Decision No 790/2004/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 April 2004 establishing a Community action programme to promote bodies active at European level in the field of youth
Date: 2004-04-21
Institutions: Council of the European Union, European Parliament
Subjects: EU programme, action programme, aid system, youth movement

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DECISION No 790/2004/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

of 21 April 2004

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,

(3)

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community, and in particular Article 149(4) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and
Social Committee (1),

Having consulted the Committee of the Regions,

Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article
251 of the Treaty (2),

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

the Union and
The Treaty establishes citizenship of
provides
field of
that Community action in the
education, vocational training and youth shall be aimed,
inter alia, at encouraging the development of youth
exchanges
socio-educative
exchanges
instructors.

and

of

of

and primarily the young,

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 the way in which to bring
to the
citizens,
institutions.
European
International non-governmental
youth organisations
enable young people to become active citizens, develop
a sense of responsibility, express their opinions and
values and take part
in exchanges across national
borders; in so doing, these organisations help to bring
Europe closer to young citizens.

European

design

closer

and

the

(1) OJ C 10, 14.1.2004, p. 18.
(2) Opinion of the European Parliament of 6 November 2003 (not yet
published in the Official Journal). Council Common Position of 22
December 2003 (OJ C 72 E, 23.3.2004, p. 10), Position of the
European Parliament of 10 March 2004 (not yet published in the
Official Journal) and Decision of the Council of 30 March 2004.

and

strengthening

The Commission's White Paper entitled ‘A new impetus
for European youth' presented on 21 November 2001
argues that participation by young people should be
encouraged
the
advocates
organisations within which young people can make
information is
their voice heard;
essential to the development of active citizenship. In its
Resolution (3) on the White Paper,
the European
Parliament also stressed the important role played by
international and European youth organisations
in
enabling young people to participate on a long-term
basis in democratic life in Europe.

it also states that

for

In its White Paper on European governance (4)
the
Commission calls
for
and
representatives of civil society to be consulted and
included in the formation of EU policy. It recognises the
role of non-governmental organisations in giving voice
to the concerns of citizens.

general openness

the Governments of

The Resolution of the Council and of the representatives
of
the Member States, meeting
within the Council of 27 June 2002 regarding the
framework of European cooperation in the youth
field (5) endorses the thematic priorities as proposed in
the White Paper on European Youth, 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
level and consulting the European Youth
at national
Forum at European level.

The European Youth Forum represents young people
vis-à-vis the European Union and other international
institutions. 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 about European matters
International
which
are
provide
Non-governmental
and
and
non-formal
information to young people; they constitute networks

them.
Organisations
learning,

interest
Youth
informal

training

to

of

(4)

(5)

(6)

(3) OJ C 180 E, 31.7.2003, p. 145.
(4) OJ C 287, 12.10.2001, p. 1.
(5) OJ C 168, 13.7.2002, p. 2.

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representing non-profit bodies active in the Member
States and other European countries.

HAVE DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

(7)

(8)

(9)

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

financial
Youth

support

Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 of 25
June 2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the
the European Communities (1),
general budget of
hereinafter ‘the Financial Regulation', requires a basic act
to be provided to cover these existing support actions.

the Council

European Parliament,

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

and

Article 1

Programme objective and activities

This Decision

1.
action
programme to promote bodies active at European level in the
field of youth (hereinafter referred to as the Programme).

Community

establishes

a

2.
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 active participation of young citizens in public life and
in society and to the development and implementation of
Community cooperation actions in the field of youth in the
broad sense. 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.

The programme shall start on 1 January 2004 and shall

3.
end on 31 December 2006.

(10)

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

Article 2

Access to the programme

(11) Any non-Community financing from State resources

should comply with Articles 87 and 88 of the Treaty.

(12)

This Decision lays down, for the entire duration of the
programme, a financial
framework constituting the
prime reference, within the meaning of point 33 of the
Interinstitutional Agreement of 6 May 1999 between the
European Parliament, the Council and Commission on
budgetary discipline and improvement of the budgetary
procedure (2),
for the budgetary authority during the
annual budgetary procedure.

(13) Any support granted under this Decision should comply
and

subsidiarity

principles

the

of

strictly with
proportionality,

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

the Annex

have

and

the

of

(a)

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;

(b)

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

(c)

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 referred to in
Article 3, including the Member States.

Article 3

Participation of third countries

(1) OJ L 248, 16.9.2002, p. 1.
(2) OJ C 172, 18.6.1999, p. 1. Agreement as amended by Decision
2003/429/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ
L 147, 14.6.2003, p. 25).

Participation in actions under the programme may be

1.
opened to bodies established in:

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(a) acceding States which signed the Treaty of Accession on 16

April 2003;

(b) the EFTA/EEA countries, in accordance with the conditions

laid down in the EEA Agreement;

(c) Romania and Bulgaria, the conditions for participation to
be
European
Agreements, their additional protocols and the decisions of
the respective Association Councils;

accordance with

down

laid

the

in

(d) Turkey, the conditions for participation to be laid down in
accordance with the Framework Agreement between the
European Community and the Republic of Turkey of 26
February 2002 on the
the
general principles
participation of
the Republic of Turkey in Community
programmes (1).

for

Participation in this programme may also be open to
2.
bodies established in the Balkan countries forming part of the
Stabilisation and Association process for countries of South
Eastern
the
to
Commonwealth of Independent States, in accordance with the
these
conditions
countries (3).

agreed with

Europe (2)

procedures

countries

some

and

and

be

to

of

Article 4

Selection of beneficiaries

The programme covers two types of beneficiaries:

(a) group 1: operating grants shall be directly awarded to the

beneficiaries referred to in point 2 of the Annex;

(b) group 2: operating grants shall be awarded in accordance
with the overall criteria laid down in the Annex by means
of a call for proposals to the permanent activities of a
body pursuing an aim of general European interest in the
field of youth.

Article 6

Financial provisions

1.
The financial framework for the implementation of the
programme for the period specified in Article 1(3) is hereby
set at EUR 13 million.

The annual appropriations shall be authorised by the
financial

authority within the

limits of

the

2.
budgetary
perspective.

Article 7

Implementation

The Commission shall be responsible for, and shall regularly
inform the European Parliament, the Council and the Member
States concerning, the implementation of this programme in
accordance with the provisions set out in the annex.

Article 8

Monitoring and evaluation

than 31 December 2007,

No later
the Commission shall
present to the European Parliament and the Council a report
on the achievement of the programme's objectives. This report
inter alia, on an external evaluation report
shall be based,
which must be available no later than the end of 2006 and
which shall appraise at
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.

least

Article 9

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.

Article 5

Award of the grant

Done at Strasbourg, 21 April 2004.

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.

For the European Parliament

For the Council

The President

P. COX

The President

D. ROCHE

(1) OJ L 61, 2.3.2002, p. 29.
(2) Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Albania, Serbia and

Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Croatia.

(3) Belarus, Moldova, Russian Federation, Ukraine.

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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
effectiveness of Community action are as follows:

these youth organisations that are likely to contribute to the strengthening and

— representation of the views and interests of young people in all their diversity at Community level,

— youth exchanges and voluntary services,

— informal and non-formal learning and work programmes,

— the promotion of intercultural learning and understanding,

— debate on European matters and EU policies or youth policies,

— dissemination of information on Community action,

— actions promoting young 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,

— promoting and paving the way for young people to participate in democratic life,

— contributing to the new cooperation framework in the youth field which it has been decided to establish at

the level of the European Union,

— contributing to the development of youth policies, youth work and educational opportunities and to
relaying information concerning young people and developing representative structures for young people
throughout Europe,

— engaging in discussion and reflection on youth in Europe and other parts of the world 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: Support for the European Youth Forum

2.1.1. Grants may be awarded under this part to support the 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 ensuring the broadest possible

representation of different types of youth organisations,

— autonomy of the European Youth Forum in the detailed specification of its activities, in conformity with

section 1.2,

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— 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
in particular by responding to the European institutions when they consult civil society and

level,
explaining the positions adopted by these institutions to its members,

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

2.1.2. Under part 1, the eligible expenditure of the European Youth Forum comprises operating costs and expenses

for carrying out its actions.

2.1.3. 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 % of the Forum's budget must be co-financed from non-Community sources.
Such co-financing may be partly or wholly 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.

2.1.4.

Pursuant to Article 113(2) of the Financial Regulation 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.

2.1.5.

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.

2.1.6. Grants may be awarded to the Youth Forum upon receipt of an appropriate work plan and budget. Grants may

be awarded on an annual basis within a framework partnership agreement with the Commission.

2.2.

Part 2: Support for permanent activities of bodies 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.

2.2.1. Grants may be awarded under this part to support operational and administrative costs of the abovementioned

bodies. This may relate to:

(a) 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;

(b) 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.

2.2.2. 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.

2.2.3. An operating grant under part 2 shall not fund all the body's eligible expenditure in the calendar year for
which it is awarded. At least 20 % 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 or wholly 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.

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2.2.4.

Pursuant to Article 113(2) of the Financial Regulation 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.

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

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

However the framework agreements shall not exclude annual calls for proposals for additional beneficiaries.

2.3.

Transitional provisions

2.3.1.

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.

2.3.2. 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 the Financial Regulation. In this case, the
grant agreement should be signed by 30 June 2004 at the latest.

3.

CRITERIA FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF FUNDING APPLICATIONS

3.1.

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.

3.2.

The Commission shall give applicants the opportunity to correct errors of form within a specified period after
the submission of their application.

4.

TRANSPARENCY

Any beneficiary of a grant awarded under any action of this programme shall indicate in a prominent place,
such as a website homepage or an annual report, that it has received funding from the budget of the European
Union.

5.

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; it
may also have recourse to experts and incur any other expenditure on technical and administrative assistance,
not involving the exercise of public authority, outsource under ad hoc service contracts. It may also finance
the programme, and
studies and organise meetings of experts likely to facilitate the implementation of
the
undertake information, publication and dissemination actions directly linked to the achievement of
programme's objective.

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6.

CHECKS AND AUDITS

6.1.

6.2.

6.3.

6.4.

6.5.

The beneficiary of an operating grant shall keep available for the Commission all the supporting documents,
including the audited financial statement, regarding 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 (EC, Euratom) No 2185/96 (1). 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 Council (2).

6.6. Wherever no regulation is specified in this basic act, the Financial Regulation and its rules for implementation

shall apply.

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