Proposal for a Council Decision concerning the Community position within the Association Council on the participation of Hungary in the multiannual Community programme for energy efficiency - SAVE II
Date: 1999-01-12
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU programme, Hungary, energy policy, production improvement, productivity

C  44/12

EN

Official  Journal  of  the  European  Communities

18.2.1999

Proposal  for  a  Council  Decision  concerning  the  Community  position  within  the  Association
Council  on  the  participation  of  Hungary  in  the  multiannual  Community  programme  for  energy
efficiency,  SAVE  II

(1999/C  44/12)

COM(1998)  811  final  -  1999/0002(CNS)

(Submitted  by  the  Commission  on  12  January  1999)

THE  COUNCIL  OF  THE  EUROPEAN  UNION,

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  establishing  the  European
Community,  and  in  particular  Article  130r  and  130s,
paragraph  1,  in  conjunction  with  Article  228,  paragraph
3,  1st  alinea  thereof,

Having  regard  to  the  proposal  from  the  Commission,

Having 
Parliamant,

regard 

to 

the  opinion  of 

the  European

the  Additional  Protocol 

Whereas 
the  Europe
the
Agreement  establishing  an  association  between 
European  Communities  and  their  Member  States,  of  the
one  part,  and  Hungary,  of  the  other  part,  has  been
concluded  by  decision  of 
the
Commission  of  4  December  1995,

the  Council  and 

to 

Whereas,  according  to  Article  1  of  the  Additional
Protocol,  Hungary  may  participate 
in  Community
framework  programmes,  specific  programmes,  projects
or  other  actions  including  those  in  the  field  of  energy
and  pursuant  to  Article  2,  the  terms  and  conditions  for
the  participation  of  Hungary  in  the  activities  referred  to
in  Article  1  shall  be  decided  by  the  Association  Council,

Whereas  Council  Decision  96/737/EC(cid:216)(˛)  of 
16
December  1996  establishing  a  multiannual  programme
for  the  promotion  of  energy  efficiency  in  the  Community
and  in  particular  Article  10  thereof,  provides  that  this
the  participation  of
programme 
shall  be  open 
in  accordance
associated  Central  European  countries 
the  Association
set  out 
with 
Agreements  on  participation  in  Community  programmes,

conditions 

the 

to 

in 

HAS  DECIDED  AS  FOLLOWS:

established 

The  position  to  be  taken  by  the  Community  within  the
Association  Council 
the  Europe
by 
Agreement  between 
the  European  Communities  and
their  Member  States,  of  the  one  part,  and  Hungary  of
the  other  part,  concerning  the  participation  of  Hungary
in  the  Community  programme  for  energy  efficiency,
SAVE 
the
II, 
Association  Council.

the  attached  draft  decision  of 

is 

(˛)(cid:217)OJ  L  335,  24.12.1996,  p.  50.

18.2.1999

EN

Official  Journal  of  the  European  Communities

C  44/13

Draft  Decision  No  (cid:216).(cid:216).(cid:216)./98  of  the  Association  Council  between  the  European  Communities  and
their  Member  States,  of  the  one  part,  and  Hungary,  of  the  other  part,  adopting  the  terms  and
conditions  for  the  participation  of  Hungary  in  the  Community  programme  for  energy  efficiency,
SAVE  II

THE  ASSOCIATION  COUNCIL,

Having  regard  to  the  Europe  Agreement  between  the  European  Communities  and  their
Member  States,  of  the  one  part,  and  Hungary,  of  the  other  part(cid:216)(˛);

Having  regard  to  the  Additional  Protocol  the  Europe  Agreement  establishing  an  association
between  the  European  Communities  and  their  Member  States,  of  the  one  part,  and  Hungary,
of  the  other  part  concerning  Hungary’s  participation  in  Community  programmes,  and  in
particular  Articles  1  and  2  thereof(cid:216)(ˇ);

Whereas  according  to  Article  1  of  the  said  Additional  Protocol,  Hungary  may  participate  in
Community  framework  programmes,  specific  programmes,  projects  or  other  actions  including
those  in  the  field  of  energy;

Whereas  according  to  Article  2  of  the  said  Additional  Protocol  the  terms  and  conditions  for
the  participation  of  Hungary  in  the  activities  referred  to  in  Article  1  are  to  be  decided  by  the
Association  Council,

HAS  DECIDED  AS  FOLLOWS:

Article  1

Hungary  shall  participate  in  the  European  Community  programme  SAVE  II  according  to  the
terms  and  conditions  set  out  in  Annexes  I  and  II  which  shall  form  an  integral  part  of  this
Decision.

This  Decision  shall  apply  for  the  duration  of  the  SAVE  II  programme.

Article  2

This  Decision  shall  enter  into  force  on  the  first  day  of  the  month  following  its  adoption.

Article  3

(˛)(cid:217)OJ  L  347,  31.12.1993.
(ˇ)(cid:217)OJ  L  317,  30.12.1995.

C  44/14

EN

Official  Journal  of  the  European  Communities

18.2.1999

ANNEX  I

Terms  and  conditions  for  the  participation  of  Hungary  in  the  multiannual  Community  programme  for
energy  efficiency,  SAVE  II

1.(cid:217)Hungary  will  participate  in  all  actions  of  the  multiannual  Community  programme  for  energy  efficiency,
SAVE  II  (hereinafter  called  "SAVE  II’)  in  conformity,  unless  otherwise  provided  in  this  Decision,  with
the  objectives,  criteria,  procedures  and  time  limits  laid  down  in  Council  Decision  96/737/EC  estab(cid:220)
lishing  a  five(cid:220)year  programme  for  the  preparation  and  implementation  of  measures  and  actions  in  a
cost(cid:220)effective  manner  in  order  to  promote  energy  efficiency  within  the  Community.

2.(cid:217)The  terms  and  conditions  for  the  submission,  assessment  and  selection  of  applications  related  to  eligible
institutions,  organisations  and  individuals  of  Hungary  will  be  the  same  as  those  applicable  to  eligible
institutions,  organisations  and  individuals  of  the  Community,  set  within  the  limits  of  the  financial
contribution  of  Hungary  less  administrative  costs  as  provided  in  Annex  II.

3.(cid:217)Where  applicable,  to  ensure  the  Community  dimension  of  SAVE  II,  transnational  projects  and  activities
proposed  by  Hungary  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  implemen(cid:220)
tation  of  SAVE  II,  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  activity.

4.(cid:217)Hungary  will  take  all  necessary  steps  to  ensure  national  coordination  and  organisation  of  participation

in  SAVE  II.

5.(cid:217)Hungary  will  pay  each  year  a  contribution  to  the  general  budget  of  the  European  Communities  to  cover

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

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

6.(cid:217)The  Member  States  of  the  Community  and  Hungary  will  make  every  effort,  within  the  framework  of
existing  provisions,  to  facilitate  the  free  movement  and  residence  of  persons  moving  between  Hungary
and  the  Member  States  of  the  Community  for  the  purpose  of  participating  in  activities  covered  by  this
Decision.

7.(cid:217)Without  prejudice  to  the  responsibilities  of  the  Commission  and  the  Community’s  Court  of  Auditors  of
the  European  Communities  in  relation  to  the  monitoring  and  evaluation  of  SAVE  II  pursuant  to  Arcticle
5  of  the  Council  Decision  on  SAVE  II,  the  participation  of  Hungary  in  the  programme  will  be
continuously  monitored  on  a  partnership  basis  involving  Hungary  and  the  Commission  of  the  European
Communities.  Hungary  will  submit  the  necessary  reports  to  the  Commission  and  take  part  in  other
specific  activities  set  out  by  the  Community  in  that  context.

8.(cid:217)Without  prejudice  to  the  procedures  referred  to  in  Article  4  and  5  of  the  Decision  on  SAVE  II,
Hungary  will  be  invited  to  coordination  meetings  on  any  question  concerning  the  implementation  of  this
Decision  prior  to  the  regular  meetings  of  the  SAVE  Committee.  The  Commission  will  inform  Hungary
about  the  results  of  such  regular  meetings.

9.(cid:217)The  language  to  be  used  as  regards  the  application  process,  contracts,  reports  to  be  submitted  and  other
administrative  arrangements  for  the  SAVE  II  programme,  will  be  one  of  the  official  languages  of  the
Community.

18.2.1999

EN

Official  Journal  of  the  European  Communities

C  44/15

ANNEX  II

Financial  Contribution  of  Hungary  to  SAVE  II

1.(cid:217)The  financial  contribution  of  Hungary  will  cover:

-(cid:217)subsidies  or  any  other  financial  support  from  the  programme  to  Hungarian  participants,

-(cid:217)supplementary  administrative  costs  related  to  the  management  of  the  programme  by  the  Commission

of  the  European  Communities  stemming  from  Hungary’s  participation.

2.(cid:217)For  every  financial  year,  the  aggregated  amount  of  subsidies  or  any  other  financial  support  received
from  the  programme  by  Hungarian  beneficiaries  will  not  exceed  the  contribution  paid  by  Hungary,
after  deduction  of  the  supplementary  administrative  costs.

Should  the  contribution  paid  by  Hungary  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  Hungarian  beneficiaries  from  the  programme,  the
Commission  will  transfer  the  balance  to  the  next  budgetary  exercicse,  and  it  will  be  deducted  from  the
following  year’s  contribution.  Should  such  a  balance  be  left  when  the  programme  comes  to  an  end,  the
corresponding  amount  will  be  reimbursed  to  Hungary.

3.(cid:217)Hungary’s  annual  contribution  will  be  of  309(cid:216)024  EUR  from  1999.  From  this  sum,  an  amount  of  21(cid:216)024
EUR  will  cover  supplementary  administrative  costs  related  to  the  management  of  the  programme  by  the
Commission  stemming  from  Hungary’s  participation.

4.(cid:217)The  financial  regulation  applicable  to  the  general  budget  of  the  European  Communities  will  apply,

notably  to  the  management  of  the  contribution  of  Hungary.

Upon  the  entry  into  force  of  this  Decision  and  at  the  beginning  of  each  year,  the  Commission  will  send
to  Hungary  a  call  for  funds  corresponding  to  its  contribution  to  the  costs  under  this  Decision.

This  contribution  will  be  expressed  in  euro  and  paid  into  an  euro  bank  account  of  the  Commission.

Hungary  will  pay  its  contribution  to  the  annual  costs  under  this  Decision  according  to  the  call  for  funds
and  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  Hungary  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  euro(cid:216)(˛),  increased  by  1,5  percentage  points.

5.(cid:217)Hungary  will  pay  the  supplementary  administrative  costs  referred  to  in  paragraph  3  (21(cid:216)024  EUR)  from

its  national  budget.

6.(cid:217)Hungary  will  pay  EUR  144(cid:216)000  of  the  remaining  cost  of  its  participation  in  SAVE  II  from  its  national

budget.

Subject  to  regular  Phare  programming  procedures,  EUR  144(cid:216)000  will  be  paid  from  Hungary’s  annual
Phare  allocation.

(˛)(cid:217)Rate  published  monthly  in  the  Official  Journal  of  the  European  Communities  -  C  series.