Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Decision establishing a Community action programme to promote bodies active at European level in the field of youth
Date: 2003-05-27
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU aid, EU programme, European citizenship, financial aid, young person, youth movement

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 27.5.2003
COM (2003) 272 final

2003/0113 (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 youth

(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 that of young people:

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 Commission’s White Paper “A new impetus for European youth” argues that participation
by young people should be encouraged and advocates strengthening the organisations within
which young people can make their voice heard;

the  European  Parliament  resolution  of  14  May  2002  adopting  a  report  on  this  White  Paper
states that the policies proposed in the White Paper must be translated into concrete measures
and that appropriate budget funds additional to the YOUTH programme must be provided.

Background

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

heading A-3023 co-finances the operating costs of the European Union Youth Forum;

heading A-3029 provides support for international non-governmental youth organisations.

The main activities of the European Youth Forum are as follows:

representing young people vis-à-vis the European Union;

coordinating the positions of its members vis-à-vis the European Union;

relaying information on youth to the European institutions;

information 
relaying 
non-governmental organisations;

from 

the  European  Union 

to  national  youth  councils  and

contributing to the new cooperation framework in the youth field which it has been decided to
establish at the level of the European Union;

engaging in discussion and reflection on youth in Europe and on the European Union’s action
for the benefit of young people.

2

The  main  activities  of  these  youth  organisations  that  are  likely  to  contribute  to  the
strengthening and effectiveness of Community action are as follows:

representation of stakeholders at Community level;

youth exchanges and voluntary services;

informal education and training programmes;

debate on youth policies;

dissemination of information on Community action;

actions promoting young people’s participation and initiative.

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 operating grants
to  bodies  active  at  European  level  in  the  field  of  youth,  for  a  period  of  three
years (2004-2006).

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  149  TEC,  which  provides  that  Community  action  shall  be
aimed,  inter  alia,  at  encouraging  the  development  of  youth  exchanges  and  of  exchanges  of
socio-educative  instructors.  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  on the
basis of a Commission proposal.

1

OJ L 248, 16.9.2002, p. 1.

3

                                                
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 11.52 million.

Description of Articles

Article 1 states the objective of the programme, viz. to provide support for non-governmental
organisations active at European level in the field of youth.

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

grant for the operation of the European Youth Forum;

grants for the operation of non-governmental youth organisations.

Article 3 provides for participation in the programme to be open to the Member States, and in
some cases possibly to the EFTA/EEA countries, the candidate countries, the Balkan countries
forming  part  of  the  Stabilisation  and  Association  process  for  countries  of  South  Eastern
Europe, and some countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

Article 4 refers to the Annex for the arrangements for selecting the programme’s beneficiaries.
Grants  for  the  operation  of  international  non-governmental  youth  organisations  are  to  be
awarded on the basis of annual calls for proposals.

Article 5 refers to the Annex for the conditions governing award of grants.

Article 6 sets the programme allocation at EUR 11.52 million for the period 2004–2006.

Article  7  lays  down  the  arrangements  for  final  evaluation  of  the  programme.  There  is  no
intention to extend the programme beyond 2006; from 2007 onwards, the actions for which it
provides will be incorporated into the new programme for youth which will  follow on from
the present YOUTH Programme.

4

2003/0113 (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 youth

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  establishing  the  European  Community,  and  in  particular
Article 149(4) 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 establishes citizenship of the Union and provides that Community action in
the  field  of  education,  vocational  training  and  youth  shall  be  aimed,  inter  alia,  at
encouraging the development of youth exchanges and of exchanges of socio-educative
instructors.

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  Commission’s  White  Paper  “A  new  impetus  for  European  youth”  argues  that
participation by young people  should be encouraged and advocates strengthening the
organisations within which young people can make their voice heard; it also states that
information is essential to the development of active citizenship.

2

3

4

5

OJ C […], […], p. […].
OJ C […], […], p. […].
OJ C […], […], p. […].
OJ C […], […], p. […].

5

                                                
(4) 

(5) 

(6) 

(7) 

(8) 

(9) 

The  resolution  of  the  Council  and  of  the  representatives  of  the  Governments  of  the
Member States, meeting within the Council of 27 June 2002 regarding the framework
of  European  cooperation  in  the  youth  field6  endorses  the  thematic  priorities  as
proposed in the White Paper, and in particular participation and information, especially
with  the  aim  of  encouraging  participation  by  young  people  in  the  exercise  of  active
citizenship,  and  proposes  mechanisms  for  implementing  the  open  method  of
coordination  by  consulting  young  people  through  specific  arrangements  at  national
level and consulting the European Youth Forum at European level.

The European Youth Forum represents young people vis-à-vis the European Union. Its
action  is  essential  in  order  to  coordinate  and  relay  to  the  European  institutions  the
views of the non-governmental youth organisations and to relay to these organisations
information  on  youth  policy  matters.  This  action  is  a  matter  of  general  European
interest.

Headings A-3023 and A-3029 of the general budget of the European Communities for
the financial year 2003 and previous financial years provide support for the European
Youth Forum and international non-governmental youth organisations.

Council  Regulation  (CE,  Euratom)  No  1605/2002  of  25  June  2002  on  the  Financial
Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities7, hereinafter
“The Financial Regulation”, requires a basic act to be provided to cover these existing
support actions.

The European Parliament, the Council and the Commission undertook, at the time of
the adoption of the Financial Regulation8, to achieve the objective of ensuring that this
basic act enters into force as from the financial year 2004.

Provision should be made for the geographic scope of this programme to extend to the
Member States and possibly, in the case of some activities, to all European countries,
in view of the importance  of strengthening links between the enlarged  Union  and  its
neighbours on the European continent.

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

88 of the Treaty.

(11)  This  Decision  establishes  a  financial  framework  for  the  entire  duration  of  the
programme, which is to be the principal part 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  Commission  on  budgetary
discipline and improvement of the budgetary procedure9.

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

subsidiarity and proportionality.

6

7

8

9

OJ C 168, 13.7.2002, p. 2.
OJ L 248, 16.9.2002, p. 1.
Statement of 13 June 2002 on adoption of the Financial Regulation, re Article 108.
OJ C 172, 18.6.1999, p. 1.

6

                                                
HAVE DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

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

1.

2.

This  Decision  establishes  a  Community  action  programme 
non-governmental organisations active at European level in the field of youth.

to 

support

The general objective of the programme is to support the activities of these bodies.
These activities are the ongoing work programme of a body which pursues an aim of
general  European  interest  in  the  field  of  youth  or  an  objective  forming  part  of  the
European Union’s policy in this area.  In particular,  these activities must contribute,
or be capable of contributing, to the development and implementation of Community
cooperation  actions  in  the  field  of  youth.  Cooperation  with  the  European  Youth
Forum contributes to this general  objective in so far as the  European  Youth Forum
represents  and  coordinates  non-governmental  youth  organisations  and  relays
information on youth to the European institutions.

3.

The programme shall start on 1 January 2004 and shall end on 31 December 2006.

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

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

a)

b)

c)

its activities must be in accordance with the principles underlying Community action
in the youth policy area and take account of the priorities set out in the Annex;

it must have been legally established for more than one year;

it must operate at European level, either alone or in the form of various coordinated
associations, and its structure and activities must have a potential impact throughout
the Union or cover at least eight of the countries referrred to in Article 3, including
the Member States.

Article 3 – (cid:1)Participation of countries outside the Union(cid:2)

Participation in actions under this programme may be open to the EFTA/EEA countries and
the candidate countries for accession to the European Union, in accordance with the relevant
provisions in the instruments governing relations between the European Community and these
countries.

Participation may also be open to the Balkan countries forming part of the Stabilisation and
Association  process  for  countries  of  South  Eastern  Europe10,  in  accordance  with  the
conditions and procedures to be agreed with these countries.

10

Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Albania, Serbia and Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
and Croatia.

7

                                                
Participation  may  also  be  open  to  some  countries  of  the  Commonwealth  of  Independent
States11, in accordance with the conditions and procedures to be agreed with these countries.

Article 4 – (cid:1)Selection of beneficiaries(cid:2)

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

Article 5 – (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.

Article 6 – [Financial provisions]

1.

2.

The  financial  framework  for  the  implementation  of  the  programme  for  the  period
specified in Article 1(3) is EUR 11.52 million.

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

Article 7 – (cid:1)Monitoring and evaluation(cid:2)

No later than  31 December 2007, the Commission shall present to the European Parliament
and the Council a report on the achievement of the programme’s objectives. 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 set out in Article 1 and in the Annex.

Article 8 – [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
[…]

11

Belarus, Moldova, Russian Federation, Ukraine.

8

                                                
ANNEX

1.

ACTIVITIES SUPPORTED

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

1.1.

The  main  activities  of  these  youth  organisations  that  are  likely  to  contribute  to  the
strengthening and effectiveness of Community action are as follows:

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

representation of stakeholders at Community level;

youth exchanges and voluntary services;

informal education and training programmes;

debate on youth policies;

dissemination of information on Community action;

actions promoting citizens’ participation and initiative.

1.2.

The main activities of the European Youth Forum are as follows:

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

representing young people vis-à-vis the European Union;

coordinating the positions of its members vis-à-vis the European Union;

relaying information on youth to the European institutions;

relaying information from the European Union to national youth councils and
non-governmental organisations;

contributing to the new cooperation framework in the youth field which it has
been decided to establish at the level of the European Union;

engaging in discussion and reflection on youth in Europe and on the European
Union’s action to assist young people.

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 European Youth Forum, a body pursuing an aim of
general  European  interest  whose  members  are  the  national  youth  councils  and  the
international non-governmental youth organisations, in conformity with the following
principles:

– 

independence of the European Youth Forum in the selection of its members;

9

– 

– 

– 

– 

autonomy  of  the  European  Youth  Forum  in  the  detailed  specification  of  its
activities, in conformity with section 1.2;

broadest  possible  involvement  in  the  European  Youth  Forum’s  activities  of
non-member  youth  organisations  and  young  people  who  do  not  belong  to
organisations;

active  contribution  by  the  European  Youth  Forum  to  the  political  processes
relevant to youth at European level, in particular by responding to the European
institutions  when  they  consult  civil  society  and  explaining  the  positions
adopted by these institutions to its members;

geographic  membership  coverage  extending  to  the  countries  mentioned  in
Article 3 of the Decision.

2.2.

Part 2: permanent activities of a body pursuing an aim of general European interest in
the field of youth or an objective forming part of the European Union’s policy in this
area.

This may relate to:

a)

b)

a  non-profit-making body  whose  activities  are  solely  for  the  benefit  of  young
people  or  a  body  with  wider  aims,  part  of  whose  activities  are  solely  for  the
benefit of young people; in either case, the body must involve young people in
managing the activities conducted for their benefit;

a  European  network  representing  non-profit-making  bodies  working  for  the
benefit of young people and involving young people in their activities.

An annual operating grant may be awarded to support the conduct of the permanent
work programme of such a body.

In  view  of  the  need  to  ensure  continuity  of  the  European  Youth  Forum,  the
programme resources shall be allocated in accordance with the following guideline:
the resources allocated under part 1 shall be not less than EUR 2 million.

SELECTION OF BENEFICIARIES

The grant under part 1 of the programme shall be awarded directly to the European
Youth Forum.

The  bodies  receiving  operating  grants  under  part  2  of  the  programme  shall  be
selected on the basis of calls for proposals.

Framework  partnership  agreements  may  be  concluded  for  the  duration  of  the
programme with the bodies so selected. The specific grants based on the framework
agreements  shall  be  awarded  in  accordance  with  the  procedures  laid  down  in  these
agreements.

Calls for proposals shall be issued to select additional beneficiaries.

2.3

3.

3.1

3.2

10

4.

CRITERIA FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF FUNDING APPLICATIONS

Funding applications shall be assessed in the light of:

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

their consistency with the programme objectives;

the quality of the planned activities;

the likely multiplier effect on young people of these activities;

the geographic impact of the activities carried out;

the involvement of young people in the organisation of the bodies concerned.

FUNDING AND ELIGIBLE EXPENDITURE

Under  part  1,  the  eligible  expenditure  of  the  European  Youth  Forum  comprises
operating costs and expenses for carrying out its actions.

Under  part  1,  the  eligible  expenditure  of  the  European  Youth  Forum  comprises
operating costs and expenses for carrying out its actions.

The grant to the European Youth Forum shall not fund all its eligible expenditure in
the calendar year for which it is awarded: at least 20 per cent of the Forum’s budget
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, the principle of gradual reduction shall not apply to operating grants to
the  European  Youth  Forum,  since  it  is  a  body  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, and publication, information and dissemination costs.

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. The co-financing rate shall be determined each year in the call for proposals.
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.

5.

5.1

5.1

5.2

5.3

5.4

5.5

11

5.6

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 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.

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
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.

7.

7.1

7.2

7.3

7.4

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.

12

7.5

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 
in  accordance  with  Council  Regulation
(Euratom, EC) No 2185/9612. Where necessary, investigations shall be conducted by
the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and these shall be governed by Regulation
(EC) No 1073/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council13.

this  programme 

12

13

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: Youth

TITLE OF ACTION

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

1.

BUDGET LINE(S) + HEADING(S)

15.07.01.01  (ex-A-3023)  European  Youth  Forum  (previously  European  Union  Youth
Forum)

15.07.01.02 
organisations

(ex-A-3029)  Support 

for 

international  non-governmental  youth

15.01.04.19  Support  for 
expenditure on administrative management

international  non-governmental  youth  organisations  –

2.

2.1

OVERALL FIGURES

Total  allocation  for  action  (Part  B):  commitment  appropriations  EUR 11.52
million

2.2

Period of application:

2004–2006

2.3

a)

Overall multiannual estimate of expenditure

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

3.700

3.770

3.850

Total
11.320

Commitment
appropriations

Payment
appropriations14

14

These appropriations will be managed as non-differentiated appropriations.

14

                                                
b)

Technical and administrative assistance and support expenditure (see point 6.1.2)15

CA

PA

Subtotal a+b

CA

PA

p.m.

0.100

0.100

0.200

3.700

3.870

3.950

11.520

c)

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

CA/PA

0.108

0.008

0.008

0.124

TOTAL a+b+c

CA

PA

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:

15

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

                                                
3.

BUDGET CHARACTERISTICS

Type of expenditure

New

EFTA
participation

Participation
applicant
countries

Heading
financial
perspective

Comp/
Non-comp

Diff/
Non-diff

YES/NO

YES/NO

YES/NO

No 5

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-3023 and A-3029.

4.

LEGAL BASIS

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

5.

5.1

DESCRIPTION AND GROUNDS

Need for Community intervention

5.1.1

Objectives pursued

In  addition  to  the  Treaty,  which  establishes  European  citizenship,  various  recent
statements stress the need to promote active citizenship, especially of young people: 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 Commission’s White
Paper “A  new impetus for European  youth”  argues  that  participation  by  young  people
should  be  encouraged  and  advocates  strengthening  the  arrangements  within  which
young  people  can  make  their  voice  heard;  the  European  Parliament  resolution  of
14 May 2002 adopting a report on this White Paper states that the policies proposed in
the White Paper must be translated into concrete measures and that appropriate budget
funds additional to the YOUTH programme must be provided.

For several years, support has in fact been provided for bodies active at European level
in  the  field  of  youth  under  two  headings  in  Part  A  of  the  budget:  heading  A-3023
co-finances the operating costs  of  the  European Union Youth Forum; heading A-3029
provides support  for  international  non-governmental  youth  organisations.  This  support
has  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 awarded:

– 

– 

to the Youth Forum, which represents young people vis-à-vis the European Union
and  whose  action  is  essential  in  order  to  coordinate  and  relay  to  the  European
institutions the views of the non-governmental youth organisations and to relay to
these organisations information on matters of youth policy;

to  bodies which  seek to involve young people in terms  of  active  citizenship  and
inform  them  on  matters  of  youth  policy  and  which  contribute  to  promoting  the
European ideal among young people both within and outside the European Union.

This  support  is  intended  to  be  incorporated  at  a  future  date  into  the  programme  to  be
proposed by the Commission as a follow-up to the current YOUTH programme, which
expires on 31 December 2006. This proposal thus covers the transitional period 2004 to
2006.

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  non-governmental  youth
organisations carried out in 2002 under heading A-3029 underlines the multiplier effect
of these organisations and the positive impact of their action.

5.2

Actions envisaged and budget intervention arrangements

The proposal is aimed at supporting organisations active in the field of youth: the Youth
Forum  and  the  youth  NGOs.  It  thus  supplements  the  other  types  of  intervention
employed in the education and culture policy activity “Youth”, which consist mainly in
action grants under the YOUTH programme.

The aim of supporting the Youth Forum is to enable it to play its role as a go-between
linking the Community institutions and young people’s organisations.

The  aim  of  supporting  the  youth  NGOs  is  to  enable  them  to  develop  a  European
dimension to their activities. In this context, minimum representativity requirements are
laid down for bodies eligible to receive funding under this action. The aim is to support
about 80 bodies per year.

In both cases, Community intervention takes the form of operating grants. In view of its
statutes, the European Youth Forum is to be regarded as a body pursuing an objective of
general European interest; the annual grant it is awarded is not subject to the principle of
gradual  reduction  of  operating  grants.  Operating  grants  to  youth  NGOs  are  awarded
following calls for proposals and are subject to the principle of gradual reduction.

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.

6.1

FINANCIAL IMPACT

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: Youth Forum

Part 2: international NGOs

2004
2.000

1.700

TOTAL

3.700

2005
2.040

1.730

3.770

2006
2.080

1.770

3.850

Total
6.120

5.200

11.320

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
and 
of
maintenance 
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

pm

pm

pm

0.100

0.100

0.100

0.100

0.100

0.100

0.200

0.200

0.200

6.2.

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

Commitments in EUR million (to the third decimal place)

Breakdown

Part 1
Youth Forum
Part 2
Youth NGOs

TOTAL COST

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

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

Op. grants

Op. grants

3

240

Average unit
cost

Total cost
(total for years
1…n)

3

2.040

0.022

4=(2X3)

6.20

5.200

11.320

The  amount  proposed  is  intended,  in  particular,  to  allow  annual  financing  of  the  grant  to  the
Youth Forum, 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

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

1

1

19

7.2

Overall financial impact of human resources

Type of human resources

Amounts EUR

Method of calculation *

Officials
Temporary agents

Other human resources

108 000

1 x EUR 108 000

(indicate budget heading)

Total

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 108 000
3 years
EUR 124 000

8.

8.1

MONITORING AND EVALUATION

Monitoring arrangements

Article 7 of the Decision lays down the arrangements for evaluation of the programme
(final evaluation).

20

8.2

Arrangements and schedule for the planned evaluation

No  later  than  31  December  2007,  the  Commission  will  present  to  the  European
Parliament and the Council a report on the achievement of the programme’s objectives.
This report will be based on an external evolution report which must be available by the
end of 2006 and which will appraise at least the overall relevance and coherence of the
programme,  its  practical  effectiveness  (in  terms  of  preparation,  selection  and
implementation of 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).

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