Proposal for Council Decision establishing a second phase of the programme of incentives, exchanges, training and cooperation for persons responsible for combating trade in human beings and the sexual exploitation of children (STOP II)
Date: 2000-12-14
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU financing, EU programme, child protection, judicial cooperation in criminal matters in the EU, sexual violence

C 96 E/342

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

27.3.2001

Proposal for Council Decision establishing a second phase of the programme of incentives,
exchanges, training and cooperation for persons responsible for combating trade in human
beings and the sexual exploitation of children (Stop II)

(2001/C 96 E/33)

COM(2000) 828 final (cid:151) 2000/0341(CNS)

(Submitted by the Commission on 14 December 2000)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

combating trade in human beings and the sexual exploi-
tation of children.

Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in
particular Article 34(2)(c) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission of . . .
2000,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament,

Whereas:

(1) Article 29 of the Treaty on European Union states that the
Union’s objective is to provide citizens with a high level
of safety within an area of freedom, security and justice by
developing common action among the Member States in
the fields of police and judicial cooperation in criminal
this objective is to be achieved by
matters, and that
preventing and combating trade in human beings and
the sexual exploitation of children.

(2) The conclusions of the Tampere European Council call for
trade in human beings and the sexual

action against
exploitation of children.

(3) The nature of the questions addressed makes it essential to
have a coordinated, multidisciplinary approach involving
the various parties responsible for combating these crimes
at European Union level; creating a framework for
training,
information, study and exchange programmes
for persons responsible for combating trade in human
beings and the sexual exploitation of children in all its
forms is likely to enable these phenomena to be prevented
and combated more effectively.

(4) It is important, in view of the international dimension of
trade in human beings and sexual exploitation of children,
to confront the phenomenon at every stage in the chain:
intermediaries
recruiters,
and clients.

transporters, exploiters, other

(5) The Stop programme, set up by Joint Action 96/700/JAI
of 29 November 1996 (1), has helped increase awareness
within the European Union and step up cooperation
between persons in the Member States responsible for

(6) The Stop programme has made clear that the European
Union’s objectives in combating trade in human beings
and the sexual exploitation of children are attained
more effectively at European level than by the individual
Member States as a result of the exchange of experience,
economies of scale and the cumulative impact of
the
actions undertaken.

(7) The renewal of this programme, expressly envisaged by
the Joint Action mentioned above and expressly requested
by Parliament
(cid:145)On
Further Actions
in the Fight against Trafficking in
Women(cid:146), will enable this cooperation to be further
improved.

in its resolution of 19 May 2000,

(8) It is desirable to ensure continuity for the general and
criminal projects supported by the Stop programme and
to renew it for a second phase of two years.

(9) The programme’s activities must be tied in with those
carried out under the Daphne programme, which aims
to combat violence against children, adolescents and
women.

(10) It is necessary to take action at Community level to ensure
coordination
facilitate
the
networking between the promoters while respecting the
subsidiarity principle.

between

projects

and

(11) The Stop programme must be opened up further to the
applicant countries by facilitating their participation in the
projects supported by the programme.

for

the exercise of

(12) In accordance with Article 2 of Council Decision
1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down the
procedures
implementing powers
conferred on the Commission (2), the measures needed
to implement this Decision as referred to in Article 3(1)
and the second subparagraph of Article 3(4) should be
adopted in accordance with the advisory procedure laid
down in Article 3 of Decision 1999/468/EC.

(1) OJ L 322, 12.12.1996, p. 7.

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

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(13) Since the measures needed to implement this Decision as
referred to in the first subparagraph of Article 3(4) and
the first subparagraph of Article 6(3) are management
measures within the meaning of Article 2 of Council
Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999, these measures
should be adopted in accordance with the management
procedure provided for in Article 4 of the latter Decision,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

Establishment of the programme

1.
This decision establishes the second phase of the Stop
programme for the exchange and training of, and cooperation
between, persons responsible for combating trade in human
beings and the sexual exploitation of children set up by Joint
Action 96/700/JAI of 29 November 1996.

2.
The programme is hereby renewed for the period from
1 January 2001 to 31 December 2002 and may be extended
beyond the latter date.

Article 2

Programme objectives

The programme shall contribute to the general objective of
providing citizens with a high level of protection in an area
of freedom, security and justice. Within this framework, it is
intended to prevent and combat trade in human beings and all
forms of
including child
pornography and the violence associated with it, and to help
the victims of these criminal activities. It aims, in particular, to:

sexual exploitation of children,

(cid:151) develop, implement and evaluate a European policy in this

field;

(cid:151) encourage and strengthen networking and practical coop-
and dissemination of
eration such as
information,
and the
improvement and adaptation of training and scientific and
technical research;

and good practice,

experience

exchange

the

(cid:151) give particular attention to participation in the projects
developed by this programme to the public or private
organisations, institutions or associations concerned in the
applicant countries;

(cid:151) encourage the stepping up of cooperation with third
countries and the competent regional and international
organisations.

Article 3

Access to the programme

1.
The programme shall co-finance projects submitted by
any public or private organisations, institutions or associations

the European Union involved in
in the Member States of
helping victims and preventing and combating trade in
human beings and sexual exploitation of children.

The programme is intended for persons responsible for
2.
assisting victims and for preventing and combating trade in
human beings and the sexual exploitation of children, such
as judges, public prosecutors,
law enforcement authorities,
public immigration and social service authorities, researchers
and representatives of charitable organisations.

least

To be eligible for co-financing, the projects must involve
3.
at
three Member States, or two Member States and
one applicant country, and have the objectives mentioned in
Article 2.

4.

The programme may also finance:

(cid:151) specific projects of particular interest in terms of either the
programme’s priorities or cooperation with the applicant
countries;

(cid:151) complementary measures such as seminars, meetings of
experts or other activities to disseminate the information
obtained under the programme.

Article 4

Activities under the programme

The programme shall comprise the following types of project:

(cid:151) Training;

(cid:151) Exchanges and work experience placements;

(cid:151) Studies and research;

(cid:151) Meetings and seminars;

(cid:151) Dissemination
programme.

of

the

results

obtained

under

the

Article 5

Financing the programme

The annual appropriations shall be authorised by the
financial

authority within the

limits of

the

1.
budgetary
perspective.

The co-financing of a project by the programme shall be
financing by another programme

2.
exclusive of any other
financed by the budget of the European Communities.

3.
Financing decisions shall be followed by grant contracts
between the Commission and the organisers. The financing
decisions and contracts arising therefrom shall be subject to
financial control by the Commission and to audits by the Court
of Auditors.

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The proportion of financial support from the Community

4.
budget shall not exceed 70 % of the cost of the project.

(cid:151) amount of the subsidy requested under the programme and

proportionality with the expected results;

the

However,

5.
and complementary
specific projects
measures mentioned in Article 3(4) can be financed to
100 %, up to a ceiling of 10 % of the total financial package
allocated annually to the programme for each of
the two
categories.

Article 6

Implementation of the programme

The Commission shall be responsible for the management
in cooperation with

1.
and implementation of the programme,
the Member States.

2.
The programme shall be managed by the Commission in
accordance with the Financial Regulation of 21 December 1977
applicable to the general budget of the European Communities.

3.

To implement the programme, the Commission shall:

(cid:151) prepare an Annual Work Programme comprising specific
if necessary, a list of

objectives, thematic priorities and,
specific projects and complementary measures;

(cid:151) evaluate and select the projects presented by the organisers

mentioned in Article 3.

submit

The Commission shall

4.
to the Committee
mentioned in Article 7 the draft measures to be taken to
implement the project. Examination of the drafts presented
by the organisers and of the complementary measures shall
in accordance with the advisory procedure
be carried out
mentioned in Article 8. Examination of
the Annual Work
Programme and the specific projects shall be carried out in
accordance with the management procedure mentioned in
Article 9.

The Commission shall

5.
submitted by the organisers on the basis of
criteria:

evaluate and select projects
the following

(cid:151) conformity with the programme’s objectives;

(cid:151) European dimension of the project and scope for partici-

pation by the applicant countries;

(cid:151) compatibility with the work undertaken or planned within
the framework of the European Union’s political priorities
on justice and home affairs and, in particular, the priority
relating to police and judicial cooperation in criminal
matters;

(cid:151) complementarity with other past, present or future coop-

eration projects;

(cid:151) ability of the organiser to implement the project;

(cid:151) multidisciplinary aspects of the project;

(cid:151) impact of
objectives.

the expected results on the programme’s

Article 7

Committee

1.
The Commission shall be assisted by a Committee,
entitled (cid:145)Stop(cid:146), consisting of representatives from the Member
States and chaired by the Commission’s representative.

This Committee shall adopt its rules of procedure on a
2.
proposal by the chair and in accordance with the conditions
specified in Article 7(1) of Council Decision 1999/468/EC.

The Commission may invite representatives from the
the

to information meetings

after

3.
applicant
Committee’s meetings.

countries

Article 8

Advisory procedure

If reference is made to this Article, the advisory procedure
provided for
in Article 3 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall
in accordance with the provisions of Article 7(3) of
apply,
that Decision.

Article 9

Management procedure

If reference is made to this Article,

1.
the management
procedure provided for in Article 4 of Decision 1999/468/EC
shall apply, in accordance with the provisions of Article 7(3) of
that Decision.

The period specified in Article 4(3) of Decision

2.
1999/468/EC shall be set at three months.

Article 10

Evaluation

The Commission shall undertake each year an evaluation
1.
of the actions carried out in implementing the programme for
the previous year.

The Commission shall report each year to the European
2.
the
Parliament and the Council on the implementation of
programme. The first report shall be presented before 31 July
2002.

Article 11

Entry into force

(cid:151) inherent quality of the project in terms of its conception,

organisation, presentation and expected results;

This Decision shall enter into force on the day of its publi-
cation in the Official Journal of the European Communities.