Proposal for a Council Decision establishing a programme of incentives and exchanges, training and cooperation for the prevention of crime (Hippocrates) (COM(2000) 786 final — 2000/0304(CNS))
Date: 2001-03-27
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU financial instrument, EU programme, European social policy, crime, fight against crime

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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Proposal for a Council Decision establishing a programme of incentives and exchanges, training
and cooperation for the prevention of crime (Hippocrates)

(2001/C 96 E/16)

COM(2000) 786 final (cid:151) 2000/0304(CNS)

(Submitted by the Commission on 29 November 2000)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

applicant countries with a view to facilitating their partici-
pation in the projects supported by the programme.

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

Having regard to the Commission initiative of . . . 2000,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament,

(7) In accordance with Article 2 of Council Decision
1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down the procedures
for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the
Commission (1), the measures needed for the implemen-
tation of this Decision specified in Article 3(1) and the
second subparagraph of Article 3(4) should be adopted
by the advisory procedure laid down by Article 3 of
Decision 1999/468/EC.

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
particular in the field of prevention of crime, whether or
not organised.

(2) The conclusions of the Tampere European Council call for
cooperation in the fight against crime to be stepped up and
for the possibility of establishing a programme financed by
the Community to support this cooperation to be studied.

(3) Experience gained in managing the other

intervention
programmes financed by the Community, such as Oisin
and Falcone, confirms the value of a similar instrument
for crime prevention, to be charged to the budget of the
European Communities.

(4) The optimum effectiveness of

the
European Union will be ensured if it extends to all forms
of crime, whether or not organised.

the intervention of

(5) The complexity of

the phenomenon of crime in the
Member States and the diversity of prevention policies
already implemented by the Member States create a need
for multidisciplinary approaches based on familiarity with
crime.

(6) This programme,

eration in justice and home affairs,

like the other programmes for coop-
is open to the

(8) The measures needed for

the implementation of

this
Decision specified in the first subparagraph of Article
3(4) and the first indent of Article 6(3) being management
measures within the meaning of Article 2 of Decision
1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down the procedures
for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the
they should be taken by the management
Commission,
procedure
of Decision
1999/468/EC,

by Article

down

laid

4

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

Establishment of the programme

This decision establishes a programme of cooperation in

1.
the prevention of crime, to be known as (cid:145)Hippocrates(cid:146).

The programme is established for a period of two years

2.
running from 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2002.

Article 2

Programme objectives

1.
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 encourage cooperation between all the public and
private organisations in the Member States involved in the
prevention of crime, whether or not organised.

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

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The applicant countries may participate in projects in
2.
order to familiarise themselves with the Union acquis in this
area and help them prepare for accession. Other third countries
may also participate where this serves the aims of the projects.

Financing decisions shall be followed by grant contracts
3.
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.

Article 3

Access to the programme

The proportion of financial support from the Community

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

The programme shall co-finance projects submitted by
in the European Union

1.
public or private organisations
involved in the prevention of crime.

for

To be

eligible

2.
the projects must
involve at least three Member States, or two Member States
and one applicant country, and have the objectives mentioned
in Article 2.

co-financing,

3.

The programme may also finance:

(cid:151) specific projects of particular

the
programme’s priorities or cooperation with the applicant
countries;

in terms of

interest

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

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
the two
allocated annually to the programme for each of
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:

Article 4

Activities of the programme

(cid:151) prepare an annual work programme comprising specific
if necessary, a list of

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

The programme shall comprise the following types of project:

(cid:151) Training;

(cid:151) Exchanges and placements;

(cid:151) Studies and research;

(cid:151) Meetings and seminars;

(cid:151) Dissemination of the results obtained within the framework

of the programme.

Article 5

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

mentioned in Article 3.

submit

The Commission shall

to the Committee
4.
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 supplementary measures shall
be carried out
in accordance with the advisory procedure
the annual work
mentioned in Article 8. Examination of
programme and the specific projects shall be carried out in
accordance with the management procedure mentioned in
Article 9.

The Commission shall

5.
evaluate and select projects
submitted for financing under the programme on the basis
of the following criteria:

Financing the programme

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

The annual appropriations shall be authorised by the
financial

authority within the

limits of

the

1.
budgetary
perspective.

(cid:151) Whether the project has a European dimension and is open

to participation by the applicant countries;

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.

(cid:151) Compatibility with the work undertaken or planned within
the framework of the European Union’s political priorities
on crime prevention;

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

Article 9

eration projects;

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

(cid:151) The inherent quality of

its
conception, organisation, presentation and expected results;

in terms of

the project

(cid:151) The amount of the subsidy requested under the programme
and whether it is proportionate with the expected results;

(cid:151) The impact of the expected results on the programme’s

objectives.

Article 7

Committee

The Commission shall be assisted by a Committee to be
the
the Member States and chaired by a

1.
known as the (cid:145)Hippocrates Committee(cid:146), composed of
representatives of
representative of the Commission.

The Committee shall adopt its rules of procedure on a

2.
proposal by the chair.

3.
The Commission may invite representatives from the
applicant countries to briefing sessions after the Committee’s
meetings.

Article 8

Advisory procedure

Management procedure

1. Where this Article is referred to, the advisory procedure
laid down by Article 4 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply,
subject to compliance with Article 7(3) of that Decision.

The period referred to in Article 4(3) of Decision

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

Article 10

Evaluation

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

2.
Each year the Commission shall report to the European
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

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

Where this Article is referred to, the advisory procedure laid
down by Article 3 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply,
subject to compliance with Article 7(3) of that Decision.

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.