Decision No 2045/2002/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 October 2002 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: 2002-10-21
Institutions: Council of the European Union, European Parliament
Subjects: access to information, administrative cooperation, electronic mail, exchange of information, telecommunications, trans-European network

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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I

(Acts whose publication is obligatory)

DECISION No 2045/2002/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

of 21 October 2002

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)

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE
EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Commu-
nity, and in particular Article 156 thereof,

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

Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social
Committee (2),

After consulting the Committee of the Regions,

Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article
251 of the Treaty (3),

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

the
The objective of Decision No 1720/1999/EC of
European Parliament and of the Council (4)
is for the
Community to achieve a high degree of interoperability
between the trans-European telematic networks estab-
lished between the Member States and the Community
institutions in order to support
the establishment of
economic and monetary union and the implementation
of Community policies, as well as to achieve substantial
for Member State administrations and the
benefits
Community by streamlining operations and speeding up
implementation of new networks and enhancements.

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 eEurope initiative
and related action plan,
in particular the chapter on
Government online.

Due account should be taken of the recommendations
contained in the Declaration issued at the Ministerial
Conference on eGovernment ‘From Policy to Practice’
held in Brussels on 29 and 30 November 2001, as well
as the conclusions of the Conference ‘eGovernment in
the service of European citizens and enterprises — what
is required at the European level’, organised jointly by
the Presidency of the Council and the Commission (IDA)
in Stockholm/Sandhamn on 13 and 14 June 2001.

(4)

(5)

(6)

Regarding the spread of best practice, conferences, work-
shops and other types of events should be organised in
order to ensure general awareness of the achievements
and benefits of the IDA projects and actions and encou-
rage a broad discussion on the future direction and prio-
rities of the IDA programme.

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

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 full participation to
all candidate countries, the possibility for these countries
to use at their own cost IDA generic services in order to
implement a Community policy should be facilitated.
This possibility should also be afforded to other non-
member countries, under the same conditions.

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

(8)

The measures necessary for the implementation of this
Decision should be adopted in accordance with Council
Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down
the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers
conferred on the Commission (5).

(1) OJ C 332 E, 27.11.2001, p. 290.
(2) OJ C 80, 3.4.2002, p. 21.
(3) Opinion of the European Parliament of 11 June 2002 (not yet
published in the Official Journal) and Decision of the Council of 23
September 2002.

(4) OJ L 203, 3.8.1999, p. 9.

(9)

Decision No 1720/1999/EC should be amended accord-
ingly,

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

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HAVE DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

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

1. In Article 1(1):

(a) point (d) shall be replaced by the following:

‘(d) the extension of the benefits of such networks, as
mentioned in point (c), to Community industry and
citizens of the European Union, notably in those
areas where this contributes to the objectives of the
eEurope initiative and related action plan, in parti-
cular the chapter on Government online;’

(b) the following point shall be added:

‘(f) where appropriate,

electronic

of pan-European

the identification and deploy-
ment
government
services for citizens and enterprises and other rele-
vant electronic government services to be used in
line with the priorities laid down in Article 4 of
Decision No 1719/1999/EC of the European Parlia-
ment and of the Council of 12 July 1999 on a series
of guidelines, including the identification of projects
of common interest,
for trans-European networks
for
the electronic interchange of data between
administrations (IDA) (*).

(*) OJ L 203, 3.8.1999, p. 1.’

2. The following paragraph shall be inserted in Article 3:

in order to be able to identify
‘1a. Where appropriate,
the horizontal actions and measures to be undertaken, the
Community shall establish a description of an infrastructure,
which shall serve as a platform for the development of
projects of common interest, as well as other sectoral
networks, referred to in Decision 1719/1999/EC.

The described infrastructure shall comprise a framework of
interoperability for networks, services, security, applications,
contents and other relevant elements. It may also include
aspects such as the required management, organisation,
responsibilities and cost-sharing. The description shall also
encompass a strategy to be used in the development and
implementation of the infrastructure. The description shall
be reviewed on a yearly basis.’

3. The following paragraph shall be added to Article 10:

‘3.
The Community shall organise conferences, work-
shops and other types of events in order to ensure general
awareness of the achievements and benefits of the IDA
projects and actions and encourage a broad discussion on
the future direction and priorities of the IDA programme.’

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

‘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, on the

basis of its compliance with the relevant provisions of Arti-
cles 3 to 10, in accordance with the procedure referred to
in Article 12(2).

3.
The common rules and procedures for bringing about
shall be
technical
adopted in accordance with the procedure referred to in
Article 12(2).

and administrative

interoperability

The procedure referred to in Article 12(2) 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 line within a year shall also be subject to that proce-
dure.’

5. Article 12 shall be replaced by the following:

‘Article 12

Committee

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, Articles 4
and 7 of Council Decision 1999/468/EC (*) shall apply,
having regard to Article 8 thereof.

The period laid down in Article 4(3) of Decision 1999/468/
EC shall be set at three months.

3.

The TAC shall adopt its rules of procedure.

The Commission shall report annually to the TAC on

4.
the implementation of this Decision.

(*) OJ L 184, 17.7.1999, p. 23.’

6. Article 14 shall be replaced by the following:

‘Article 14

Extension to the EEA and associated countries

The IDA programme may be opened, within the
1.
framework of their respective agreements with the European
Community,
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.

to participation by the countries of

2.
In the course of implementing this Decision, coopera-
tion with non-member countries and with international
organisations or bodies, as appropriate, shall be encouraged.

3.
Before the IDA programme has been opened up for
their full participation, the associated countries of central
and eastern Europe, Cyprus, Malta and Turkey may, at their
own cost, use IDA generic services, in order to implement a
Community policy.

4.
Other non-member countries may also, at their own
cost, use IDA generic services in order to implement a
Community policy.’

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7. Article 15 shall be replaced by the following:

‘Article 15

Financial reference amount

The financial reference amount for the implementation of the Community action under this Deci-

1.
sion for the period 2002-2004 shall be EUR 34,2 million.

The annual appropriations shall be authorised by the budgetary authority within the limit of the

2.
financial perspective.’

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

Article 2

Done at Brussels, 21 October 2002.

For the European Parliament

The President

P. COX

For the Council

The President

P. S. MØLLER