Council Regulation (EC) No 814/2000 of 17 April 2000 on information measures relating to the common agricultural policy
Date: 2000-04-17
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: EU control, EU financing, European Commission, common agricultural policy, information, public awareness campaign

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 814/2000

of 17 April 2000

on information measures relating to the common agricultural policy

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community, and in particular Article 37 thereof,

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

Having regard to the Opinion of the European Parliament (2),

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

Articles 32 to 38 of the Treaty provide for the imple-
mentation of a common agricultural policy.

Council Regulation (EC) No 1258/1999 of 17 May 1999
on the financing of the common agricultural policy (3)
stipulates that measures intended to provide information
on the common agricultural policy are to be financed by
the EAGGF Guarantee Section.

The main practical aspects of the present information
policy in the common agricultural policy context should
be maintained.

the

Article 22(1) of
Financial Regulation of 21
December 1977 applicable to the general budget of the
European Communities (4) stipulates that
the imple-
mentation of appropriations entered for
significant
Community action requires a basic act. Under the Inter-
institutional Agreement of 13 October 1998 on legal
bases and implementation of the budget (5), a basic act is
also needed for the measures covered by this Regulation.

The common agricultural policy is often misunderstood
because of a dearth of information. The only way to
rectify this situation is through a consistent, objective
and comprehensive information and communication
strategy.

The issues surrounding the common agricultural policy
and its development
should be explained to both
farmers and other parties directly concerned, as well as
the general public, both inside
the
Community. Proper implementation of
the common
agricultural policy depends to a large extent on the
explanation given to all protagonists and necessitates the
integration of information measures, which are regarded
as management components of that policy.

and outside

(1) OJ C 376 E, 28.12.1999, p.40.
(2) Opinion delivered on (not yet published in the Official Journal)
(3) OJ L 160, 26.6.1999, p. 103.
(4) OJ L 356, 31.12.1977, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regula-
tion (EC, ECSC, Euratom) No 2779/98 (OJ L 347, 23.12.1998, p.
3).

(5) OJ C 344, 12.11.1998, p. 1.

(7)

(8)

(9)

The priority measures which the Community may
support should be defined.

areas, particularly

Organisations representing those active in farming and
in rural
farmers' organisations,
consumers' associations and environmental protection
associations play a vital role in informing their members
about the common agricultural policy and relaying to
the Commission the opinions of the parties concerned
in general and farmers in particular.

Since the common agricultural policy is the first and
most extensive of the Community's integrated policies, it
should be explained to the general public. Other parties
likely to be able to present information projects that will
help achieve this goal should therefore be eligible to
make proposals.

(10)

The Commission must have the necessary resources to
implement the information actions it wishes to realise in
the area of agriculture.

(11) Although activities that can be assisted under other
Community programmes should not be financed under
this Regulation, the complementarity of such activities
with other Community initiatives should nevertheless be
encouraged.

(12)

The measures necessary for the implementation of this
Regulation should be adopted in accordance with
Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying
down the procedures for the exercise of implementing
powers conferred on the Commission (6),

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

The Community may finance information measures relating to
the common agricultural policy that aim,

in particular, at:

(a) helping, on the one hand, to explain and, on the other

hand, to implement and develop that policy,

(b) promoting the European model of agriculture and helping

people understand it,

(c) informing farmers and other parties active in rural areas,

(d) raising public awareness of the issues and objectives of that

policy.

(6) OJ L 184, 17.7.1999, p. 23.

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These actions aim to supply coherent, objective and compre-
hensive information, both inside and outside the Community,
in order to give an overall picture of that policy.

Article 2

1.

The measures referred to in Article 1 may be:

(a) annual work programmes presented, in particular, by farm-
ers' or rural development organisations, consumers' asso-
ciations and environmental protection associations,

(b) specific measures presented by any party other than those
referred to in (a), in particular the public authorities of the
Member States, the media and universities,

(c) activities implemented at the Commission's initiative.

2.
The maximum financing rate for the measures referred to
in paragraph 1(a) and (b) shall be 50 % of eligible costs.
However, the rate may be increased to 75 % in exceptional
cases, to be specified in the implementing Regulation.

The following measures may not receive Community

3.
financing as provided for in Article 1:

(a) measures which are required by law,

Article 5

The Commission shall ensure that the Community measures
and projects implemented under this Regulation are consistent
with and complement other Community action.

Article 6

The Commission shall monitor and check the measures
financed under this Regulation to ensure that they are properly
and efficiently implemented. The Commission's representatives
shall be authorised to make on-the-spot checks on such meas-
ures,

including by sampling.

Article 7

The Commission shall, where it judges it to be appropriate,
evaluate the measures financed under this Regulation.

Article 8

The Commission shall present a report on the implementation
of this Regulation to the European Parliament and the Council
every two years. The first report must be presented not later
than 31 December 2001.

(b) measures

already

receiving

financing under

another

Article 9

Community operation.

In order to implement activities as referred to in para-
4.
graph 1(c), the Commission may have recourse to any technical
and administrative assistance it might need.

Article 3

1. Measures eligible under Article 2 shall include, in partic-
ular, talks, seminars,
information visits, publications, media
actions and productions, participation in international events
and programmes for the exchange of experience.

Detailed rules for applying this Regulation, including any trans-
itional measures that might prove necessary, shall be adopted
in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 10(2).

Article 10

1.
The Commission shall be assisted by the Committee for
the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund set up
under Article 11 of Regulation (EC) No 1258/1999 (hereinafter
referred to as the ‘Committee’).

2. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Articles 4 and
7 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply.

2. Measures as referred to in Article 2 shall be selected on
the basis of general criteria such as:

The period laid down in Article 4(3) of Decision 1999/468/EC
shall be set at one month.

(a) the quality of the project,

(b) cost effectiveness.

3.

The Committee shall adopt its rules of procedure.

The Commission shall inform the Committee of measures

4.
envisaged and taken pursuant to this Regulation.

Article 4

Article 11

Community financing referred to in Article 1 shall not exceed
the annual appropriations decided by the budgetary authority.

This Regulation shall enter into force on the day of its publica-
tion in the Official Journal of the European Communities.

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This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Luxembourg, 17 April 2000.

For the Council

The President

L. CAPOULAS SANTOS