Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Decision establishing a Community action programme to promote bodies active at European level in the field of culture
Date: 2003-05-27
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU Member State, EU programme, cultural organisation, cultural policy, cultural promotion, cultural relations, public awareness campaign

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 27.5.2003
COM (2003) 275 final

2003/0115 (COD)

Proposal for a

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND COUNCIL DECISION

establishing a Community action programme to promote bodies active at European level
in the field of culture

(presented by the Commission)

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

Introduction

In  addition  to  the  Treaty,  which  establishes  European  citizenship,  various  recent  statements
stress the need to promote active citizenship, especially in the field of culture:

the Commission's White Paper on Governance stresses the principle of citizen participation in
devising  and  carrying  out  policy,  of  involvement  of  civil  society  and  its  component
organisations;

the  Laeken  Declaration,  annexed  to  the  conclusions  of  the  European  Council  of  14  and
15 December  2001,  asserts  that  one  of  the  basic  challenges  to  be  resolved  by  the
European Union  is  "how  to  bring  citizens,  and  primarily  the  young,  closer  to  the  European
design and the European institutions";

the Ministers of Culture, in the Council resolution of 14 November 1991 on European cultural
networks,  stressed  the  important  role  of  networks  of  cultural  organisations  in  cultural
cooperation in Europe, and agreed to encourage the cultural organisations in their countries to
participate actively in non-governmental cooperation on a European scale.

Background

For several years, support has been provided for bodies active at European level in the field of
culture and for actions in this field, under headings in Part A of the budget:

heading  A-3015  co-finances  the  operating  costs  of  the  European  Bureau  for  Lesser-Used
Languages (EBLUL) and the Mercator information and documentation centres;

heading A-3035 contributes to European and international preservation of Nazi concentration
camp sites as historical memorials;

heading A-3042 co-finances the operating costs of organisations of European cultural interest.

The  main  activities  of  the  European  Bureau  for  Lesser-Used  Languages  (EBLUL)  and
the Mercator information and documentation centres are as follows:

representing  and 
the European Union;

informing 

the 

regional  and  minority 

language  communities  of

finding and disseminating information in the legislation, education and media fields.

The  main  activities  of  the  organisations  of  European  cultural  interest  supported  by  the
European Union are as follows:

representing stakeholders at Community level;

disseminating information on Community action;

networking at European level of bodies active in the cultural field.

2

The  actions  supported  for  the  preservation  of  the  sites  of  Nazi  concentration  camps  as
historical  memorials  seek  to  contribute  to  preserving  the  main  sites  and  archives  associated
with the deportations, symbolised by the memorials which have been raised on the sites of the
former camps, and to keeping alive the memory of the victims at these sites.

All this support has been provided without any legal basis, under budgetary headings entered
in the Commission's administrative expenditure.

Objectives

The  adoption  of  Council  Regulation  (EC,  Euratom)  No  1605/2002  of  25  June  2002  on  the
Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities1 and the
decision  to  base  the  structure  of  the  Commission  budget  on  the  ABB  (Activity  Based
Budgeting) approach require basic acts to be adopted for a number of grants hitherto financed
under  appropriations  entered  in  Part  A  (administrative  appropriations)  of  the  Commission
section of the budget (section III).

The  purpose  of  this  Decision  is  therefore  to  adopt  an  act  providing  a  basis  for  grants  to
promote bodies active at European level and support specific activities in the field of culture,
for a period of five years (2004–2008).

In  a  statement  in  connection  with  the  adoption  of  the  new  Financial  Regulation,  the
Commission  publicly  announced  its  intention  of  providing  basic  acts  for  grants  hitherto
financed under Part A. In this statement, "the European Parliament and the Council note the
Commission's  intention  of  submitting  a  proposal  for  a  Framework  Regulation  in  which  the
overall criteria regarding selection and the awarding of grants for the functioning of the bodies
provided for in Article 108(1)(b) may be specified".

Legal basis

The  proposal  is  based  on  Article  151  TEC,  which  provides  that  the  Community  shall
contribute  to  the  flowering  of  the  cultures  of  the  Member  States,  while  respecting  their
national and regional diversity and at the same time bringing the common cultural heritage to
the  fore.  The  procedure  to  be  followed  is  that  of  Article  251  TEC:  the  decision  is  to  be
adopted in co-decision by the European Parliament and the Council (acting unanimously) on
the basis of a Commission proposal.

Budgetary impact

Since  the  proposal  essentially  addresses  the  technical  need  to  provide  a  legal  basis  for
operations for which no such basis currently exists, the amounts provided for are largely based
on those allocated in the budget of the European Union for the 2003 financial year.

The total amount proposed is EUR 30.92 million.

Description of articles

Article 1 states the objective of  the  programme,  viz.  to  provide  support  for  bodies  active  at
European level and for specific activities in the field of culture.

1

OJ L 248, 16.9.2002, p. 1.

3

                                                
Article  2  states  the  conditions  of  access  to  the  programme  and  refers  to  the  Annex,  which
describes the three parts of the programme:

grant for the operation of the European Bureau for Lesser-Used Languages (EBLUL) and the
Mercator information and documentation centres;

grants for the operation of organisations of European cultural interest;

action  grants  for  the  preservation  of  the  sites  of  Nazi  concentration  camps  as  historical
memorials.

Article 3 refers to the Annex for the arrangements for selecting the programme's beneficiaries.
Grants for the operation of organisations of European cultural interest and action grants for the
preservation  of  the  sites  of  Nazi  concentration  camps  as  historical  memorials  are  to  be
awarded on the basis  of  annual  calls  for  proposals.  As  regards  the  former,  provision  is  also
made  for  arrangements  in  the  event  that  beneficiaries  are  specified  by  name  by  the
Budgetary Authority.

Article 4 refers to the Annex for the conditions governing award of grants.

Article 5 sets the programme allocation at EUR 30.92 million for the period 2004–2008.

Article 6 lays down the arrangements for interim and final evaluations of the programme and
its renewal.

4

2003/0115 (COD)

Proposal for a

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND COUNCIL DECISION

establishing a Community action programme to promote bodies active at European level
in the field of culture

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  establishing  the  European  Community,  and  in  particular
Article 151(5) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission2,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee3,

Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions4,

Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty5,

Whereas:

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

The Treaty confers responsibility on the Community for creating an ever-closer union
among the peoples of Europe and for contributing to the flowering of the cultures of
the  Member  States,  while  respecting  their  national  and  regional  diversity  and  at  the
same time bringing the common cultural heritage to the fore.

The Laeken Declaration annexed to the conclusions of the European Council of 14 and
15  December  2001  asserts  that  one  of  the  basic  challenges  to  be  resolved  by  the
European Union is  to  bring  citizens  closer  to  the  European  design  and  the  European
institutions.

The Ministers of Culture, in the Council resolution of 14 November 1991 on European
cultural networks6, stressed the important role of networks of cultural organisations in
cultural cooperation  in Europe, and  agreed to encourage the  cultural organisations  in
their  countries  to  participate  actively  in  non-governmental  cooperation  on  a
European scale.

2

3

4

5

6

OJ C […], […], p. […].
OJ C […], […], p. […].
OJ C […], […], p. […].
OJ C […], […], p. […].
OJ C 314, 5.12.1991, p. 1.

5

                                                
(4) 

(5) 

(6) 

(7) 

(8) 

(9) 

Heading A-3042 of the general budget of the European Communities for the financial
year 2003 and previous financial years provides support for organisations of European
cultural interest.

Further  to  the  resolutions  of  the  European  Parliament  on  regional  languages  and
cultures,  the  European  Union  has  engaged  in  action  to  promote  and  safeguard  the
linguistic  diversity  in  the  Union,  in  order  to  preserve  languages  as  an  element  in
Europe's living cultural heritage.

At the request of the European Parliament, the Commission has provided support since
1982 for a non-profit-making body, the European Bureau for Lesser-Used Languages
(EBLUL),  which  is  organised  as  a  network  of  national  committees  working  in  the
Member  States,  and  since  1987  for  the  Mercator  information  and  documentation
network. These pursue an aim of general European interest: the European Bureau for
Lesser-Used  Languages  (EBLUL)  represents  all  regional  or  minority  language
communities in the European Union and disseminates European  information  in these
communities;  the  Mercator  information  and  documentation  network  collects  and
disseminates at European level information on three aspects which are essential to the
promotion of regional and minority languages: education, legislation and the media.

Heading A-3015 of the general budget of the European Communities for the financial
year 2003 and previous financial years provides support for these two bodies.

On 11 February 1993, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on European and
international  preservation  of  the  sites  of  Nazi  concentration  camps  as  historical
memorials7.

Heading A-3035 of the general budget of the European Communities for the financial
year  2003  and  previous  financial  years  provides  support  for  the  preservation  of  the
sites of Nazi concentration camps as historical memorials.

(10)  Council  Regulation  (EC,  Euratom)  No  1605/2002  of  25  June  2002  on  the  Financial
Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities8, hereinafter
“the Financial Regulation”, requires a basic act to be provided to cover these existing
support actions.

(11)  The  European  Parliament,  the  Council  and  the  Commission,  when  adopting  the
Financial Regulation, undertook to achieve the objective of ensuring that this basic act
comes into force as from the financial year 2004.

(12) 

It  is  necessary  to  ensure  appropriate  funding  stability  and  continuity,  within  the
the
the  new  Financial  Regulation,  for 
framework  of 
European Community has granted financial support over previous years.

institutions 

to  which 

(13)  Any  non-Community  financing  from  State  resources  must  comply  with  Articles  87

and 88 of the Treaty.

7

8

OJ C 72, 15.3.1993, p. 118.
OJ L 248, 16.9.2002, p. 1.

6

                                                
(14)  This  Decision  establishes  a  financial  framework  for  the  entire  duration  of  the
programme which is to be the principal point of reference for the budgetary authority,
within  the  meaning  of  point  33  of  the  Interinstitutional  Agreement  of  6  May  1999
between  the  European  Parliament,  the  Council  and  the  European  Commission  on
budgetary discipline and improvement of the budgetary procedure9.

(15)  Any  support  granted  under  this  Decision  must  comply  strictly  with  the  principles  of

subsidiarity and proportionality,

HAVE DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1 – (cid:1)Programme objective(cid:2)

1.

2.

This Decision establishes a Community action programme to promote bodies active
at European level in the field of culture.

The programme covers the following activities:

(a)

the  ongoing  work  programme  of  a  body  which  pursues  an  aim  of  general
European  interest  in  the  field  of  culture  or  an  objective  forming  part  of
the European Union's policy in this area;

(b)

a specific action in this area.

These  activities  must  contribute,  or  be  capable  of  contributing,  to  the  development
and  implementation  of  Community  cooperation  policy  and  actions  in  the  field  of
culture.

3.

The programme shall start on 1 January 2004 and shall end on 31 December 2008.

Article 2 – (cid:1)Access to the programme(cid:2)

To  be  eligible  for  a  grant,  a  body  must  satisfy  the  requirements  of  the  Annex  and  have  the
following characteristics:

(a)

(b)

(c)

it must be an independent and non-profit-making legal person primarily active in the
field of culture, with an objective aimed at the public good;

it must have been legally established for more than two years and have had its annual
statement of accounts for the two preceding years certified by a registered auditor;

its activities must be in accordance with the principles underlying Community action
in the field of culture and take account of the priorities set out in the Annex.

9

OJ C 172, 18.6.1999, p. 1.

7

                                                
Article 3 – (cid:1)Selection of beneficiaries(cid:2)

1.

2.

Operating  grants  for  the  ongoing  work  programme  of  a  body  pursuing  an  aim  of
general European interest in  the field  of culture  or  an objective forming  part  of  the
European Union's policy in this area shall be awarded in accordance with the overall
criteria laid down in the Annex.

Grants for actions specified in the programme shall be awarded  in  accordance  with
the overall criteria laid down in the Annex. Actions shall be selected by means of a
call for proposals.

Article 4 – (cid:1)Award of the grant(cid:2)

Grants under the different actions of the programme shall be awarded in compliance with the
provisions set out in the relevant part of the Annex.

1.

2.

1.

2.

Article 5 – [Financial provisions]

The  financial  framework  for  the  implementation  of  the  programme  for  the  period
specified in Article 1(3) is EUR 30.92 million.

The annual appropriations shall be authorised by the Budgetary Authority within the
limits of the financial perspective.

Article 6 – (cid:1)Monitoring and evaluation(cid:2)

No  later  than  31  December  2007,  the  Commission  shall  submit  a  report  to  the
European  Parliament  and  the  Council  on  the  achievement  of  the  programme's
objectives  and  shall,  if  appropriate,  make  proposals  for  any  adjustment  to  be  made
with a view to continuing or not continuing the programme.

This report shall be based, inter alia, on an external evaluation report which must be
available no later than the end of 2006 and which shall appraise at least the overall
pertinence  and  coherence  of  the  programme,  the  effectiveness  of  its  execution
(preparation, selection, implementation of the actions) and the overall and individual
effectiveness of the various actions in terms of achievement of the objectives as set
out in Article 1 and in the Annex.

The  European  Parliament  and  the  Council,  in  accordance  with  the  Treaty,  shall
decide  on  the  continuation  of  the  programme  as  from  1  January  2009.  Before
presenting proposals to this end, the Commission shall have the external evaluation
of the programme updated and shall take account of the outcome of this evaluation in
its proposals.

later 

than  31  December  2009, 

No 
the
European Parliament  and  the  Council  a  report  on  the  achievement  of  the
programme's objectives. This report shall be based, inter alia, on the outcome of the
external  evaluation  and  shall  assess  the  results  obtained  by  the  beneficiaries  of  the
programme, in particular as regards the effectiveness and efficiency of their actions,

the  Commission  shall  present 

to 

8

considered  overall  and individually,  in  achieving  the  objectives  set  out  in  Article  1
and in the Annex.

Article 7 – [Entry into force]

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

Done at Brussels, […]

For the European Parliament
The President
[…]

For the Council
The President
[…]

9

ANNEX

1.

ACTIVITIES SUPPORTED

The general objective laid down in Article 1 is to strengthen Community action in the
field of culture and increase its effectiveness by supporting the bodies working in this
field.

This support takes the form of one of two types of grant:

– 

either  an  operating  grant  to  co-finance  expenditure  associated  with  the
permanent  work  programme  of  a  body  which  pursues  an  aim  of  general
European  interest  in  the  field  of  culture  or  an  objective  forming  part  of  the
European Union's policy in this area (parts 1 and 2);

– 

or a grant to co-finance a specific action in this area (part 3).

The main activities of these bodies that are likely to contribute to the strengthening
and effectiveness of Community action in the field of culture are as follows:

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

representation of stakeholders at Community level;

dissemination of information on Community action;

networking of bodies active in the cultural field;

informing  of 
representation  and 
communities of the European Union;

the  regional  and  minority 

language

finding  and  disseminating  of  information  in  the  legislation,  education  and
media fields;

preservation  of  the  main  sites  and  archives  associated  with  the  deportations,
symbolised by the memorials which have been raised on the sites of the former
camps, and the keeping alive of the memory of the victims at these sites.

2.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ACTIVITIES SUPPORTED

The  activities  carried  out  by  the  bodies  eligible  for  Community  funding  under  the
programme fall within one of the following areas:

2.1.

Part  1:  permanent  activities  of  the  following  bodies  pursuing  an  aim  of  general
European interest in the field of culture:

– 

– 

European Bureau for Lesser-Used Languages;

centres of the Mercator network.

10

2.2.

Part  2:  permanent  activities  of  other  bodies  pursuing  an  aim  of  general  European
interest in the field of culture or an objective forming part of the European Union's
policy in this area.

An annual operating grant may be awarded to support the conduct of the permanent
work  programme  of  an  organisation  or  network  promoting  European  culture  and
cooperation in the cultural sector and making a contribution  to cultural  life and the
management of culture.

2.3.

Part  3:  actions  to  preserve  the  main  sites  and  archives  associated  with  the
deportations, symbolised by the memorials which have been raised on the sites of the
former camps, and to keep alive the memory of the victims at these sites.

3.

SELECTION OF BENEFICIARIES

Grants  under  part  1  of  the  programme  shall  be  awarded  directly  to  the
European Bureau  for  Lesser-Used  Languages  (EBLUL)  and  the  Mercator  network
centres.

In  order  to  award  the  grants  under  part  2  of  the  programme,  the  Commission  shall
publish  calls  for  proposals.  However,  the  Commission  may  award  these  grants
without  publication  of  a  call  for  proposals  when  the  budget  heading  names  a
beneficiary explicitely. It may proceed in the same manner when the budget identifies
beneficiaries  and  the  amounts  allocated  to  each  of  them,  if  the  total  amount  of  the
budget line concerned is entirely pre-assigned by budgetary authority. In both cases,
all  other  requirements  of  the  Financial  Regulation,  its  Implementing  Rules  end  the
basic act apply.

Actions  to  be  supported  under  part  3  shall  be  selected  on  the  basis  of  calls  for
proposals.

4.

CRITERIA FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF FUNDING APPLICATIONS

Applications for operating grants shall be assessed in the light of:

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

the quality of the planned activities;

the European added value of the planned activities;

the lasting nature of the planned activities;

the visibility of the planned activities;

the representativeness of the bodies.

Grants  shall  be  awarded  on  the  basis  of  a  work  programme  approved  by
the European Commission.

11

5.

5.1.

5.2.

5.3.

5.4.

5.5.

5.6.

FUNDING AND ELIGIBLE EXPENDITURE

Under  part  1,  the  eligible  expenditure  of  the  European  Bureau  for  Lesser-Used
Languages and the Mercator network centres comprises operating costs and expenses
for carrying out their actions.

The  grant  to  the  European  Bureau  for  Lesser-Used  Languages  and  the  Mercator
network centres shall not fund all their eligible expenditure in the calendar year for
which it is awarded: at least 10 per cent of the bodies' budgets must be co-financed
from non-Community sources.

Pursuant  to  Article  113(2)  of  Council  Regulation  (EC,  Euratom)  No  1605/2002  of
25 June 2002, the principle of gradual reduction shall not apply to operating grants to
the European Bureau for Lesser-Used Languages and the Mercator network centres,
since they are bodies pursuing an objective of general European interest.

Under  part  2,  the  only  costs  to  be  taken  into  account  in  determining  the  operating
grant shall be those necessary for the proper conduct of the normal activities of the
body selected, in particular personnel costs, overheads (rental and property charges,
equipment,  office  supplies,  telecommunications,  postal  charges,  etc.),  costs  of
internal meetings, publication, information and dissemination costs and costs directly
linked to the body's activities.

An  operating  grant  under  part  2  of  the  annex  shall  not  fund  all  the  body's  eligible
expenditure in the calendar year for which it is awarded. At least 20 per cent of the
budgets of the bodies covered by this part must be co-financed from non-Community
sources.  Such  co-financing  may  be  partly  contributed  in  kind,  provided  the
contribution  is  valued  at  no  more  than  the  cost  actually  incurred  and  evidenced  by
accounting documents or the cost generally obtaining on the market in question.

Pursuant  to  Article  113(2)  of  Council  Regulation  (EC,  Euratom)  No  1605/2002  of
25 June 2002, operating grants so awarded, if renewed, shall be gradually decreased.
This reduction shall apply from the third year onwards, at a rate of 2.5 per cent per
year.  In  order  to  observe  this  rule,  which  applies  without  prejudice  to  the  co-
financing  rule  mentioned  above,  the  percentage  of  Community  co-financing
corresponding  to  the  grant  awarded  for  a  given  financial  year  shall  be  at  least
2.5 points  below  the  percentage  of  Community  co-financing  corresponding  to  the
grant awarded for the previous financial year.

5.7.

A grant awarded under part 3 of the Annex may not cover more than 75 per cent of
the eligible costs of the action concerned.

6.

MANAGEMENT OF THE PROGRAMME

In  the  light  of  a  cost/benefit  analysis,  the  Commission  may  decide  to  entrust  all  or
part of the tasks of managing the programme to an executive agency, in conformity
with  Article  55  of  the  Financial  Regulation  applicable  to  the  general  budget  of  the
European  Communities;  it  may  also  have  recourse  to  experts  and  incur  any  other
expenditure on technical and administrative assistance, not involving the exercise of
public  authority,  outsourced  under  ad  hoc  service  contracts.  It  may  also  finance

12

7.

7.1.

7.2.

7.3.

7.4.

7.5.

studies and organise meetings of experts likely to facilitate the implementation of the
programme,  and  undertake  information,  publication  and  dissemination  actions
directly linked to the achievement of the programme's objective.

CHECKS AND AUDITS

including 

The beneficiary of an operating grant shall keep available for the Commission all the
the  audited  financial  statement,  regarding
supporting  documents, 
expenditure  incurred  during  the  grant  year,  for  a  period  of  five  years  following  the
last  payment.  The  beneficiary  of  a  grant  shall  ensure  that,  where  applicable,
supporting documents in the possession of partners or members be made available to
the Commission.

The Commission may have an audit of the use made  of the grant carried out  either
directly  by  its  own  staff  or  by  any  other  qualified  outside  body  of  its  choice.  Such
audits may be carried out throughout the lifetime of the agreement and for a period of
five  years  from  the  date  of  payment  of  the  balance.  Where  appropriate,  the  audit
findings may lead to recovery decisions by the Commission.

Commission  staff  and  outside  personnel  authorised  by  the  Commission  shall  have
appropriate  right  of  access,  in  particular  to  the  beneficiary's  offices  and  to  all  the
information,  including information  in  electronic format, needed in  order  to  conduct
such audits.

The Court of Auditors and the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) shall  enjoy  the
same rights, especially of access, as the Commission.

In  order  to  protect  the  European  Communities'  financial  interests  against  fraud  and
other  irregularities,  the  Commission  may  carry  out  on-the-spot  checks  and
inspections under this programme in accordance with Council Regulation (Euratom,
EC)  No  2185/9610.  Where  necessary,  investigations  shall  be  conducted  by  the
European  Anit-Fraud  Office 
shall  be  governed  by
(OLAF)  and 
Regulation (EC) No 1073/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council11.

these 

10

11

OJ L 292, 15.11.1996, p. 2.
OJ L 136, 31.5.1999, p. 1.

13

                                                
FINANCIAL STATEMENT

POLICY AREA: EDUCATION AND CULTURE

ACTIVITY: CULTURE

TITLE OF ACTION

COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAMME TO PROMOTE BODIES ACTIVE AT EUROPEAN LEVEL IN THE
FIELD OF CULTURE

1.

BUDGET LINE(S) + HEADING(S)

15.04.01.01  (ex-A-3015)  European  Bureau  for  Lesser-Used  Languages  (EBLUL)  and
Mercator network

15.04.01.02  (ex-A-3035)  Preservation  of  Nazi  concentration  camp  sites  as  historical
monuments

15.04.01.03 (ex-A-3042) Grants for organisations of European cultural interest

15.01.04.17  Grants  for  organisations  of  European  cultural  interest  –  expenditure  on
administrative management

2.

2.1.

OVERALL FIGURES

allocation 
Total 
EUR 30.92 million

for 

action 

(Part  B): 

commitment 

appropriations

2.2.

Period of application:

2004–2008

2.3.

Overall multiannual estimate of expenditure

a)

Schedule of commitment appropriations/payment appropriations (financial intervention)
(see point 6.1.1)

EUR million (to the third decimal place)

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009 and foll.
Fin. years

Total

Commitment appropriations

5.788

5.904

6.022

6.142

6.264

30.120

Payment appropriations12

12

These appropriations will be managed as non-differentiated appropriations.

14

                                                
b)

Technical and administrative assistance and support expenditure (see point 6.1.2)13

p.m.

0.200

0.200

0.200

0.200

0.800

CA

PA

Subtotal a+b

CA

PA

c)

5.788

6.104

6.222

6.342

6.464

30.920

Overall  financial  impact  of  human  resources  and  other  administrative  expenditure
(see points 7.2. and 7.3.)

CA/PA

0.216

0.016

0.016

0.016

0.016

0.280

TOTAL a+b+c

CA

PA

6.004

6.120

6.238

6.358

6.480

31.200

2.4.

Compatibility with financial programming and financial perspective

X

Proposal compatible with the existing financial programming

(cid:1) Proposal will entail reprogramming of the relevant heading in the financial

perspective.

(cid:1) This may entail application of the provisions of the Interinstitutional Agreement.

2.5.

Financial impact on revenue

X

No financial implications (involves technical aspects regarding implementation of
a measure)

(cid:1) Proposal has financial impact – the effect on revenue is as follows:

3.

BUDGET CHARACTERISTICS

Type of expenditure

New

EFTA
particip
ation

Participation
applicant
countries

Heading
financial
perspective

Comp/Non-comp Diff/Non-diff

YES/NO YES/NO YES/NO

No 5

13

The resources are estimated on the assumption that an executive agency will be set up and will be deducted
from the resources currently allocated as part of the Commission's administrative expenditure.

15

                                                
Note: the action is new in this form; however, it follows on from existing Community operations
which have existed in another form for several years and its main purpose is to provide a legal
basis for these operations. It relates to the old headings A-3015, A-3035 and A-3042.

4.

LEGAL BASIS

Proposal  for  a  Decision  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council,  adopted  by
the Commission on ...

5.

DESCRIPTION AND GROUNDS

5.1.

Need for Community intervention

5.1.1

Objectives pursued

The  Treaty  confers  responsibility  on  the  European  Union  for  creating  an  ever-closer
union among the peoples of Europe and for contributing to the flowering of the cultures
of the Member States, while respecting their national and regional diversity  and  at the
same  time  bringing  the  common  cultural  heritage  to  the  fore.  The  White  Paper  on
Governance  stresses  the  principle  of  citizen  participation  in  devising  and  carrying  out
policy,  of  involvement  of  civil  society  and  its  component  organisations,  and  more
effective  and 
the
Laeken Declaration  annexed  to  the  conclusions  of  the  European  Council  of  14  and
15 December 2001  asserts  that  one  of  the  basic  challenges  to  be  resolved  by  the
European  Union  is  to  bring  citizens  closer  to  the  European  design  and  the
European institutions. 
in
the Council resolution  of  14  November  1991  on  European  cultural  networks,  stressed
the  important  role  of  networks  of  cultural  organisations  in  cultural  cooperation  in
Europe,  and  agreed  to  encourage  the  cultural  organisations  in  their  countries  to
participate actively in non-governmental cooperation on a European scale.

transparent  consultation  of 

interested  parties  and 

the  Member  States, 

field  of 

culture, 

the 

the 

In 

For several years, support has in fact been provided for bodies active at European level
in the field of culture under headings in Part A of the budget: heading A-3042 supports
the operation of organisations of European cultural interest. Further to the resolutions of
the  European  Parliament  on  regional  languages  and  cultures,  the  European  Union  has
also  acted  to  promote  and  safeguard  linguistic  diversity  in  the  Union,  in  order  to
preserve languages as an element in Europe's living heritage and, under heading A-3015,
it has provided support since 1982 for a non-profit-making body, the European Bureau
for  Lesser-Used  Languages  (EBLUL),  which  is  organised  as  a  network  of  national
committees working in the Member States, and since 1987 for the Mercator information
and documentation network. On 11 February 1993, the European Parliament adopted a
resolution on European and international preservation of the sites of Nazi concentration
camps  as  historical  memorials.  Grants  are  awarded  under  heading  A-3035  as  a
contribution to preserving the main sites and archives associated with the deportations,
symbolised by the memorials which have been raised on the sites of the former camps,
and  to  keeping  alive  the  memory  of  the  victims  at  these  sites.  These  various  support
grants have been provided without any legal basis, under budgetary headings entered in
the  Commission's  administrative  expenditure.  The  introduction,  as  from  2004,  of  a
budgetary  nomenclature  in  accordance  with  ABB  principles  makes  it  necessary  to
provide a proper legal basis for these operations, as agreed by the European Parliament,
the Council and the Commission when the new Financial Regulation was adopted.

16

This  proposal,  which  is  primarily  informed  by  technical  considerations,  thus  seeks  to
place on a solid legal footing operating grants to:

– 

– 

– 

the  European  Bureau  for  Lesser-Used  Languages  (EBLUL)  and  the  Mercator
information and documentation network;

organisations of European cultural interest;

and  action  grants  for  the  preservation  of  the  main  sites  and  archives  associated
with the deportations.

5.1.2 Measures taken in connection with ex ante evaluation

This proposal essentially addresses the technical need to provide a solid legal basis for
operating  grants  which  have  traditionally  been  paid  in  this  area  under  Part  A  of  the
budget, so following up the joint statement made by the three institutions when the new
Financial Regulation was adopted.

The  external  evaluation  of  Community  support  for  organisations  of  European  cultural
interest under heading A-3042, which is currently being finalised, stresses the usefulness
of  grants  paid  in  this  field,  in  addition  to  the  cultural  activities  funded  under  the
Culture 2000 programme.

5.2.

Actions envisaged and budget intervention arrangements

The  proposal  is  aimed  at  supporting  the  operating  costs  of  organisations  active  in  the
field  of  culture:  the  European  Bureau  for  Lesser-Used  Languages  (EBLUL)  and  the
Mercator  information  and  documentation  network,  on  the  one  hand,  and  the
organisations of European cultural interest, on the other. It thus  supplements  the other
types of intervention employed in the education and culture policy activity "Culture and
languages", which consist mainly in action grants under the Culture programme or the
Socrates and Leonardo da Vinci programmes.

The aim  of  the  European  Bureau  for  Lesser-Used  Languages  (EBLUL)  is  to  represent
and  inform  the  regional  and  minority  language  communities  of  the  European  Union,
while that of the Mercator information and documentation network is to support efforts
to find and disseminate information in the legislation, education and media fields.

The organisations of European cultural interest supported are organisations or networks
promoting  European  culture  and  cooperation  in  the  cultural  sector  and  making  a
contribution to cultural life and the management of culture.

Given  their  particular  nature,  the  European  Bureau  for  Lesser-Used  Languages
(EBLUL) and the Mercator information and documentation network are to be regarded
as bodies pursuing an objective of general European interest. The annual grants they are
awarded  are  not  subject  to  the  principle  of  gradual  reduction  of  operating  grants.  The
principle  of  gradual  reduction  does  apply  to  the  other  operating  grants  awarded  under
the programme.

The purpose of a third part of the programme is to preserve the main sites and archives
associated with the deportations, symbolised by the memorials which have been raised
on the sites of the former camps, and to keep alive the memory of the victims at these
sites. This support is in the form of action grants.

17

5.3.

Implementation arrangements

A feasibility study is in hand on the establishment of an executive agency to assist the
Commission  in  the  field  of  education  and  culture.  If,  in  the  light  of  a  cost/benefit
analysis, the Commission decides to set up such an agency, it may be involved in some
of  the  tasks  of  managing  the  programme,  in  conformity  with  Article  55  of  the
Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities.

This possibility is being considered at the general policy level; this is the level at which
an  appraisal  will  be  made  of  the  implications  of  such  an  approach  for  the  resources
required to manage the programme within the Commission. At this stage, the working
hypothesis is that this programme will contribute to the operating costs of the executive
agency envisaged (by means of the administrative expenditure line associated with the
budgetary heading for the programme).

6.

FINANCIAL IMPACT

6.1.

Total financial impact on Part B (over the entire programming period)

6.1.1

Financial intervention

Commitments in EUR million (to the third decimal place)

Breakdown
Part  1:  EBLUL  and
Mercator
Part 2: cultural
organisations
Part  3:  preservation
of deportation sites
TOTAL

2004
1.050

2005
1.071

2006
1.092

2007
1.114

2008
1.137

4.338

4.425

4.513

4.604

4.696

0.400

0.408

0.417

0.424

0.431

5.788

5.904

6.022

6.142

6.264

Total
5.464

22.576

2.080

30.120

6.1.2

Technical  and  administrative  assistance,  support  expenditure  and  IT  expenditure
(commitment appropriations)

2004

2005

2006

Total

1)Technical and
administrative assistance:
a)Technical assistance
offices:

b) Other technical and
administrative assistance:
- intra-muros:
- extra-muros:
of  which  for  construction
of
maintenance 
and 
computerised  management
systems:

Subtotal 1

18

2) Support expenditure:

a) Studies

b) Meetings of experts

c) Information and
publications

Subtotal 2

3) Contribution to an
executive agency

Subtotal 3

TOTAL

p.m.

p.m.

p.m.

0.200

0.200

0.200

0.200

0.200

0.200

0.200

0.200

0.200

0.200

0.200

0.200

0.800

0.800

0.800

6.2.

Calculation of costs by measure envisaged in Part B (over the entire programming
period)

Breakdown

Part 1
EBLUL and Mercator
Part 2
Cultural organisations
Part 3
Preservation of deportation sites

TOTAL COST

Commitments in EUR million (to the third decimal place)

Type
of outputs
(projects, files,
etc. )
1

Number of
outputs
(total for years
1…n)
2

Average unit
cost

Total cost
(total for years
1…n)

3

4=(2X3)

Op. grants

5

Op. grants

150

Action grants

150

1.092

0.150

0.014

5.464

22.576

2.080

30.120

The  amount  proposed  is  intended,  in  particular,  to  allow  annual  financing  of  the  grant  to  the
European  Bureau  for  Lesser-Used  Languages  (EBLUL)  and  the  Mercator  information  and
documentation network, on the basis of an annual increase of 2 per cent.

7.

IMPACT ON STAFF AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENDITURE

Human  resource  and  administrative  needs  will  be  covered  by  the  managing  DG's
allocation under the annual allocation procedure.

7.1.

Impact on human resources

These are existing resources.

Type of job

Staff to be assigned to management of the
measure, using existing and/or additional
resources

Number of
permanent posts

Number of
temporary posts

Total

Description of tasks
deriving from the measure

Permanent
officials or
temporary staff
Other human
resources
Total

A
B
C

1
1

2

If necessary, a fuller description
of the tasks may be annexed.

1
1

2

19

7.2

Overall financial impact of human resources

Type of human resources

Amounts EUR

Method of calculation*

Officials
Temporary agents

Other human resources

Type of human resources

(indicate budget heading)

Total

216 000

2 x EUR 108 000

The  amounts  represent  total  expenditure  for  12  months,  without  assistance  from  an  executive
agency;  if  assistance  were  provided  by  an  executive  agency  from  2005  onwards,  the  internal
Commission resources used to manage the action would be reduced accordingly (this is assumed
in the total shown below).

7.3.

Other administrative expenditure deriving from the measure

Amounts EUR

Method of calculation

Budget heading
(number and heading)

Overall allocation (Title A7)
A0701 – Missions
A07030 – Meetings
A07031 – Compulsory committees (1)
A07032 – Non-compulsory committees (1)
A07040 – Conferences
A0705 – Studies and consultations
… Other expenditure (please specify)

Information systems (A-5001/A-4300)

Other expenditure - Part A (please specify)

Total

The  amounts  represent  total  expenditure  for  12  months,  without  assistance  from  an  executive
agency;  if  assistance  were  provided  by  an  executive  agency  from  2005  onwards,  the  internal
Commission resources used to manage the action would be reduced accordingly (this is assumed
in the total shown below).

(1) Specify the type of committee and the group to which it belongs.

I.
II.
III.

Annual total (7.2 + 7.3)
Duration of action
Total cost of the measure (I x II)

EUR 216 000
5 years
EUR 280 000

8.

MONITORING AND EVALUATION

8.1.

Monitoring arrangements

Article 7 of the Decision lays down the arrangements for evaluation of the programme
(interim evaluation, before any decision on renewal of the programme; final evaluation).

20

8.2.

Arrangements and schedule for the planned evaluation

No  later  than  31  December  2007,  the  Commission  will  submit  a  report  to  the
European Parliament and the Council on the achievement of the programme's objectives
and will, if appropriate, make proposals for any adjustment to be made with a view to
continuing  or  not  continuing the programme.  This  report  will  be  based  on  an  external
evaluation report which must be available by the end of 2006 and will appraise at least
the  overall  relevance  and  coherence  of  the  programme,  its  practical  effectiveness  (in
terms of preparation, selection and implementation of the actions), and the overall and
individual effectiveness of the various actions (in terms of achieving the objectives set
out in Article 1 and in the Annex).

The European Parliament and the Council, in accordance with the Treaty, will decide on
the continuation of the programme as from 1 January 2009. Before presenting proposals
to  this  end,  the  Commission  will  have  an  updated  external  evaluation  made  of  the
programme and will bear the results in mind in its proposals.

later 

than  31 December  2009, 

the  Commission  will  present 

No 
the
European Parliament  and  the  Council a  report  on  the  achievement  of  the  programme's
objectives.  This  report  will  be  based  on  the  results  of  the  external  appraisal  and  will
look  into  the  results  obtained  by  the  beneficiaries,  more  especially  from  the  point  of
view of the effectiveness and efficiency of the various actions (in overall and individual
terms) in achieving the objectives set out in Article 1 and in the Annex.

to 

9.

FRAUD PREVENTION MEASURES

All  contracts,  agreements  and  legal  undertakings  entered  into  by  the  Commission  and
the  beneficiaries  provide  for  checks  to  be  carried  out  by  the  Commission  or
the Court of Auditors on the premises of a direct beneficiary of a Community grant, and
for  evidence  to  be  required  of  any  expenditure  under  such  contracts,  agreements  and
legal  undertakings,  during  the  five  years  after  the  end  of  the  contract  period.
Beneficiaries are required to submit financial reports and accounts, which are analysed
for  content  and  eligibility  of  expenditure  in  the  light  of  the  objective  of  Community
funding, bearing in mind the contractual obligations and the principles of economy and
sound financial management.

Attached  to  the  financial  agreements  are  administrative  and  financial  information
intended  inter  alia  to  specify  expenditure  which  is  eligible  under  these  agreements.
Where  appropriate,  Community  coverage  of  certain  cost  elements  will  be  limited  to
items  which  are  real,  identifiable  and  verifiable  in  the  beneficiary's  book-keeping
arrangements,  so  as  to  facilitate  checking  and  auditing  (and  evaluation  for  selection
purposes) of projects in receipt of funding.

21