1999/311/EC: Council Decision of 29 April 1999 adopting the third phase of the trans-European cooperation scheme for higher education (Tempus III) (2000-2006)
Date: 1999-04-29
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: EU programme, cooperation policy, higher education

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II

(Acts whose publication is not obligatory)

COUNCIL

COUNCIL DECISION

of 29 April 1999

adopting the third phase of the trans-European cooperation scheme for higher
education (Tempus III) (2000-2006)

(1999/311/EC)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community, and in particular Article 235 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (1),

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parlia-
ment (2),

Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social
Committee (3),

Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the
Regions (4),

(1) Whereas the European Council meeting in Stras-
bourg on 8 and 9 December 1989 called on the
Council to adopt, on the basis of a proposal from
the Commission, measures aimed at enabling the
central and eastern European countries to take part
in programmes in the areas of education and/or
training
existing Community
programmes;

to the

similar

(2) Whereas on 18 December 1989 the Council
adopted Regulation (EEC) No
on
economic aid to the Republic of Hungary and the
Polish People’s Republic (5) (PHARE programme),
which provides for aid to support the process of
economic and social reform in central and eastern
European countries in areas including training;

3906/89

(1) OJ C 270, 29.8.1998, p. 9, and OJ C 87, 29.3.1999, p. 102.
(2) OJ C 98, 9.4.1999.
(3) OJ C 40, 15.2.1999, p. 23.
(4) OJ C 51, 22.2.1999, p. 86.
(5) OJ L 375, 23.12.1989, p. 11. Regulation as last amended by
Regulation (EC) No 753/96 (OJ L 103, 26.4.1996, p. 5).

whereas on 25 June 1996 the Council adopted
Regulation (Euratom, EC) No 1279/96 concerning
the provision of assistance to economic reform and
recovery in the new independent States and
Mongolia (6)

(TACIS programme);

(3) Whereas on 29 April 1993 by Decision 93/
246/EEC the Council adopted the second phase of
the trans-European cooperation scheme for higher
education (Tempus II) for a period of four years
from 1 July 1994 (7); whereas that Decision was
amended on 21 November 1996 by Decision 96/
663/EC (8) to extend to six years the duration of
this programme (1994-2000);

(4) Whereas

the countries of central and eastern
Europe, the new independent States of the former
Soviet Union and Mongolia, which are beneficiaries
of the PHARE and TACIS programmes, consider
higher education and training to be key areas for
the process of economic and social reform;

(5) Whereas

on

higher

cooperation

education
strengthens and deepens the whole fabric of rela-
tions existing between the peoples of Europe,
brings out common cultural values, allows fruitful
exchanges of views to take place and facilitates
multinational activities in the scientific, cultural,
artistic, economic and social spheres;

(6) OJ L 165, 4.7.1996, p. 1.
(7) OJ L 112, 6.5.1993, p. 34.
(8) OJ L 306, 28.11.1996, p. 36.

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in the new independent States of

(6) Whereas the recent establishment of Tempus in
the non-associated countries of central and eastern
Europe,
the
former Soviet Union and in Mongolia, whose needs
are greater and whose areas are more extensive,
fully warrants the continuation of the measures
undertaken;

(7) Whereas Tempus can make an effective contribu-
tion to the structural development of higher educa-
of human
tion including
resources
adapted to
economic reform and whereas there is no other
instrument for achieving this objective;

the
and occupational

improvement
skills

tional opportunities and to cooperation between
universities, thereby paving the way for the devel-
opment of scientific, cultural and economic and
social cooperation;

effective

coordination

(13) Whereas the possibility should be provided of
creating
the
Tempus III programme and other Community
programmes or activities with an educational and/
stimulating
or
synergies and increasing the added value of each of
the Community activities;

training-related dimension,

between

thus

(14) Whereas the Treaty does not provide, for the adop-
tion of this Decision, powers other than those of
Article 235; whereas the conditions for invoking
that Article have been satisfied,

(8) Whereas Tempus can also make an effective contri-
bution, via universities and university staff, to the
development of public administration and educa-
tion structures in the eligible countries;

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

Duration of Tempus III

cooperation,

(9) Whereas Tempus can contribute to the restoration
of
events,
between neighbouring regions of the Community
and whereas this cooperation is a factor of peace
and stability in Europe;

interrupted by recent

(10) Whereas the associated countries in the pre-acces-
sion phase which have taken part in Tempus I and
Tempus II could now, thanks to the experience
they have acquired, make a useful contribution
in assisting the
alongside the Member States
partner countries who came into the programme at
a much later stage to restructure their higher
education systems;

(11) Whereas Article 11 of Decision 93/246/EEC stipu-
lates that the Commission must carry out an evalu-
ation of
the Tempus
programme and submit no later than 30 April 1998
a proposal for the extension or the adjustment of
the programme for the period commencing on 1
July 2000;

the implementation of

(12) Whereas the competent authorities in the countries
of central and eastern Europe, the new independent
States of the former Soviet Union and Mongolia,
the users of the programme, the structures respons-
ible for organising it in the eligible countries and
in the European Community, and the experts and
qualified representatives reflecting the views of the
university world in Europe, share the findings of
the evaluation report attesting to the capacity of
Tempus to make an effective contribution in the
eligible countries to the diversification of educa-

The third phase of
the trans-European cooperation
scheme for higher education (hereinafter referred to as
‘Tempus III') is hereby adopted for a period of six years as
from 1 July 2000.

Article 2

Eligible countries

Tempus III shall concern the non-associated countries of
central and eastern Europe eligible for economic aid by
virtue of Regulation (EEC) No 3906/89 (PHARE
programme) (1), and the new independent States of the
former Soviet Union and Mongolia mentioned in Regula-
tion (Euratom, EC) No 1279/96 (TACIS programme),
subject to these assistance programmes being prolonged
for the period referred to. These countries are hereinafter
referred to as ‘eligible countries'.

On the basis of an evaluation of the specific situation of
each country the Commission, in accordance with the
procedures set out in the said Regulations, shall agree
with the eligible countries concerned whether
they
should participate in Tempus III, and the nature and
conditions of their participation in the national planning
of Community assistance for social and economic reform.

Article 3

Involvement of associated countries

Actions under Tempus III are also open to the associated
countries of central and eastern Europe so that what has
been achieved through Tempus can be shared with the
neighbouring countries and in order to develop regional
and cross-border cooperation. Taking into account the
respective financial rules and regulations, cooperation
between Tempus and Erasmus projects should be encour-
aged.

(1) At present Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina

and the

former

Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

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Article 4

Definitions

women. The Commission will also endeavour to ensure
that no group of citizens is excluded or disadvantaged.

For the purposes of Tempus III:

Article 6

(a) the term ‘university' shall be used to cover all types of
post-secondary educational and vocational
training
establishments which offer, within the framework of
advanced education and training, qualifications or
diplomas of that level, whatever such establishments
may be called;

status,

(b) the terms ‘industry' and ‘company' shall be used to
cover all types of economic activity, irrespective of
legal
autonomous business organisations,
chambers of commerce and industry and/or their
equivalents, professional associations, and the training
bodies of the institutions and organisations mentioned
above;

(c) the term ‘institution' shall be used to cover local and
public authorities, and the social partners’ and their
training bodies.

Each Member State or eligible country may determine
what types of establishment referred to in point (a) can
participate in Tempus III.

Article 5

Aims

The aim of Tempus III is to promote, in line with the
guidelines and general objectives of
the PHARE and
TACIS programmes for economic and social reform, the
the higher education systems in the
development of
eligible countries through the most balanced cooperation
possible with the partners from all the Member States of
the Community.

More specifically, Tempus III is intended to facilitate the
adaptation of higher education to the new socio-
economic and cultural needs of the eligible countries by
addressing:

(a) issues relating to the development and reshaping of

curricula in the priority areas;

(b) reform of higher education structures and establish-

ments and their management;

(c) the development of training leading to qualifications,
with a view to making good the shortage of high-level
skills needed in the context of economic reform,
particularly by improving and increasing links with
industry;

(d) the contribution of higher education and training to
citizenship and the strengthening of democracy.

Dialogue with the eligible countries

In agreement with the competent authorities in each
country, the Commission will define the detailed priori-
ties and objectives for the role of Tempus III in the
national strategy for economic and social reform, on the
basis of the programme’s objectives and the provisions set
out in the Annex, and in conformity in particular with:

(a)

(i) the general objectives of the PHARE programme;

(ii) the general objectives of the TACIS programme,
with particular reference to its sectoral aspects;

(b) the policy of each eligible country on economic,

social and educational reforms;

(c) the need to strike an appropriate balance between the
priority areas selected and the resources allocated to
Tempus III.

Article 7

Committee

The Commission shall implement the Tempus III
1.
programme in accordance with the provisions of
the
Annex, on the basis of detailed guidelines to be adopted
annually and following the detailed objectives and prior-
ities agreed with the competent authorities in each eli-
gible country, as provided for in Article 6.

2.
In the performance of that task, the Commission
shall be assisted by a committee composed of two rep-
resentatives appointed by each Member State and chaired
by the Commission representative. The members of the
committee may be assisted by experts and advisers.

The committee shall, in particular, assist the Commission
in the implementation of the scheme having regard to the
objectives set out in Article 5 and shall coordinate its
work with that of other programme committees estab-
lished in the field of education (Socrates) and training
(Leonardo).

The Commission representative shall submit to the

3.
Committee drafts for measures concerning:

(a) the general guidelines governing Tempus III;

(b) the selection procedures and general guidelines for
the Community’s financial assistance (amounts, dura-
tion and beneficiaries);

The Commission will, when pursuing the objectives of
Tempus III, endeavour to adhere to the Community’s
for men and
general policy on equal opportunities

(c) questions relating to the overall balance of Tempus
including the breakdown between the various

III,
actions;

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(d) the detailed priorities and objectives to be agreed with
the competent authorities in each eligible country;

including the allocation of
ment Tempus III,
earmarked by the eligible countries themselves.

funds

(e) the arrangements

for monitoring and evaluating

Tempus III.

4.
The committee shall deliver its opinion on these
draft measures 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
Member States within the committee shall be weighted in
the manner set out in that Article. The chairman shall not
vote.

the representatives of

The Commission shall adopt measures which shall apply
immediately. However,
in
accordance with the opinion of the committee, they shall
be communicated by the Commission to the Council
forthwith.

these measures are not

if

In that event the Commission may defer application of
the measures which it has decided upon for a period of
one month.

The Council, acting by a qualified majority, may take a
different decision within the time limit referred to in the
previous subparagraph.

In addition,

5.
the
committee on any other matter concerning the imple-
mentation of Tempus III, including the annual report.

the Commission may consult

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 this 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 on the manner in which its opinion has been
taken into account.

Article 8

Cooperation with the competent bodies

1.
The Commission shall cooperate with the agencies
of each of the eligible countries designated and set up to
coordinate the relations and structures needed to imple-

In addition, for the implementation of Tempus III,
2.
the Commission shall
closely with the
cooperate
competent national structures designated by the Member
States. It shall take due account whenever possible of
bilateral measures taken in this context by the Member
States.

Article 9

Links with other Community actions

if applicable,

In line with the procedure set out in Article 7(3) of this
Decision and,
the procedure defined in
Article 9 of Regulation (EEC) No 3906/89 and in Article
8 of Regulation (Euratom, EC) No 1279/96, within the
limits established by the annual budgetary decisions, the
Commission shall ensure consistency and, where neces-
sary, complementarity between Tempus III and other
Community actions undertaken both in the Community
and as part of assistance provided to eligible countries,
particularly with regard to the activities of the European
Training Foundation.

Article 10

Coordination with action taken in non-Community
countries

1.
The Commission shall organise appropriate co-
ordination with actions undertaken by countries not
members of the Community (1) or by universities and the
business sector in these countries in the same field as
Tempus III, including, where applicable, participation in
Tempus III projects.

This participation may take a variety of

2.
including one or more of the following:

forms,

(cid:190) participation in Tempus III projects on a co-financing

basis,

(cid:190) using the opportunities available under Tempus III to
channel exchange actions receiving bilateral funding,
(cid:190) coordination between Tempus III and national initia-
tives which have the same aims but which are funded
and managed separately,

(cid:190) mutual exchange of information on all relevant initia-

tives in this field.

Article 11

Annual report

An annual report on the operation of Tempus III shall be
forwarded by the Commission to the European Parlia-
ment, the Council, the Economic and Social Committee
and the Committee of the Regions. This report shall also
be forwarded to the eligible countries for information.

(1) These countries are the members of the Group of 24, other
than the Member States of the Community, the Republic of
Cyprus and Malta, and the associated countries of central and
eastern Europe, and participation relates to projects with the
non-associated countries of central and eastern Europe eligible
under the PHARE programme.

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Article 12

Monitoring and evaluation (cid:190) reports

In accordance with the procedure set out in Article 7(3), the Commission shall supervise
the arrangements for regular monitoring and external evaluation of experience gained with
Tempus III, taking due account of the specific objectives in Article 5 and the national
objectives defined in accordance with Article 6.

It shall submit by 30 April 2004 an interim report on the findings of the evaluation,
together with any proposals for extending or adjusting Tempus for the period commencing
on 1 July 2006.

The Commission shall submit a final report no later than 30 June 2009.

Done at Luxembourg, 29 April 1999.

For the Council

The President

W. M(cid:154)LLER

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ANNEX

Joint European projects

1. The European Community will provide support for joint European projects (JEPs) of a maximum of three

years’ duration.

The JEPs will associate at least one university in an eligible country, one university from a Member State
and a partner establishment (university, company or institution as defined in Article 4) in another Member
State.

2. Support for JEPs can be provided for activities according to the specific needs of the establishments

concerned and in line with the priorities established, including:

(i)

joint education and training actions, particularly with a view to curriculum development and updating,
boosting university capacity to provide continuing education and retraining, development of short
intensive courses, and development of open and distance learning systems including information and
communication technology;

(ii) measures for the reform and development of higher education and its capacity, particularly by
restructuring the management of higher education establishments and systems, by modernising
existing infrastructures, by acquiring the equipment needed to implement a JEP and, where applicable,
by providing technical and financial assistance to the authorities responsible;

(iii) the promotion of cooperation between universities, industry and institutions as defined in Article 4

through JEPs;

(iv) the development of mobility for teachers, administrative staff of universities and students under JEPs:

(a) grants will be provided for teaching/administrative staff of universities or to trainers in companies
in the Member States to carry out teaching/training assignments for periods lasting up to one year
in eligible countries and vice versa;

(b) grants will be awarded to teaching/administrative staff of universities in the eligible countries to

undertake periods of retraining and updating in the European Community;

(c) grants will be available for students up to and including postgraduate at doctoral level, targeting
both students in the eligible countries undertaking a period of study in the European Community
and European Community students undertaking a period of study in the eligible countries. These
grants will normally be granted for a period of three months to one year;

(d) grants will be available for students taking part in JEPs with the specific aim of promoting
mobility, priority will go to students taking part in projects for which their university of origin will
give full academic recognition to the period of study spent abroad;

(e) support will be provided for practical or in-company training periods of one month to one year for
teachers, trainers, students and graduates of the eligible countries between the end of their studies
and their first job, so that they can undertake a period of practical training in companies in the
Community and vice versa;

(v) activities to ensure the success of a JEP involving two or more eligible countries.

Structural and/or complementary measures

Financial support will be provided for certain structural and/or complementary measures (particularly tech-
nical assistance, seminars, studies, publications,
the
programme, particularly the development and restructuring of higher education systems in the eligible
countries. Under the structural measures, financial aid will be granted to assist the eligible countries inter alia
to:

information activities)

the objectives of

to support

(cid:190) develop and strengthen the capacity for strategic planning and institutional development of higher

education establishments at university or faculty level,

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(cid:190) establish a development plan for universities to help them build up international relations,

(cid:190) support the spread of durable cooperation actions targeting the Tempus objectives,

(cid:190) prepare a national strategy in a given eligible country to develop a specific aspect of higher education.

Individual grants

In addition to the JEPs and the structural and/or complementary measures, the European Community will
also support the provision of individual grants to teachers, trainers, university administrators, senior ministerial
officials, education planners and other experts in training from eligible countries or from the Community, for
visits to promote the quality, development and restructuring of higher education and training in the eligible
countries.

These visits could inter alia cover the following areas:

(cid:190) the development of courses and teaching material,

(cid:190) the development of staff, particularly through periods of refresher training and in-company placements,

(cid:190) teaching and training assignments,

(cid:190) activities to support the development of higher education,

(cid:190) participation in the activities of European associations, in particular university associations.

Support actions

1. The Commission will receive the technical assistance needed to underpin the action taken pursuant to this

Decision and to monitor programme implementation.

2. Support will be provided for appropriate external evaluation of Tempus III. Support will also be provided
for dissemination in relation to JEPs, structural and/or complementary measures and individual mobility
and for dissemination of successful outcomes from specific projects in earlier stages of the Tempus
programme.