Proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Decision No 1720/1999/EC adopting a series of actions and measures in order to ensure interoperability of and access to trans-European networks for the electronic interchange of data between administrations (IDA)
Date: 2001-09-14
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: access to information, administrative cooperation, data transmission, electronic mail, exchange of information, telecommunications, trans-European network

C 332 E/290

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

27.11.2001

Proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Decision
No 1720/1999/EC adopting a series of actions and measures in order to ensure interoperability
of and access to trans-European networks for the electronic interchange of data between adminis-
trations (IDA)

(2001/C 332 E/14)

COM(2001) 507 final (cid:151) 2001/0211(COD)

(Submitted by the Commission on 14 September 2001)

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE
EUROPEAN UNION,

more than EUR 250 000 per project line within a year
are subject to the procedure referred to in that Decision.

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community, and in particular Article 156 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Having regard to the opinion of
Committee,

the Economic and Social

Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions,

Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article
251 of the Treaty (1),

Whereas:

(1) The objective of Decision No 1720/1999/EC of

the Council (2)

the
is for the
European Parliament and of
Community to achieve a high degree of interoperability
between the trans-European telematic networks established
between the Member States and the Community insti-
tutions
establishment of
economic and monetary union and the implementation
of Community policies, as well as to achieve substantial
benefits
and the
Community by streamlining operations and speeding up
implementation of new networks and enhancements.

administrations

for Member

to support

in order

State

the

(2) The benefits of

trans-European telematic networks

for
administrations should be extended to citizens and enter-
prises of the Community, notably in those areas where this
contributes to the objectives of the e-Europe initiative and
related
chapter on
Government online.

in particular

action plan,

the

(3) Regarding the

spread of best practice,

conferences,
workshops and other types of events should be organised
in order to ensure general awareness of the achievements
and benefits of the IDA programme and the dissemination
of IDA guidelines and recommendations.

(4) For the implementation of the Community Actions set out
in Articles 3 to 10 of Decision No 1720/1999/EC it should
be clarified that proposals for any budgetary increase of

(5) Following the interest expressed by Malta and Turkey, the
IDA programme may be opened to participation by these
countries in the horizontal actions and measures under
Decision No 1720/1999/EC. Before the IDA programme
has been opened up for participation to all candidate
the possibility for these countries to use at
countries,
their costs
should be facilitated,
provided that an interchange of data with these countries
is necessary for
the implementation of a Community
policy. This possibility should also be admitted for other
non-member countries, under the same conditions.

IDA generic services

(6) With a view to creating more flexibility in the annual
budget allocation, a financial reference amount
for the
implementation of the Community action under Decision
No 1720/1999/EC for the period 2002-2004 should be
introduced, with the annual appropriations being auth-
orised by the budgetary authority within the limit of the
financial perspective.

(7) Provisions of Decision No 1720/1999/EC concerning the
committee procedure should be adapted to take account
of Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying
down the procedures for the exercise of
implementing
power conferred on the Commission (3).

(8) Decision No
accordingly,

1720/1999/EC

should

be

amended

HAVE DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

Decision No 1720/1999/EC is amended as follows:

1. Article 1(d) is replaced by the following:

(cid:145)(d) The extension of

the benefits of such networks, as
mentioned in the previous paragraph, to Community
industry and citizens of the European Union, notably
in those areas where this contributes to the objectives
of the e-Europe initiative and related action plan,
in
particular the chapter on Government online;(cid:146)

(1) Opinion of the European Parliament.
(2) OJ L 203, 3.8.1999, p. 9.

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

27.11.2001

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 332 E/291

2. The following paragraph 3 is added to Article 10:

5. Article 14 is replaced by the following:

The

Community

(cid:145)3.
conferences,
shall
workshops and other types of events in order to ensure
general awareness of the achievements and benefits of the
IDA programme and the dissemination of IDA guidelines
and recommendations.(cid:146)

organise

3. Article 11(2), (3) and (4) are replaced by the following:

(cid:145)2.
The section of the IDA work programme concerning
the implementation of this Decision, which the Commission
shall draw up for its entire duration and which shall be
reviewed at least twice a year, shall be approved, based on
its compliance with the relevant provisions of Articles 3 to
10, in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article
12.

The common rules and procedures for bringing about
3.
technical
shall be
adopted in accordance with the procedure referred to in
Article 12.

interoperability

administrative

and

The procedure referred to in Article 12 shall also
4.
apply in respect of the approval of the breakdown of the
yearly budgetary expenditure under this Decision. Proposals
for any budgetary increase of more than EUR 250 000 per
project
to that
line within a year shall also be subject
procedure.(cid:146)

4. Article 12 is replaced by the following:

(cid:145)Article 12

Committee

(cid:145)Article 14

Extension to the EEA and associated countries

their

The IDA programme may be opened, within the
1.
framework of
agreements with the
respective
European Community, to participation by the countries of
the European Economic Area and the associated countries
of central and eastern Europe, Cyprus, Malta and Turkey in
the horizontal actions and measures under this Decision.

In the

course of

2.
this Decision,
co-operation with non-member countries and with inter-
national organisations or bodies, as appropriate, shall be
encouraged.

implementing

3.
Before the IDA programme has been opened up for
their participation, the associated countries of central and
eastern Europe, Cyprus, Malta and Turkey may use at their
own costs IDA generic services, provided that an inter-
change of data with these countries is required for the
implementation of a Community policy.

4.
Other non-member countries may also use at their
own costs IDA generic services to the extent that an inter-
change of data with these countries is required for the
implementation of a Community policy.(cid:146)

6. Article 15 is replaced by the following:

(cid:145)Article 15

Financial reference amount

1.
The Commission shall be assisted by a committee
called the Telematics between Administrations Committee
(TAC), composed of representatives of the Member States
and chaired by the representative of the Commission.

2. Where reference is made to this paragraph,
the
management procedure laid down in Article 4 of Decision
1999/468/EC shall apply, in compliance with Article 7 and
Article 8 thereof.

The period provided for in Article 4(3) of Decision

3.
1999/468/EC shall be three months.(cid:146)

1.
The financial reference amount for the implementation
of the Community action under this Decision for the period
2002-2004 shall be EUR 34,2 million.

The annual appropriations shall be authorised by the
the financial

2.
budgetary authority within the limit of
perspective.(cid:146)

Article 2

This Decision shall be published in the Official Journal of the
European Communities. It shall enter into force on the day of its
publication.