth  transition  and  so  as  not  to  lose  the  added-value  of  the  actions 
already  initiated, particularly the development  of cooperation  at the European  level, and 

0M(Ï998)  133-final. 

because of the need for a legal basis for the continuation of the action, the Commission is 
now proposing an action programme on the integration of refugees. 

2. 

IMPLEMENTATION  OF THE PILOT MEASURES  1997-98 

As mentioned above, increasing concern about the perception of the refugee  phenomenon 
and  about  the  integration  of  refugees  in  our  societies  led  the  Commission,  on  the 
initiative  of  the  European  Parliament  which  earmarked  EUR  10 million  in  each  of  the 
1997  and  1998  budgets,  to  implement  a  number  of  pilot  measures  to  promote  the 
integration of refugees. 

In implementing the measures, the Commission has ensured: 

full  cooperation  with  and  between  the  Member  States  and  other  partners  at  all 
levels: the UNHCR, The European  Council  on Refugees  and  Exiles  (ECRE) and 
local authorities, the social partners and NGOs in the Member States; 

complementarity between them and existing action and programmes  in this  field, 
whether at national or European levels; 

the widest possible exchange of good practice and experience. 

The need for Community support in the field of integration of refugees  was clear from the 
outset. In spite of extremely short implementation deadlines, 237 applications for  funding 
were  submitted  in  1997, and  the  Commission  selected  62  projects  to  receive  financial 
support,  exhausting  the  endowment  of  EUR  10  million.  In  1998,  the  Commission 
selected  66  projects  for  financial  support  out  of  191  applications  received.  A  large 
number of the projects  supported  by the Commission  also received  funding  from  public 
authorities at different  levels in the Member States. 

The  usefulness  of  Community  action  aimed  at  the  integration  of  refugees  has  been 
confirmed  by the participants  in two  European  Conferences  on the  subject.  The  first  of 
these  was organised  by the  Commission  and held  in November  1997 and  a  second  was 
organised  by ECRE (European  Council  on Refugees  and Exiles) with the  support  of the 
Commission  in  November  1998  which  brought  together  representatives  of  all  of  the 
projects  receiving  funding.  The  participants  in the  second  conference,  (over  300 people 
representing  NGO's,  refugee  groups,  local  and  national  authorities)  specifically 
recognised  the  value  of  the  work  which  had  been  carried  out  in  the  projects  and 
emphasised  the  need  for  the  continuation  of  support  for  the  development  of  refugee 
integration activities. 

The importance  of the actions carried  out  in  1997 and  1998 has also been borne out by 
representatives of the Member States in meetings of the ad hoc group on the issue set up 
by the Commission to follow the implementation of the measures. 

A full  evaluation of the work carried out will be undertaken early in 1999 following a call 
for  tender  which  was  launched  by  the  Commission  in  July  1998.  Such  an  evaluation 
could  not  be  carried  out  earlier  since  the  funding  of  budget  line  B3-4113  only  became 
available in July  1997 and most of the projects financed  in the first  selection round began 
towards the end of that year. 

3. 

BASIC  AIMS  AND  PRINCIPLES  OF  THE  PROPOSED  COMMUNITY 
ACTION  PROGRAMME 

The  programme  is  designed  to  support  and  supplement  action  taken  by  and  within  the 
Member States, while fully  respecting their responsibilities and cultural diversity. 

With  a  view  to  building  on  the  achievements  of  the  earlier  action,  to  maintaining  the 
added  value  of  these  measures  at  European  level  and  to  providing  a  transition  to  the 
inclusion  of  measures  in  favour  of refugees  in  future  Community  initiatives, the  action 
programme contributes to: 

the development of innovative, multi-dimensional integration measures; 

the creation and development of transnational cooperation on the issue; 

information,  coordination,  assessment  and  exchange  of  good  practice  and 
experience at European Union level; 

the stimulation of experiment and the identification  of the best innovatory models 
of action in terms of contents and organisation; 

the analysis of the situation of refugees  in the Member States. 

The  programme  will  strengthen  an  approach  based  on  the  principles  of  partnership, 
transferability,  and  innovation.  These  principles  will  be  translated 
participation, 
into actions  which  respond  to  the  various  needs  and  priorities  in  the  area  of 
refugee  integration.  Particular  attention  will  be  paid  to  spécifie  population  categories 
(according to gender, age, ethnic background ...). 

3.1 

Partnership 

Given that strategies for the integration of refugees  require a multi-dimensional  approach 
(including  action  in  all  relevant  fields:  e.g.  education  and  training,  guidance  and 
counselling,  housing,  access  to  services,  social  protection,  culture  and 
leisure 
activities  ...), actions undertaken in the framework  of the programme will be launched in 
cooperation  between  two or more partners representing,  in particular, public authorities, 
the social partners, and non-governmental organisations. 

3.2 

Participation 

The partners  in the programme's  actions are invited  to ensure the  direct  participation  of 
the refugees  targeted  in the action concerned, and to devise ways and means of ensuring 
that those who have the most  stake in the programme's  success are able to  influence  its 
development and results. 

3.3 

Innovation 

As the programme is complementary to existing action and instruments at local, regional, 
national  or  European  levels,  and  since  its  results  are  expected  to  contribute  to  future 
Commission  proposals,  its  actions  should  be  conceived  as  or  aim  to  develop  new 
approaches, methods, forms of cooperation and/or instruments for intervention. 

3.4 

Transferability  and mainstreaming 

Programme  actions  should  target  transferable  results,  i.e. they  should  not  only  focus  on 
the  immediate  (local,  regional  or  national)  situation,  but  must  seek  to  contribute  to 
developments  at European  level. In the framework of the programme,  an  understanding 
of  the  European  context  underlying  the  integration  of  refugees  will  be  of  paramount 
importance  since the  Commission  intends to build  the results  of the  actions  undertaken 
into its future proposals in the area of socio-economic integration. 

4. 

ACTIONS TO BE UNDERTAKEN IN THE PROGRAMME 

41 

Action I : support for innovative projects with a clear European added-value 

In  order  to  ensure  continuity  with  earlier  Community  measures  in  favour  of  the 
integration  of refugees,  and with a view to providing concrete  input  from  the bottom  up 
into  action  at  European  level,  it  is  proposed  to  offer  financial  support  for  large 
multi-dimensional  projects,  offering 
the  best  possible  practical  examples  of  the 
underlying  aims  and  principles  described  under  point  3  above.  The  programme  is 
designed to provide  support for  innovative  actions having a clear European  added-value 
and it is not intended to support proposals with a purely local or national impact. 

Given, therefore, that future  action on the issue is to be concentrated at European level, it 
is  proposed  that  financial  provision  for  Action  I  should  be  reduced  in  comparison  to 
earlier  years,  and  that  it  should  be  earmarked  for  the  support  of  an  average  of  15 
such multi-dimensional projects during the first year, and for 20 during the second year of 
the programme. 

4.2  Action II : support for European-level  projects 

European-level  projects drawing together partners and actions in all Member  States  from 
the outset will offer  valuable illustrations of best practice and experience for future  action 
at European level on the issue of integration of refugees. 

It is proposed  to offer  support  for  two  such projects  in the first year  and  for  four  in the 
second year of the present programme. 

4.3  Action III: promotion of European cooperation for the integration of  refugees 

In order to build on the added-value of previous action, it is proposed to offer  increasing 
support for  strengthening cooperation at the European level and exchange of  information 
between  organisations  and  other  actors  concerned  with  the  integration  of  refugees, 
particularly  with  a  view  to  defining  and  ensuring  the  transfer  of  good  practice  and 
experience.  The promotion  of  such cooperation  networks  will  be  supported  through  the 
organisation  of  meetings  and  the  preparation  and  publication  of  findings  and  reports. 
Proposals  for  the  scope  and  work priorities  of these  networks  will  be  submitted  to  and 
discussed with the advisory committee set up in the framework  of the programme. 

It is proposed  to  offer  provision  for  the  setting up and running  of three networks  in the 
first year and seven in the second year of the programme. 

4.4 

Action IV : exchange of information  and compilation of data and statistics at 
European level 

The  Commission  will  ensure the compilation  of  data  and  statistics  and the  exchange  of 
information  at European level in connection with the implementation of the programme. 

5. 

CONSULTATION AND ASSESSMENT 

5-1 

Consultation 

The  actions  of  this  programme  will  be  implemented  in  close  collaboration  with 
the Member  States, particularly  in regard to their policies and programmes. To  facilitate 
this, the  Commission  proposes the  creation  of an advisory  committee  of  representatives 
of the  Member  States. Appropriate  links will  also  be maintained  with  the  UNHCR  and 
other  relevant  international  bodies  in  accordance  with  the  requirements  of  the 
programme's actions. 

5.2 

Assessment and reports 

Regular  monitoring  of  the  programme  will  be  carried  out  by  the  Commission  and  an 
assessment  report  based  on  an  external  evaluation  of  the  actions  undertaken  will  be 
presented to the Council, the European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee, 
and the Committee of the Regions after the completion of the programme. 

III. 

LEGAL BASIS AND SUBSIDIARITY 

1. 

LEGAL BASIS 

The appropriate  legal basis for  the proposed  decision  is Article 235 of the EC Treaty, in 
accordance with which the Community may act where it is necessary to attain one of the 
objectives of the Community in the operation of the Common Market and the Treaty has 
not provided the necessary powers. 

The Treaty objective that the present action programme seeks to achieve is that of greater 
economic  and  social  cohesion  for  refugees.  The  maintenance  and  strengthening  of 
economic  and  social  cohesion  are among the  fundamental  objectives  of the  Community 
mentioned in Articles 2 and 3(j) of the EC Treaty. Refugees  on the whole are a vulnerable 
group,  often  at  the  margins  of  the  national  societies  in  Europe,  and  their  integration 
requires  specific  action  and  measures. The  programme  seeks, therefore,  to  complement 
and enhance  Member  States' initiatives  concerning the  integration  of refugees.  Since no 
specific  powers to that  effect  are to be found  in the Treaty, the appropriate  legal base is 
Article 235 of the EC Treaty. 

2. 

SUBSIDIARITY 

This  proposal  aims  to  supplement  the  actions  undertaken  in  Member  States  by 
encouraging  and  supporting  new  strategies,  the  exchange  and  transfer  of  good  practice 
and  of  comparable  experience,  the  establishment  of  data  and  statistics  and  the 
development of new synergies which could not be developed at national levels. 

The  objectives  of  the  proposed  programme  cannot  be  adequately  achieved  by  the 
Member States since the  intention  is to support and  supplement  action  taken  by them in 
particular  through  the  exchange  of  experience,  the  establishment  of  European  level 
projects  and  the  development  of  European  networks  of  actors  in  the  field.  By  its  very 
nature  the  objectives  of  the  programme  can  only  be  achieved  if  it  has  a  strong 
Community dimension and is applicable in all the Member States. 

IV.  COMMENTARY  ON  THÉ  ARTICLES  IN  THE  PROPOSAL  FOR  A 

COUNCIL DECISION 

Article 1 

This Article establishes the action programme for the integration of refugees. 

Article 2 

This  Article  defines  the  target  group  for  the  programme  i.e.  persons  who  have 
been granted  by  a Member  State  admission  to  stay  either  with  refugee  status  under  the 
United Nations Convention of  1951 or, depending on the Member  State concerned, with 
some other form  of status enabling them to remain. There exist  in the Member  States a 
number of different  humanitarian statuses which provide for displaced persons to remain 
in  that  Member  State.  The  purpose  of  the  programme  is  to  provide  support  for  both 
Convention refugees  and for these other groups to integrate into the host society. Asylum 
seekers  and  other  displaced  persons  who  have  not  been  granted  leave  to  remain  in  a 
Member State are not covered by the programme. 

Article 3 

The programme is designed  to provide a transition  between the pilot  actions carried  out 
in  1997 and  1998 and measures to prompte  social  inclusion  which  are to  be  developed 
under Article  137 of the Treaty of Amsterdam. It therefore combines several objectives: 

(a) 

(b) 

(c) 

the  setting-up  of innovative projects  with clear European  added-value allows  for 
an  input  of  ideas,  good  practice  and  experience  from  those  actors  directly 
involved in the integration of refugees  and from refugees themselves; 

the  creation  and  development  of  transnational  cooperation  on  the  integration  of 
refugees  enhanced  through  projects  at  European  level  which  demonstrate  the 
means  to  launch  and  develop  measures  on  specific  issues  or  to  apply  specific 
strategies (or a combination of strategies) across all  15 Member States; 

the involvement of public and private agencies and of actors at all levels through 
the  creation  of transnational  networks  which  will  make  it possible  to  develop  a 
dialogue  and  the  means  to  transfer  approaches  and  methods  applied  at  local, 
regional, national and transnational levels; 

(d) 

(e) 

(f) 

the  exchange  of  information  and  experience  leading  to  the  recognition  of  both 
similarities and differences  in approaches and stimulating inventive adaptations of 
the  best  practice  models  identified  while  the  creation  and  development  of 
transnational  networks  of  existing  projects  will,  in  addition,  establish  more 
permanent structures and prolong the impact of the programme; 

the  development  of  comparable  statistics  and  data  at  the  European  level  on the 
evolving situations of refugees  in the Member States; 

developing  awareness  of  the  situation  of  refugees  since,  given  the  growth  of 
negative  attitudes towards refugees  in the Member  States, it is important that the 
general public is made aware of the reality of the situation of refugees  and of the 
positive contribution which they can make to society. 

The measures will consist of a number of large-scale actions. 

Article 4 

(a)  Multi-dimensional  projects  (involving  actions  in  a  number  of  different  fields: 
e.g. education  and  training,  guidance  and  counselling,  housing,  access  to  social 
services,  social  protection,  culture  and  leisure  activities  ...)  which  will  make  it 
possible to develop innovatory and/or experimental approaches and methods. The 
actions must complement  existing actions of the Member  States. The assessment 
of  these  actions  will  lead  to  the  identification  of  those  aspects  which  can  be 
transferred  to other levels of cooperation and to other Member States. 

(b) 

(c) 

(d) 

European-level  projects  including action in all  15 Member  States from  the outset 
are at the core of efforts  undertaken to identify  and test approaches  and methods 
which  are useful  and/or complementary  to existing  action  in the Member  States. 
The  assessment  of  such  projects  will  contribute  to  the  overall  mapping  of  the 
situation  of refugees  within the Community, and of the strengths and weaknesses 
of existing action in favour of their integration. 

The  usefulness  of  transnational  networks  is  based  on  their  ability  to  identify 
the specific  and  changing  needs  of  the  refugee  population  and  to  assess,  on  a 
continuing  basis, the practical  effectiveness  of policies, programmes  and  actions 
launched  by  the  various  agencies  or  groups  involved.  This  pragmatic  approach 
will  also  allow  for  the  anticipation  of  difficulties  in  pursuing  a  particular  line 

.  of action. 

The  collection,  compilation  and  dissemination  of  statistics  and  data:  the 
programme  will  support  the  collection,  compilation  and  dissemination  of 
comparable  data  at the  European  level  of  statistics  and  other  information  on the 
situation  of  refugees.  These  actions  will  complement  measures  under  the 
Commission's  Action  Plan on the  extension  of  data collection  to cover monthly 
migration  and  asylum  statistics  (SEC( 1998) 661,  15.4.1998).  The  Commission 
will also  ensure  that reports  on the  programme's  progress  and results  are made 
widely available. 

10 

Article 5 

The  Commission  and  the  Member  States  will  ensure  the  complementarity  of  actions 
undertaken  at  Community  level.  The  Commission  will  request  that  Member  States 
designate  a national  contact  person  for  the  purpose  of  following  the  implementation  of 
the programme at national  level. It should  be stressed, in particular,  that the  programme 
cannot  contribute  towards  actions  aimed  at  the  integration  of  refugees  into  the  labour 
market, which should be considered in the framework  of the ESF, Community Initiatives 
and other relevant measures launched by the Member States. 

Article 6 

The  Commission  will  implement  the  programme  in  close  cooperation  with  the 
Member States and with institutions and organisations active in the field. 

Article 7 

This  Article  sets  out  the  composition,  operation  and  relationship  with  the  Commission 
of the  Advisory  Committee  on  which  the  governments  of  the  Member  States 
are represented. 

Article 8 

This body will be consulted by the Commission on any important question relating to the 
implementation of the programme. 

Article 9 

is  expected 

that  the  projects  will  be  funded 

jointly  by  the  Commission, 
It 
non-governmental  organisations  and  other  private  and  public  sources 
the 
Member States. The contribution  of non-Commission  partners  must  be  directly  relevant 
to the project activities. Co-funding  of the projects from other Community sources cannot 
be considered. 

in 

The partners' contribution to projects will normally be in cash. Contributions in kind may 
be considered  exceptionally,  provided  that  this has been  negotiated  in advance  and  that 
the  activities  thus  funded  are  directly  linked  to  the  implementation  of  the  project 
work programme. 

Article 10 

This  Article  provides  both  for  ongoing  monitoring  by the  Commission  of  projects  and 
other measures supported by the programme and for an independent  evaluation once the 
programme  has  been  completed.  Ongoing  monitoring  will  include  the  analysis  of  the 
reports submitted by the beneficiaries  and other partners and their direct contributions by 
way  of meetings  and  seminars.  The monitoring  measures  are  designed  to  ensure  sound 
management of the programme while the ex post evaluation will assess the impact of the 
programme and the extent to which good practice and innovation has been developed and 
disseminated.  The  Article  also  provides  for  the  provision  a  report  to  the  European 
Parliament  and  the  Council  on the  action  carried  out  under the programme.  This  report 
will also be presented  to the Economic  and  Social  Committee and the Committee of the 

ti 

Regions. The Commission will consult the advisory committee for the programme on the 
criteria for monitoring and assessment of the actions carried out and on the dissemination 
of the results of the programme. 

The customary final provision. 

Article 11 

12 

Proposal for a 
COUNCIL DECISION 

establishing a Community action programme to promote the integration of  refugees 

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  establishing  the  European  Community,  and  in  particular 
Article 23 5 thereof, 

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission7, 

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament8, 

(1)  Whereas  the  Commission, 

in  its  Social  Action  Programme  1998-20009, 
announced  its  intention  to propose  a programme  for  the  integration  of  refugees, 
building on the successful  pilot actions implemented in  1997 and  1998; 

(2)  Whereas the Member  States and the Institutions  have repeatedly  expressed  their 
concern about the situation of refugees; whereas the number of refugees  in Europe 
has substantially increased in recent years; 

(3)  Whereas  action  in  favour  of  the  social  and  economic  integration  of  the  least 
privileged  and  most  vulnerable  population  groups  forms  an  integral  part  of 
economic  and  social  cohesion,  the  maintenance  and  strengthening  of  which  are 
among the fundamental  objectives of the Community mentioned in Articles 2 and 
3(j)  of  the  Treaty;  whereas  refugees  are  particularly  vulnerable  people  whose 
integration requires specific action and measures; 

(4)  Whereas Structural Fund assisted measures and other Community measures in the 
field  of  education  and  vocational  training  are  not  in  themselves  sufficient  to 
promote this integration, and it is expedient to establish  a programme  of  specific 
measures to that end; 

(5)  Whereas  the  programme  should  not  prejudice  the  policies  and  powers  of  the 
Member States and should not overlap with or detract from joint actions launched 
in the fields of asylum  and  immigration policy  or measures  which  may be taken 
by the Community in those areas; 

(6)  Whereas, in accordance with the principles  of subsidiarity  and proportionality  as 
set out in Article 3b of the Treaty, the objectives of the proposed action cannot be 
sufficiently  achieved by the Member States, in that the objective is to support and 
supplement action taken by the Member States; whereas furthermore  the objective 

7  OJC 
8  OJC 
9  COM(1998) 259 final. 

,t3 

of the programme provided for in this Decision by its very nature is situated at the 
Community  level;  whereas,  therefore,  the  scale  and  impact  of  the  programme 
should have a Community dimension and the programme  should be applicable in 
the  entire  Community;  whereas  this  Decision  confines  itself  to  the  minimum 
required  in  order  to  achieve  that  objective  and  does  not  go  beyond  what  is 
necessary for that purpose; 

(7)  Whereas  the Treaty  does not  provide, for  the  adoption  of this  Decision,  powers 

other than those under Article 235, 

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: 

Article 1 

Establishment of the programme 

An  action  programme  to  promote  the  integration  of  refugees  who  have  settled  or  who 
are entitled  to  settle  in  the  Member  States  is  hereby  established  for  the  period  from 
1 July  1999  to  31  December  2000  in  the  framework  of  action  in  the  field  of 
social integration. 

The purpose  of the programme  is to  contribute  to the effective  integration  into  and the 
participation  in  society  of  refugees  in  the  Member  States,  while  fully  respecting  the 
Member States' responsibilities and the cultural identity of the refugees themselves. 

Article 2 

Target group 

For  the  purpose  of the  programme,  the target  group  is persons  who  have  been  granted 
admission to stay in a Member State either as refugees  within the meaning of Article  1  of 
the  Convention  relating  to  the  Status  of  Refugees  of  28  July  1951,  as  amended  by 
the New York  Protocol  of  31  January  1967,  or  as  persons  granted  protection  on  an 
individual  basis  in  accordance  with  Member  States'  international  obligations  or  on 
humanitarian grounds. 

Article 3 

Aims 

The  aims  of  the  programme  shall  be  to  support  Member  States'  efforts  in  the  area  of 
integration of refugees by promoting: 

(a) 

the development of integration measures; 

(b) 

the creation and development of transnational cooperation on the issue; 

(c) 

information,  coordination,  assessment  and  exchange  of  good  practice  and 
experience at Community level; 

14 

(d) 

the stimulation  of experiment  and the identification  of the best  innovatory  models 
of action in terms of contents and organisation; 

(e) 

the analysis of the situation of refugees  in the Member States; 

(f) 

raising public awareness of the situation of refugees  in the Member States. 

Article 4 

Community actions 

The measures designed to attain the aims referred to in Article 3 shall be as follows: 

(a) 

(b) 

(c) 

(d) 

(e) 

the  setting  up  and running  of  large  multi-dimensional,  innovative  projects  with  a 
clear Community added-value, undertaken by public authorities, non-governmental 
organisations  and/or  the  social  partners  and  covering  a  number  of  the  fields 
of integration; 

the  setting-up  and  running  of  Community-level  projects  including  action  in  all 
Member States; 

the  creation  and development  of transnational  networks, in particular  with  a view 
to ensuring  transfer  of  good  practice  and  experience, 
inter  alia,  through 
the organisation  of  meetings  and  the  preparation  and  publication  of  findings 
and reports; 

the exchange of experience, the assessment, monitoring and evaluation  of  projects 
and practice leading to the identification  of innovative approaches to the integration 
of refugees; 

the  collection,  the  compilation  and  the  dissemination  at  national  and  Community 
levels of comparable  data and reports  concerning  the  situation  and the  integration 
of refugees  in the Member States; 

(f) 

the provision of information on the programme and the dissemination of its results. 

Article 5 

Consistency and complementarity 

The Commission  and the  Member  States  shall  ensure  consistency  and  complementarity 
between the initiatives undertaken  under this Decision  and initiatives  undertaken  by the 
Member  States and those  undertaken  under  the  Structural  Funds  and  other  Community 
policies, programmes  and  actions, including those relating  to  labour-market  integration, 
to  youth,  education,  training,  research,  culture, the  reception,  temporary  protection  and 
voluntary repatriation of asylum seekers and displaced persons. 

15 

Article 6 

Implementation 

1. 

2. 

The Commission shall implement the action programme in close cooperation with 
the Member States in accordance with this Decision. 

The Commission  shall cooperate with institutions and organisations  active in the 
field of integration of refugees. 

Article 7 

Committee 

The Commission shall be assisted by a committee of an advisory nature composed of the 
representatives of the Member  States and chaired by a representative of the  Commission 
(hereinafter  referred to as 'the Committee'). 

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 8 

Functions of the Committee 

The Committee shall deliver opinions on the following points: 

(a)  general guidelines for the support to be provided by the Community; 

(b) 

the  annual  work  programme  and  matters  concerning  the  financial  breakdown  of 
these activities; 

(c)  procedures for the selection of the actions supported by the Community, the criteria 
for monitoring and assessing those actions and the programme as a whole, and the 
arrangements for disseminating and transferring the results. 

Article 9 

Determination of financial  assistance 

1. 

The actions referred  to in Article 4(a) and  (b) may receive  a Community financial 
contribution amounting to a maximum of 60%. 

16 

However, in exceptional cases, and in accordance with criteria to be agreed with the 
Committee referred to in Article 7, that maximum shall be 80%. 

The  actions  referred  to  in  Article  4(c)  may  receive  a  Community  financial 
contribution amounting to a maximum of 90%. 

The actions referred  to in Article 4(d), (e) and (f)  shall be financed  entirely by the 
General Budget of the European Communities. 

Article 10 

Monitoring and evaluation 

The  Commission  shall  be  responsible  for  the  monitoring  and  evaluation  of  the 
measures  supported  under  the  programme.  Monitoring  and  evaluation  may  be 
financed  from  the  appropriations  available  for  the  measures  supported.  A  final 
evaluation, by  independent  experts, of  the  actions  undertaken  shall  be  made  after 
completion of the programme. 

The Commission  shall present to the European Parliament and the Council a report 
on the implementation of the programme, incorporating the results of the evaluation 
carried out, at the latest by 1  June 2002. 

2. 

3. 

1. 

2. 

Article 11 

Date of taking effect 

This Decision shall take effect  on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the 
European Communities. 

Done at Brussels, 

For the Council 
The President 

17 

FINANCIAL STATEMENT 

1. 

TITLE OF OPERATION 

Community action programme on the integration of  refugees 

2. 

BUDGET HEADING INVOLVED 

B3-4113andPartA 

; 

3. 

LEGAL BASIS 

Article 235 of the EC Treaty 

4. 

DESCRIPTION OF OPERATION 

4.1 

General objective 

The general  objective  of the Community  action programme  on the  integration of 
refugees  is  to  support  and  contribute  to  the  development  of  action  already 
undertaken  at  local,  regional,  national  and  European  levels,  aimed  at  the 
achievement  of  independence  and  the prevention  of  social  exclusion  of  refugees 
within the Member States. 

The Community action programme is based on full  cooperation with and between 
Member  States,  and  the  respect  of  their  responsibilities  and  cultural  diversity, 
with a view to encouraging refugees to take an active part in society. 

4.2 

Period covered and arrangements for renewal or extension 

1 July  1999 to 31 December 2000; 

Report  to  the  Council  and  European  Parliament  after  completion 
together with the evaluation results. 

5. 

CLASSIFICATION OF EXPENDITURE 

5.1 

5.2 

- 

- 

Non-compulsory expenditure 

differentiated  appropriations 

18 

6. 

TYPE OF  EXPENDITURE 

For  multi-dimensional  projects,  projects  at  European  level,  and  European 
networks: grants  co-financed  with  other public  and  private  sources. The  level  of 
funding  granted  depends  on  the  scope  of the  measure  to  be financed and  on  the 
extent  to  which  the  aims  of  the  action  programme  is  reflected  in  the  activities 
planned. Internal project  resources (in the form  of service provision,  provision of 
staff,  material  and  installations,  for  instance)  will  qualify  for  the  Community 
contribution.  The  Community  project  funding  rate  may  therefore  vary,  but  will 
normally  not  exceed  60%  for  multi-dimensional  projects  and  European-level 
projects, and 90% for European networks. Funding for work ordered and of direct 
use to the Commission may amount to  100%. 

7. 

FINANCIAL IMPACT 

7.1 

Overall impact -  breakdown  by programme  elements 

The  general  structure  of  the  programme  budget  and  the  development  of  the 
balance  between  the  various  actions  reflect,  on  the  one  hand,  the  importance 
attached to input from  the bottom up and. on the other, the increasing importance-
attached to cooperation at Community level. 

Thus concrete bottom-up  actions (Actions  1 and 2) will receive  EUR 3.9  million 
(78% of the budget)  of the  funding  from  the  1999 budget,  and  EUR 6.3  million 
(70%) in 2000. 

The  funding  available  for  the  support  of networks  including  data  collection  will 
increase from EUR  1.1 million (22%) to EUR 2.5 million (28%). 

Back-up  measures  (conferences  and  seminars)  have  been  minimised  and  will 
account  for  less  than  5%  of  the  total  budget  for  the  programme,  external 
evaluation will account for 2.2% of the budget in the year 2000. 

7.2 

Indicative itemised breakdown  of costs 

While the amount allocated to each project will be assessed on an individual basis 
with respect to the criteria established by the Commission, the breakdown of costs 
is based on experience from  the pilot actions carried out in  1997 and  1998 i.e. an 
average  annual  Community  contribution  to  multi-dimensional  projects  of 
EUR 150 000  and  an  average  contribution  for  European  level  projects  of 
EUR 700 000.  Average  annual  support  for  networks  will  be  EUR 340 000  to 
EUR 350 000. 

19 

Actions 

Budget 1 
EUR 
million 

fear 1999 
Number 
of actions 

Budget Year 2000 
Number 
of actions 

EUR 
million 

1. co-financing  of multi 
dimensional projects 
(Action I) 

2.5 

15 

3.5 

20 

TOTAL 
nutnber 
of actions 
35 

2. co-financing of 
European-level  projects 
(Action II) 
3. support for networks 
and exchange of 
information  including 
data on  refugees 
(including yearly 
meetings, operating costs, 
and reports) (Actions III 
&IV) 
4. External evaluation 
TOTAL in EUR million 

1.4 

1.1 

5 

2 

3 

2.8 

2.5 

4 

7 

6 

10 

0.2 
9 

1 

1 

7.3 

Indicative schedule of appropriations (in EUR million) 

Commitment 
appropriations 
Payment 
appropriations 
1999 
2000 
2001 
TOTAL 

1999 
5 

2000 
9 

TOTAL 
14 

3.5 
1.5 
-
5 

-
5.0 
4.0 
9 

3.5 
6.5 
4.0 
14 

8. 

FRAUD PREVENTION MEASURES; RESULTS OF MEASURES 

The  grant  application  forms  will  require  information  on  the  identity  and  nature  of 
potential beneficiaries so that their reliability can be assessed in advance. 

Fraud prevention measures (in situ checks by the Commission and the Court of Auditors, 
interim  reports,  final  reports)  are  included  in  all  contracts,  agreements  and  legal 
undertakings  entered  into  between  the  Commission  and  beneficiaries.  The  Commission 
will check reports and ensure that planned activities have been properly carried out before 
intermediate  and  final  payments  are  made.  Where  appropriate,  Community  coverage  of 
certain cost elements will be limited to items which are real, identifiable  and verifiable  in 
the  beneficiary's  book-keeping  arrangements,  so  as  to  facilitate  checking  and  auditing 
(and evaluation for selection purposes) of projects in receipt of funding. 

20 

9. 

ELEMENTS OF COST-EFFECTIVENESS  ANALYSIS 

9.1 

Specific and quantifiable objectives: target population 

The overall  objective  of the Community  action programme  on the  integration  of 
refugees  is to ensure measurable  improvement  in the integration  of refugees  into 
the host society. Specific objectives are: 

(a) 

(b) 

(c) 

(d) 

(e) 

(f) 

(g) 

the  setting  up  of  innovative  projects  with  clear  European  added-value 
allowing  for  an  input  of  ideas,  good  practice  and  experience  from 
practitioners directly  involved  in the integration  of refugees  and  from  the 
refugees themselves; 

the  creation  and  development  of  transnational  cooperation  on  the 
integration of refugees  enhanced through projects at European level which 
demonstrate  the  means  to  launch  and  develop  measures  on  specific 
issues or to apply specific strategies (or a combination of strategies) across 
all 15 Member States; 

the  involvement  of  public  and  private  agencies  and  practitioners  at  all 
levels through  the  creation  of  transnational  networks  which  will  make  it 
possible to  develop  a dialogue  and  the  means to transfer  approaches  and 
methods applied at local, regional, national and transnational levels; 

the exchange of information  and experience  leading to the  recognition  of 
both  similarities  and  differences  in approaches  and  stimulating  inventive 
adaptations of the best practice models  identified; 

the establishment,  through the  creation  and  development  of  transnational 
networks  of  existing  projects,  of  more  permanent  structures  which  will 
prolong the impact of the programme; 

regular exchange of  information  between practitioners  which  will  lead to 
the development of comparable statistics and data at the European level on 
the evolving situations of refugees  in the Member States; 

developing  awareness of the situation of refugees  since, given the  growth 
of  negative  attitudes  towards  refugees  in  the  Member  States,  it  is 
important  that  the  general  public  is  made  aware  of  the  reality  of  the 
situation of refugees  and of the positive contribution which they can make 
to society. 

The  implementation  of  these  objectives  will  be  based  on  the  principles  of 
partnership,  participation,  transferability,  and  innovation.  These  principles  will 
be translated  into  actions  which  respond  to  needs  and  priorities  in  the  area  of 
refugee  integration. 

21 

Target  group:  the  Community  action  programme  will  supplement  and/or 
strengthen the integration of refugees  - persons who have been granted  admission 
to stay in a Member State either as refugees  within the meaning of Article  1  of the 
United Nations Convention  relating to the Status of Refugees  of 28 July  1951 as 
amended  by the  New  York  Protocol  of  31  January  1967,  or  as  persons  granted 
protection on an individual basis in accordance with Member  States' international 
obligations or on humanitarian  grounds - as well as actions undertaken by bodies 
working  in  this  field.  Particular  attention  will  be  paid  to  specific  population 
categories (according to gender, age, ethnic background ...). 

9.2 

Grounds for the operation 

The  Community  action  programme  on  the  integration  of  refugees  supports  and 
supplements  measures  taken  by  and  within  the  Member  States.  Community 
cooperation on the issue aims to supplement national measures, more particularly 
by  promoting  activities  which  are  non-existent  or  under-developed  at  national 
level.  Community  cooperation  also  serves  to  facilitate  exchange  of  information, 
and  the  definition  and  transfer  of  good  practice  and  experience,  and  the 
development  of  new  synergies  which  would  not  necessarily  emerge  in  a  purely 
national context. 

The present programme is based on the experience drawn from previous activities 
in  the  field  of  integration  of  refugees,  which  have  led  to  the  generation  of  new 
methods and know-how at European level. Experience so far has also shown that 
cooperation to date has succeeded in mobilising additional sources of both private 
and public funding.  Community co-financing  has a dual effect:  on the one hand, it 
draws  the  attention  of  the  public  authorities  at  all  levels  to  the  importance  of 
making  funding  available  for  Community  cooperation  on  the  integration  of 
refugees;  and, on the other,  it boosts the role of refugees  themselves  by  making 
them  more  active  in  seeking  additional  resources.  At  limited  cost,  this  kind  of 
intervention  achieves a multiplier  effect  both  in terms  of  sources  of  funding  and 
the number of beneficiaries. 

This  programme  coincides  with  growing  national  concern  in  connection  with 
the integration  of  refugees,  and  will  be  an  important  factor  in  enhancing  the 
impact  of  Community  action  as  a  catalyst  for  efforts  on  the  issue  made  in  the 
Member States. 

Two methods will be employed  to implement the programme.  One is to  support 
projects  carried  out  in  the  Member  States,  between  Member  States  or  at 
Community  level.  The  selection  of  projects  is  largely  based  on  general  and 
priority  objectives,  and  the  implementation  of the measures  themselves  depends 
on  the  quality  and  effectiveness  of  projects  submitted  to  the  competent 
department  according  to  the  deadlines  decided  upon.  The  other  is  to  undertake 
support activities necessary to achieve the objectives of the programme. 

22 

The  budget  proposed  of  EUR 5  million  for  1999  reflects  the  amount  proposed 
by the  European  Parliament  in  the  1999  budget  for  preparatory  measures. 
The amount  of  EUR 9  million  in  2000  reflects  the  annual  endowment  of 
EUR  10 million provided for the action carried out in  1997 and  1998 prior to this 
programme and the fact that the programme will be operational for a full  calendar 
year in 2000. 

9.3  Monitoring and evaluation of the operation 

9.3.1  Monitoring 

Monitoring at Community level is to be carried  out by the Commission,  and will 
be based on an analysis of the reports submitted by the beneficiaries  and by other 
partners,  and  on  their  direct  contributions,  by  way  of  meetings  and  seminars. 
Beneficiaries  will be requested to provide data on a number of specific  indicators 
to ensure comparable data is available to assess the results of the programme. 

9.3.2  Evaluation 

Evaluation  will  be  by  means  of  an  evaluation  of  the  main  measures  and 
of subsidised  projects 
of 
independent experts. The evaluation  report  will  be submitted  after  the end  of the 
programme period. 

the  participation 

involving 

activities 

and 

9.3.3  Output indicators 

(a) 

(b) 

(c) 

(d) 

the extent to  which  measures  to  integrate  refugees  into  their  host  society 
have  been  introduced  and/or  developed  within  the  Member  States  -
specific  indicators could include access to relevant education and training, 
health care, accommodation, the maintenance of the cultural identity of the 
refugees  concerned and the involvement of the host community (this list is 
not exhaustive); 

how  far  cooperation  on the  issue  between  the  various  actors  involved  at 
local, national and European level has been created and developed through 
the programme e.g specific indicators could include the number and nature 
of partnerships  developed  and  the  range  of  partners,  the  development  of 
synergies  between  actions  carried  out  in  different  Member  States,  the 
development  of  coordinated  measures  involving  some  or  all  of  the 
Member States (this list is not exhaustive); 

the extent to which  information  is being  exchanged  at  local, national  and 
European  level  and  how  far  this  has  led  to  the  definition,  exchange  and 
development  of  new  models  of  good  practice  within  and  between  the 
Member States in terms of both content and organisation; 

the  extent  to  which  refugees  themselves  and  refugee  associations  are 
involved  in  the  design,  implementation  and  evaluation  of  integration 
measures supported under the programme; 

23 

(e) 

(f) 

how  far  specific  population  groups  have  been  involved  in  the  actions 
(according to gender, age, ethnic background ...). 

the  amount  and  range  of  sources  (both  private  and  public)  from  which 
additional  funding  has been obtained, particularly by refugees  themselves, 
for actions financed under the programme; 

(g) 

the extent to which statistics and analysis of the situation of refugees  in the 
Member States is available on a comparative basis. 

9.3.4  Impact indicators 

(a) 

(b) 

the  extent  to  which  the  measures  have  resulted  in  more  effective 
integration  of the target  group through  improvements  in existing  practice 
and the spread of innovative ideas; 

how  far  the  actions  have  contributed  to  the  development  of  public 
awareness  of  the  situation  of  refugees  and  of  their  special  needs  with 
respect to integration in the host society. 

10. 

ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENDITURE (Part A of the budget) 

Actual mobilisation of the necessary administrative resources will be conditioned 
by the Commission's annual decision on the allocation of resources, having regard 
in particular to additional staff and funds provided by the Budget Authority. 

10.1 

Impact on the number of employees 

Types of employees 

Staff carrying out action 

Source of employee 

Duration 

Permanent 
employees 

Temporary 
employees 

A 
B 
C 

Officials  or 
Temporary 
agents 
Other resources 
Total 

1 
1 
1 
0 
3 

0 
0 
0 
1 man year 
1 man year 

From 
within DG 
or Service 
1 
1 
1 
1 man year 
4 

Supplementary 
staff 

0 
0 
0 
0 
0 

10.2  Financial impact of supplementary staff 

None.  The  annual  cost  of  existing  staff  resources  is  EUR 324  000 
(Titles Al, A2, A4, A5) and EUR  150 000 (A7002) 

24 

10.3  Other running costs arising from the action 

Budget line 

Meetings -  A 7031 

Amount 
EUR 41 700 

Method of calculation 
Two meetings  of  advisory  committee /year 

, 

Technical Assistance 
- A0.7040 

two  meetings/year  x  15  representatives  x 
EUR 695/representative  x  two  years  = 
EUR 41 700 

EUR 250 000*  Organisation 

of 
of 

two-day 

a 
project 

annual 
conference 
promoters 
(150 persons)  and  two thematic  seminars 
(50  persons),  preparation  of  conference 
_^ 
I  reports 

. 

• 

I 

*  The  necessary  resources  will  be  found  by  the  re-deployment  of  existing  resources  within  the  global 

envelope for DG V in TWt A7. 

25 

ISSN 0254-1475 

COM(98) 731 final 

DOCUMENTS 

EN 

06  05  11  04 

Catalogue number  :  CB-CO-98-797-EN-C 

Office for Official Publications of the European Communities 

L-2985 Luxembourg 

26