Proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Decision No 253/2000/EC establishing the second phase of the Community action programme in the field of education 'Socrates'
Date: 2002-04-29
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU programme, action programme, association agreement, cooperation agreement, education, international cooperation

27.8.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 203 E/133

Proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Decision No
253/2000/EC establishing the second phase of the Community action programme in the field of
education ‘Socrates’

(2002/C 203 E/21)

COM(2002) 193 final — 2002/0101(COD)

(Submitted by the Commission on 29 April 2002)

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE
EUROPEAN UNION,

(4) The target group for such projects is primarily small
institutions such as schools and adult education institutes,
which generally have limited administrative resources.

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community, and in particular Articles 149 and 150 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social
Committee,

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,

Whereas:

(1) Section IV Point B.2 of

the European Parliament and of

the Annex to Decision No
the
253/2000/EC of
Council (1)
assistance
that
towards the realisation of projects selected for funding
under the programme will not normally exceed 75 %,
except in the case of accompanying measures.

Community

establishes

(2) Decision No 819/95/EC of the European Parliament and
the Council of 14 March 1995 establishing the
‘Socrates’ (2) did not

of
Community action programme
stipulate a minimum level of cofinancing.

(3) Projects within

of

the

actions

decentralised

the
programme cannot be realised without a significant
contribution in the form of staff time and infrastructure
support from the organisations involved in the project
partnership. The Community grant awarded to these
projects does not support the costs of the contributions
of such staff, but may cover up to 100 % of the other
costs incurred in realising the project.

(1) OJ L 28, 3.2.2000, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 87, 20.4.1995, p. 10. Decision as last amended by Decision

No 68/2000/EC (OJ L 10, 14.1.2000, p. 1).

(5) The Community has not previously required institutions
participating in projects within the decentralised actions
of the programme to provide information about the cost
of the contribution of the staff they employ towards the
realisation of the projects.

(6) The sums awarded as Community grant to projects within
the decentralised actions of the programme are small,
averaging EUR 3 315 in 2000.

expressed concern about

(7) The European Parliament in its Resolution of 28 February
2002 on the implementation of the Socrates Programme
has
the disproportionately
onerous administrative procedures for beneficiaries of
small grants, especially under the Comenius action, and
has called on the Commission to propose any legislative
changes necessary to abolish the cofinancing requirement
for such grants.

(8) The Commission in its White Paper — Part II — Action
Plan entitled Reforming the Commission (3) committed
internal and
itself
external procedures, as far as they relate to other insti-
tutions, Member States and citizens.

to improving and simplifying its

(9) It is not consistent with the principles of simplification
and proportionality to apply a new requirement on the
institutions participating in projects within the decen-
for the
tralised actions of
contribution towards
realisation made by staff
employed by these institutions, solely in order to demon-
strate that
the Community grant does not normally
exceed 75 % of the total costs of the project.

the programme to account

their

(10) There is a need therefore to amend the provision
contained in the first paragraph of Section IV Point B.2
of the Annex to Decision No 253/2000/EC in order to
permit appropriate flexibility in the application of this
cofinancing requirement,

(3) COM(2000) 200 final.

C 203 E/134

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

27.8.2002

HAVE DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

The first paragraph of Section IV Point B.2 of the Annex to
Decision No 253/2000/EC is replaced by the following:

‘As a general rule, Community financial assistance granted
for projects under this programme is intended partially to
the
the estimated cost necessary to carry out
offset
activities concerned and may cover a maximum period
of three years, subject to a periodic review of progress
In accordance with the cofinancing principle,
achieved.

the beneficiary's contribution may take the form of the
provision of the personnel and/or infrastructure necessary
for the realisation of
the project. Assistance may be
granted in advance to enable preparatory visits to take
place in respect of the projects in question.’

Article 2

This Decision shall enter into force on the twentieth day
following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the
European Communities.