2002/122/EC: Decision No 5/2001 of the EU-Czech Republic Association Council of 16 October 2001 adopting the terms and conditions for the participation of the Czech Republic in the Culture 2000 programme
Date: 2001-10-16
Institutions: EC–Czech Republic Association Council
Subjects: Czechia, EU programme, association agreement (EU), cultural heritage, cultural policy, cultural relations

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DECISION No 5/2001 OF THE EU-CZECH REPUBLIC ASSOCIATION COUNCIL

of 16 October 2001

adopting the terms and conditions for the participation of the Czech Republic in the Culture 2000
programme

(2002/122/EC)

THE ASSOCIATION COUNCIL,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Having regard to the Additional Protocol to the Europe Agree-
ment establishing an Association between the European
Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the
Czech Republic, of the other (1), concerning the Czech Repub-
lic's participation in Community programmes, and in particular
Articles 1 and 2 thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

According to Article 1 of the Additional Protocol, the
Czech Republic may participate in Community frame-
work programmes, specific programmes, projects or
other actions in particular in the field of culture.

According to Article 2 of the said Protocol, the terms
and conditions
the Czech
Republic in this area are to be decided by the Associa-
tion Council,

the participation of

for

Article 1

The Czech Republic shall participate in the Culture 2000
programme according to the terms and conditions set out in
Annexes I and II which shall form an integral part to this
Decision.

Article 2

This Decision shall enter into force on the day of its adoption.

It shall apply for the duration of the Culture 2000 programme,
starting from 1 January 2001.

Done at Brussels, 16 October 2001.

For the Association Council

The President

L. MICHEL

(1) OJ L 317, 30.12.1995, p. 45.

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ANNEX I

Terms and conditions for the participation of the Czech Republic in the Culture 2000 programme

1. The Czech Republic will participate in the activities of the Culture 2000 programme (hereinafter called ‘the
programme’) in conformity, unless otherwise provided for in this Decision, with the objectives, criteria, procedures
and deadlines as defined in Decision No 508/2000/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 February
2000 establishing the Culture 2000 programme (1).

2. To participate in the programme, the Czech Republic will pay each year a contribution to the general budget of the
European Union according to the detailed arrangements described in Annex II. If necessary in order to take into
account programme developments, or the evolution of the Czech Republic's absorption capacity, the Association
Committee is entitled to adapt this contribution, so as to avoid a budgetary imbalance in the implementation of the
programme.

3. The terms and conditions for the submission, assessment and selection of applications related to eligible institutions,
organisations and individuals of the Czech Republic will be the same as those applicable to eligible institutions,
organisations and individuals of the Community. Czech experts may be taken into consideration by the Commission
when appointing independent experts according to the relevant provisions of
the decision establishing the
programme to assist it in the project evaluation.

4. With a view to ensuring the Community dimension of the programme, in order to be eligible for Community
financial support, projects and activities will have to include at least a partner from one of the Member States of the
Community.

5. The maximum amount of financial support for the activities of the cultural contact points will not exceed 50 % of the

total budget for its activities.

6. Without prejudice to the responsibilities of the Commission of the European Communities and the Court of Auditors
of the European Communities in relation to the monitoring and evaluation of the programme pursuant to Article 8
of Decision No 508/2000/EC, the participation of the Czech Republic in the programme will be continuously
monitored on a partnership basis involving the Commission of the European Communities and the Czech Republic.
The Czech Republic will submit to the Commission relevant reports and take part in other specific activities set out
by the Community in that context.

7. In conformity with the Community's Financial Regulations, contractual arrangements concluded with, or by, entities
of the Czech Republic shall provide for controls and audits to be carried out by, or under the authority of, the
Commission and the Court of Auditors. As far as financial audits are concerned, they may be carried out for the
purpose of controlling such entities' income and expenditures, related to the contractual obligations towards the
Community. In a spirit of cooperation and mutual interest, the relevant authorities of the Czech Republic shall
provide any reasonable and feasible assistance as may be necessary or helpful under the circumstances to perform
such controls and audits.

8. Without prejudice to the procedures referred to in Article 5 of Decision No 508/2000/EC, representatives of the
Czech Republic will participate as observers in the Management Committee for the points which concern them. This
committee shall meet without the presence of representatives of the Czech Republic for the rest of the points, as well
as at the time of voting.

9. The language to be used in all sorts of contacts with the Commission, as regards the application process, contracts,
reports to be submitted and other administrative arrangements for the programme, will be one of the official
languages of the Community.

10. The Community and the Czech Republic may terminate activities under this Decision at any time upon 12 months'
notice in writing. Projects and activities in progress at the time of termination shall continue until their completion
under the conditions laid down in this Decision.

(1) OJ L 63, 10.3.2000, p. 1.

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ANNEX II

Financial contribution of the Czech Republic to Culture 2000

1. The financial contribution to be paid by the Czech Republic to the general budget of the European Union to

participate in the programme will be the following:

(in EUR)

Year 2001

Year 2002

Year 2003

Year 2004

651 060

651 060

651 060

651 060

2. The Czech Republic will pay the contribution mentioned above, partly from the Czech Republic's national budget,
and partly from the Czech Republic's PHARE national programme. Subject to a PHARE separate programming
procedure, the requested PHARE funds will be transferred to the Czech Republic by means of a separate Financing
Memorandum. Together with the part coming from the Czech Republic's State budget, these funds will constitute the
Czech Republic's national contribution, out of which it will make payments in response to annual calls for funds
from the Commission.

3. PHARE funds will be requested according to the following schedule:

(in EUR)

Year 2001

Year 2002

Year 2003

Year 2004

290 215

290 215

290 215

290 215

The remaining part of the contribution of the Czech Republic will come from the Czech State budget.

4. The Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities will apply, in particular to

the management of the contribution of the Czech Republic.

Travel costs and subsistence costs incurred by representatives and experts of the Czech Republic for the purposes of
taking part as observers in the work of the committee referred to in Annex I(8) or other meetings related to the
implementation of the programme shall be reimbursed by the Commission on the same basis as and in accordance
with the procedures currently in force for non-governmental experts of the Member States of the European Union.

5. After the entry into force of this Decision and at the beginning of each following year, the Commission will send to
the Czech Republic a call for funds corresponding to its contribution to the budget of the programme under this
Decision.

This contribution shall be expressed in euro and paid into a euro bank account of the Commission.

The Czech Republic will pay its contribution according to the call for funds:
— by 1 May for the part financed from its national budget, provided that the call for funds is sent by the

Commission before 1 April, or at the latest one month after the call for funds is sent if later,

— by 1 May for the part financed from PHARE, provided that the corresponding amounts have been sent to the
Czech Republic by this time, or at the latest within a period of 30 days after these funds have been sent to the
Czech Republic.

Any delay in the payment of the contribution shall give rise to the payment of interest by the Czech Republic on the
outstanding amount from the due date. The interest rate corresponds to the rate applied by the European Central
Bank, on the due date, for its operations in euro,

increased by 1,5 percentage points.