Opinion of the Commission pursuant to point (c) of the third subparagraph of Article 251(2) of the EC Treaty concerning the European Parliament's amendments to the Council's common position on the 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 (2004-2006) amending the proposal of the Commission pursuant to Article 250(2) of the EC Treaty
Date: 2004-03-23
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU action, EU aid, EU programme, financial aid, young person, youth policy

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 23.3.2004 
COM(2004) 212 final 

2003/0113 (COD) 

OPINION OF THE COMMISSION 

pursuant to point (c) of the third subparagraph of Article 251(2) of the EC Treaty 
concerning the European Parliament's amendments 
to the Council's common position on the 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 (2004-2006). 

AMENDING THE PROPOSAL OF THE COMMISSION 
pursuant to Article 250(2) of the EC Treaty 

EN 

   EN 

 
 
 
  
 
2003/0113 (COD) 

OPINION OF THE COMMISSION 

pursuant to point (c) of the third subparagraph of Article 251(2) of the EC Treaty 
concerning the European Parliament's amendments 
to the Council's common position on the 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 (2004-2006). 

1. 

INTRODUCTION 

Pursuant  to  point  (c)  of  the  third  subparagraph  of  Article  251(2)  of  the  EC  Treaty,  the 
Commission  delivers  opinions  on  amendments  proposed  by  the  European  Parliament  on 
second  reading.  The  Commission  sets  out  below  its  opinion  on  the  unique  amendment  in 
question proposed by Parliament. 

2. 

BACKGROUND 

The Commission submitted its initial proposal (EC and EURATOM) on 3 June 2003. 

The European Economic and Social Committee delivered its opinion on 24 September 2003.  

The European Parliament delivered its opinion, first reading, on 6 November 2003.  

On  25  November  2003  the  Council  reached  political  agreement  on  a  common  position  and 
formally adopted that position on 22 December 2003. 

The Commission endorsed the Council’s common position and proposed a unique amendment 
(transitional clauses), as indicated in its communication of 9 January 2004. 

The common position was forwarded to the Parliament on 9 January 2004, which began its 
second reading.  

The  competent  parliamentary  committee  (Culture,  Youth,  Education,  the  Media  and  Sport) 
voted one amendment on 19 February 2004 as proposed by the Commission’s and in line with 
the  agreement  reached  at  the  informal  trialogue  of  20  January  2004  between  the  three 
institutions. 

On  10  March  2004  Parliament  adopted  the  same  amendment  to  the  Council's  common 
position. 

3. 

PURPOSE OF THE PROPOSAL 

Based  on  article  149,  the  proposal  seeks  to  promote  participation  by  young  people  in  the 
exercise of active European citizenship through civil society. The programme will support the 
ongoing work programme activities of bodies active at European level in the field of youth. 
Their  activities  must  contribute  to  the  development  of  communities  actions  in  the  field  of 
youth.  Likewise,  the  programme  will  support  the  ongoing  programme  activities  of  the 

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European  Youth  Forum,  in  so  far  as  it  represents  and  co-ordinates  non-governmental  youth 
organisations and relays information on youth to the European institutions. 

4. 

THE COMMISSION'S OPINION ON THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT'S AMENDMENTS 

4.1 

General assessment 

The  Commission  can  accept  the  amendment  to  the  Council's  common  position  adopted  by 
Parliament as it is in line with the Commission’s (modified) proposal. 

The Commission notes the convergence of views between the three institutions on the general 
approach, structure and content of the community action to promote bodies active at European 
level in the field of youth. 

4.2 

Analysis of the second reading 

The amendment adopted by Parliament has been done at the Commission’s request in order to 
cover  the  period  before  the  approval  of  the  legal  base  (Amendment  1  (unique)  Annex,  2.3 
(new)): 

"For  grants  awarded  in  2004,  it  will  be  possible  for  the  period  of  eligibility  of 
expenditure  to  start  on  1  January  2004,  provided  that  the  expenditure  does  not 
precede the date on which the grant application was lodged or the date on which the 
beneficiary’s budget year starts. 

During  2004,  in  the  case  of  beneficiaries  whose  budgetary  year  starts  before  1 
March,  an  exception  may  be  granted  to  the  obligation  to  sign  the  grant  agreement 
within the first four months of the start of the beneficiary’s budget year, as referred 
to in Article 112, paragraph 2 of Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 
on  the  Financial  Regulation  applicable  to  the  general  budget  of  the  European 
Communities. In this case, the grant agreement should be signed by 30 June 2004 at 
the latest" 

5. 

CONCLUSION 

Pursuant to Article 250(2) of the EC Treaty the Commission hereby amends its proposal as 
set out above.  

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