Proposal for aCouncil Decisionconcerning the Community position within the Association Council on the financial contribution of Estonia for participation in the Socrates and Youth programmes in the years 2001 to 2006
Date: 2001-01-12
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU programme, Estonia, financial agreement, teaching, youth exchange scheme

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 12.1.2001
COM(2001) 3 final

2001/0009 (ACC)

Proposal for a

COUNCIL DECISION

concerning the Community position within the Association Council on the financial
contribution of Estonia for participation in the Socrates and Youth programmes in the
years 2001 to 2006

(presented by the Commission)

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

The Helsinki European Council of December 1999 confirmed the enlargement process
launched at its meeting of December 1997 in Luxembourg. The enhanced Pre-Accession
Strategy defined in 1997 has been reiterated, which includes the participation of the 13
candidate States in Community programmes as an important part of such strategy.

As regards the ten candidate countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEECs), participation
in Community programmes is provided in their respective Europe Agreements. Pursuant to
the Europe Agreements, the conditions and modalities of these countries’ participation are
defined by the respective Association Councils.

In the case of the education, training and youth programmes, all the CEECs have been
participating in 1999 in the first phase of the Leonardo da Vinci and of the Socrates
programmes, and in the Youth for Europe programme, which expired on 31 December 1999.
Their participation in these programmes has been an important element in these countries’
pre-accession process.

Moreover, Association Council decisions have already been adopted in 2000 to allow them to
participate in the second phase of Leonardo da Vinci, the second phase of Socrates, and the
new Youth programme, which have taken the place of the previous programmes as from 2000.
The CEECs have thus participated in these new programmes since their beginning, and the
activities undertaken within the first generation of programmes have been able to continue
within the successor programmes without any interruption.

For the Socrates and Youth programmes, the Association Council decisions adopted in 2000,
which apply until the end of the programmes, establish the financial contribution to be paid by
each CEEC for participation in the year 2000, and specify that their financial contribution for
the following years will be decided by the respective Association Councils in the course of
the year 2000. The Commission has calculated this contribution on the basis of the budgets
for the programmes concerned. All the CEECs have confirmed their agreement, and indicated
their willingness to pay their financial contribution partly from their national budget, and
partly from their annual Phare allocation. As provided in the conclusions of the meeting of the
European Council in Luxembourg of 12 and 13 December 1997, these countries’ financial
contributions of their own are steadily increasing.

Therefore, the Commission now proposes to the Council to specify the financial contribution
of each CEEC to Socrates and Youth for the years 2001 to 2006 in a new decision, which will
complete the decisions of the respective Association Councils adopting the terms and
conditions for the participation of these countries in the Socrates and Leonardo da Vinci
programme on one part, and the Youth programme on the other.

Accordingly, the Council is invited to adopt the annexed proposal for a Council Decision
concerning the Community position within the Association Council on the financial
contribution of Estonia for participation in the Socrates and Youth programmes in the years
2001 to 2006.

2

Proposal for a

COUNCIL DECISION

concerning the Community position within the Association Council on the financial
contribution of Estonia for participation in the Socrates and Youth programmes in the
years 2001 to 2006

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Articles
149 and 150, in conjunction with Article 300(2) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

Decision 1/2000 of 24 July 2000 of the Association Council between the European
Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Estonia, of
the other part1, has adopted the terms and conditions for the participation of the
Republic of Estonia in the second phase of the Leonardo da Vinci and Socrates
programmes, and it applies for the duration of these programmes.

Decision 2/2000 of 20 September 2000 of the Association Council between the
European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of
Estonia, of the other part2 , has adopted the terms and conditions for the participation
of the Republic of Estonia in the Youth programme, and it applies for the duration of
this programme.

Annex II, point 2 of Decision 1/2000, and annex II, point 1 of Decision 2/2000 provide
that the financial contribution to be paid by Estonia to the budget of the European
Union to participate in these programmes in the years 2001 to 2006 will be decided by
the Association Council in the course of the year 2000,

1

2

OJ L236, 20.9.2000,p.18.
OJ L273, 26.10.2000,p.26.

3

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

The position to be taken by the Community within the Association Council established by the
Europe Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one
part, and the Republic of Estonia, of the other part, concerning the financial contribution of
Estonia for participation in the Socrates and Youth programmes in the years 2001 to 2006, is
the attached draft decision of the Association Council.

Done at Brussels,

For the Council
The President

4

Draft

DECISION N° …/ 2001 OF THE ASSOCIATION COUNCIL

between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the
Republic of Estonia, of the other part

of .....

establishing the financial contribution of Estonia for participation in the Socrates and
Youth programmes in the years 2001 to 2006

THE ASSOCIATION COUNCIL

Having regard to the Europe Agreement establishing an Association between the European
Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Estonia, of the
other, and in particular Article 108 thereof3;

Whereas :

(1)

(2)

(3)

Decision 1/2000 of 24 July 2000 of the Association Council between the European
Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Estonia, of
the other part4, has adopted the terms and conditions for the participation of the
Republic of Estonia in the second phase of the Leonardo da Vinci and Socrates
programmes, and it applies for the duration of these programmes.

Decision 2/2000 of 20 September 2000 of the Association Council between the
European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of
Estonia, of the other part5, has adopted the terms and conditions for the participation of
the Republic of Estonia in the Youth programme, and it applies for the duration of this
programme.

Annex II, point 2 of Decision 1/2000, and annex II, point 1 of Decision 2/2000 provide
that the financial contribution to be paid by Estonia to the budget of the European
Union to participate in these programmes in the years 2001 to 2006 will be decided by
the Association Council in the course of the year 2000,

3

4

5

OJ L68, 9.3.1998,p.3.
OJ L236, 20.9.2000,p.18.
OJ L273, 26.10.2000,p.26.

5

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

The financial contribution to be paid by Estonia to the budget of the European Union to
participate in the Socrates II programme in the years 2001 to 2006 will be the following
(in

):

€

Year 2001

Year 2002

Year 2003

Year 2004

Year 2005

Year 2006

737 000

755 000

771 000

792 000

815 000

846 000

Article 2

The financial contribution to be paid by Estonia to the budget of the European Union to
participate in the Youth programme in the years 2001 to 2006 will be the following (in

) :

€

Year 2001

Year 2002

Year 2003

Year 2004

Year 2005

Year 2006

478 000

507 000

536 000

562 000

589 000

625 000

PHARE funds will be requested according to the following schedule :

Article 3

–

–

€

for the contribution to the Socrates II programme, the following yearly amounts
(in

)

Year 2001

Year 2002

Year 2003

Year 2004

Year 2005

Year 2006

337 000

355 000

321 000

292 000

265 000

246 000
€

for the contribution to the Youth programme, the following yearly amounts (in

)

Year 2001

Year 2002

Year 2003

Year 2004

Year 2005

Year 2006

178 000

207 000

186 000

162 000

189 000

175 000

The remaining part of the contribution of Estonia will be covered from the Estonian State
budget.

6

Article 4

This Decision shall enter into force the day of its adoption by the Association Council.

Done at Brussels,

For the Association Council
The President

7

FINANCIAL STATEMENT

1.

TITLE OF OPERATION

Participation of Estonia in Socrates and Youth in 2001-2006

2.

BUDGET HEADING INVOLVED

B7-030 Economic aid to the associated countries of Central and Eastern Europe
6091 Revenue accruing from the participation of the associated countries of central
Europe in Community programmes

3.

LEGAL BASIS

Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Articles 149 and 150,
in conjunction with Article 300(2) thereof ;

the Europe Agreement with Estonia (Article 108), providing for the participation in
Community programmes ;

Decisions 1/2000 of 24 July 2000 and 2/2000 of 20 September 2000 of the
Association Council between the European Communities and their Member States,
of the one part, and the Republic of Estonia, of the other part, and in particular annex
II thereof ;

4.

4.1

DESCRIPTION OF OPERATION

General objective

The Europe Agreement with Estonia provides for Estonia’s participation in
Community programmes in a wide range of areas, among which education and
youth.

Its participation will not only contribute towards the implementation of
the
provisions relating to economic and cultural cooperation in the Europe Agreement,
but will also enable Estonia to familiarise itself with the procedures and methods
used in Community programmes.

Estonia has been participating in the first phase of the Leonardo da Vinci and
Socrates programmes, and in the Youth for Europe programme, since 1 November
1998. In line with the Commission communication “Agenda 2000” of 16.7.1997 and
of the conclusions of the European Council in Luxemburg, Estonia’s participation in
these programmes has been part of the reinforced preaccession strategy which assist
this country in its preparation for future accession to the Union.

8

The decision-making process for the opening-up of programmes involves a decision
by the Association Council between the Union and Estonia. The decision of the
Association Council establishing the participation of Estonia in the first generation of
programmes in the field of
training, education and youth has expired on
31 December 1999. Two other Association Council decisions, one for Leonardo da
Vinci and Socrates, and one for Youth, have been adopted in 2000 to allow the
Estonian participation to be carried on in the new generation of programmes, starting
from 2000. These two Association Council decisions established the financial
contribution of Estonia to Socrates and Youth for the year 2000, but not for the years
2001 to 2006.

A new Association Council decision is thus needed to complete the former ones.

4.2

Period covered and arrangements for renewal

Until the end of the Community programmes concerned, i.e. 31.12.2006.

5.

5.1

5.2

5.3

CLASSIFICATION OF EXPENDITURE OR REVENUE

Non-compulsory expenditure

Differentiated appropriations

Type of revenue involved

Since Article 108 of the Europe Agreement stipulates that Estonia itself will meet the
costs resulting from its participation, it will be invited to pay a contribution for
participating in the programmes. As the same article states that the Community may
supplement Estonia’s contribution, Estonia will contribute only part from its national
budget. The remaining part of its contribution will be taken from its PHARE
National Programme. The required PHARE funds will be charged to heading B7-
030, and transferred to Estonia by means of a separate Financing Memorandum.
Together with the part coming from Estonia’s State budget,
these funds will
constitute Estonia’s national contribution, out of which it will make payments in
response to annual calls for funds from the Commission. The total contribution, once
paid by Estonia, will be transferred to item 6091 of the EU’s budget receipts.

6.

TYPE OF EXPENDITURE OR REVENUE

– 100% subsidy

– Subsidy for joint financing with other sources in the public and/or private sector

– No provision for all or part of the Community contribution to be reimbursed

– As far as revenue is concerned, provision for Estonia’s contribution to cover the
cost of its participation is made under item 6091. The revenue will be allocated to
the items for expenditure on the two programmes in question and, where
appropriate, to the relevant items of operating expenditure. The total revenue
expected is given under item 7.4.

9

7.

7.1

FINANCIAL IMPACT

Method of calculating total cost of operation (relation between individual and
total costs)

Based on the Europe Agreement with Estonia,
arrangements for the two programmes concerned are as follows:
contribution takes into account two elements :

the financial and budgetary
the Estonia’s

- the foreseeable operational costs, which have been calculated on the basis of the
programme budgets,
the country’s estimated take-up capacity, and previous
experience of its participation in the first phase of the Socrates programme, and in
the Youth for Europe programme,

- the foreseeable administrative costs, corresponding to the meetings and missions.
These estimated administrative costs amount yearly to 50 000
for Socrates, and
19 000

for Youth.

€

€

Estonia will use part of its national PHARE annual programme as a complement to
its state budget to finance its contribution to the operational costs.

7.2

Itemised breakdown of cost (in

€
)

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

Total

Socrates

737 000

755 000

771 000

792 000

815 000

846 000

4 716 000

Origin: National budget

400 000

400 000

450 000

500 000

550 000

600 000

2 900 000

of which administrative
costs Part B (see point 7.3)

of which administrative
costs Part A (see point 10)

19 000

20 000

20 000

21 000

21 000

22 000

123 000

50 000

50 000

50 000

50 000

50 000

50 000

300 000

Origin: PHARE funds

337 000

355 000

321 000

292 000

265 000

246 000

1 816 000

Youth

478 000

507 000

536 000

562 000

589 000

625 000

3 297 000

Origin: National budget

300 000

300 000

350 000

400 000

400 000

450 000

2 200 000

of which administrative
costs Part B (see point 7.3)

of which administrative
costs Part A (see point 10)

19 000

20 000

22 000

23 000

24000

25 000

133.000

19 000

19 000

19 000

19 000

19 000

19 000

114 000

Origin: PHARE funds

178 000

207 000

186 000

162 000

189 000

175 000

1 097 000

7.3

Operational expenditure for studies, experts etc. included in Part B of the
budget

p.m. : up to a maximum in proportion to the appropriations of that kind in the
EUR 15 allocations for Socrates and Youth, but within the limits allowed by the part
of the contribution which comes from the country's national budget.

10

7.4

Schedule of commitment and payment appropriations

Amounts to be charged to item B7-030

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

TOTAL

Comm.
app.

515 000

562 000

507 000

454 000

454 000

421 000

2 913 000

Pay. app.

515 000

562 000

507 000

454 000

454 000

421 000

2 913 000

The foreseeable annual receipts are as follows:

Item 6091

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

TOTAL

operational
part

administrative
part

1 146 000

1 193 000 1 238 000

1 285 000

1 335 000 1 402 000

7 599 000

69 000

69 000

69 000

69 000

69 000

69 000

414 000

TOTAL

1 215 000

1 262 000 1 307 000

1 354 000

1 404 000 1 471 000

8 013 000

8.

FRAUD PREVENTION MEASURES

All the Commission’s contracts, agreements and other legal commitments provide
for on-the-spot checks by the Commission and Court of Auditors. Among other
things, the beneficiaries of the operations are obliged to file reports and financial
statements. These are analysed from the point of view of their content and the
eligibility of the expenditure in line with the objective of Community financing.

The anti-fraud provisions of the basic budget headings apply to this heading too
when adapted to the case of the countries of Central Europe.

9.

9.1

ELEMENTS OF COST-EFFECTIVENESS ANALYSIS

Specific and quantified objectives; target population

The essential aim of Community action on education and youth is to enable all
European citizens to achieve their full potential and to display initiative and
creativity so that they can participate fully in society and in the building of Europe.

The target population comprises students, teachers, pupils, educational institutions,
youth organisations, young people aged 15 to 25 living in one or several Member
States, decision-makers in the field of educational and youth policies.

9.2

Grounds for the operation

– Need for Community financial aid

11

In view of the high cost of participation in the programmes and Estonia’s precarious
budgetary situation, assistance from PHARE is essential.

– Choice of ways and means

With a contribution from the national budget, supplemented by one from PHARE,
Estonia’s integration in the programmes concerned will allow its citizens to
cooperate with their counterparts in the current EU Member States. The integration
of Estonian nationals in Community networks will make a definite contribution to
preparing Estonia for future membership

– Main factors of uncertainty which could affect the specific results of the operation

Since projects will be selected according to qualitative criteria,
it will only be
possible to measure the real impact on the basis of Estonian institutions’ capacity to
respond to the calls for proposal
launched by the Commission under the two
programmes.

9.3

Monitoring and evaluation of the operation

The monitoring and evaluation procedures included in the Socrates II and Youth
programmes (notably in respect of evaluation, as included in the decisions
establishing the two programmes) will also cover operations financed for Estonian
beneficiaries.

10.

ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENDITURE (SECTION III, PART A OF THE BUDGET)

Actual mobilization of the necessary administrative resources will depend on the
Commission’s annual decision on the allocation of resources, taking into account the
number of staff and additional amounts authorized by the budgetary authority.

10.1

Effect on the number of posts

Type of post

Staff to be assigned to managing
the operation

Source

Duration

Permanent
posts

Temporary
posts

A
B
C

Officials or
temporary staff

Other resources

Total

1
1

2

Additional
resources

2001-2006

Existing
resources in
the DG or
department
concerned

1
1

2

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10.2

Overall financial impact of the human resources

Amounts

Method of calculation (total cost for the period 2001-2006)

EUR

Officials (*)

1 296 000

2 men x 6 years x 108 000

Temporary staff

Other resources

Total

1 296 000

(*) By using existing resources required to manage the operation (Calculation based on titles
A1, A2, A4, A5 and A7)

10.3

Increase in other administrative expenditure as a result of the operation

EUR

Budget heading

Amounts Method of calculation (yearly cost of the action)

A 7010 -missions

12 000

1100 EURO x 11 yearly missions

A 7031 -committees

22 000

Travel allowance and subsistence allowance for 23 participants in
two-days meetings*

A 7030 - other meetings

26 000

Travel allowance and subsistence allowance for 27 participants in
two-days meetings*

9 000

69 000

Total

Travel allowance and subsistence allowance for Estonian experts
participating in 2 meetings of 7 days in average and 4 two-days
meetings

* 2 representatives in 10 committee and subcommittee meetings (8 for Socrates and 2 for
Youth), and 1 representative in 3 Socrates subcommittee meetings

2 representatives in 4 Youth meetings, and 1 participant in 19 Socrates meetings

The above expenditure will be met from the receipts (article 4 par.2, third indent of the
financial regulation) received from Estonia (see point 5.3 and 7.4 of the financial statement).

13

*
*
*