Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on the "Proposal for a European Parliament and of the Council decision establishing a Community action programme to promote bodies active at European level in the field of youth" (COM(2003) 272 final — 2003/0113 (COD))
Date: 2003-09-24
Institutions: European Economic and Social Committee
Subjects: EU aid, EU programme, European citizenship, financial aid, young person, youth movement

C 10/18

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

14.1.2004

EESC members are divided on the significance of the
3.5.
findings and views put forward on the application of the
directive and the operation of EWCs. Some feel that the
present exploratory opinion must simply provide a corpus
of information, without any intention of influencing possible
future discussion by the social partners on the revision of
Directive 94/45/EC; the Commission has indicated in its

Brussels, 24 September 2003.

it

intends to consult

the social
work programme that
partners starting in the autumn of 2003. Others consider
that it should be possible to use the evidence presented by
the Committee on the application of the directive and the
operation of EWCs as a basis for assessing any aspects of
Directive 94/45/EC which might need to be revised.

The President

of the European Economic and Social Committee

Roger BRIESCH

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on the ‘Proposal for a European
Parliament and of the Council decision establishing a Community action programme to promote
bodies active at European level in the field of youth’

(COM(2003) 272 final — 2003/0113 (COD))

(2004/C 10/06)

On 24 June 2003, the Council decided to consult the European Economic and Social Committee, under
Article 149 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, on the above-mentioned proposal.

The Section for Employment, Social Affairs and Citizenship, which was responsible for preparing the
Committee’s work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 10 September 2003. The rapporteur was
Mrs van Turnhout, the co-rapporteurs were Mr Soares and Mr Pezzini.

At its 402nd plenary session on 24 and 25 September 2003 (meeting of 24 September), the European
Economic and Social Committee adopted the following opinion by 128 votes in favour and 1 vote
against.

1. Executive summary

1.1.
The European Economic and Social Committee wel-
come this measure, which ensures continuity of essential
funding to bodies active at European level in the field of youth.

1.2.
However the EESC is critical of the proposal to reduce
funding by 2,5 % each year after the third year. In this opinion
we have outlined the probable impact of this proposal. In
addition we argue that these organisations should be treated
as per Article 162 of the Commission Regulation (EC, Euratom)
No 2342/2002 (1). They are bodies who pursue an aim of

(1) Article 108 of the Financial Regulations.

general European interest (2) and therefore should not be
treated under Article 113(2) of the Council Regulation (EC,
Euratom) No 1605/2002.

The EESC welcomes the stability of

funding this
1.3.
measure will give to the European Youth Forum, ensuring that
it can continue to grow and strengthen.

the Commission Regulation (EC, Euratom)

(2) Article 162 of
No 2342/2002.
‘A body pursuing an aim of general European interest is:
(a) a European body involved in education, training, information
or research and study in European policies or a European
standards body; or

(b) a European network representing non-profit bodies active in
the Member States or in the candidate countries and promot-
ing principles and policies consistent with the objectives of
the Treaties.’

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Official Journal of the European Union

C 10/19

The EESC notes with concern the trend over the past
1.4.
years, which has seen a gradual reduction of funding to some
international youth organisations. The EESC calls on the
European Parliament, the Council and the European Com-
mission to actively work to increase this budget line. The
growth and development of international youth organisations
is essential to the development and future of Europe, this needs
to be recognised.

1.5.
The EESC notes that this proposal covers the period
2004-2006. We urge the Commission to commence and
consult as wide as possible on how funding post-2006 will be
handled.

1.6.
The EESC urges the immediate implementation of the
outstanding recommendations contained in the Evaluation
Report on support for International Non-Governmental Youth
Organisations, produced by the Commission (1).

1.7.
The EESC notes that this proposal is one of several
referred by the Commission concerning Community action
programmes and measures across a diverse range of fields. The
EESC strongly advocates that the Commission takes a coherent
approach across these fields, particularly to the eligibility for
funding criteria.

2. Background

2.1.
The European Economic and Social Committee wel-
comes the establishment of a Community action programme
to promote bodies active at European level in the field of
youth. This proposal will provide a basis for operating grants
to bodies active at European level in the field of youth, for a
period of three years (2004-2006).

2.2.
For several years this support has been provided
without a legal basis, under budgetary headings entered in the
Commission’s administrative expenditure:

— 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.

2.3.
This support has provided essential core funding for
the European Youth Forum through the Youth Forum of the
European Union. With regard to the International Non-
Governmental Youth Organisations this support has provided
vital funding for the administration and secretariat of these
funding which is otherwise unavailable at
organisations,
European level.

(1) SEC(2003) 934 Commission Staff Working Paper, Support for
non governmental youth organisations (Evaluation Report).

In drafting this response the European Economic and
2.4.
Social Committee has consulted the European Youth Forum
and its member organisations, both International Non-Govern-
mental Youth Organisations (INGYOs) and National Youth
Councils (NYCs), over 90 organisations in total.

3. European Youth Forum

The EESC welcomes the stability of

funding this
3.1.
measure will give to the European Youth Forum, ensuring that
it can continue to grow and strengthen. Currently funding for
this organisation must be channelled through the Youth Forum
of the European Union of which some members of the
European Youth Forum are not full members, e.g. National
Youth Councils based outside the EU. On the face of it, it could
just be seen as the removal of a technical barrier but the EESC
also recognises the political significance of having only one
body at a pan-European level for youth.

The EESC welcomes in Annex 2.1 the recognition of
3.2.
the independence and autonomy of the Youth Forum. In spite
of this it also refers to the principle of the ‘broadest possible
involvement in the European Youth Forum’s activities of non-
member organisations and young people who do not belong
to organisations’. The EESC believes that this should not be
seen as a condition of funding as the Youth Forum already
strives to have a broad membership in the same manner as
UNICE and ETUC at European level.

4.

International Non-Governmental Youth Organis-
ations

For several years the European Commission has pro-
4.1.
vided vital funding for the administration and secretariat of
these Youth NGOs, which is otherwise unavailable at European
level. The majority of National Youth Councils within the
European Union enjoy a similar arrangement for funding from
their governments at Member State level.

A clearer definition and understanding of the work of
4.2.
International Non-Governmental
Youth Organisations
(INGYOs) is essential for the operation and success of this
proposal. The EESC would welcome criteria that ensures Youth
NGOs are run by and for youth; have a real democratic
structure; enable participation of youth on local, regional,
national and European level; are non-profit making and are
volunteer led. A consistent measurement needs to be applied
that will ensure only Youth organisations who fulfil the criteria
listed herewith can avail of the funding.

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Official Journal of the European Union

14.1.2004

The EESC strongly rejects the proposal

to reduce
4.3.
funding by 2,5 % each year after the third year as outlined in
Annex 5.6.

— Not to provide sustained support to youth NGOs would
waste the experience and knowledge that has been built
up in organisations over years; from a taxpayer’s point of
view it would mean destroying the investment of public
funds allocated in the past.

— For youth NGOs the sustainability of their structures is a
particularly crucial question, as membership, volunteers
and staff have — due to the very nature of youth
organisations — a high turnover rate. Additionally, more
than other voluntary organisations youth NGOs rely on
volunteers with little prior experience when they become
involved in the organisation.

— Youth NGOs involve a section of society with little own
income which impacts on the organisations’ possibility
to raise money from their constituency.

4.4.
In addition the proposal to reduce funding after three
years may encourage organisations to splinter, regroup and
then reapply under their newly formed grouping. The incentive
should be for organisations to strengthen and grow. If funding

Brussels, 24 September 2003.

to individual organisations continues to reduce on a yearly
basis, the EESC understands why sections of an organisation
may break away and apply for funding separately. Measures
need to be put in place to reduce this risk.

The EESC highlights the importance of

4.5.
including
measures to encourage new organisations to establish, particu-
larly when they represent organisations and young people that
are traditionally not represented or are under-represented
groups. In this the European Year of People with Disabilities,
the EESC believes particular efforts need to be made to ensure
the development of organisations including and serving young
people with disabilities.

4.6.
The EESC underlines the importance of the involve-
ment of the Commission in the selection process for funding.
While the EESC understands the wish of the Commission to
outsource some of this work, the political decision-making
and control must remain the responsibility of the Commission.

4.7.
The EESC notes that the English language version of
the document in Annex 1 refers to in-formal education instead
of non-formal education. The other language versions refer to
non-formal education which is in agreement with the EESC
understanding of these terms.

The President

of the European Economic and Social Committee

Roger BRIESCH