2001/515/JHA: Council Decision of 28 June 2001 establishing a programme of incentives and exchanges, training and cooperation for the prevention of crime (Hippokrates)
Date: 2001-06-28
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: action programme, cooperation policy, crime, exchange of information, fight against crime

7.7.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 186/11

COUNCIL DECISION

of 28 June 2001

establishing a programme of incentives and exchanges, training and cooperation for the prevention
of crime (Hippokrates)

(2001/515/JHA)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

(8)

Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in partic-
ular Articles 30(1), 31 and 34(2)(c) thereof,

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

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

A financial reference amount, within the meaning of
point 34 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 6 May
1999 between the European Parliament, the Council and
the Commission on budgetary discipline and improve-
ment of the budgetary procedure (3), is included in this
Decision for the entire duration of
the programme,
without thereby affecting the powers of the budgetary
authority as they are defined by the EC Treaty,

Whereas:

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

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.

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.

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 general
budget of the European Union.

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

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.

like

the other programmes

This programme,
for
cooperation in justice and home affairs, is open to the
applicant countries with a view to facilitating their
participation in the
the
projects
programme.

supported

by

The measures necessary for the implementation of this
Decision should be adopted in accordance with the
procedures set out herein.

(1) OJ C 96 E, 27.3.2001, p. 244.
(2) Opinion delivered on 5.4.2001 (not yet published in the Official

Journal).

Article 1

Establishment of the programme

This Decision establishes a programme of cooperation in

1.
the prevention of crime, to be known as ‘Hippokrates’.

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.

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.

Article 3

Access to the programme

1.
The programme shall co-finance projects submitted by
public or private organisations in the European Union involved
in the prevention of crime.

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

(3) OJ C 172, 18.6.1999, p. 1.

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Official Journal of the European Communities

7.7.2001

3.

The programme may also finance:

(a) specific projects organised by Member States of particular
interest in terms of the programme's priorities or coopera-
tion with the applicant countries;

(b) complementary measures organised by Member States such
as seminars, meetings of experts or other activities to
disseminate
the
programme.

information

obtained

under

the

Article 4

Activities of the programme

The programme shall comprise the following types of activities:

(a) training;

(b) exchanges and placements;

(c) studies and research;

(d) meetings and seminars;

(e) dissemination of the results obtained within the framework

of the programme.

Article 5

Financing the programme

1.
The financial reference amount for the implementation of
this programme for the period 2001 to 2002 shall be EUR 2
million.

2.
The annual appropriations shall be authorised by the
budgetary authority within the limits of the financial perspec-
tive.

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

3.
exclusive of any other
financed by the general budget of the European Union.

4.
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.

The proportion of financial support from the Community

5.
budget shall not exceed 70 % of the cost of the project.

6.
However, the specific projects and complementary meas-
ures mentioned in Article 3(3) may be financed to 100 %, up
to a ceiling of 10 % of the total financial package allocated
annually to the programme for specific projects under Article
3(3)(a), and 5 % for complementary measures under Article
3(3)(b).

Article 6

Implementation of the programme

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

3.

To implement the programme, the Commission shall:

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

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

(b) 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 in sufficient time to enable the Member
States to consider them. Examination of the drafts presented by
the organisers shall be carried out in accordance with the
advisory procedure laid down in Article 8. Examination of the
annual work programme, the specific projects and the comple-
mentary measures shall be carried out in accordance with the
management procedure laid down in Article 9.

5.
The Commission shall, on the condition that they are
compatible with the relevant policies, evaluate and select
the
projects submitted by the organisers on the basis of
following criteria:

(a) conformity with the programme's objectives;

(b) whether the project has a European dimension and is open

to participation by the applicant countries;

(c) compatibility with the work undertaken or planned within
the framework of the European Union's political priorities
on crime prevention;

(d) complementarity with other past, present or

future

cooperation projects;

(e) ability of the organiser to implement the project;

(f) the inherent quality of the project in terms of its concep-
tion, organisation, presentation and expected results;

(g) the amount of the subsidy requested under the programme
and whether it is proportionate with the expected results;

(h) the impact of the expected results on the programme's

objectives.

criteria will be prioritised in the

These
programme.

annual work

Article 7

Committee

1.
The Commission shall be assisted by a Committee to be
known as the ‘Hippokrates Committee’, composed of the repre-
sentatives of the Member States and chaired by a representative
of the Commission.

2.
The Committee shall adopt its rules of procedure on a
proposal by the chair on the basis of standard rules of proce-
dure which have been published in the Official Journal of the
European Communities.

1.
The Commission shall be responsible for the manage-
ment and implementation of the programme, in cooperation
with the Member States.

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

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Article 8

Advisory procedure

1. Where reference is made to this Article, the Commission
shall be assisted by an advisory Committee composed of the
representatives of the Member States and chaired by the repres-
entative of the Commission.

2.
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 the draft, within a time-limit which
the chairman may lay down according to the urgency of the
matter,

if necessary by taking a vote.

3.
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
4.
opinion delivered by the Committee.
inform the
Committee of the manner in which the opinion has been taken
into account.

It shall

Article 9

Management procedure

1. Where reference is made to this Article, the Commission
shall be assisted by a management Committee composed of the
representatives of the Member States and chaired by the repres-
entative of the Commission.

2.
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 the draft, 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 205(2) of the Treaty establishing the European
Community,
is
required to adopt on a proposal from the Commission. The
votes of the representatives of the Member States within the
Committee shall be weighted in the manner set out in that
Article. The chairman shall not vote.

in the case of decisions which the Council

The Commission shall adopt measures which shall apply
3.
immediately. However, if these measures are not in accordance
with the opinion of the Committee, they shall be communi-
cated by the Commission to the Council forthwith. In that
event, the Commission may defer application of the measures
which it has decided on for a period of three months from the
date of such communication.

4.
The Council, acting by qualified majority, may take a
different decision within the period provided for by paragraph
3.

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. The outcome of the evaluation shall be
forwarded to the Committee.

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

Article 11

Entry into force

This Decision shall take effect from the day of its publication in
the Official Journal.

It shall apply until 31 December 2002.

Done at Luxembourg, 28 June 2001.

For the Council

B. ROSENGREN

The President