Proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing an integrated action programme in the field of lifelong learning ( SEC(2004) 971 }
Date: 2004-07-14
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU programme, action programme, continuing vocational training, education

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 14.7.2004 
COM(2004) 474 final 

2004/0153 (COD) 

Proposal for a 

DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL 

establishing an integrated action programme in the field of lifelong learning 

(presented by the Commission) 

( SEC(2004) 971 } 

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EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

1. 

INTRODUCTION 

1.1. 

1.2. 

In March 2004 the Commission adopted a Communication “The new generation of 
Community  Education  and  Training  Programmes  after  2006”1  (“the  earlier 
Communication”), following up the February Communication on “policy challenges 
and  budgetary  means  for  the  period  2007-2013”2.  It  indicated  the  Commission’s 
intention  to  propose  an  integrated  lifelong  learning  programme,  incorporating  the 
ensemble of existing internal education and training programmes. The draft Decision 
attached to this memorandum establishes that programme.  

The  integrated  lifelong  learning  programme  builds  on  the  current  Socrates  and 
Leonardo  da  Vinci  programmes,  the  eLearning  programme,  the  Europass  initiative, 
and the various actions funded through the Community action programme to promote 
bodies  active  at  European  level  and  to  support  specific  activities  in  the  fields  of 
education and training. In addition, the Erasmus Mundus programme, which has just 
been launched and runs to 2008, should be incorporated as an additional programme 
within the Integrated Programme from 2009. 

1.3. 

As the earlier Communication pointed out, this restructuring responds in particular to 
four factors: 

–  to changes across the EU whereby education and training systems are becoming 
increasingly  integrated  in  a  lifelong  learning  context,  in  order  to  respond  to  the 
new challenges of the knowledge society and of demographic change, 

–  to  the  increasingly  important  role  for  education  and  training  in  creating  a 
competitive  and  dynamic  knowledge-based  economy  in  Europe,  and  in  enabling 
adaptability  to  change,  most  notably  in  the  follow-up  to  the  2000  Lisbon 
European  Council,  in  the  Bologna  and  Copenhagen  processes,  and  in  the 
accompanying  policy  development  that  has  taken  place  at  European  level  since 
the current Socrates and Leonardo da Vinci programmes started, 

–  to the need to reinforce the strengths and address the perceived discontinuities and 
lack of synergy resulting from the current more fragmented programme design, as 
revealed  by  interim  evaluations  of  Socrates  and  Leonardo  da  Vinci,  and  by  the 
public consultation on the options for the new generation of programmes, and  

–  to  the  need  to  simplify  and  rationalise  Community  legislative  instruments  by 
creating an integrated framework within which a wide variety of activities can be 
funded.  

The remainder of this memorandum describes the fundamental principles underlying 
the Commission’s proposal, explains the main features of the draft Decision, and sets 
out how the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality are respected.  

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COM (2004) 156 final 
COM (2004) 101 

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2. 

THE WAY FORWARD 

Through its education and training programmes the Union reaches out directly to its 
citizens  –  no  other  Community  activity  touches  so  many  people  so  directly,  every 
year.  They  also  support  the  modernisation  of  the  Union’s  education  and  training 
systems,  and  motivate  individuals  to  improve  their  professional  practice:  in  short, 
they help the Union as a whole reach the Lisbon targets. The Commission therefore 
proposes the following changes to the current programmes. 

2.1. 

An Integrated Programme for education and training  

The Integrated Programme will comprise four specific programmes: Comenius, for 
general education activities concerning schools up to and including upper secondary 
level;  Erasmus,  for  education  and  advanced  training  activities  at  higher  education 
level; Leonardo da Vinci, for all other aspects of vocational education and training; 
and  Grundtvig  for  adult  education.  In  addition,  the  proposal  incorporates  a 
“transversal” programme incorporating four key activities, to cover the policy issues 
outlined above, and to make specific provision for language learning and ICT-related 
activity where these fall outside the specific programmes; and for a more substantial 
dissemination activity;  and  a Jean  Monnet programme  to  support  action  related  to 
European  integration  and  European  institutions  and  associations  in  education  and 
training.  

The integrated approach is designed on the one hand to preserve essential continuity 
with past experience, hence an architecture based on the main types of education and 
training  provision  found  in  all  Member  States  and  retention  of  the  established 
programme names, and on the other to increase the coherence and synergy between 
all its constituent parts, so as to permit a greater and more flexible range of actions to 
be  supported  more  efficiently.  The  Integrated  Programme  will  therefore  comprise 
common  actions  and  procedures  across  all  its  parts,  and  a  single  programme 
committee to ensure overall coherence. 

2.2. 

A more substantial programme 

The effectiveness and added value of European cooperation programmes in the field 
of  education  and  training  have  been  repeatedly  demonstrated.  They  provide  an 
instrument for spreading innovation and good practice that would otherwise remain 
locked  within  national  borders.  The  mobility  action  has  a  clear  positive  impact  not 
only  on  the  individuals  involved,  but  also  on  the  institutions  with  which  they  are 
involved.  The  types  of  European  cooperation  promoted  by  the  programmes 
contribute to the modernisation and improvement of education and training systems 
throughout the Union.  

In  the  light  of  the  wide  consensus  on  value  of  the  programmes,  and  of  the  new 
challenges  following  the  Lisbon  targets,  the  Commission  concludes  that  the  new 
Integrated  Programme  for  education  and  training  should  aim  for  a  substantial 
increase in volume and in effectiveness compared to its predecessors. 

The  Commission  has  revised  the  quantified  targets  set  out  in  the  earlier 
Communication,  in  the  light  of  changes  to  the  amounts  it  now  proposes  in  the 
detailed financial perspective 2007 to 2013. These targets are: 

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–  1 in 20 school pupils involved in Comenius actions 2007 – 2013; 

–  3 million Erasmus students by 2011; 

–  150,000 Leonardo placements by 2013; 

–  25,000 Grundtvig mobilities by 2013. 

The  Commission  views  such  ambitious  targets  as  essential  to  make  the  new 
programme  an  adequate  instrument  to  support  the  achievement  of  the  most 
competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy by 2010.  

The  budgetary  envelope  will  need  consequent  expansion;  the  proposed  indicative 
financial amount is set at € 13.620 billion for the 7 years of the programme.  

2.3. 

A simpler programme 

Pressure  for  a  simpler  and  more  flexible  programme  has  come  from  the  public 
consultation;  from  Member  States;  from  the  National  Agencies;  and  from  the 
Commission  itself  in  its  budgetary  Communication.  It  should  be  noted  that  actions 
supported under the current proposal in some cases will continue up to 2013; and that 
projects  approved  in  that  year  will  not  all  be  finished  before  the  end  of  2016.  The 
proposed  Decision  therefore  includes  only  those  provisions  on  operational  matters 
that it is essential to set out in legislation.  

Simplification,  however,  requires  more  than  good  intentions:  it  requires  that  the 
legislative  environment  be  appropriate;  and  that  where  it  is  not  appropriate  the 
necessary legislative derogations should be introduced. In specific terms, this implies 
focused  derogations  to  the  Implementing  Rules  for  the  Financial  Regulation.  The 
guiding principle is proportionality: the administrative and accounting requirements 
should be proportional to the size of the grant. This implies further consideration, in 
particular, of the following areas: 

–  A greater use of flat-rate grants and scales of unit costs. 

–  Enabling simpler application forms and contracts. 

–  Extending  the  co-financing  through  contributions  in  kind,  and  limiting  the 

accounting obligations of beneficiaries in such cases. 

–  Simplified  documentation  on 

the  financial  and  operational  capacity  of 

beneficiaries. 

These  simplifications  are  a  sine  qua  non  requirement  if  the  targets  set  out  in  the 
decision  are  to  be  reached.  The  Commission  will  therefore  present  in  due  course 
appropriate  derogations  to  the  Financial  Regulations,  either  by  amendments  to  the 
Implementing  Rules  directly,  or  by  amending  the  current  proposal  to  incorporate 
targeted derogations specifically for this programme. 

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2.4. 

A more decentralised programme 

The  Commission  proposes  that  more  activity  should  be  managed  at  national  level, 
through  the  network  of  National  Agencies.  Their  advantages  include  understanding 
of  the  national  context  and  priority  needs,  and  the  ability  to  create  a  more  user-
friendly environment.  

The  Commission  considers  that  it  is  appropriate  to  administer  actions  through 
National Agencies where one or more of the following conditions apply:  

–  An objective method of distributing budgetary resources between Member States 

can be established reflecting rate of occurrence of the activity. 

–  The actions are small-scale or addressed to individuals, so that a full selection at 

European level is not warranted. 

–  The actions address needs specific to individual Member States. 

The  draft  decision  therefore  proposes  that  the  following  activities  should  be 
administered  via  National  Agencies:  mobility,  small-scale  partnerships  between 
institutions,  transfer  of  innovation  projects  in  the  field  of  vocational  education  and 
training, and some work on the dissemination and exploitation of results. Section 3 of 
the Financial Statement explains in more detail the principles underlying the choice 
of the management methods proposed for the programme.  

3. 

THE DESIGN OF THE PROGRAMME PROPOSAL 

3.1. 

Title One: General Provisions 

Articles  1  and  2  set  out  the  general  and  specific  objectives  for  the  Integrated 
Programme and for the specific programmes within it. These are complemented by 
operational objectives for each specific programme, set out in each chapter of Title 
Two. 

Article  5  sets  out  the  generic  actions  that  can  be  found  across  the  Integrated 
Programme.  This  is  a  measure  designed  to  maximise  simplification  and  flexibility. 
The annex sets out which actions will be managed by the Commission and which by 
the National Agencies.  

Article 6 sets out the tasks of the Commission and of the Member States, notably in 
relation  to  the  establishment  and  operation  of  the  National  Agencies  in  the  light  of 
the requirements of the Financial Regulation. 

Article 7 permits participation in the programme to be extended to Switzerland and 
the countries of the Western Balkans.  

Article 10 establishes a committee for the Integrated Programme, which will meet in 
different  formations  according  to  the  subject  matter  at  hand.  The  Commission 
envisages  that  five  separate  formations  will  be  needed:  one  to  cover  the  Integrated 
Programme as a whole, the transversal programme and the Jean Monnet Programme; 
and four others to cover Comenius, Erasmus, Leonardo da Vinci and Grundtvig.  

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Article  9  provides  that,  in  accordance  with  the  proposed  comitology  Decision,  the 
committee’s  role  in  the  selection  process  should  focus  on  the  process,  criteria  and 
budget, but not on the selection of individual projects. 

Article 15 provides for a funding envelope of € 13.620 billion. The detail is found in 
Section B.8 of the Annex. The minimum figures set out there can be varied by the 
Commission  in  agreement  with  the  Committee  acting  in  management  procedure. 
This  article  also  allows  for  a  maximum  of  1%  to  be  spent  on  supporting  the 
participation of partners from non-participating third countries in partnership, project 
and network activities under the programme.  

3.2. 

Title Two, Chapters One to Four: the Comenius, Erasmus, Leonardo da Vinci 
and Grundtvig programmes  

The  four  sectoral  programmes,  Comenius,  Erasmus,  Leonardo  da  Vinci  and 
Grundtvig, are all constructed in the same way.  

The distribution of activities between the four sectoral programmes differs somewhat 
from the current programmes; the most important change is that advanced vocational 
education transfers from Leonardo to Erasmus.  

For  each  sectoral  programme,  the  Decision  specifies  which  of  the  generic  actions 
defined in Article 5 will be available, and sets out examples of the main forms such 
actions will take in the context of the specific programmes. Only the essential detail 
is included in the legislative text, and the ways of implementing the generic actions 
in  each  programme  described  in  the  Decision  are  not  exclusive,  permitting  other 
types to be developed in consultation with the Committee should the need arise. 

All  actions  provide  scope  for  language  and  new  technology  elements  to  be 
"mainstreamed". The Comenius actions include the school twinning activity hitherto 
supported  under  the  eLearning  programme.  The  Erasmus  actions,  reflecting  the 
incorporation  of  advanced  vocational  training,  include  higher  education  student 
placements  in  enterprises  (formerly  in  Leonardo  da  Vinci)  and  envisage  specific 
mobility arrangements for students on Joint Masters programmes.  

In  Leonardo  da  Vinci,  the  projects  action  has  been  reconceived  in  the  light  of  the 
results  of  the  interim  evaluation.  Projects  will  largely  be  managed  via  the  National 
Agencies and they will mostly focus upon the transfer of innovation into one country 
from others. A new partnerships action will consist of small-scale projects enabling 
training  organisations  to  co-operate  on  themes  of  mutual  interest.  The  networks 
action,  which  supports  reflection  at  European  level  on  key  issues  in  the  field  of 
vocational training, has been significantly reinforced.  

Under Grundtvig, new mobility actions are proposed to support the mobility of adult 
learners, staff exchanges, European assistantships in addition to adult educators (the 
current Grundtvig action of Socrates was limited almost exclusively to the latter).  

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3.3. 

Title Two, Chapter Five: The Transversal Programme 

The transversal programme constitutes one of the major innovations in the Integrated 
Programme.  It  provides  the  Community  with  a  more  effective  instrument  for 
pursuing activity that cuts across two or more "traditional" fields of activity, notably 
across the sectoral programmes.  

The transversal programme is divided into four Key Activities.  

Key Activity 1 is largely a new activity in the current programme proposal focused 
on  policy  development.  It  incorporates  a  number  existing  actions  such  as  Arion, 
Cedefop  visits,  the  Eurydice  network,  etc,  and  focuses  them  more  effectively  on 
policy  issues  of  general  significance  to  the  Community.  It  adds  new  projects, 
networks and observation and analysis actions, to create new mechanism to help the 
Union realise the demands made of it in policy terms. 

Key  Activity  2  complements  “mainstream”  language  action  in  the  sectoral 
programmes.  Transversal  action  is  needed  such  as  multilateral  projects  to  develop 
language-learning  materials  and  testing  tools,  networks  of  key  actors,  multilingual 
web portals; and awareness-raising campaigns.  

Key  Activity  3  focuses  on  experimentation  with  the  generalisation  of  innovative 
approaches  to  teaching  and  learning  (e-learning)  with  respect  to  new  pedagogy, 
services, technology and content.  

Key  Activity  4  is  a  new  activity  aiming  at  the  exploitation  and  transfer  of  good 
project  results  into  educational  and  vocational  training  systems  at  Community, 
national, regional and sectoral levels. Projects may be managed by the Commission 
or through the National Agencies.  

3.4. 

Title Two, Chapter Six: the Jean Monnet programme 

The Jean Monnet Programme targets the academic field of European integration and 
the support needed for institutions and associations active in education and training 
at European level. 

The list of institutions which the Commission proposes to support directly under this 
programme is limited to four, which are included in the existing Community action 
programme  to  promote  bodies  active  at  European  level  and  to  support  specific 
activities in the fields of education and training. Operating grants may be awarded to 
these  four  instutions,  on  condition  that  all  the  requirements  of  the  Financial 
Regulation  are  fulfilled.  As  specified  in  articles  2(3)(c)  and  42(3)  of  this  proposal, 
the  designation  of  these  four  beneficiaries  is  without  prejudice  to  the  support  for 
other institutions, such as recognised centres of excellence at European level, which 
may  also  be  awarded  operating  grants  under  this  action,  in  response  to  a  call  for 
proposals.  Such  institutions  may  also  participate  in  other  relevant  parts  of  the 
Integrated Programme and the Erasmus Mundus programme, provided they fulfil all 
the  conditions  which  apply  to  these  actions,  including  the  selection  procedure. 
Through  these  calls  for  proposals  the  Commission  aims  inter  alia  to  support  the 
development of key institutions and associations active at European level, including 

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those with similar features to the four designated beneficiaries, in order to underpin a 
network of centres of European excellence within the Union. 

3.5. 

Financial and administrative annex 

Points  A  and  B1  of  the  annex  focus  on  the  distinction  between  National  Agency 
procedure  actions  (those  managed  by  the  National  Agencies)  and  Commission 
procedure actions (those managed directly by the Commission or on its behalf by an 
Executive Agency, to which  it may  decide  to  entrust  part  of  the  tasks  of  managing 
the programme, in conformity with Article 54 of the Financial Regulation3). 

The  Decision  envisages  two  types  of  National  Agency  procedures.  The  first, 
currently  applied  to  all  decentralised  actions  within  Socrates  and  to  the  mobility 
actions  of  Leonardo  da  Vinci,  will  continue  to  be  the  most  widespread.  It  provides 
for  National  Agencies  to  select  beneficiaries  and  to  allocate  grants  to  institutions 
based  exclusively  in  their  respective  countries  for  the  exclusive  use  of  those 
institutions.  The  second  type,  designed  to  replace  the  current  “Procedure  B”  under 
Leonardo  da  Vinci,  allows  for  National  Agencies  to  select  entire  transnational  or 
multilateral projects and to fund the participation of  all partners concerned through 
the coordinator, subject to a favourable decision from the Commission on the short 
list of projects submitted by the Agency.  

Points  B2  to  B11  of  the  annex  concern  detailed  financial  provisions,  technical 
assistance, and anti-fraud measures.  

4. 

SUBSIDIARITY AND PROPORTIONALITY 

As far as subsidiarity is concerned, the new programme continues, as with the past 
generations of Community action, to focus on promoting and optimising cooperation 
between  Member  States  in  all  the fields  of  lifelong  learning.  It  does  not  attempt  to 
intervene in the structure and content of education and training systems, but focuses 
on areas where European added value can be engendered.  

As  far  as  proportionality  is  concerned,  the  proposal  is  designed  to  achieve  the 
maximum simplification not only in the form of its actions but in its administrative 
and  financial  requirements,  consistent  with  appropriate  financial  and  procedural 
safeguards. 

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Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 (OJ L 248, 16.9.2002, p.1). 

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2004/0153 (COD) 

Proposal for a 

DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL 

establishing an integrated action programme in the field of lifelong learning 

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Articles 
149(4) and 150(4) thereof, 

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission4, 

Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee5, 

Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions6, 

Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty7, 

Whereas: 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

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Council  Decision  382/1999/EC8  established  the  second  phase  of  the  Community 
vocational training action programme ‘Leonardo da Vinci’. 

Decision 253/2000/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council9 established the 
second phase of the Community action programme in the field of education ‘Socrates’. 

Decision 2318/2003/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council10 established a 
multi-annual  programme 
Information  and 
Communication  Technologies  (ICT)  in  education  and  training  systems  in  Europe 
(eLearning programme). 

integration  of 

the  effective 

for 

Decision 791/2004/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council11 established a 
Community action programme to promote bodies active at European level in the field 
of education and training and to support specific activities in this field. 

OJ C , , p. . 
OJ C , , p. . 
OJ C , , p. . 
OJ C , , p. . 
OJ  L  146,  11.6.1999,  p.33.  Decision  as  last  amended  by  Regulation  (EC)  No.  1882/2003  of  the 
European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 284, 31.10.2003, p.1). 
OJ L 28, 3.2.2000, p.1. Decision as last amended by Decision 786/2004/EC (OJ L 138, 30.4.2004, p.7). 
OJ L 345, 31.12.2003, p.9. 
OJ L 138, 30.4.2004, p.31. 

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(5) 

(6) 

(7) 

(8) 

(9) 

Decision xxx/2004/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council12 established a 
single framework for the transparency of qualifications and competences (Europass). 

The  Bologna  Declaration,  signed  by  the  Ministers  for  Education  of  29  European 
countries on 19 June 1999, established an intergovernmental process aimed at creating 
a  ‘European  Area  of  Higher  Education’  by  2010,  which  requires  support  at 
Community level. 

The  special  meeting  of  the  European  Council  in  Lisbon  on  23-24  March  2000  set  a 
strategic  goal  for  the  European  Union  to  become  the  most  competitive  and  dynamic 
knowledge-based economy in the world, capable of sustainable economic growth with 
more and better jobs and greater social cohesion, and invited the Education Council to 
undertake a general reflection on the concrete future objectives of education systems, 
focusing on common concerns and priorities while respecting national diversity. 

On 12 February 2001 the Council adopted a report on the concrete future objectives of 
education  and  training  systems.  On  14  June  2002  it  subsequently  adopted  a  detailed 
work  programme  on  the  follow-up  of  these  objectives,  requiring  support  at 
Community level. 

The  meeting  of  the  European  Council  in  Göteborg  on  15-16  June  2001  agreed  a 
strategy  for  sustainable  development  and  added  an  environmental  dimension  to  the 
Lisbon process for employment, economic reform and social cohesion. 

(10)  The  meeting  of  the  European  Council  in  Barcelona  on  15-16  March  2002  set  the 
objective of making  European Union  education and training systems a world quality 
reference  by  2010,  and  called  for  action  to  improve  the  mastery  of  basic  skills,  in 
particular by teaching at least two foreign languages from a very early age. 

(11)  The Commission Communication13 and the Council Resolution14 on lifelong learning 
affirm  that  lifelong  learning  should  be  enhanced  by  actions  and  policies  developed 
within the framework of Community programmes in this field. 

(12)  The Council Resolution of 19 December 2002 on the promotion of enhanced European 
cooperation  in  vocational  education  and  training15  established  a  process  of  enhanced 
European  cooperation  in  vocational  education  and  training,  requiring  support  at 
Community level. The Copenhagen Declaration, agreed by the Ministers for Education 
of 31 European countries on 30 November 2002, associated the social partners and the 
candidate countries to this process. 

(13)  The Communication from the Commission on the Action Plan for skills and mobility16 
noted the continuing need for action at European level to improve the recognition of 
education and training qualifications. 

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15 
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OJ …. 
COM (2001) 678 final. 
OJ C 163, 09.07.2002, p.1. 
OJ C 13, 18.1.2003, p.2. 
COM (2002 )72. 

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(14)  The  Communication  from  the  Commission  on  the  Action  Plan  promoting  language 
learning and linguistic diversity17 set out actions to be taken at European level during 
the period 2004-2006 and requires follow-up action. 

(15)  The  interim  evaluation  reports  of  the  existing  Socrates  and  Leonardo  da  Vinci 
programmes  and  the  public  consultation  on  the  future  of  Community  activity  in 
education  and  training  revealed  a  strong  and  in  some  respects  growing  need  for 
continuing  cooperation  and  mobility  in  these  fields  at  European  level.  They 
emphasised the importance of creating closer links between Community programmes 
and  policy  developments  in  education  and  training,  expressed  the  wish  that 
Community action should be structured so as to respond better to the lifelong learning 
paradigm, and pressed for a simpler, more user-friendly and more flexible approach to 
implementing such action.  

(16)  Significant  advantages  would  accrue  from  integrating  Community  support  for  trans-
national cooperation and mobility in the fields of education and training into a single 
programme,  which  would  permit  greater  synergies  between  the  different  fields  of 
action, and offer more capacity to support developments in lifelong learning, and more 
coherent, streamlined and efficient modes of administration.  

(17)  An  Integrated  Programme  should  therefore  be  established  to  contribute  through 
lifelong  learning  to  the  development  of  the  European  Union  as  an  advanced 
knowledge society, with sustainable economic development, more and better jobs and 
greater social cohesion. 

(18)  Given the specificities of the schools, higher education, vocational training and adult 
education  sectors,  and  the  consequent  need  for  Community  action  to  be  based  on 
objectives,  forms  of  action  and  organisational  structures  tailored  to  them,  it  is 
appropriate  to  retain  individual  programmes  within  the  framework  of  the  Integrated 
Programme targeted at each of these four sectors, while maximising the coherence and 
commonality between them. 

(19) 

In its Communication “Building our common Future: Policy challenges and Budgetary 
means  of  the  Enlarged  Union  2007-2013”18,  the  Commission  set  out  a  sequence  of 
quantified targets to be achieved by the new generation of Community education and 
training programmes, which require a significant increase in mobility and partnership 
actions. 

(20)  Given  the  demonstrated  beneficial  impacts  of  trans-national  mobility  on  individuals 
and  on  education  and  training  systems,  the  high  volume  of  unfulfilled  demand  for 
mobility  in  all  sectors,  and  its  importance  in  the  context  of  the  Lisbon  target,  it  is 
necessary to increase substantially the volume of support for trans-national mobility in 
the four sectoral programmes.  

(21) 

In  order  to  respond  to  the  increased  need  to  support  activities  at  European  level 
designed  to  achieve  these  policy  objectives,  to  provide  a  means  of  supporting  trans-
sectoral  activity  in  the  fields  of  languages  and  ICT,  and  to  strengthen  the 

17 
18 

COM (2003) 449 final. 
COM (2004) 101, pp13-14. 

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dissemination  and  exploitation  of  results  of  the  programme,  it  is  appropriate  to 
complement the four sectoral programmes with a transversal programme.  

(22) 

(23) 

In  order  to  respond  to  the  increasing  need  for  knowledge  and  dialogue  on  the 
European  integration  process  and  its  development,  it  is  important  to  stimulate 
excellence  in  teaching,  research  and  reflection  in  this  field  by  supporting  higher 
education  institutions  specialising  in  the  study  of  the  European  integration  process, 
European  associations  in  the  fields  of  education  and  training  and  the  Jean  Monnet 
Action.  

It  is  necessary  to  provide  sufficient  flexibility  in  the  formulation  of  this  Decision  to 
allow  for  appropriate  adjustments  in  the  actions  of  the  Integrated  Programme  to 
respond  to  changing  needs  during  the  period  2007  to  2013,  and  to  avoid  the 
inappropriately  detailed  provisions  of  previous  phases  of  Socrates  and  Leonardo  da 
Vinci.  

(24) 

In all its activities, the Community must eliminate inequalities, and promote equality, 
between men and women, as provided for in Article 3 of the Treaty. 

(25)  Further  to  Article  151  of  the  Treaty,  the  Community  must  take  cultural  aspects  into 
account  in  its  action  under  other  provisions  of  the  Treaty,  in  particular  in  order  to 
respect and to promote the diversity of its cultures. 

(26)  There is a need to promote active citizenship and to step up the fight against exclusion 

in all its forms, including racism and xenophobia. 

(27)  The special learning needs of people with disabilities should be actively addressed. 

(28)  The  candidate  countries  for  membership  of  the  European  Union  and  the  EFTA 
countries which are members of the EEA may participate in Community programmes 
in  accordance  with  agreements  to  be  signed  between  the  Community  and  these 
countries. 

(29)  The European Council in Thessaloniki on 19 and 20 June 2003 approved the Council 
conclusions of 16 June on the Western Balkans, including its annex “The Thessaloniki 
Agenda  for  the  Western  Balkans:  moving  towards  European  integration”,  which 
provides  that  Community  programmes  should  be  opened  to  the  Stabilisation  and 
Association  Process  countries  on  the  basis  of  framework  agreements  to  be  signed 
between the Community and those countries. 

(30)  The  Community  and  the  Swiss  Confederation  have  declared  their  intention  of 
undertaking negotiations to conclude agreements in areas of common interest such as 
Community education, training and youth programmes. 

(31)  The  Integrated  Programme  should  be  regularly  monitored  and  evaluated  in 
cooperation  between  the  Commission  and  the  Member  States  in  order  to  allow  for 
readjustments,  particularly  with  respect  to  the  priorities  for  implementing  the 
measures.  The  evaluation  should  include  an  external  evaluation  to  be  conducted  by 
independent, impartial bodies. 

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(32)  Resolution 2000/2315(INI) of the European Parliament on the implementation of the 
Socrates programme19 drew attention to the disproportionately onerous administrative 
procedures for grant applicants under the second phase of the programme. 

(33)  Council  Regulation  (EC,  Euratom)  No  1605/2002  of  25  June  2002  on  the  Financial 
Regulation  applicable  to  the  general  budget  of  the  European  Communities20  and 
Commission  Regulation  (EC,  Euratom)  No  2342/2002  of  23  December  2002  laying 
down detailed rules for the implementation of Council Regulation 1605/200221, which 
safeguard the Community’s financial interests, have to be applied taking into account 
the principles of simplicity and consistency in the choice of budgetary instruments, a 
limitation on the number of cases where the Commission retains direct responsibility 
for  their  implementation  and  management,  and  the  required  proportionality  between 
the amount of resources and the administrative burden related to their use.  

(34)  Appropriate measures should also be taken to prevent irregularities and fraud and the 
necessary  steps  should  be  taken  to  recover  funds  lost,  wrongly  paid  or  incorrectly 
used.  

(35)  Since  the  objectives  of  the  proposed  action  concerning  the  contribution  of  European 
cooperation  to  quality  education  and  training  cannot  be  sufficiently  achieved  by  the 
Member  States  because  of  the  need  for  multilateral  partnerships,  trans-national 
mobility and Community-wide exchanges of information, and can therefore, by reason 
of the nature of the actions and measures necessary, be better achieved at Community 
level,  the  Community  may  adopt  measures,  in  accordance  with  the  principle  of 
subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty. In  accordance with the principle of 
proportionality,  as  set  out  in  that  Article,  this  Decision  does  not  go  beyond  what  is 
necessary in order to achieve those objectives. 

(36)  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  Commission  on  budgetary 
discipline and improvement of the budgetary procedure22. 

(37)  The measures necessary for the implementation of this Decision should be adopted in 
accordance  with  Council  Decision  1999/468/EC  of  28  June  1999  laying  down  the 
procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission23 

19 
20 
21 
22 
23 

OJ C 293 E, 28.02.2002, p.103. 
OJ L 248, 16.9.2002, p.1. 
OJ L 357, 31.12.2002, p.1. 
OJ C 172, 18.06.1999, p1 
OJ L 184, 17.7.1999, p.23. 

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HAVE DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: 

TITLE I 

GENERAL PROVISIONS 

Chapter I 

The Integrated Programme 

Article 1 

Establishment of the Integrated Programme 

1. 

2. 

This Decision establishes an integrated programme for Community action in the field 
of lifelong learning, hereinafter referred to as ‘the Integrated Programme’. 

The general objective of the Integrated Programme is to contribute through lifelong 
learning  to  the  development  of  the  Community  as  an  advanced  knowledge  society, 
with  sustainable  economic  development,  more  and  better  jobs  and  greater  social 
cohesion, while ensuring good protection of the environment for future generations. 
In  particular,  it  aims  to  foster  interchange,  cooperation  and  mobility  between 
education and training systems within the Community so that they become a world 
quality reference. 

3. 

The Integrated Programme shall have the following specific objectives: 

(a) 

(b) 

(c) 

(d) 

(e) 

to  contribute  to  the  development  of  quality  lifelong  learning  and  to  promote 
innovation and a European dimension in systems and practices in the field; 

to help improve the quality, attractiveness and accessibility of the opportunities 
for lifelong learning available within Member States; 

to reinforce the contribution of lifelong learning to personal fulfilment, social 
cohesion,  active  citizenship,  gender  equality  and  the  participation  of  people 
with special needs;  

to help promote creativity, competitiveness, employability and the growth of an 
entrepreneurial spirit; 

to  contribute  to  increased  participation  in  lifelong  learning  by  people  of  all 
ages; 

(f) 

to promote language learning and linguistic diversity; 

(g) 

to  reinforce  the  role  of  lifelong  learning  in  creating  a  sense  of  European 
citizenship  and  encouraging  tolerance  and  respect  for  other  peoples  and 
cultures; 

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(h) 

(i) 

to  promote  co-operation  in  quality  assurance  in  all  sectors  of  education  and 
training in Europe; 

to  exploit  results,  innovative  products  and  processes  and  to  exchange  good 
practice in the fields covered by the Integrated Programme. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

In accordance with the administrative provisions set out in the Annex, the Integrated 
Programme shall support and supplement action taken by the Member States. 

As set out in Article 2, the objectives of the Integrated Programme shall be pursued 
through 
transversal 
implementation  of  four  sectoral  programmes,  one 
programme, and the Jean Monnet programme, hereinafter collectively referred to as 
‘the Specific Programmes’. 

the 

This  Decision  shall  be  implemented  over  the  period  from  1  January  2007  until  31 
December  2013.  However,  preparatory  measures,  including  decisions  by  the 
Commission  in  accordance  with  Article  9,  may  be  implemented  as  from  the  entry 
into force of this Decision. 

The  provisions  of  this  Decision  relating  to  the  Integrated  Programme  shall  also 
govern the Specific Programmes, to which specific provisions shall also apply. 

Article 2 

Specific Programmes 

1. 

The sectoral programmes shall be the following: 

(a) 

(b) 

(c) 

(d) 

the Comenius programme, which shall address the teaching and learning needs 
of  all  those  in  pre-school  and  school  education  up  to  the  level  of  the  end  of 
upper  secondary  education,  and  the  institutions  and  organisations  providing 
such education; 

the Erasmus programme, which shall address the teaching and learning needs 
of all those in formal higher education and vocational education and training at 
tertiary level, whatever the length of their course or qualification may be and 
including  doctoral  studies,  and  the  institutions  and  organisations  providing 
such education and training; 

the  Leonardo  da  Vinci  programme,  which  shall  address  the  teaching  and 
learning needs of all those in vocational education and training including initial 
and  continuing  vocational  training,  other  than  advanced  vocational  education 
and  training  at  tertiary  level,  as  well  as  the  institutions  and  organisations 
providing or facilitating such education and training; 

the Grundtvig programme, which shall address the teaching and learning needs 
of  those  in  all  forms  of  adult  education,  as  well  as  the  institutions  and 
organisations providing or facilitating such education. 

2. 

The transversal programme shall comprise the following four key activities: 

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15 

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(a) 

policy cooperation in lifelong learning within the Community; 

(b) 

promotion of language learning; 

(c) 

(d) 

development  of  innovative  ICT-based  content,  services,  pedagogies  and 
practice for lifelong learning; 

dissemination  and  exploitation  of  results  of  actions  supported  under  the 
programme and previous related programmes, and exchange of good practice. 

3. 

The Jean Monnet programme shall support institutions and activities in the field of 
European integration. It shall comprise the following three key activities: 

(a) 

the Jean Monnet Action; 

(b) 

(c) 

operating grants to support specified institutions dealing with issues relating to 
European integration; 

operating grants to support other European institutions and associations in the 
fields of education and training 

4. 

In addition to the objectives set out in Article 1, the Specific Programmes shall have 
the following specific objectives: 

(a) 

the Comenius programme: 

(i) 

(ii) 

to  develop  understanding  among  young  people  and  educational  staff  of 
the diversity of European cultures and its value; 

to  help  young  people  acquire  the  basic  life-skills  and  competences 
necessary for their personal development, for future employment and for 
active European citizenship; 

(b) 

the Erasmus programme: 

(i) 

to support the realisation of a European Higher Education Area; 

(ii) 

to reinforce the contribution of higher education and advanced vocational 
education to the process of innovation; 

(c) 

the  Leonardo  da  Vinci  programme:  to  facilitate  adaptation  to  labour  market 
changes and to the evolution of skills needs; 

(d) 

the Grundtvig programme:  

(i) 

to  respond  to  the  educational  challenge  of  an  ageing  population  in 
Europe;  

(ii) 

to  help  provide  adults  with  alternative  pathways  to  improving  their 
knowledge and competences; 

(e) 

the transversal programme: 

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16 

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(i) 

to promote European cooperation in fields covering two or more sectoral 
programmes; 

(ii) 

to  promote  the  convergence  of  Member  States’  education  and  training 
systems; 

(f) 

the Jean Monnet programme: 

(i) 

(ii) 

to  stimulate  teaching,  research  and  reflection  activities  in  the  field  of 
European integration studies; 

to  support  the  existence  of  an  appropriate  range  of  institutions  and 
associations  focusing  on  issues  relating  to  European  integration  and  on 
education and training in a European perspective. 

Article 3 

Definitions 

For the purpose of this Decision, the following definitions shall apply:  

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

“pre-school”  means  organised  educational  activity  undertaken  before  the  start  of 
obligatory primary schooling; 

“pupil” means a person enrolled in a learning capacity at a school; 

“school”  means  all  types  of  institutions  providing  general  (nursery  or  other  pre-
school, primary or secondary), vocational and technical education and, exceptionally, 
in  the  case  of  measures  to  promote  language  learning,  non-school  institutions 
providing apprenticeship training; 

“teachers/educational  staff”  means  persons  who,  through  their  duties,  are  involved 
directly in the educational process in the Member States; 

“student” means a person registered in a higher education institution, whatever their 
field  of  study,  in  order  to  follow  higher  education  studies  leading  to  a  degree  or 
diploma, up to and including the level of doctorate; 

6. 

“higher education institution” means: 

(a) 

(b) 

any  type  of  higher  education  institution,  according  to  national  legislation  or 
practice,  which  offers  qualifications  or  diplomas  at  that  level,  whatever  such 
establishments may be called in the Member States;  

any institution providing advanced vocational training at International Standard 
Classification of Education (ISCED) levels 5 or 6; 

7. 

“Joint Masters” means Masters courses in higher education that: 

(a) 

involve a minimum of three higher education institutions from three different 
Member States; 

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17 

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(b) 

(c) 

(d) 

implement a study programme which involves a period of study in at least two 
of those three institutions; 

have built-in mechanisms for the recognition of periods of study undertaken in 
partner institutions based on, or compatible with, the European credit transfer 
system; 

result  in  the  awarding  of  joint,  double  or  multiple  degrees,  recognised  or 
accredited by the Member States, from the participating institutions; 

“initial vocational training” means any form of initial vocational training, including 
technical  and  vocational 
teaching,  apprenticeship  and  vocationally  oriented 
education,  which  contributes  to  the  achievement  of  a  vocational  qualification 
recognised by the competent authorities in the Member State in which it is obtained; 

“continuing  vocational  training”  means  any  vocational  training  undertaken  by  a 
person in the Community during his or her working life; 

“adult  education”  means  all  forms  of  non-vocational  adult  learning,  whether  of  a 
formal, non-formal or informal nature; 

“study visit” means a short-term visit, made to study a particular aspect of lifelong 
learning  in  another  Member  State,  to  exchange  good  practice  or  to  learn  a  new 
methodology or skill; 

“mobility” means moving physically to another country, in order to undertake study, 
work experience, other learning or teaching activity or related administrative activity, 
supported as appropriate by preparation in the host language; 

“placement” means a stay in an enterprise or organisation in another Member State, 
supported  as  appropriate  by  preparation  in  the  host  language,  with  a  view  to 
acquiring a specific skill or to improving understanding of the economic and social 
culture of the country concerned; 

“unilateral” means involving a single institution; 

“bilateral” means involving partners from two Member States; 

“multilateral”  means  involving  partners  from  at  least  three  Member  States.  The 
Commission  may  regard  associations  or  other  bodies  with  membership  from  three 
Member States or more as multilateral; 

“partnership”  means  a  bilateral  or  multilateral  agreement  between  a  group  of 
institutions or organisations in different Member States to  carry  out joint European 
activities in lifelong learning; 

“network” means a formal or informal grouping of bodies active in a particular field, 
discipline or sector of lifelong learning; 

“project”  means  a  cooperation  activity  developed  jointly  by  a  formal  or  informal 
grouping of organisations or institutions; 

8. 

9. 

10. 

11. 

12. 

13. 

14. 

15. 

16. 

17. 

18. 

19. 

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18 

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20. 

21. 

22. 

23. 

24. 

25. 

26. 

27. 

“project  coordinator”  means  the  organisation  or  institution  in  charge  of  the 
implementation  of  the  project  by  the  multilateral  grouping  which  signs  the  grant 
agreement with the Commission; 

“project partners” means the organisations or institutions other than the coordinator, 
which form the multilateral grouping; 

“enterprise”  means  all  undertakings  in  the  public  or  private  sector  whatever  their 
size,  legal  status  or  the  economic  sector  in  which  they  operate,  and  all  types  of 
economic activities, including the social economy; 

“social partners” means, at national level, employers’ and workers’ organisations in 
conformity with national laws and/or practices and, at Community level, employers’ 
and workers’ organisations taking part in the social dialogue at Community level; 

“learning provider” means all institutions or organisations providing lifelong learning 
within the context  of the  Integrated  Programme,  or  within  the  limits  of  its  Specific 
Programmes; 

“guidance  and  counselling”  means  a  range  of  activities  such  as  information, 
assessment,  orientation  and  advice  to  assist  learners  to  make  choices  relating  to 
education and training programmes or employment opportunities; 

“dissemination  and  exploitation  of  results”  means  activities  designed  to  ensure  that 
the  results  of  the  Integrated  Programme  and  its  predecessors  are  appropriately 
recognised, demonstrated and implemented on a wide scale; 

“lifelong  learning”  means  all  general  education,  vocational  education  and  training, 
non-formal education and informal learning undertaken throughout life, resulting in 
an  improvement  in  knowledge,  skills  and  competences  within  a  personal,  civic, 
social  and/or  employment-related  perspective.  It 
the  provision  of 
counselling and guidance services. 

includes 

Article 4 

Access to the Integrated Programme 

The Integrated Programme is aimed in particular at: 

(a) 

pupils, students, trainees and adult learners; 

(b) 

staff involved in any aspect of lifelong learning; 

(c) 

people in the labour market; 

(d) 

learning providers; 

(e) 

the  persons  and  bodies  responsible  for  systems  and  policies  concerning  any 
aspect of lifelong learning at local, regional and national level; 

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19 

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(f) 

(g) 

(h) 

(i) 

(j) 

enterprises, social partners and their organisations at all levels, including trade 
organisations and chambers of commerce and industry; 

bodies providing guidance, counselling and information services relating to any 
aspect of lifelong learning; 

associations  working  in  the  field  of  lifelong  learning,  including  students’, 
trainees’, pupils’, teachers’, parents’ and adult learners’ associations; 

research centres and bodies concerned with lifelong learning issues; 

non  profit  organisations,  voluntary  bodies,  non-governmental  organisations 
(“NGOs”). 

Article 5 

Community actions 

1. 

The Integrated Programme shall comprise support for the following actions:  

(a) 

the mobility of people in lifelong learning in Europe; 

(b) 

bilateral and multilateral partnerships; 

(c) 

multilateral  projects  designed  to  improve  national  education  and  training 
systems; 

(d) 

unilateral and national projects; 

(e) 

multilateral projects and networks; 

(f) 

(g) 

(h) 

observation  and  analysis  of  policies  and  systems  in  the  field  of  lifelong 
learning, the establishment of reference material,  including surveys, statistics, 
analyses  and  indicators,  action  to  support  transparency  and  recognition  of 
qualifications  and  prior  learning,  and  action  to  support  cooperation  in  quality 
assurance; 

operating  grants  to  support  certain  operational  and  administrative  costs  of 
organisations active in the field covered by the Integrated Programme; 

other  initiatives  in  line  with  the  objectives  of  the  Integrated  Programme 
(‘Accompanying Measures’). 

2. 

3. 

Community  support  may  be  awarded  for  preparatory  visits  in  respect  of  any  of  the 
actions set out in this Article.  

The Commission may organise such seminars, colloquia or meetings as are likely to 
facilitate the implementation of the Integrated Programme, and undertake appropriate 
information, publication and dissemination actions as well as programme monitoring 
and evaluation.  

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4. 

The  actions  referred  to  in  this  Article  may  be  implemented  by  means  of  calls  for 
proposals, calls for tenders, or directly by the Commission.  

Article 6 

Tasks of the Commission and the Member States  

1. 

2. 

The  Commission  shall  ensure  the  implementation  of  the  Community  actions 
provided for by the Integrated Programme.  

The Member States shall  

(a) 

(b) 

take  the  necessary  steps  to  ensure  the  efficient  running  of  the  Integrated 
Programme at Member State level, involving all the parties concerned with all 
aspects of lifelong learning in accordance with national practice; 

establish or designate and monitor an appropriate structure for the coordinated 
management  of  the  implementation  of  the  Integrated  Programme's  actions  at 
Member  State  level  (national  agencies),  including  budgetary  management,  in 
conformity with the provisions of Article 54(2)(c) of Council Regulation (EC, 
Euratom)  No  1605/200224  and  of  Article  38  of  Commission  Regulation  (EC, 
Euratom) No 2342/200225, in accordance with the following criteria: 

(i) 

an organisation established or designated as a national agency shall have 
legal  personality,  and  be  governed  by  the  law  of  the  Member  State 
concerned. A ministry may not be designated as a national agency; 

(ii)  national  agencies  must  have  an  adequate  number  of  staff,  with 
professional  and  linguistic  capacities  appropriate  for  work  in  an 
environment  of  international  cooperation  in  the  field  of  education  and 
training; 

(iii) 

they  must  have  an  appropriate  infrastructure,  in  particular  as  regards 
informatics and communications; 

(iv) 

they  must  operate  in  an  administrative  context  which  enables  them  to 
carry out their tasks satisfactorily and to avoid conflicts of interest; 

(v) 

they  must  be  in  a  position  to  apply  the  financial  management  rules  and 
contractual conditions laid down at Community level; 

(vi) 

they  must  offer  adequate  financial  guarantees,  issued  preferably  by  a 
public  authority,  and  their  management  capacity  must  be  appropriate  to 
the level of Community funds they will be called upon to manage; 

(c) 

take responsibility for the proper management by the national agencies referred 
to  in  sub-paragraph  (b)  above  of  credits  transferred  to  national  agencies  to 

24 
25 

OJ L 248, 16.9.2002 p.1. 
OJ L 357, 31.12.2002, p.1. 

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21 

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support  projects,  and  in  particular  for  the  respect  by  national  agencies  of  the 
principles  of  transparency,  equality  of  treatment  and  of  the  avoidance  of 
double-funding with other sources of Community funds, and of the obligation 
to  monitor  projects  and  to  recover  any  funds  due  for  reimbursement  by 
beneficiaries; 

(d) 

take the necessary steps to ensure the appropriate audit and financial oversight 
of  the  national  agencies  referred  to  under  sub-paragraph  (b)  above,  and  in 
particular:  

(i) 

before the national agency starts work, provide the Commission with the 
necessary assurances as to the existence, relevance and proper operation 
within it, in accordance with the rules of sound financial management, of 
the procedures applied, the control systems, the accounting systems and 
the procurement and grant award procedures; 

(ii)  provide the Commission with a declaration of assurance each year as to 
the  reliability  of  the  financial  systems  and  procedures  of  the  national 
agencies, and the probity of their accounts; 

in  the  event  of  irregularity,  negligence  or  fraud  imputable  to  a  national 
structure established or designated under  sub-paragraph (b) above,  and  where 
this gives rise to claims by the Commission on the national agency which are 
not completely recovered, be responsible for the funds not recovered; 

designate  upon  request  from  the  Commission  the  learning  providers  or  the 
types  of  learning  providers  to  be  considered  eligible  to  participate  in  the 
Integrated Programme in their respective territories; 

adopt all appropriate measures to remove legal and administrative obstacles to 
the proper functioning of the Integrated Programme; 

to  ensure 

take  steps 
that  potential  synergies  with  other  Community 
programmes  and  financial  instruments  and  with  other  relevant  programmes 
operating in the Member State in question are realised at Member State level. 

(e) 

(f) 

(g) 

(h) 

3. 

The Commission, in cooperation with the Member States, shall ensure  

(a) 

(b) 

(c) 

the  transition  between  the  actions  carried  out  within  the  context  of  the 
preceding programmes in the fields of education, training and lifelong learning 
and those to be implemented under the Integrated Programme; 

the adequate protection of the Communities’ financial interests, in particular by 
introducing  effective,  proportionate  and  dissuasive  measures,  administrative 
checks and penalties; 

appropriate  information,  publicity  and  follow-up  with  regard  to  actions 
supported under the Integrated Programme. 

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Article 7 

Participation of third countries 

1. 

The Integrated Programme shall be open to the participation of: 

(a) 

(b) 

(c) 

(d) 

EFTA  countries  which  are  members  of  the  EEA,  in  accordance  with  the 
conditions laid down in the EEA Agreement;  

Turkey  and  the  candidate  countries  of  Central  and  Eastern  Europe  benefiting 
from  a  pre-accession  strategy,  in  accordance  with  the  general  principles  and 
general  terms  and  conditions  for  the  participation  of  these  countries  in 
Community  programmes  established  in  the  respective  Framework  Agreement 
and Association Council Decisions; 

the countries of the Western Balkans, in accordance with the provisions to be 
determined  with  these  countries  following  the  establishment  of  framework 
agreements concerning their participation in Community programmes; 

the Swiss Confederation, on the basis of a bilateral agreement to be concluded 
with this country. 

2. 

3. 

Key activity 1 of the Jean Monnet programme referred to in Article 2(3)(a) shall also 
be open to higher education institutions in any other third country. 

Third countries participating in the Integrated Programme shall be subject to all the 
obligations and will fulfil all the tasks set out in this Decision in relation to Member 
States. 

Article 8 

International cooperation 

Under  the  Integrated  Programme,  and  in  accordance  with  Article  9,  the  Commission  may 
cooperate  with  third  countries  and  with  the  competent  international  organisations,  in 
particular  the  Council  of  Europe,  the  Organisation  for  Economic  Co-operation  and 
Development  (OECD)  and  the  United  Nations  Educational,  Scientific  and  Cultural 
Organisation (UNESCO). 

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Chapter II 

Implementation of the Integrated Programme 

Article 9 

Implementing measures 

1. 

The measures necessary for the implementation of the Integrated Programme relating 
to the following matters shall be adopted by the Commission, in accordance with the 
management procedure referred to in Article 10(2): 

(a) 

the annual plan of work;  

(b) 

(c) 

(d) 

the  annual  budget  and  the  distribution  of  funds  between  the  Specific 
Programmes; 

the  arrangements  for  ensuring  internal  consistency  within  the  Integrated 
Programme; 

the arrangements for monitoring and evaluating the Integrated Programme and 
for the dissemination and transfer of results; 

The  measures  necessary  for  the  implementation  of  all  matters  within  Title  I  other 
than  those  specified  in  paragraph  1  of  this  Article  shall  be  adopted  in  accordance 
with the advisory procedure referred to in Article 10(3). 

Article 10 

Committee 

The  Commission  shall  be  assisted  by  a  Committee,  hereinafter  referred  to  as  “the 
Committee”.  

Where  reference  is  made  to  this  paragraph,  Articles  4  and  7  of  Decision 
1999/468/EC  shall  apply,  having  regard  to  the  provisions  of  Article  8  thereof.  

The  period  laid  down  in  Article  4(3)  of  Decision  1999/468/EC  shall  be  set  at  two 
months.  

Where  reference  is  made  to  this  paragraph,  Articles  3  and  7  of  Decision 
1999/468/EC shall apply, having regard to the provisions of Article 8 thereof.  

The Committee shall adopt its rules of procedure.  

Member  States  may  not  be  represented  by  persons  employed  in,  or  having 
operational responsibility for, national agencies referred to in Article 6(2)(b). 

2. 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

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Article 11 

Social partners 

1. 

Whenever  the  Committee  is  consulted  on  any  matter  concerning  the  application  of 
this Decision in relation to vocational education and training, representatives of the 
social  partners,  appointed  by  the  Commission  on  the  basis  of  proposals  from  the 
European social partners, may participate in the work of the Committee as observers. 
The number of such observers shall be equal to the number of representatives of the 
Member States.  

2. 

Such observers shall have the right to request that their position be recorded in the 
minutes of the meeting of the Committee. 

Article 12 

Horizontal issues 

In  implementing  the  Integrated  Programme,  due  regard  shall  be  paid  to  ensuring  that  it 
contributes fully to furthering the horizontal policies of the Community, in particular by: 

(a) 

promoting  an  awareness  of 
importance  of  cultural  diversity  and 
multiculturality  within  Europe,  as  well  as  of  the  need  to  combat  racism  and 
xenophobia; 

the 

(b)  making provision for learners with special needs, and in particular by helping 

to promote their integration into mainstream education and training; 

(c) 

(d) 

promoting  an  awareness  of  the  importance  of  contributing  to  sustainable 
economic development;  

promoting equality between men and women and contributing to combating all 
forms of discrimination based on sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, 
disability, age or sexual orientation. 

Article 13 

Joint Actions 

As part of the process of building up a Europe of knowledge, the actions supported under the 
Integrated Programme may be implemented in accordance with the procedures referred to in 
Article  10(2)  jointly  with  related  Community  programmes  and  actions,  particularly  those  in 
the  field  of  culture,  the  media,  youth,  research  and  development,  employment,  enterprise, 
environment and information and communication technologies. 

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Article 14 

Consistency and complementarity 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

The  Commission  shall,  in  cooperation  with  the  Member  States,  ensure  overall 
consistency  and  complementarity  with  other  relevant  Community  policies, 
instruments and actions, in particular with the European Social Fund, with the human 
resource  and  mobility  actions  of  the  Community’s  Framework  Programme  in 
research  and  development,  and  with  the  Community’s  statistical  programme.  The 
Commission shall ensure an efficient link-up between the Integrated Programme and 
the programmes and actions in the area of education and training undertaken within 
the framework of the Community's pre-accession instruments, other cooperation with 
third countries and the competent international organisations. 

The Commission shall keep the Committee regularly informed about other relevant 
Community  initiatives  taken  in  the  field of  lifelong  learning,  including  cooperation 
with third countries and international organisations. 

In  implementing  actions  under  the  Integrated  Programme,  the  Commission  and  the 
Member  States  shall  have  regard  to  the  priorities  set  out  in  the  employment 
guidelines adopted by the Council, as part of a coordinated employment strategy. 

In partnership with the European social partners, the Commission shall endeavour to 
develop  an  appropriate  coordination  between  the  Integrated  Programme  and  the 
social dialogue at Community level, including at sectoral levels. 

In  implementing  the  Integrated  Programme,  the  Commission  shall  secure  the 
assistance as appropriate of the European Centre for the Development of Vocational 
Training  (Cedefop)  in  areas  related  to  its  competence  and  in  accordance  with  the 
arrangements  set  out  in  Regulation  (EEC)  No  337/75  of  the  Council26.  Where 
appropriate, the Commission may also secure the support of the European Training 
Foundation within the scope of its mandate and in accordance with the arrangements 
set out in Council Regulation (EEC) No 1360/9027. 

6. 

The  Commission  shall  keep  the  Advisory  Committee  on  Vocational  Training 
regularly informed of relevant progress under the Leonardo da Vinci Programme. 

26 
27 

OJ L 39, 13.2.1975. 
OJ L 131, 23.5.1990, p.1. 

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Chapter III 

Financial provisions - Evaluation 

Article 15 

Funding 

1. 

2. 

3. 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

The  financial  framework  for  the  implementation  of  the  Integrated  Programme  is 
hereby set at EUR 13,620 million. Of this sum, the amounts to be committed to the 
Comenius, Erasmus, Leonardo da Vinci and Grundtvig programmes shall not be less 
than  as  set  out  in  point  B.8  of  the  Annex.  Those  amounts  may  be  amended  by  the 
Commission in accordance with the procedures referred to in Article 10(2).  

Up  to  1%  of  the  budget  of  the  Integrated  Programme  may  be  used  to  support  the 
participation  in  partnership,  project  and  network  actions  organised  under  the 
Integrated Programme of partners from third countries which do not participate in the 
Integrated Programme under the provisions of Article 7. 

The annual appropriations shall be authorised by the budgetary authority within the 
limits of the financial perspective. 

Article 16 

Monitoring and evaluation 

The  Commission  shall  regularly  monitor  the  Integrated  Programme  in  cooperation 
with  the  Member  States.  This  monitoring  shall  include  the  reports  referred  to  in 
paragraph 4 and specific activities. 

The  Commission  shall  arrange  for  regular  independent  external  evaluations  of  the 
Integrated Programme. 

Member States shall submit to the Commission by 30 June 2010 and 30 June 2015, 
respectively,  reports  on  the  implementation  and  the  impact  of  the  Integrated 
Programme. 

The Commission shall submit to the European Parliament, the Council, the European 
Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions: 

(a) 

(b) 

an interim evaluation report on the results achieved and on the qualitative and 
quantitative aspects of the implementation of the Integrated Programme by 31 
March 2011, 

a  communication  on  the  continuation  of  the  Integrated  Programme  by  31 
December 2011, 

(c) 

an ex post evaluation report by 31 March 2016. 

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TITLE II 

THE SPECIFIC PROGRAMMES 

Chapter I 

The Comenius programme 

Article 17 

Access to the Comenius programme 

Within the framework of the Integrated Programme, the Comenius programme is aimed at: 

(a) 

pupils  in  pre-school  and  school  education  up  to  the  end  of  upper  secondary 
education; 

(b) 

schools, as specified by Member States; 

(c) 

teaching, support and administrative staff within those schools; 

(d) 

associations and representatives of those involved in school education; 

(e) 

public  and  private  organisations  responsible  for  the  organisation  and  delivery 
of education at local, regional and national levels; 

(f) 

research centres and bodies concerned with lifelong learning issues; 

(g) 

higher education institutions.  

Article 18 

Operational objectives 

In  addition  to  the  objectives  of  the  Integrated  Programme  set  out  in  Articles  1  and  2,  the 
operational objectives of the Comenius programme shall be: 

(a) 

(b) 

to increase the volume and improve the quality of exchanges involving pupils 
and educational staff in different Member States;  

to increase the volume and improve the quality of partnerships between schools 
in different Member States, so as to involve at least one pupil in twenty in joint 
educational activities during the period of the programme; 

(c) 

to encourage the learning of a second foreign language; 

(d) 

to reinforce the quality and European dimension of teacher training; 

(e) 

to improve pedagogical approaches and school management. 

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Article 19 

Actions 

1. 

The following actions may be supported by the Comenius programme: 

(a) 

mobility  of  individuals  as  referred  to  in  Article  5(1)(a).  In  arranging  for  or 
supporting  the  organisation  of  such  mobility,  the  necessary  preparatory 
measures  shall  be  adopted  and  care  shall  be  taken  to  ensure  that  adequate 
supervision  and  support  is  available  for  young  people  in  mobility.  Such 
mobility may include: 

(i) 

exchanges of pupils and staff; 

(ii)  placements in schools or enterprises abroad for pupils or for educational 

staff; 

(iii)  participation in training courses for teachers; 

(iv)  study and preparatory visits for mobility, partnership, project or network 

activities; 

(v) 

assistantships for teachers and potential teachers. 

(b) 

(c) 

development of partnerships as  referred to in Article 5(1)(b) between  schools 
(‘Comenius  partnerships’),  with  a  view  to  developing  joint  learning  projects 
between the pupils;  

multilateral  cooperation  projects  as  referred  to  in  Article  5(1)(e).  They  may 
include projects aimed at: 

(i) 

developing,  promoting  and  disseminating  new  teaching  methods  or 
materials; 

(ii)  developing  or  exchanging  experience  on  systems  of  providing 
information or guidance particularly adapted to the learners concerned by 
the Comenius programme; 

(iii)  developing, promoting and disseminating new teacher training courses or 

course content; 

(d) 

networks as referred to in Article 5(1)(e). They may include networks aimed at: 

(i) 

developing  education  in  the  discipline  or  subject  area  in  which  they 
operate, for their own benefit and for that of education more widely; 

(ii) 

acquiring and disseminating relevant good practice and innovation; 

(iii)  providing content support to projects and partnerships set up by others; 

(iv)  promoting 

the  development  of  needs  analysis  and 

its  practical 

applications within school education; 

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(e) 

other initiatives aimed at promoting the objectives of the Comenius programme 
as referred to in Article 5(1)(h) (‘Accompanying Measures’). 

2. 

The operational details of the actions referred to in paragraph 1 shall be decided in 
accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 10(2). 

Article 20 

Budget 

Not less than 85% of the budget available for the Comenius programme shall be devoted to 
support for mobility as referred to in Article 19(1)(a) and for Comenius partnerships as set out 
in Article 19(1)(b). 

Article 21 

Implementing measures 

1. 

The measures necessary for the implementation of the Comenius programme relating 
to the following matters shall be adopted by the Commission in accordance with the 
management procedure referred to in Article 10(2): 

(a) 

the annual plan of work;  

(b) 

(c) 

(d) 

(e) 

the annual budget and the distribution of funds between the various actions of 
the Comenius programme; 

the  general  guidelines  for  implementing  the  Comenius  programme,  the 
selection criteria and procedures; 

the  distribution  of  funds  among  the  Member  States  for  the  actions  to  be 
managed through the “National agency procedure” set out in the Annex; 

the  arrangements  for  monitoring  and  evaluating  the  programme  and  for  the 
dissemination and transfer of results. 

2. 

The measures necessary for the implementation of the Comenius programme relating 
to  all  matters  other  than  those  specified  in  paragraph  1  of  this  Article  shall  be 
adopted in accordance with the advisory procedure referred to in Article 10(3). 

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Chapter II 

The Erasmus programme 

Article 22 

Access to the Erasmus programme 

Within the framework of the Integrated Programme, the Erasmus programme is aimed at: 

(a) 

students  and  trainees  learning  in  all  forms  of  higher  education  and  advanced 
vocational education and training (ISCED levels 5 and 6); 

(b) 

higher education institutions, as specified by Member States; 

(c) 

teaching and administrative staff within those institutions; 

(d) 

(e) 

(f) 

associations  and  representatives  of  those  involved  in  higher  education, 
including relevant student, university, and teacher/trainer associations; 

enterprises, social partners and other representatives of working life; 

public  and  private  organisations  responsible  for  the  organisation  and  delivery 
of education and training at local and regional levels; 

(g) 

research centres and bodies concerned with lifelong learning issues. 

Article 23 

Operational objectives 

In  addition  to  the  objectives  of  the  Integrated  Programme  set  out  in  Articles  1  and  2,  the 
operational objectives of the Erasmus programme shall be: 

(a) 

(b) 

(c) 

to  increase  the  volume  and  improve  the  quality  of  student  and  teaching  staff 
mobility throughout Europe, so as to contribute to the achievement by 2011 of 
at least 3 million individual participants in student mobility under the Erasmus 
and its predecessor programmes; 

to  increase  the  volume  and  improve  the  quality  of  multilateral  cooperation 
between higher education institutions in Europe; 

to  increase  the  degree  of  convergence  of  higher  education  and  advanced 
vocational education qualifications gained in Europe; 

(d) 

to foster co-operation between higher education institutions and enterprises. 

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Article 24 

Actions 

1. 

The following actions may be supported by the Erasmus programme: 

(a) 

mobility  of  individuals  as  referred  to  in  Article  5(1)(a).  Such  mobility  may 
include: 

(i)  mobility  of  students  for  studies  or  training  abroad  in  higher  education 
institutions, as well as placements in enterprises, training centres or other 
organisations; 

(ii)  mobility  of  teaching  staff  in  higher  education  institutions  in  order  to 

teach or receive training in a partner institution abroad; 

(iii)  mobility  of  other  staff  in  higher  education  institutions  and  staff  of 

enterprises for purposes of training or teaching; 

(iv)  Erasmus intensive programmes organised on a multilateral basis. 

Support may also be awarded to the home and host higher education institutions or 
enterprises  for  action  to  ensure  quality  at  all  stages  of  the  mobility  arrangements, 
including language preparation. 

(b) 

(c) 

joint projects as referred to in Article 5(1)(e), focusing inter alia on innovation 
and  experimentation  in  the  areas  mentioned  in  the  specific  and  operational 
objectives; 

networks as referred to in Article 5(1)(e) run by consortia of higher education 
institutions  and  representing  a  discipline  or  a  cross-disciplinary  field, 
(‘Erasmus  thematic  networks’)  which  aim  to  develop  new  learning  concepts 
and competencies. Such networks may also include representatives from other 
public bodies or from enterprises or associations; 

(d) 

other initiatives aimed at promoting the objectives of the Erasmus programme, 
as referred to in Article 5(1)(h) (‘Accompanying Measures’). 

2. 

Individuals  participating  in  mobility  under  paragraph  1(a)(i)  (‘Erasmus  students’) 
shall be:  

(a) 

students  in  higher  education  institutions  who,  after  completing  at  least  their 
first year of studies, spend a study period in another Member State within the 
framework  of  the  mobility  Action  of  the  Erasmus  programme,  regardless 
whether they have been awarded financial support under that programme. Such 
periods  shall  be  fully  recognised  under  the  interinstitutional  agreements 
between the sending and host institutions. The host institutions shall not charge 
tuition fees to such students; 

(b) 

students enrolled on Joint Masters programmes in a country other than the one 
in which they gained their Bachelors degree;  

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(c) 

students in higher education institutions taking part in placements in enterprises 
or training centres.  

3. 

The  operational  details  of  the  actions  set  out  in  paragraph  1  shall  be  decided 
following the procedure referred to in Article 10(2). 

Article 25 

Budget 

Not  less  than  85%  of  the  budget  available  for  the  Erasmus  programme  shall  be  devoted  to 
support for mobility as referred to in Article 24(1)(a). 

Article 26 

Implementing measures 

1. 

The measures necessary for the implementation of the Erasmus programme relating 
to the following matters shall be adopted by the Commission in accordance with the 
management procedure referred to in Article 10(2): 

(a) 

the annual plan of work;  

(b) 

(c) 

(d) 

(e) 

the annual budget and the distribution of funds between the various actions of 
the Erasmus programme;  

the general guidelines for implementing the Erasmus programme, the selection 
criteria and procedures; 

the  distribution  of  funds  among  the  Member  States  for  the  actions  to  be 
managed through the “National agency procedure” set out in the Annex; 

the  arrangements  for  monitoring  and  evaluating  the  programme  and  for  the 
dissemination and transfer of results. 

2. 

The measures necessary for the implementation of the Erasmus programme relating 
to  all  matters  other  than  those  specified  in  paragraph  1  of  this  Article  shall  be 
adopted in accordance with the advisory procedure referred to in Article 10(3). 

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Chapter III 

The Leonardo da Vinci programme 

Article 27 

Access to the Leonardo da Vinci programme 

Within  the  framework  of  the  Integrated  Programme,  the  Leonardo  da  Vinci  programme  is 
aimed at: 

(a) 

young people learning in all forms of vocational education and training up to 
the end of upper secondary education (up to ISCED level 3); 

(b) 

learners in continuing vocational education and training (ISCED level 4);  

(c) 

people in the labour market; 

(d) 

learning providers in the fields covered by the Leonardo da Vinci programme; 

(e) 

(f) 

(g) 

(h) 

(i) 

teaching and administrative staff within those learning providers; 

associations and representatives of those involved in vocational education and 
training, including trainees’, parents’ and teachers’ associations; 

enterprises, social partners and other representatives of working life, including 
chambers of commerce and other trade organisations; 

bodies providing guidance, counselling and information services relating to any 
aspect of lifelong learning; 

persons and bodies responsible for systems and policies concerning any aspect 
of lifelong learning at local, regional and national level; 

(j) 

research centres and bodies concerned with lifelong learning issues; 

(k) 

non profit making organisations, voluntary bodies, NGOs. 

Article 28 

Operational objectives 

In  addition  to  the  objectives  of  the  Integrated  Programme  set  out  in  Articles  1  and  2,  the 
operational objectives of the Leonardo da Vinci programme shall be: 

(a) 

to  increase  the  volume  and  to  improve  the  quality  of  mobility  throughout 
Europe  of  people  involved  in  initial  vocational  education  and  training  and  in 
continuing  training,  so  as  to  increase  placements  in  enterprises  to  at  least 
150,000 per year by the end of the Integrated Programme; 

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(b) 

(c) 

(d) 

to  increase  the  volume  and  to  improve  the  quality  of  co-operation  between 
learning  providers,  enterprises,  social  partners  and  other  relevant  bodies 
throughout Europe; 

to facilitate the development of innovative practices in the fields of initial and 
continuing training and their transfer, including from one participating country 
to others; 

to improve the transparency and recognition of qualifications and competences, 
including those acquired through non-formal and informal learning. 

Article 29 

Actions 

1. 

The following actions may be supported by the Leonardo da Vinci programme: 

(a) 

mobility  of  individuals,  as  referred  to  in  Article  5(1)(a).  In  arranging  for  or 
supporting  the  organisation  of  such  mobility,  the  necessary  preparatory 
measures  shall  be  adopted  and  care  shall  be  taken  to  ensure  that  adequate 
supervision and support is available for people in mobility. Such mobility may 
include:  

(i) 

transnational placements in enterprises or in training institutions; 

(ii)  placements and exchanges aimed at the further professional development 
of  trainers  and  guidance  counsellors,  of  those  responsible  for  training 
establishments  and  for  training  planning  and  career  guidance  within 
enterprises; 

(b) 

(c) 

partnerships,  as  referred  to  in  Article  5(1)(b),  focusing  on  themes  of  mutual 
interest to the participating organisations; 

multilateral projects, as referred to in Article 5(1)(c), in particular those aimed 
at improving training systems through the transfer of innovation involving the 
linguistic, cultural and legal adaptation to national needs of innovative products 
and processes developed in different contexts; 

(d)  multilateral  projects,  as  referred  to  in  Article  5(1)(e),  aimed  at  improving 
training systems through the development and transfer of innovation and good 
practice; 

(e) 

(f) 

thematic  networks  of  experts  and  organisations,  as  referred  to  in  Article 
5(1)(e), working on specific issues related to vocational education and training; 

other  initiatives  aimed  at  promoting  the  objectives  of  the  Leonardo  da  Vinci 
programme, as referred to in Article 5(1)(h) (‘Accompanying Measures’). 

2. 

The  operational  details  of  such  actions  shall  be  decided  following  the  procedure 
referred to in Article 10(2). 

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Article 30 

Budget 

Not  less  than  75%  of  the  budget  available  for  the  Leonardo  da  Vinci  programme  shall  be 
devoted to support for mobility as referred to in Article 29(1)(a). 

Article 31 

Implementing measures 

1. 

The measures necessary for the implementation of the Leonardo da Vinci programme 
relating to the following matters shall be adopted by the Commission in accordance 
with the management procedure referred to in Article 10(2).  

(a) 

the annual plan of work;  

(b) 

(c) 

(d) 

(e) 

the annual budget and the distribution of funds between the various actions of 
the Leonardo da Vinci programme;  

the general guidelines for implementing the Leonardo da Vinci programme, the 
selection criteria and procedures; 

the  distribution  of  funds  among  the  Member  States  for  the  actions  to  be 
managed through the “National agency procedure” set out in the Annex; 

the  arrangements  for  monitoring  and  evaluating  the  programme  and  for  the 
dissemination and transfer of results. 

2. 

The measures necessary for the implementation of the Leonardo da Vinci programme 
relating to all matters other than those specified in paragraph 1 of this Article shall be 
adopted in accordance with the advisory procedure referred to in Article 10(3). 

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Chapter IV 

The Grundtvig programme 

Article 32 

Access to the Grundtvig programme 

Within the framework of the Integrated Programme, the Grundtvig programme is aimed at: 

(a) 

learners in adult education; 

(b) 

learning providers in adult education; 

(c) 

(d) 

(e) 

(f) 

(g) 

teaching  and  administrative  staff  within  those  learning  providers  and  other 
organisations involved in adult education; 

establishments  involved  in  the  initial  or  further  training  of  adult  education 
staff; 

associations and representatives of those involved in adult education, including 
learners’ and teachers’ associations; 

bodies providing guidance, counselling and information services relating to any 
aspect of adult education; 

persons and bodies responsible for systems and policies concerning any aspect 
of adult education at local, regional and national level; 

(h) 

research centres and bodies concerned with adult education issues; 

(i) 

(j) 

enterprises; 

non profit making organisations, voluntary bodies, NGOs; 

(k) 

higher education institutions. 

Article 33 

Operational objectives 

In  addition  to  the  objectives  of  the  Integrated  Programme  set  out  in  Articles  1  and  2,  the 
operational objectives of the Grundtvig programme shall be: 

(a) 

(b) 

to  increase  the  volume  and  to  improve  the  quality  of  mobility  throughout 
Europe of people involved in adult education, so as to support the mobility of 
at least 25,000 of such individuals per year by 2013; 

to  increase  the  volume  and  to  improve  the  quality  of  co-operation  between 
organisations involved in adult education throughout Europe; 

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(c) 

(d) 

(e) 

to  facilitate  the  development  of  innovative  practices  in  adult  education  and 
their transfer, including from a participating country to others; 

to  ensure  that  people  from  vulnerable  social  groups  and  in  marginal  social 
left  education  without  basic 
contexts, 
qualifications, are given alternative opportunities to access adult education; 

those  who  have 

in  particular 

to  improve  pedagogical  approaches  and  the  management  of  adult  education 
organisations.  

Article 34 

Actions 

1. 

The following actions may be supported by the Grundtvig programme: 

(a) 

(b) 

(c) 

(d) 

mobility  of  individuals,  as  referred  to  in  Article  5(1)(a).  In  arranging  for  or 
supporting  the  organisation  of  such  mobility,  the  necessary  preparatory 
measures  shall  be  adopted  and  care  shall  be  taken  to  ensure  that  adequate 
supervision and support is available for people in mobility. Such mobility may 
include  visits,  placements,  assistantships  and  exchanges  for  participants  in 
formal and non-formal adult education, including the training and professional 
development of adult education staff. 

partnerships,  as  referred  to  in  Article  5(1)(b),  known  as  ‘Grundtvig  learning 
partnerships’,  focusing  on  themes  of  mutual  interest  to  the  participating 
organisations; 

multilateral projects, as referred to in Article 5(1)(e), aimed at improving adult 
education  systems  through  the  development  and  transfer  of  innovation  and 
good practice; 

thematic  networks  of  experts  and  organisations,  as  referred  to  in  Article 
5(1)(e), known as ‘Grundtvig networks’, working in particular on: 

(i) 

developing adult education in the discipline, subject area or management 
aspect to which they relate; 

(ii) 

identifying and disseminating relevant good practice and innovation; 

(iii)  providing  content  support  to  projects  and  partnerships  set  up  by  others 
and facilitating interactivity between such projects and partnerships; 

(iv)  promoting  the  development  of  needs  analysis  and  quality  assurance 

within adult education.  

(e) 

other  initiatives  aimed  at  promoting  the  objectives  of  the  Grundtvig 
programme, as referred to in Article 5(1)(h) (‘Accompanying Measures’). 

2. 

The  operational  details  of  such  actions  shall  be  decided  following  the  procedure 
referred to in Article 10(2). 

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Article 35 

Budget 

Not less than 60% of the budget available for the Grundtvig programme shall be devoted to 
support for mobility and partnerships as referred to in Article 34(1)(a) and (b). 

Article 36 

Implementing measures 

1. 

The measures necessary for the implementation of the Grundtvig programme relating 
to the following matters shall be adopted by the Commission in accordance with the 
management procedure referred to in Article 10(2).  

(a) 

the annual plan of work;  

(b) 

(c) 

(d) 

(e) 

the annual budget and the distribution of funds between the various actions of 
the Grundtvig programme;  

the  general  guidelines  for  implementing  the  Grundtvig  programme,  the 
selection criteria and procedures; 

the  distribution  of  funds  among  the  Member  States  for  the  actions  to  be 
managed through the “National agency procedure” set out in the Annex; 

the  arrangements  for  monitoring  and  evaluating  the  programme  and  for  the 
dissemination and transfer of results. 

2. 

The measures necessary for the implementation of the Grundtvig programme relating 
to  all  matters  other  than  those  specified  in  paragraph  1  of  this  Article  shall  be 
adopted in accordance with the advisory procedure referred to in Article 10(3). 

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Chapter V 

The Transversal programme 

Article 37 

Operational objectives 

In addition to the general objectives of the Integrated Programme set out in Articles 1 and 2, 
the operational objectives of the transversal programme shall be: 

(a) 

(b) 

(c) 

(d) 

(e) 

(f) 

to support policy development at European level in lifelong learning, notably in 
the  context  of  the  Lisbon,  Bologna  and  Copenhagen  processes  and  their 
successors; 

to  ensure  an  adequate  supply  of  comparable  data,  statistics  and  analyses  to 
underpin lifelong learning policy development; 

to monitor progress towards objectives and targets in lifelong learning, and to 
identify areas for particular attention; 

to promote language learning and to support linguistic diversity in the Member 
States; 

to  support  the  development  of  innovative  ICT-based  content,  services, 
pedagogies and practice for lifelong learning; 

to  ensure  that  the  results  of  the  Integrated  Programme  are  appropriately 
recognised, demonstrated and implemented on a wide scale. 

Article 38 

Actions 

1. 

The following actions may be supported under the key activity referred to in Article 
2(2)(a): 

(a) 

individual mobility, as referred to in Article 5(1)(a), including study visits for 
experts and officials designated by national, regional and local authorities, for 
directors  of  education  and  training  establishments  and  guidance  services,  and 
for social partners; 

(b)  multilateral  projects,  as  referred  to  in  Article  5(1)(e),  aimed  at  preparing  and 

testing policy proposals developed at Community level; 

(c) 

multilateral  cooperation  networks,  as  referred  to  in  Article  5(1)(e),  of  experts 
and/or  institutions  working  together  on  policy  issues.  Such  networks  may 
include: 

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(i) 

thematic  networks  working  on  issues  related  to  the  content  of  lifelong 
learning  or  to  lifelong  learning  methodologies  and  policies.  Such 
networks may observe, exchange, identify and analyse good practice and 
innovation,  and  make  proposals  for  a  better  and  wider  use  of  such 
practices across the Member States; 

(ii) 

standing  conferences  on  policy  issues,  aimed  at  coordinating  policy  at 
European level on strategic issues in lifelong learning; 

(d) 

observation  and  analysis  of  policies  and  systems  in  the  field  of  lifelong 
learning, as referred to in Article 5(1)(f), which may include: 

(i) 

studies and comparative research; 

(ii)  development  of  indicators  and  statistical  surveys,  including  support  for 
work  undertaken  in  the  field  of  lifelong  learning  in  cooperation  with 
Eurostat ; 

(iii)  support  for  the  operation  of  the  Eurydice  network  and  funding  of  the 

Eurydice European Unit set up by the Commission; 

(e) 

to  support 

action 
transparency  and  recognition  of  qualifications  and 
competences  including  those  acquired  through  non  formal  and  informal 
learning,  information  and  guidance  on  mobility  for  learning  purposes,  and 
cooperation  in  quality  assurance,  as  referred  to  in  Article  5(1)(f),  which  may 
include: 

(i) 

networks of organisations which facilitate mobility and recognition, such 
as  Euroguidance  and  National  Academic  Recognition  Information 
Centres (NARICs); 

(ii) 

support for transnational web-based services such as Ploteus; 

(iii)  activities under the Europass initiative in accordance with Decision XXX 
of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  adopting  a  single 
framework for the transparency of qualifications and competences. 

(f) 

other  initiatives  as  referred  to  in  Article  5(1)(h)  (‘Accompanying  Measures’) 
aimed  at  promoting  the  objectives  of  the  key  activity  referred  to  in  Article 
2(2)(a). 

2. 

The  following  strategic  actions,  designed  to  address  teaching  and  learning  needs  at 
more  than  one  life-stage,  may  be  supported  under  the  key  activity  referred  to  in 
Article 2(2)(b): 

(a) 

multilateral projects, as referred to in Article 5(1)(e), aimed, inter alia, at: 

(i) 

developing  new  language  learning  materials,  including  online  courses, 
and instruments for language testing; 

(ii)  developing tools and courses for language teacher training; 

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(b) 

(c) 

networks as referred to in Article 5(1)(e), in the field of language learning and 
linguistic diversity; 

other  initiatives  in  line  with  the  objectives  of  the  Integrated  Programme,  as 
referred  to  in  Article  5(1)(h),  including  activities  to  make  language  learning 
more attractive to learners through the mass media and/or marketing, publicity 
and  information  campaigns,  as  well  as  conferences,  studies  and  statistical 
indicators in the field of language learning and linguistic diversity. 

3. 

The following actions may be supported under the key activity referred to in Article 
2(2)(c): 

(a) 

(b) 

(c) 

multilateral projects, as referred to in Article 5(1)(e), aimed at the development 
and distribution of innovative methods, contents, services and environments; 

networks  as  referred  to  in  Article  5(1)(e),  aimed  at  sharing  and  exchanging 
knowledge, experience and good practice; 

other  action  aimed  at  improving  lifelong  learning  policy  and  practice,  as 
described  in  Article  5(1)(f),  which  may  include  mechanisms  for  evaluation, 
observation,  benchmarking,  quality  improvement  and  the  analysis  of  trends 
with respect to technology and pedagogy. 

4. 

The following actions may be supported under the key activity referred to in Article 
2(2)(d): 

(a) 

unilateral and national projects, as referred to in Article 5(1)(d); 

(b)  multilateral projects, as referred to in Article 5(1)(e), aimed inter alia at: 

(i) 

supporting  the  exploitation  and  implementation  of  innovative  products 
and processes;  

(ii) 

stimulating cooperation between projects operating in the same field;  

(iii)  developing good practice with regard to dissemination methods;  

(c) 

the establishment of reference material as referred to in Article 5(1)(f), which 
may include the collection of relevant statistical data and studies in the field of 
dissemination, the exploitation of results and the exchange of good practice.  

Article 39 

Implementing measures 

1. 

The  measures  necessary  for  the  implementation  of  the  transversal  programme 
relating to the following matters shall be adopted by the Commission in accordance 
with the management procedure referred to in Article 10(2): 

(a) 

the annual plan of work, and the selection criteria and procedures;  

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(b) 

(c) 

(d) 

(e) 

the annual budget and the distribution of funds between the various actions of 
the transversal programme; 

the  guidelines  for  implementing  the  transversal  programme  and  its  key 
activities; 

the  distribution  of  funds  among  the  Member  States  for  the  actions  to  be 
managed through the “National agency procedure” set out in the Annex; 

the  arrangements  for  monitoring  and  evaluating  the  programme  and  for  the 
dissemination and transfer of results. 

2. 

The  measures  necessary  for  the  implementation  of  the  transversal  programme 
relating to all matters other than those specified in paragraph 1 of this Article shall be 
adopted in accordance with the advisory procedure referred to in Article 10(3). 

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Chapter VI 

The Jean Monnet programme 

Article 40 

Access to the Jean Monnet programme 

Within  the  framework  of  the  Integrated  Programme  and  the  Annex,  the  Jean  Monnet 
programme is aimed at: 

(a) 

students  and  researchers  in  the  field  of  European  integration  in  all  forms  of 
higher education (ISCED levels 5 and 6) within and outside the Community; 

(b) 

higher education institutions within and outside the Community; 

(c) 

teaching and administrative staff within those institutions; 

(d) 

(e) 

(f) 

associations  and  representatives  of  those  involved  in  education  and  training 
within and outside the Community; 

public  and  private  organisations  responsible  for  the  organisation  and  delivery 
of education and training at local and regional levels; 

research  centres  and  bodies  concerned  with  issues  relating  to  European 
integration within and outside the Community. 

Article 41 

Operational objectives 

In addition to the general objectives of the Integrated Programme set out in Articles 1 and 2, 
the operational objectives of the Jean Monnet programme shall be: 

(a) 

(b) 

(c) 

(d) 

to  stimulate  excellence  in  teaching,  research  and  reflection  in  European 
integration  studies  in  higher  education  institutions  within  and  outside  the 
Community; 

to enhance knowledge and awareness among specialist academics and among 
European citizens generally of issues relating to European integration; 

to  support  key  European  institutions  dealing  with  issues  relating  to  European 
integration; 

to  support  the  existence  of  high-quality  European  associations  active  in  the 
fields of education and training. 

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Article 42 

Actions 

1. 

The following actions may be supported under the key activity referred to in Article 
2(3)(a): 

(a) 

unilateral  and  national  projects,  as  referred  to  in  Article  5(1)(d),  which  may 
include: 

(i) 

Jean Monnet Chairs, centres of excellence and teaching modules; 

(ii) 

associations  of  professors,  other  teachers  in  higher  education,  and 
researchers specialising in European integration; 

(iii)  support  for  young  researchers  specialising  in  European  integration 

studies; 

(iv) 

information  and  research  activities  relating  to  the  Community  with  the 
aim of promoting discussion, reflection and knowledge about the process 
of European integration; 

(b)  multilateral projects and networks, as referred to in Article 5(1)(e), which may 
include  support  for  the  establishment  of  multilateral  research  groups  in  the 
field of European integration. 

2. 

Operating grants as referred to in Article 5(1)(g) to  support certain operational and 
administrative  costs  of  the  following  institutions  pursuing  an  aim  of  European 
interest may be awarded under the key activity referred to in Article 2(3)(b):  

(a) 

the College of Europe (Bruges and Natolin campuses); 

(b) 

the European University Institute, Florence; 

(c) 

the European Institute of Public Administration, Maastricht; 

(d) 

the Academy of European Law, Trier. 

3. 

4. 

Under the key activity referred to in Article 2(3)(c), operating grants as referred to in 
Article  5(1)(g)  may  be  awarded  to  support  certain  operational  and  administrative 
costs  of  European  institutions  or  associations  active  in  the  fields  of  education  and 
training.  

Grants  may  be  awarded  on  an  annual  basis  or  on  a  renewable  basis  within  a 
framework partnership agreement with the Commission.  

Article 43 

Budget 

Not less than 28% of the budget available for the Jean Monnet programme shall be devoted to 
support for the key activity referred to in Article 2(3)(a), not less than 44% to the key activity 

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referred to in Article 2(3)(b), and not less than 18% to the key activity referred to in Article 
2(3)(c). 

Article 44 

Implementing measures 

1. 

The  measures  necessary  for  the  implementation  of  the  Jean  Monnet  programme 
relating to the following matters shall be adopted by the Commission in accordance 
with the management procedure referred to in Article 10(2): 

(a) 

the annual plan of work, and the selection criteria and procedures;  

(b) 

(c) 

(d) 

the annual budget and the distribution of funds between the various actions of 
the Jean Monnet programme; 

the  guidelines  for  implementing  the  Jean  Monnet  programme  and  its  key 
activities; 

the  arrangements  for  monitoring  and  evaluating  the  programme  and  for  the 
dissemination and transfer of results. 

2. 

The  measures  necessary  for  the  implementation  of  the  Jean  Monnet  programme 
relating to all matters other than those specified in paragraph 1 of this Article shall be 
adopted in accordance with the advisory procedure referred to in Article 10(3). 

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TITLE III 

TRANSITIONAL AND FINAL PROVISIONS 

Article 45 

Transitional provision 

Actions  which  are  initiated  on  or  before  31  December  2006  on  the  basis  of  Decision 
382/1999/EC28,  of  Decision  253/2000/EC29,  of  Decision  2318/2003/EC30,  of  Decision 
791/2004/EC31  or  of  Decision  [Europass]32,  shall  be  administered  in  conformity  with  the 
provisions  of  those  Decisions,  with  the  exception  that  the  committees  established  by  those 
Decisions  shall  be  replaced  by  the  committee  established  by  Article  10  of  the  present 
Decision.  

Article 46 

Entry into force 

This Decision shall enter into force on the twentieth day following the date 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 

28 
29 
30 
31 
32 

OJ L 146, 11.6.1999, p.33. 
OJ L 28, 3.2.2000, p.1. 
OJ L 345, 31.12.2003, p.9. 
OJ L 138, 30.4.2004, p.31. 
OJ …. 

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ANNEX 

ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL PROVISIONS 

A. 

Administrative Provisions 

Procedures  for  the  proposal  and  selection  of  the  activities  contained  in  the  Integrated 
Programme are as follows: 

1. 

National agency procedure 

1.1 

Procedure 1 

The  following  actions,  under  which  the  selection  decisions  are  taken  by  the  appropriate 
national agencies, shall be managed through the ‘National agency procedure 1’: 

(a) 

the trans-national mobility of people in lifelong learning in Europe, as referred 
to in Article 5(1)(a); 

(b) 

bilateral and multilateral partnerships, as referred to in Article 5(1)(b); 

(c) 

unilateral  and  national  projects,  as  referred  to  in  Article  5(1)(d),  where  these 
are funded under Article 38(4)(a). 

Requests  for  financial  assistance  submitted  under  these  actions  shall  be  directed  to  the 
appropriate  national  agencies  designated  by  the  Member  States  in  accordance  with  Article 
6(2)(b). The national agencies shall carry out the selection and allocate financial assistance to 
the  applicants  selected  in  accordance  with  the  general  guidelines  to  be  established  under 
Articles 9, 21, 26, 31, 36 and 39. The national agencies shall distribute grants to beneficiaries 
located  in  their  respective  Member  States.  Each  partner  in  a  bilateral  or  multilateral 
partnership shall receive funding direct from its respective national agency.  

1.2 

Procedure 2 

The following action, under which the selection decisions are taken by the Commission, but 
evaluation  and  contracting  procedures  are  undertaken  by  the  appropriate  national  agencies, 
shall be managed through the ‘National agency procedure 2’: 

–  multilateral projects, as referred to in Article 5(1)(c). 

Requests for financial assistance submitted under this action shall be directed to the national 
agency designated by the Member State of the coordinator of the project in accordance with 
Article  6(2)(b).  The  national  agency  of  the  Member  State  of  the  coordinator  of  the  project 
shall  carry  out  the  evaluation  of  applications  and  submit  to  the  Commission  a  shortlist  of 
applications  which  it  proposes  to  accept.  The  Commission  shall  decide  upon  the  shortlist 
proposed,  following  which  the  National  Agency  shall  allocate  the  appropriate  financial 
assistance  to  the  applicants  selected  in  accordance  with  the  general  guidelines  to  be 
established under Article 31. Before submitting the shortlist to the Commission, the national 
agency  of  the  country  in  which  the  project  is  coordinated  shall  liaise  with  those  in  the 

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countries  of  all  the  other  project  partners.  The  national  agencies  shall  distribute  grants  to 
selected  project  coordinators  located  in  their  respective  Member  States,  which  shall  be 
responsible for distributing the funds to the partners involved in the projects.  

2. 

Commission procedure 

The  following  actions,  under  which  project  proposals  are  submitted  to  the  Commission  and 
the  selection  decisions  are  taken  by  the  Commission,  shall  be  managed  through  the 
‘Commission procedure’: 

(a) 

unilateral  and  national  projects,  as  referred  to  in  Article  5(1)(d),  except  those 
funded under Article 38(4)(a); 

(b)  multilateral projects and networks, as referred to in Article 5(1)(e); 

(c) 

observation  and  analysis  of  policies  and  systems  in  the  field  of  lifelong 
learning, the establishment of reference material,  including  surveys, statistics, 
analyses and indicators, and action to support transparency and recognition of 
qualifications and prior learning, as referred to in Article 5(1)(f); 

(d) 

operating grants, as referred to in Article 5(1)(g); 

(e) 

other  initiatives  in  line  with  the  objectives  of  the  Integrated  Programme, 
(‘Accompanying Measures’) as referred to in Article 5(1)(h). 

Requests  for  financial  assistance  submitted  under  these  actions  shall  be  directed  to  the 
Commission,  which  shall  carry  out  the  selection  and  allocate  financial  assistance  to  the 
applicants selected in accordance with the general guidelines to be established under Articles 
9, 21, 26, 31, 36, 39 and 44. 

B. 

Financial Provisions 

The  Commission  shall  ensure  that  the  financial  and  administrative  requirements  placed  on 
beneficiaries of grants awarded under the Integrated Programme are proportionate to the level 
of  the  grant.  In  particular,  the  Commission  shall  ensure  that  the  financial  rules  and  the 
application  and  reporting  requirements  for  individual  mobility  and  for  partnerships  remain 
user-friendly and sufficiently simple not to restrict access for less advantaged individuals and 
the institutions or organisations that work with them.  

1. 

Actions managed through the National agency procedure 

1.1 

The Community funds intended to provide financial support under the actions to be 
managed through the National agency procedure in accordance with Section A Point 
1  of  this  Annex,  are  to  be  allocated  among  the  Member  States  in  accordance  with 
formulae  determined  by  the  Commission  in  accordance  with  Article  10(2),  which 
may include elements such as the following: 

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(a) 

a  minimum  amount  allocated  to  each  Member  State,  to  be  determined  in 
accordance with budgetary availability for the action concerned; 

(b) 

the remainder will be allocated to the various Member States on the basis of: 

(i) 

the difference in the cost of living between the Member States; 

(ii) 

the distance between the capital cities of each of the Member States; 

(iii) 

the level of demand and/or take-up for the Action concerned within each 
Member State; 

(iv)  each Member State’s total number of: 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

pupils and teachers in school education for the school partnerships 
and mobility actions of the Comenius programme set out in Article 
19(1)(a) and (b); 

students  and/or  graduates  in  higher  education  for  the  mobility  of 
students  and  intensive  programmes  actions  of  the  Erasmus 
programme set out in Article 24(1)(a)(i) and (iv); 

teachers in higher education institutions for the mobility of teachers 
and the  mobility  of other  staff actions of the Erasmus programme 
set out in Article 24(1)(a)(ii) and (iii); 

overall population and number of 15 to 35 year olds in relation to 
it,  for  the  mobility,  partnerships  and  bilateral  and  multilateral 
projects  actions  of  the  Leonardo  da  Vinci  programme  set  out  in 
Article 29(1)(a), (b) and (c). 

adults  for  the  mobility  and  partnership  actions  of  the  Grundtvig 
programme set out in Article 34(1)(a) and (b).  

1.2 

1.3 

The Community funds thus distributed shall be administered by the national agencies 
provided for in Article 6(2)(b).  

The  Commission,  acting  in  cooperation  with  the  Member  States,  shall  take  the 
necessary measures to encourage balanced participation at Community, national and, 
where appropriate, regional level and, where appropriate, across the various fields of 
study. The proportion allocated to these measures shall not exceed 5% of the annual 
budget for financing each of the actions in question.  

2. 

Designation of beneficiaries 

The  institutions  listed  in  Article  42(2)  of  the  present  Decision  are  hereby  designated 
beneficiaries  of  grants  under  the  Integrated  Programme,  in  accordance  with  Article  168  of 
Commission Regulation No 2342/2002. 

The  constituent  national  units  of  the  NARIC  network,  the  Eurydice  network,  the 
Euroguidance  network,  the  National  Reference  Points  for  Vocational  Qualifications  and  the 
Europass National Centres act as instruments to implement the programme at national level, 

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in  conformity  with  the  provisions  of  Article  54(2)(c)  of  Council  Regulation  No  1605/2002 
and of Article 38 of Commission Regulation No 2342/2002. 

3. 

Types of beneficiary 

In  accordance  with  Article  114(1)  of  Council  Regulation  No  1605/2002,  grants  may  be 
awarded to natural persons. These may take the form of scholarships. 

4. 

Flat-rate grants, scales of unit costs and prizes 

Flat-rate grants and/or scales of unit costs, as provided for in Article 181(1) of Commission 
Regulation No 2342/2002 may be used in the case of the actions referred to in Article 5.  

The Commission may provide for  the  award of prizes in relation to activities undertaken in 
the framework of the Integrated Programme. 

5. 

Bodies pursuing an objective of general European interest 

Where operating grants are awarded under this programme to bodies pursuing an objective of 
general European interest as defined in Article 162 of Commission Regulation No 2342/2002, 
these  shall,  in  accordance  with  Article  113(2)  of  Council  Regulation  No  1605/2002,  not  be 
subject on renewal to the principle of gradual decrease. 

6. 

Applicants’ professional competencies and qualifications 

The  Commission  may  decide  in  accordance  with  Article  176(2)  of  Commission  Regulation 
No  2342/2002  that  specified  categories  of  beneficiaries  have  the  professional  competencies 
and qualifications required to complete the proposed action or workplan.  

7. 

Participation of partners from third countries 

Partners from third countries may participate in multilateral projects, networks or partnerships 
under the terms of Article 15(2) at the discretion of the Commission or the national agency 
concerned.  The  decision  whether  to  support  such  partners  shall  be  based  on  the  degree  of 
added value at European level likely to result from their participation in the project, network 
or partnership in question. 

8. 

Minimum allocations 

Subject  to  Article  15  of  this  Decision,  the  minimum  amounts  to  be  allocated  to  sectoral 
programmes shall be, in relation to the financial framework set out in that Article: 

Comenius 

Erasmus 

Leonardo da Vinci 

Grundtvig 

10% 

40% 

25% 

3% 

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9. 

National Agencies 

Community  financial  assistance  shall  be  provided  to  support  the  activities  of  the  national 
agencies established or designated by the Member States in accordance with Article 6(2)(b). 
Such assistance may be provided in the form of operating grants and shall not exceed 50% of 
the total eligible costs of the approved work programme of the national agency.  

In  accordance  with  Article  38(1)  of  Commission  Regulation  No  2342/2002,  the  function  of 
National Agency may, in third countries participating in the Integrated Programme by virtue 
of Article 7(1) of the current Decision, be discharged of public-sector bodies or private-law 
bodies with a public-service mission governed by the law of the country concerned. 

10. 

Technical assistance 

The budgetary envelope of the Integrated Programme may also cover expenditure related to 
preparatory  actions,  monitoring,  control,  audit  and  evaluation  directly  necessary  for  the 
implementation  of  the  programme  and  for  the  achievement  of  its  objectives.  These  may  in 
particular  include  studies,  meetings,  information  activities,  publications,  expenditure  on 
informatics networks for the exchange of information and any other expenditure on technical 
and  administrative  assistance  to  which  the  Commission  may  need  to  have  recourse  for  the 
implementation of the programme.  

11. 

Anti-fraud provisions 

Commission  decisions  taken  under  Articles  9,  21,  26,  31,  36,  39  and  44,  the  contracts  and 
agreements resulting from them, as well as agreements with participating third countries, shall 
provide  in  particular  for  supervision  and  financial  control  by  the  Commission  (or  any 
representative authorized by it), including by OLAF, and for audits by the Court of Auditors, 
if  necessary  on-the-spot.  Such  controls  may  be  carried  out  with  national  agencies,  as  well, 
where necessary, as with recipients of grants. 

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. 

EN 

52 

   EN 

 
 
In  addition,  the  Commission  may  carry  out  on-the-spot  checks  and  inspections  under  this 
programme in accordance with Council Regulation (Euratom, EC) No 2185/96. 

For the Community actions financed under this decision, the notion of irregularity referred to 
in  Article  1,  paragraph  2  of  Regulation  (EC,  Euratom)  No  2988/95  shall  mean  any 
infringement  of  a  provision  of  Community  law  or  any  breach  of  a  contractual  obligation 
resulting  from  an  act  or  omission  by  a  legal  entity,  which  has,  or  would  have,  the  effect  of 
prejudicing  the  general  budget  of  the  Communities  or  budgets  managed  by  them,  by  an 
unjustified item of expenditure.  

EN 

53 

   EN 

 
LEGISLATIVE FINANCIAL STATEMENT 

Policy area(s): 

Education and culture 

Activit(y/ies): 

Education and training 

TITLE OF ACTION: 

INTEGRATED PROGRAMME IN THE FIELD OF LIFELONG LEARNING 

1. 

BUDGET LINE(S) + HEADING(S) 

15  02  02  02  (Integrated  Programme);  15  01  04  02  (Integrated  Programme 
administrative expenditure); 15 01 04 30 (Executive Agency Education and Culture) 

2. 

OVERALL FIGURES  

2.1. 

Total allocation for action : € 13,620 million for commitment 

2.2. 

Period of application: 

2007-2013 

2.3. 

Overall multiannual estimate of expenditure: 

(a) 

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

(financial 

Cash prices € million (to 3rd decimal place) 

2007 

2008 

2009 

2010 

2011 

2012 

2013* 

Total

Commitments 

Payments 

1,188.387 

1,354.122 

1,580.870 

1,821.283 

2,137.838 

2,466.274 

2,816.497 

13,365.271 

934.587 

1,259.922 

1,525.970 

1,763.083 

2,068.938 

2,383.974 

3,428.797 

13,365.271 

* 2013 et seq for payments 

(b) 

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

Cash prices € million (to 3rd decimal place) 

2007 

2008 

2009 

2010 

2011 

2012 

2013* 

Total

Commitments 

31.413 

32.978 

36.530 

37.317 

38.062 

38.826 

39.603 

254.729

Payments 

31.413 

32.978 

36.530 

37.317 

38.062 

38.826 

39.603 

254.729

* 2013 et seq for payments 

EN 

54 

   EN 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cash prices € million (to 3rd decimal place) 

Subtotal a + b 

2007 

2008 

2009 

2010 

2011 

2012 

2013* 

Total

Commitments 

Payments 

1,219.800 

1,387.100 

1,617.400 

1,858.600 

2,175.900 

2,505.100 

2,856.100 

13,620.000 

966.000 

1,292.900 

1,562.500 

1,800.400 

2,107.000 

2,422.800 

3,468.400 

13,620.000 

* 2013 et seq for payments 

(c) 

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

2004 prices € million (to 3rd decimal place)  

2007 

2008 

2009 

2010 

2011 

2012 

2013 

Total 

Commitments
/ payments 

TOTAL 
a+b+c 

27.336 

29.513 

31.691 

31.691 

31.691 

31.691 

31.691 

215.303 

Mixed cash and 2004 prices € million (to 3rd decimal place) 

2007 

2008 

2009 

2010 

2011 

2012 

2013* 

Total 

Commitments 

1,247.136 

1,416.613 

1,649.091 

1,890.291 

2,207.591 

2,536.791 

2,887.791 

13,835.303 

Payments 

993.336 

1,322.413 

1,594.191 

1,832.091 

2,138.691 

2,454.491 

3,500.091 

13,835.303 

* 2013 et seq for payments 

2.4. 

Compatibility with financial programming and financial perspective 

[X]  Proposal is compatible with the Commission’s February 2004 Communication 

on the financial perspective 2007-2013 (COM(2004)101). 

Proposal  will  entail  reprogramming  of  the  relevant  heading  in  the  financial 
perspective. 

Proposal  may  require  application  of  the  provisions  of  the  Interinstitutional 
Agreement. 

2.5. 

Financial impact on revenue: 

[X]  Proposal  has  no  financial  implications  (involves  technical  aspects  regarding 

implementation of a measure) 

OR 

Proposal has financial impact – the effect on revenue is as follows: 

EN 

55 

   EN 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
3. 

BUDGET CHARACTERISTICS 

Type of expenditure 

New 

EFTA 
contribution 

Contributions 
form applicant 
countries 

Heading in 
financial 
perspective 

Non-comp 

Diff 

NO 

YES 

YES 

1.a 

4. 

LEGAL BASIS  

Treaty establishing the European Community, Articles 149(4) and 150(4).  

5. 

DESCRIPTION AND GROUNDS 

5.1. 

Need for Community intervention 

5.1.1.  Objectives pursued 

The needs addressed by this programme derive from the challenges facing education 
and  training  systems  in  all  Member  States  to  respond  to  new  economic,  social  and 
demographic demands, notably:  

–  In economic terms, the main need is to contribute to achievement of the goal set 
at  the  Lisbon  European  Council  in  2000  for  the  European  Union  to  become  the 
most become the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the 
world, in response to globalisation and the challenges of a new knowledge-driven 
economy.  In  order  to  achieve  this  goal,  high-quality  education  and  training 
systems  are  essential,  as  the  Barcelona  Council  recognised  in  2002,  setting  the 
objective  that  European  education  and  training  systems  should  become  a  world 
quality reference by 2010. 

–  In social terms, as a result of globalisation and new communication technologies 
on  the  one  hand,  and  the  impact  of  the  European  single  market  on  the  other, 
society  continues  to  become  more  culturally  diverse  and  more  interlinked  with 
other  societies  in  Europe  and  around  the  world.  Education  and  training  are 
prerequisites to promote greater social cohesion and active citizenship and to fight 
against  exclusion.  Equal  opportunities  must  be  offered  to  all  citizens  in  Europe, 
irrespective of any kind of differences between them. Every effort must be made 
to  provide  those  who  have  left  education  without  basic  qualifications  with 
alternative second chance opportunities of access to education and training suited 
to their needs. 

–  In  demographic  terms,  the  ageing  population  of  Europe,  combined  with  the 
increasing  need  to  undertake  flexible  education  and  training  throughout  life  in 
response to new patterns of employment based on greater mobility and more rapid 
changes  of  job  profiles,  represent  a  significant  new  challenge  for  education  and 
training over the coming decade. Modern societies are therefore confronted with 
the  need  to  offer  adequate  provisions  to  face  the  very  diversified  demand  for 
education and training supply throughout life. 

EN 

56 

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As  a  complement  to  action  taken  at  Member  State  level,  there  is  an  increasingly 
significant  role  for  European  cooperation in  tackling  the  needs  outlined  above,  and 
the  experience  of  almost  two  decades  of  Community  programmes  in  the  field  of 
education and training33 give a strong base on which this proposal builds. The current 
proposal  responds  to  the  emergence  of  lifelong  learning  as  a  paradigm  for  the 
organisation  of  education  and  training  in  the  knowledge  society,  and  to  clear 
messages from the evaluation and consultation process (see below), by providing for 
a  single  integrated  programme  in  the  field  of  lifelong  learning,  encompassing  the 
current  Socrates  and  Leonardo  da  Vinci  programmes,  which  will  allow  for  greater 
synergies,  flexibility  and  efficiency.  The  integrated  programme  will  contain  four 
sectoral  programmes  focusing  on  general  school  education  (Comenius),  higher 
education  and  advanced  vocational  training  (Erasmus),  initial  and  continuing 
vocational  training  (Leonardo),  and  adult  education  (Grundtvig).  These  sectoral 
programmes  will  be  complemented  by  a  transversal  programme  focusing  on  four 
cross-cutting issues, namely: support for policy development; language learning; new 
information and communication technologies; and dissemination and exploitation of 
results. Finally, the integrated programme will contain a programme, named the Jean 
Monnet  programme,  focusing  on  European  integration  teaching  and  research  in 
higher  education,  and  on  support  for  key  European  institutions  and  associations  in 
education and training.  

The  general  objective  of  the  integrated  programme  derives  from  the  Lisbon  and 
Barcelona European Councils and aims to contribute through lifelong learning to the 
development  of  the  European  Union  as  an  advanced  knowledge  society,  with 
sustainable economic development, more and better jobs and greater social cohesion. 
It  also  aims  to  contribute  to  the  development  of  education  and  training  systems 
within the European Union so that they become a world quality reference. 

This general objective divides into a sequence of specific objectives, the majority of 
which apply to the programme as a whole, and some of which are particular to one of 
its constituent programmes. Finally, each of the sectoral programmes, the transversal 
programme  and  the  Jean  Monnet  programme  has  its  own  operational  objectives.  A 
full  list  of  the  specific  and  operational  objectives  and  their  related  indicators  is 
annexed to the combined ex-ante evaluation and extended impact assessment for this 
proposal. 

The operational objectives contain a number of quantified outcomes related directly 
to the functioning of the programme, which are set out in Section 5.2 below, under 
the action to which they relate. 

5.1.2.  Measures taken in connection with ex ante evaluation  

This programme proposal is built on a series of existing Community measures, some 
of which have been operational for many years, and which have been the subject of a 
comprehensive  sequence  of  evaluations,34  as  well  as  a  substantial  corpus  of 

33 

34 

Notably Socrates and Leonardo da Vinci (phase 1 of which covered 1995-99, and phase 2, 2000-2006), 
and  their  predecessor  programmes  in  the  field  of  education  (Erasmus,  Lingua)  and  training  (Comett, 
Petra, Force and Eurotecnet). 
For the most recent texts see: 
http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/programmes/evaluation/evaluation_en.html 

EN 

57 

   EN 

 
                                                 
 
experience  of  administering  and  implementing  the  programmes  in  the  Commission 
(and  technical  assistance  office)  and  within  the  Member  States  and  other 
participating countries (particularly within the National Agencies).  

This programme proposal has been the subject of both an ex-ante evaluation and an 
extended impact assessment, the results of which are reported in a single document 
incorporating both.35 The exercise is based in particular on: 

–  A  public  consultation  on  the  future  development  of  Community  programmes  in 
the  field  of  education,  training  and  youth  after  2006,  which  ran  from  November 
2002 to February 2003.36 

–  Two series of thirty national reports on the implementation of the second phases 
of  Socrates  and  Leonardo  da  Vinci  in  each  of  the  participating  countries, 
submitted to the Commission in autumn 2003.37 

–  Two  interim  evaluation  reports  of  the  current  Socrates  and  Leonardo  da  Vinci 

programmes, the key findings of which are set out in section 5.1.3 below.38 

–  Assessments  undertaken  within  the  Commission  of  the  different  options  for 
structuring  and  administering  the  new  lifelong  learning  integrated  programme 
during the summer and autumn of 2003, the main results of which are summarised 
in the extended impact / ex ante evaluation paper.  

The key messages resulting from the public consultation process are as follows: 

–  Great  enthusiasm  for  the  programmes.  Although  there  may  be  difficulties  with 
their  operation,  the  vast  majority  of  respondents  underline  their  commitment  to 
the programmes and the trans-national work they enable. 

–  A  belief  that  the  programmes  should  contribute  both  to  the  development  of 
European  citizenship,  and  to  the  teaching  of  languages,  and  should  support  the 
regional  dimension  more  strongly.  Many  respondents  believed  that  the  issues  of 
citizenship,  of  inter-culturality,  of  the  European  dimension  represented  a  need 
which  the  programmes  were  well  placed  to  respond  to;  several  respondents 
believed that strengthening language learning was an important need at European 
level.  

–  A very strong feeling that the programmes are bureaucratic, inflexible, and over-
complicated, particularly in regard to the very small amount of most grants. Many 
respondents regarded this as the worst aspect of the programmes. There is a clear 

35 
36 

37 
38 

Reference 
The consultation was based on a working document published by the Commission in November 2002, 
which set out the main issues concerning the future generation of programmes and the key questions on 
which comments were requested. It was conducted by means of an online response form available on 
the  Europa website  during  the  consultation period,  complemented with  the possibility  to  send written 
responses directly to the Commission. A detailed report on the responses to this consultation exercise 
was prepared for the Commission by the Pôle Universitaire Européen de Lorraine and can be consulted 
online at: http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/newprogconsult/report.pdf. 
Also available at: http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/programmes/evaluation/evaluation_en.html 
COM(2004)152 (Leonardo da Vinci); COM(2004)153 (Socrates).  

EN 

58 

   EN 

 
                                                 
message  about  increased  flexibility,  about  proportionality  in  the  relationship 
between the size of grants and the application and reporting procedures involved 
and the financial rules applied to the grant, and about the need for a sense of trust 
between those awarding the grants and those entrusted with carrying out the work. 

–  A view that indirect centralised procedures39 were simpler and more user-friendly 
than  those  handled  directly  by  the  Commission.  A  significant  number  of 
respondents  expressed  this  view.  A  smaller  majority  considered  that  centralised 
administration was more apt to foster the European dimension of the activity, and 
represented a more equitable selection process. 

–  Keep the existing sectoral programmes and actions, but also relate education and 
training  much  more  closely.  This  apparent  contradiction  illustrates  the  tension 
between  a  desire  to  keep  familiar  identified  programme  definitions  and  the 
realisation that aims of education and training are not to be dissociated. It is to be 
noted  that  this  contradiction  did  not  come  from  different  sets  of  people  or 
organisations,  each  reflecting  one  coherent  opinion,  but  were  inherent  to  many 
individual responses. 

–  Keep the youth programme entirely separate. This was a unanimous wish, people 
involved in the informal sector seeing no advantage in losing their "identity", as 
they  thought,  by  being  included  within  an  integrated  programme,  where  formal 
structures might discourage the enthusiasm of a lot of actors within the voluntary 
sector. 

5.1.3.  Measures taken following ex post evaluation 

The  key  findings  of  the  interim  reports  of  the  Socrates  and  Leonardo  da  Vinci 
programmes are as follows: 

–  The  coverage  and  focus  of  the  programme  actions  are  generally  regarded  as 
valuable  and  appropriate.  In  contrast  to  the  first  phase  of  the  programmes,  there 
are no actions in the second phase that are felt to be of very limited worth. Indeed, 
the response of users to the existence and nature of European co-operation support 
in the field is almost universally positive.  

–  The administrative and financial procedures have improved since the first phase, 
but are still experienced as disproportionately burdensome and slow. The greater 
degree  of  decentralisation  of  the  second  phase  of  the  programmes  has  been  a 
success in overall terms. However, both in the centralised and indirect centralised 
actions, the level of financial and administrative detail required of participants in 
relation  to  relatively  low  levels  of  grant,  the  near-constant  change  of  these 
requirements  imposed  by  the  Commission,  and  the  complexity  and  slowness  of 
the contractual and financial procedures, all constitute a barrier to participation in 
our programmes.  

–  There  is  a  need  for  more  synergy  and  coherence  between  actions  and 
programmes.  Despite  the  efforts  made  in  the  design  of  the  second  phase  to 

39 

Those handled by the National Agencies – previously referred to as “decentralised”.  

EN 

59 

   EN 

 
                                                 
introduce  more  parallelism  between  Socrates  and  Leonardo  da  Vinci,  and  to 
provide  for  joint  actions  between  them  and  with  the  Youth  programme,  the 
programmes are still viewed by their users as inadequately linked, which militates 
against  the  sort  of  cross-cutting  activity  between  education  and  training  that  is 
likely  to  become  yet  more  important  in  the  lifelong  learning  perspective.  The 
current structure is frequently seen as an obstacle to  providing the right  level of 
support for policy developments in the fields of education and training. 

–  The  good  results  achieved  under  the  programmes  are  not  well  disseminated. 
Disseminating the outcomes of actions supported under the programmes, whether 
these be products or co-operation processes, and spreading good practice is a hard 
task made more difficult by the need to overcome national cultural and structural 
barriers. Again, progress has been made in this area compared with the first phase, 
with the establishment of a team within the administration of Leonardo da Vinci 
dedicated  to  dissemination  and  utilisation  of  results,  and  with  the  inception  of 
specialised  dissemination  projects  within  Socrates.  But  the  evaluation  clearly 
demonstrates  that  these  efforts  do  not  go  far  enough  and  that  there  remains 
substantial  potential  resulting  from  the  actions  supported  under  the  programmes 
that is not widely known or acted on.  

–  There are flaws in legislative design of the programmes. The evaluators found a 
number  of  flaws  in  the  Socrates  and  Leonardo  da  Vinci  Decisions.  The  most 
important of these was the excessive detail included in the annexes concerning the 
implementation of the programme actions. These reflected the best attempt of the 
legislator in 1998/99 to provide in detail for projected needs and requirements up 
to  2006.  However  experience  has  showed  the  impossibility  of  predicting 
accurately  in  such  detail,  with  the  result  that  the  legislative  requirements  have 
increasingly  stood  in  the  way  of  adaptations  to  the  programmes  to  cater  for 
developments in the field of education and training. In one case the requirements 
were found to be so misconceived as to risk eliminating thousands of participants 
from  Socrates,  and  necessitated  an  amendment  to  the  Decision  adopted  by  the 
Parliament and the Council to remove the problem.  

These messages have been reflected in the design of the draft Decision. In particular: 

–  The  design  of  the  programme  Decision  has  been  conceived  so  as  to  maximise 
flexibility to adapt to new challenges during the  period 2007-13, by formulating 
actions in as generic a way as possible. 

–  The  introduction  of  an  integrated  programme  is  intended  to  maximise  scope  for 

synergy between the fields it covers.  

–  A higher proportion of the programme funds will be managed through the indirect 
centralised  procedure,  and  the  management  procedures  simplified,  notably 
through  creation  of  a  single  programme  committee  that  will  meet  in  different 
formations according to the subjects under consideration.  

–  The  need  for  stronger  links  with  the  policy  development  process  and  better 
dissemination  arrangements 
the  policy 
is  recognised 
development and dissemination Key Activities in the Transversal Programme.  

the  creation  of 

in 

EN 

60 

   EN 

 
As  far  as  greater  proportionality  in  financial  rules  is  concerned,  the  financial  and 
administrative annex to the draft Decision contains a number of interpretations of aspects of 
the Community Financial Regulation or its Implementing Rules, where these are provided for 
in  that  legislation.  In  order  for  the  Integrated  Programme  to  be  in  a  position  to  realise  its 
quantified  objectives,  however,  further  simplification  will  be  necessary.  This  may  take  the 
form either of amendments to the Financial Regulation or its Implementing Rules directly, or 
of additional provisions in the annex to this programme Decision which would have the effect 
of introducing limited amendments to particular provisions of the financial rules, applicable to 
financial operations under the Integrated Programme only. The Commission is undertaking a 
parallel exercise on financial simplification, and the necessary amendments will be proposed 
in the light of the outcome of that exercise.  

5.2. 

Action envisaged and budget intervention arrangements 

Methods of management  

For  the  management  of  this  programme,  the  Commission  plans  to  resort  to  two  forms  of 
externalisation,  delegating  the  management  of  certain  sections  of  the  programme,  in 
accordance with Article 54 of the Financial Regulation, either to national agencies, or to an 
executive  agency.  A  part  of  the  actions  will,  however,  remain  managed  in  the  Commission 
departments.  

Centralised indirect management through national agencies  

Recourse  to  national  agencies  is  required  firstly,  because  of  the  volume  of  interventions 
within the programme, in particular in the mobility actions: the Commission does not have the 
resources  to  manage  these  actions  within  its  services.  The  very  substantial  numbers  of 
beneficiaries  involved  have,  in  fact,  required  recourse  to  such  agencies  ever  since  the  very 
first  programmes  in  the  field  of  education  and  training;  this  model  has  slowly  been 
consolidated, and is at present fully recognised by the Financial Regulation.  

But there are also qualitative reasons for having recourse to national agencies. These agencies 
have  the  advantage  of  knowing  the  national  context  and  priorities;  they  can  create  a  more 
user-friendly  environment  for  the  final  beneficiaries;  they  can  provide  the  appropriate 
guarantees in a context of strengthened supervision (which includes a precise definition of the 
respective responsibilities of the Commission and of the national authorities on the issue). In 
addition, national agencies are often better placed than an institution at central European level 
to ensure an effective monitoring of the activities supported by the programme, since they are 
closer  to  final  beneficiaries  and  know  the  local  context  better.  They  also  constitute  an 
effective information relay at national level for the Community programme. 

The Commission considers that it is appropriate to decentralise actions where one or more of 
the following conditions apply:  

–  It  can  reasonably  be  assumed  that  a  rational  method  of  distributing  budgetary 
resources  between  Member  States  can  be  identified  that  will  match  the  rate  of 
occurrence of the activity across Member States; 

–  The actions themselves are small-scale or addressed to individuals, so that the full 

panoply of application and selection at European level is not warranted; 

EN 

61 

   EN 

 
–  The  actions  address  needs  specific  to  individual  Member  States,  and  should 
therefore respond to priorities set within that Member State if they are to have an 
appropriate impact on national policy and practice. 

On this basis, the main sections of the programme concerned by this approach are as follows:  

–  Mobility, partnership and preparatory visit actions within the Comenius, Erasmus, 
Leonardo and Grundtvig programmes (Article 19(1)(a) and (b),  Article 24(1)(a), 
Article 29(1)(a) and (b), and Article 34(1)(a) and (b)); 

–  Multilateral projects aimed at improving training systems through the transfer of 

innovation under Article 29(1)(c). 

Having  recourse  to  this  method  of  management  does  not  prejudice  the  visibility  of 
Community action; the agreements made with national agencies require them to indicate the 
support of the Union for the actions they manage. These agreements also set out requirements 
as regards non-discrimination in the grant of Community support, as well as the requirements 
for  avoiding  conflicts  of  interest.  In  accordance  with  the  communication  from  the 
Commission  to  the  European  Parliament  and  the  Council  relating  to  the  Community 
programme management by national agency networks40, national agency agreements will be 
covered by a Commission Decision adopting provisions setting out the responsibilities of the 
Commission  and  the  participating  countries  with  regard  to  national  agencies,  within  the 
overall context of the general guidelines for implementing the programme.  

Article 6.2 of the draft decision shows the criteria that it is proposed to use for the designation 
of national agencies by the authorities of participating countries.  

Centralised indirect management through an executive agency  

For other parts of the programme, the Commission plans to delegate to an executive agency. 
Such an agency is envisaged in the context of the current generation of education and culture 
programmes (generally to replace the technical assistance offices which have been maintained 
on a transitional basis); it is proposed to extend the life of this agency, so as also to delegate to 
it  management  tasks  relating  to  the  2007-2013  generation  of  programmes,  including  the 
Integrated Lifelong Learning programme  

The internal resources of the Commission are insufficient to meet the management needs of 
all  sections  of  the  programme  which  have  to  be  managed  centrally;  hence  the  need  under 
previous  programmes  to  have  recourse  first  to  technical  assistance  offices,  then  to  the 
executive agency. In addition, it would not be possible to go further with decentralization to 
national agencies than is currently envisaged; it would amount to delegating to these agencies 
the management of activities which would not meet the criteria set out above.  

Recourse to an executive agency thus constitutes a basis for sound management of centrally 
managed activities, making optimum use of resources. This approach is based on the idea that 
the administration should be re-centred on its core activities and priority functions, with the 
technical implementation of the programmes being carried out by a specialised entity with the 
necessary resources.  

40 

COM (2001) 648 final of 13.11.2001.  

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It is proposed that there should only be one executive agency to assist the Commission in the 
management  of  all  its  programmes  in  the  field  of  education  and  culture,  so  as  to  ensure 
consistency  in  treatment  and  procedure  throughout  the  various  programmes,  as  well  as 
economy.  A  cost-benefit  study  carried  out  before  the  creation  of  the  agency  for  the 
programmes of the current generation concluded that this was an economic approach.  

Direct management through Commission departments  

Activities managed centrally are not all equally strategic. Some are more sensitive than others 
(experimental  nature,  relationship  to  topical  political  questions,  recipients  concerned);  it  is 
appropriate that the Commission should retain direct management of a limited number of such 
projects. This element was taken into account in the distribution between the Commission and 
the  executive  agency  of  the  various  activities  to  be  managed  from  Brussels.  Managing  a 
certain number of projects within the Commission will also contribute to preserving a suitable 
level of know-how as regards project management, which will help guarantee the quality of 
supervision of the executive agency and the national agencies.  

Moreover,  the  management  of  those  parts  of  the  programme  entrusted  to  national  agencies 
will require significant resources at central level (setting the guidelines for national agencies, 
in accordance with the priorities adopted by the Commission; management of the contractual 
relations  between  the  Commission  and  national  agencies;  follow-up  and  supervision  of 
management by national agencies). However, it would not be desirable to entrust these tasks 
to  the  executive  agency,  i.e.  externalising  the  monitoring  of  another  externalisation.  It  has 
therefore been decided to regard the two externalization options – to an executive agency or to 
a  network  of  national  agencies  –  as  mutually  exclusive.  Similarly,  central  exploitation  of 
actions  managed  by  national  agencies  will  be  done  by  the  Commission  and  not  by  the 
executive agency.  

There will thus be three methods of management within the programme: management by an 
executive  agency;  management  by  national  agencies;  and  direct  management  by  the 
Commission.  

Each action will be managed by the method which is most suited to it, in the respect of the 
general guidelines on externalisation and while taking care to avoid any overlap with the other 
two  methods.  In  this  way,  the  coexistence  of  three  methods  of  management  will  not  create 
confusion.  Nonetheless,  where  appropriate,  procedures  and  tools  common  to  the  three 
methods  of  management  will  be  used.  In  addition,  the  Commission  will  consolidate 
programme management data, whatever the method of management used.  

5.2.1.  National Agency procedure actions 

This section presents sequentially the major National Agency procedure actions of each of the 
four  sectoral  programmes.  All  these  actions  will  be  implemented  via  National  Agencies  in 
each  Member  State,  which  are  responsible  for  selection  of  project  proposals  and  for  the 
allocation  of  Community  funds  within  a  contractual  framework  provided  with  the 
Commission.  

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Comenius 

Individual mobility 

Action 

Unit 

Unit cost 2004 (€)  Unit cost new 
programme (€) 

Volume of 
realisations 

Total cost (€mio) 

Cash prices (2004 prices in brackets) 

In-service training 
for teachers 

Grants to 
individuals 

Work-experience 
for future 
language teachers 

Grants to 
individuals 

1,400 

4,126 

Upper secondary 
pupil mobility 

Grants to 
individuals 

N/A (new) 

Preparatory visits  Grants to 

1,000 

individuals 

individual 

Total 
mobility 

2,176
 (1,900) 

5,616
 (4,900) 

2,316
(2,000) 

1,361
(1,200) 

101,829 

221.625 

16,450 

92.383 

6,691 

15.498 

20,885 

28.416 

145,856 

357.922 

The action consists of individual mobility grants for teachers and other school education staff, 
future  language  teachers  and  upper  secondary  pupils.  Four  different  types  of  mobility  are 
planned: 

1)  Teachers  undertaking  in-service  training  abroad.  This  type  of  mobility  is  currently 
available under Comenius 2.2.c. The duration of the training is from 1 to 4 weeks.  

2) Future foreign language teachers acquiring work experience in a school abroad. This type 
of mobility is currently available under Comenius 2.2.b. The duration of the training period is 
from 3 to 8 months. 

3)  Upper  secondary  pupils  following  courses  in  another  language  in  a  school  abroad.  This 
new type of mobility responds to the increasing demand from schools to have the opportunity 
to send individual pupils abroad for longer periods. The duration of the periods abroad will be 
up to one school year. 

4) Preparatory visits by school staff for the preparation of Comenius school partnerships. This 
type of mobility is currently available under Comenius 1. The duration of the visits is max. 1 
week. 

The grants are intended to support travel, accommodation and subsistence costs. Real costs of 
travel  are  covered  (economy  fare)  and  grantholders  get  a  daily  or  monthly  amount  for 
accommodation and subsistence costs. For in-service training, course fees are also covered by 
the grant. The grant levels for mobility types 1, 2 and 4 have been calculated on the basis of 
the current average level of these grants, taking into account a need for revised grant amounts 
for accommodation and subsistence.  

For the new type of pupil mobility, real costs of travel will be covered (economy fare) and a 
monthly amount will be granted for accommodation and subsistence. 

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School partnerships 

Action 

Unit 

Unit cost 2004 
(€) 

Unit cost new 
programme (€) 

Volume of 
realisations 

Total cost 
(€mio) 

Cash prices (2004 prices in brackets) 

Comenius 
partnerships 

Grants to 
individual 
participating 
schools 

14,200 

16,157
(14,200) 

64,266 

1,038.374 

Target: To involve at least one pupil in twenty in joint educational activities during the period 
of the programme. 

This  action  consists  of  activities  developed  jointly  by  several  schools,  including  both  local 
project  activities  in  each  school  and  various  types  of  cross  border  mobility,  including  class 
exchanges,  study  visits  and  project  meetings  involving  teachers  and  pupils.  The  standard 
duration  of  a  partnership  is  3  years.  The  funding  consists  of  a  lump-sum  amount  for  local 
project activities per school of €4,000, plus a variable amount for cross border mobility. The 
total grant continues to average €14,200 for a 3-year project.  

Erasmus 

Student mobility 

Action 

Unit 

Unit cost 2004 
(€) 

Unit cost new 
programme (€) 

Volume of 
realisations 

Total cost 
(€mio) 

Cash prices (2004 prices in brackets) 

Standard student 
mobility 

Grants to 
individuals 

Special student 
mobility 

Grants to 
individuals 

Grants to 
individuals 

Student 
placements in 
enterprises 

Total individual 
student mobility 

1,050 

N/A (new) 

2,200 

1,755
(1,542) 

11,404
(10,000) 

3,024
(2,649) 

1,721,262 

3,021.161 

77,834 

887.647 

210,318 

635.977 

2,009,414 

4,544.784 

Intensive 
programmes 

Grants to 
institutions 

21,000 

28,331
(25,002) 

1,610 

45.613 

Target: To contribute to the achievement by 2011 of at least 3 million individual participants 
in student mobility under Erasmus and its predecessor programmes 

The action consists of mobility of students and trainees for studies or training abroad in higher 
education  institutions,  as  well  as  placements  in  enterprises,  training  centres  or  other 
organisations. Three different types of mobility are planned:  

a)  Standard  mobility:  this  is  the  classical  type  of  mobility  which  has  existed  since  the 
programme’s  inception.  The  main  conditions  are:  study  periods  of  3  to  12  months,  full 

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recognition of studies and reintegration into the home university, waiver of tuition fees at the 
host institution, institutional agreements between sending and receiving institution.  

b) Special mobility: this type of mobility is intended inter alia for students enrolled in Joint 
European  Masters  programmes.  Conditions  will  be  more  flexible  and  individual  grants 
amounts will be higher than in standard mobility. 

c) Placements of students in undertakings: this type of mobility will be similar to placements 
under the current Leonardo programme. The placement duration will be up to 12 months.  

The grants are intended to help support travel, accommodation and subsistence costs. Because 
of the increase in demand has been consistently outstripping the availability of resources, the 
standard student grant has remained at an average of around €150 per month since 1993. In 
real  terms  this  represents  a  25%  cut  in  its  value,  and  acts  as  an  ever  larger  obstacle  to 
participation  of  less-privileged  students  in  the  programme.  The  proposal  is  therefore  to 
increase  the  average  standard  student  grant  to  €250  per  month  by  the  end  of  the  new 
programme.  

The placement grant represents an average of some €500 per month for subsistence costs. It is 
higher than the standard mobility grant mainly because students on placements in enterprises 
do  not  normally  have  access  to  subsidised  accommodation  or  services,  and  so  have  higher 
living costs. The new unit cost also provides for an increase in placement duration, in parallel 
with the increased duration envisaged for Leonardo placements (see below).  

Intensive  programmes  are  short-term  mobility  projects  organised  on  a  multilateral  basis  (eg 
'summer schools'), based around a single host university. Courses must be taught by teachers 
and attended by students from at least 3 different countries. These courses therefore combine 
student  and  teacher  mobility.  The  grant  is  a  contribution  towards  the  travel  and  subsistence 
costs  of  participating  students  and  teachers  and  the  organisation  costs.  The  unit  cost  takes 
account of the need for revised amounts for accommodation and subsistence.  

Teacher mobility 

Action 

Unit 

Unit cost 2004 
(€) 

Unit cost new 
programme (€) 

Volume of 
realisations 

Total cost 
(€mio) 

Cash prices (2004 prices in brackets) 

Short term teacher 
mobility 

Grants to 
individuals 

Long term teacher 
mobility 

Grants to 
individuals 

Mobility to 
undertakings 

Grants to 
individuals 

Total teacher 
mobility 

600 

N/A (new) 

1,200 

1,028
(900) 

11,427
(10,000) 

1,535
(1,348) 

279,513 

287.397 

3,384 

38.670 

28,493 

43.737 

303,390 

359.804 

This action consists of mobility of teaching staff in higher education institutions in order to 
teach or train in a partner institution abroad. Three types of mobility are planned:  

a) Short term mobility for teaching: teaching periods of 1 to 6 weeks, similar to the current 
Erasmus TS mobility; 

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b)  New  long  term  mobility  for  teaching:  teaching  periods  of  minimum  1  semester  and 
maximum 1 year - “Erasmus Sabbaticals”. These are full teaching and pedagogic programmes 
and combined with research ; preference will be given to teaching assignments which are part 
of  integrated  programmes  leading  to  joint  degrees  but  other  types  of  teaching  assignments 
will also be possible. 

c)  Mobility  in  co-operation  with  undertakings.  This  involves  teaching  staff  of  higher 
education  institutions  going  for  teaching  assignments  or  periods  of  practical  training  in 
enterprises or training institutions for periods of 1 to 6 weeks. 

The  grants  are  intended  to  help  support  travel  and  subsistence  costs.  The  experience  with 
short-term  mobility  shows  that  too  much  financial  effort  is  required  from  the  sending 
institution  to  supplement  the  very  low  Erasmus  grants,  and  that  this  is  a  serious  obstacle  to 
participation, so a substantial increase is proposed. The grant for long-term mobility has been 
calculated on the basis of an allowance of €1,200 per month. 

Other staff mobility 

Action 

Unit 

Unit cost 2004 
(€) 

Unit cost new 
programme (€) 

Volume of 
realisations 

Total cost 
(€mio) 

Other staff 
mobility 

Grants to 
individuals 

1,200 

1,583
(1,400) 

36,440 

57.674 

Cash prices (2004 prices in brackets) 

This action consists of mobility of other (non-teaching) staff in higher education institutions 
and staff of enterprises for purposes of training or teaching. Two broad types of mobility are 
planned  :  a)  mobility  of  administrative  or  other  non-teaching  staff  of  higher  education 
institutions  for  purposes  of  following  practical  training  either  in  an  enterprise  or  in  another 
higher  education  institution  ;  b)  mobility  of  staff  of  enterprises  for  purposes  of  transfer  of 
knowledge  or  research  results  or  for  teaching.  This  includes  in  particular  human  resources 
managers,  training  planners  and  managers,  trainers,  occupational  guidance  specialists, 
managers, etc.  

This  action  is  a  continuation  and  extension  of  the  current  “exchanges”  action  under  the 
Leonardo  da  Vinci  programme.  The  mobility  periods  will  last  between  1  and  6  weeks.  The 
grants are intended to help support travel and subsistence costs. The average grant has been 
modestly increased to allow for revised accommodation and subsistence costs.  

Organisation of mobility 

Cash prices (2004 prices in brackets) 

Action 

Unit 

Unit cost 2004 
(€) 

Unit cost new 
programme (€) 

Volume of 
realisations 

Total cost 
(€mio) 

Organisation of 
mobility  

Grants to 
institutions 

Intensive 
language courses 

Grants to 
institutions 

9,300 

6,000 

29,988
(26,279) 

8,119
(7,115) 

17,500 

524.795 

2,555 

20.745 

The “Organisation of mobility” action consists of grants to the higher education institution or 
enterprises  sending  and/or  receiving  mobile  students  and  teachers,  to  support  the  cost  of 

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making the necessary provisions for high-quality mobility. These include: language courses, 
academic  and  organisational  arrangements  with  partner  institutions,  including  credit 
recognition and transfer arrangements, practical support for incoming students, etc. The grants 
will  be  modulated  in  proportion  to  the  volume  of  mobility  handled  by  the  higher  education 
institution or enterprise. The increase in the average unit cost reflects the additional workload 
for universities generated by the substantial increase in Erasmus student and teacher numbers. 

Erasmus intensive language courses (EILC) are tailor-made for Erasmus students at the host 
country.  The  emphasis  is  on  diversification  of  the  offer  of  language  training,  with  effort 
targeted on the less widely used languages. The purpose is to prepare the incoming students in 
the  language  of  the  host  country.  The  grants  to  institutions  are  managed  via  the  National 
Agencies  and  cover  part  of  the  organisation  costs  incurred  by  the  institution.  The  students 
attending  the  course  receive  an  extra  month’s  grant.  A  moderate  increase  in  unit  cost  is 
planned to reflect revised accommodation and subsistence costs.  

Leonardo da Vinci 

Trainee placements 

Action 

Unit 

Unit cost 2004 
(€) 

Unit cost new 
programme (€) 

Volume of 
realisations 

Total cost 
(€mio) 

Trainee 
placements 

Grants to 
individuals 

1,950 

3,644
(3,186) 

721,772 

2,630.123 

Cash prices (2004 prices in brackets) 

Target:  To increase placements  in enterprises to at least 150,000 per year  by the end of the 
programme 

This action consists of placements of persons in vocational education and training (VET) in 
business  sector  or  vocational  training  institutions  abroad,  and  is  funded  through  individual 
grants disbursed via mobility projects. The target groups of this action are: persons in initial 
vocational  training,  who  undertake  short  placements  in  the  framework  of  a  training 
programme,  and  young  workers  (i.e.  people  who  have  completed  their  training  or  studies), 
who undertake longer-term placements in businesses. The purpose is to give the opportunity 
to people who enter the labour market to undertake an in-service training in another European 
country, 
through  experience  of  different  work 
methodologies  and  approaches.  The  placements  last  between  3  and  52  weeks;  the  average 
duration is presently around 6 weeks for persons in IVT (average unit cost €1,250) and around 
4 months for young workers (average unit cost €2,950) . 

their  employability 

improving 

thus 

The  grants  are  intended  to  help  support  travel,  insurance  (linked  to  the  work-place  such  as 
civil liability, or accident), accommodation and subsistence costs. They also include the costs 
for  pedagogical,  linguistic  and  cultural  preparation  as  well  as  for  the  management  of  the 
projects by the promoter. There is a demand for longer placements and for a broader opening 
of  the  programme  to  young  workers.  The  intention  is  to  increase  the  duration  of  the  stays 
abroad by two months for both target groups, i.e. to 4 months in average for persons in IVT 
and to 6 months in average for young workers. It is anticipated that the share of total mobility 
represented by young workers will increase steadily during the new programme, thus raising 
the average unit cost too. These factors explain the increase of the average unit cost in relation 
to 2004.  

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As  reinforcing  the  quality  of  Leonardo  mobility  remains  one  of  the  main  objectives  of  the 
programme, it is also intended to take some further action to tackle some present weaknesses, 
such as for example allowing preparatory visits for project partners if needed, offering help in 
partner search in order to find partners of good quality abroad, some monetary compensation 
for  the  necessary  tutoring  and  mentoring,  especially  for  SMEs  receiving  young  trainees  on 
Leonardo placements.  

Trainer mobility 

Action 

Unit 

Unit cost 2004 
(€) 

Unit cost new 
programme (€) 

Volume of 
realisations 

Total cost 
(€mio) 

Mobility of 
trainers 

Grants to 
individuals 

1,200 

1,584
(1,400) 

132,000 

209.057 

Cash prices (2004 prices in brackets) 

This action consists of mobility of teaching staff in VET or of persons responsible for VET 
(including language training). It is organised in cooperation between training institutions and 
businesses  with  the  objective  of  transfer  of  competencies  and  innovative  methods  and 
practices,  sharing  of  knowledge  and  experience  in  different  countries  and  organisational 
contexts.  It  applies  to  teaching  and  administrative  staff  responsible  for  human  resources  or 
vocational training planning, vocational guidance specialists (eg within learning providers or 
the  business  sector),  and  language  trainers.  Mobility  lasts  for  between  1  and  6  weeks;  the 
average duration is 2 weeks 

The grants are intended to help support travel, accommodation and subsistence costs. Some 5-
10%  of  the  grant  is  available  to  support  costs  for  preparation  (if  needed)  and  management 
costs. The unit cost is calculated on the basis of a daily subsistence allowance of 100 € per 
person  plus  the  travel  costs  for  an  average  2-week  stay,  reflecting  slightly  increased 
accommodation and subsistence costs.  

Projects for the development and transfer of innovation  

Cash prices (2004 prices in brackets) 

Action 

Unit 

Unit cost 2004 
(€) 

Unit cost new 
programme (€) 

Volume of 
realisations 

Total cost 
(€mio) 

Transfer of 
innovation 
projects 

Grants to 
institutions 
coordinating 
projects 

320,000 
(procedure B pilot 
projects) 

281,893
(250,000) 

2,500 

704.733 

These  transnational  cooperation  projects  aim  to  improve  the  quality  of  training  systems 
through  the  development  and  transfer  of  innovation  and  good  practice  from  elsewhere  in 
Europe.  They  will  involve  learning  providers,  associations/institutions  involved  in  VET, 
social  partners,  chambers  of  commerce,  trade  organisations,  bodies  providing  guidance  and 
counselling,  research  centres,  NGOs,  etc.  Minimum  participation  will  be  3  partners  from 
different countries. Compared to the pilot projects currently funded under Leonardo da Vinci, 
the  new  type  of  project  will  have  a  smaller  size.  Following  final  selection  decision  by  the 
Commission, grants will be awarded by National Agencies to the coordinating institution for 
the project, who will be responsible for distributing funds to the partners in accordance with 
an approved workplan and budget. The normal duration of theses projects is 2-3 years. Grants 

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will cover the costs of development and adaptation of products, and they will include travel 
and meeting costs for the partners. 

Grundtvig 

Individual mobility 

Action 

Unit 

Unit cost 2004 
(€) 

Unit cost new 
programme (€) 

Volume of 
realisations 

Total cost 
(€mio) 

Cash prices (2004 prices in brackets) 

Adult education 
staff mobility 

Grants to 
individuals 

Adult learner 
mobility 

Grants to 
individuals 

European 
Assistants 

Grants to 
individuals 

Total Grundtvig 
mobility 

1,000 

New 

New 

2,281
(2,000) 

1,397
(1,200) 

5,771
(5,000) 

20,540 

46.858 

58,500 

81.734 

5,850 

33.759 

84,890 

162.351 

Target: To support the mobility of at least 25,000 individuals involved in adult education per 
year by 2013 

Adult education staff mobility consists of grants to enable individual adult education staff of 
any category (1) to attend formal or non-formal, initial or further training activities, or (2) to 
carry out teaching or study visits to other European countries. Mobility periods can last up to 
one year, but the average duration is expected to be just over two weeks. The action is based 
on  the  current  mobility  scheme  in  Grundtvig.  The  increase  in  unit  cost  reflects  the 
introduction of longer duration mobility and the reinforcement of language preparation where 
appropriate; it also includes provision for course fees, where payable.  

Adult learner mobility is a new action consisting of grants to enable adult learners (singly or 
in groups) to visit another European country for various types of formal or non-formal adult 
education  activities,  including  notably  (1)  European  Study  Circles  (residential  seminars 
bringing together adults as learners and informal teachers from several European countries); 
(2)  European  Adult  Volunteer  Scheme  (opportunities  for  adults  and  in  particular  senior 
citizens to bring their experience to bear in contributing as learning facilitators to the further 
development of civil society in other European countries). The minimum duration is 1 week ; 
maximum  1  month.  The  unit  cost  assumes  travel  costs  of  €350  and  subsistence  costs  for  9 
days. 

Grundtvig European Assistantships is a new action consisting of grants to enable young adult 
educators to undertake an assistantship in a formal or non-formal adult education organisation 
in  another  European  country  for  the  dual  purpose  of  (1)  developing  the  host  institution's 
European  dimension  through  assisting  in  the  teaching  of  courses  on  languages/area  studies, 
and (2) contributing to the assistant's professional development. They will cover young people 
having  undergone  or  currently  completing  training  and  intending  to  have  a  professional 
involvement in adult education. The minimum duration is 3 months ; maximum 1 year. The 
unit cost is based on the assumption of travel costs of €300 plus a monthly grant of €700 for 
an average stay of 6.7 months.  

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Partnerships 

Action 

Unit 

Unit cost 2004 
(€) 

Unit cost new 
programme (€) 

Volume of 
realisations 

Total cost 
(€mio) 

Cash prices (2004 prices in brackets) 

Grundtvig 
partnerships 

Grants to 
individual 
participating 
organisations 

8,000 

11,351
(10,000) 

19,214 

218.101 

Grundtvig partnerships are designed to encourage organisations involved in adult education, 
particularly at local level, to collaborate with partners in other European countries on (usually 
small-scale) projects addressing topics of mutual interest, thereby strengthening the European 
dimension of their work. Activities include joint meetings, seminars and fieldwork, exchanges 
of  staff  and  learners,  joint  cultural  events  and  exhibitions,  and  collaboration  via  ICT.  They 
cover  all  types  of  organisations  involved  in  providing  or  facilitating  formal  or  non-formal 
learning opportunities for adults. Projects may last between 1 and 3 years, the average being 
2.5 years. The grant is composed of a lump sum for basic activities plus a variable amount for 
visits,  European  courses,  and  exchanges  of  staff  and  learners  within  the  partnership, 
depending on its specific profile of activities. The increase in unit cost reflects an increased 
number of adult educators being exchanged and the introduction of courses on Europe as an 
additional activity from 2009. 

Transversal programme 

Indirect centralised dissemination projects 

Action 

Unit 

Unit cost 2004 
(€) 

Unit cost new 
programme (€) 

Volume of 
realisations 

Total cost 
(€mio) 

Dissemination 
projects 

Grants to 
coordinating 
organisations 

N/A (new) 

112,504
(98,661) 

350 

39.376 

Cash prices (2004 prices in brackets) 

These projects will focus on the transfer of products, results and good practice achieved under 
the  Integrated  Programme  or  its  predecessors  from  one  country  or  group  of  countries  to 
another. Because the essence of the activity is the adaptation of existing products, results etc 
to  function  in  a  particular  national  context,  such  projects  should  most  appropriately  be 
managed  through  National  Agencies  rather  than  centrally.  Projects  normally  will  last  2-3 
years. Grants will be distributed via the organisation coordinating the project and are expected 
to average EUR 10,000 per year per participant. 

5.2.2.  Commission procedure actions 

This  section  focuses  on  the  actions  of  the  programme  managed  through  the  Commission 
procedure,  which  are  characterised  by  their  strong  multilateral  dimension  and  are  generally 
larger-scale  than  the  National  Agency  procedure  actions,  through  far  smaller  in  overall 
volume,  representing  some  18%  of  programme  expenditure.  Such  actions  will  be 
administered  by  the  Commission,  which  may  delegate  some  management  functions  to  the 
Executive Agency established for the purpose.  

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This section presents Commission procedure actions grouped by type, rather than organised 
by programme, in interests of legibility and because the structures and cost bases of each type 
of action are relatively homogeneous across all the programmes.  

Multilateral projects 

Action 

Unit 

Unit cost 2004 
(€) 

Unit cost new 
programme (€) 

Volume of 
realisations 

Total cost 
(€mio) 

Cash prices (2004 prices in brackets) 

Project grant 

Project grant 

Project grant 

Erasmus 
Curriculum 
Development & 
HEI/enterprise 
projects 

Comenius, 
Grundtvig, Policy, 
Language projects 

Policy, Language 
and innovation 
projects 

Total projects 

150.728
(132.280) 

323,822
(286,213) 

962,782
(854,542) 

1,400 

211.019 

1,113 

360.414 

245 

235.882 

2,758 

807.315 

(a) 

Smaller-scale Erasmus projects. These are  

(i)  Curriculum Development projects, based on the identical action in the existing 
Erasmus  programme,  where  universities  work  together  to  produce  either  an  entire 
new  course  or  a  module  for  incorporation  in  existing  courses.  Such  projects  will 
typically involve 5 to 10 higher education institutions and will last 2 or 3 years.  

(ii)  University/enterprise projects. These new projects are designed to fostering co-
operation between higher education institutions and enterprises. 

(iii)  Multilateral  projects  aimed  at  innovation  and  experimentation  in  the  other 
areas mentioned in the specific and operational objectives of the programme and the 
annual call for proposals. They will involve at least 3 higher education institutions, 
with a normal duration of 2 years.  

(b)  Medium-sized  projects  within  Comenius,  Leonardo  and  Grundtvig.  These  cover,  for 
instance,  joint  projects  between  4  or  5  institutions  to  update  materials,  methods  or  training 
used in the field of school or adult education; or projects bringing specialist language teaching 
institutions  together  to  develop  new  language  teaching  or  training  materials.  Such  projects 
will typically involve between 5 and 10 partners and will last between 2 and 3 years.  

(c) 
A smaller number of large projects, designed to promote innovation and experimental 
approaches  in  the  different  areas  of  the  programme,  including  in  the  field  of  policy 
development  at  European  level.  These  would  include  projects  aimed  at  the  creation, 
experimentation and testing of new tools and approaches with a high impact in the fields of 
vocational  education  and  training  or  adult  education;  projects  focusing  on  the  creation  and 
provision  of  online  language  courses,  particularly  in  less  widely  used  and  less  taught 
languages; etc. These projects will also last 2, 3 or more years, and will typically involve a 
significantly larger number of partners – some 25-30 on average.  

EN 

72 

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Networks 

Action 

Unit 

Unit cost 2004 
(€) 

Unit cost new 
programme (€) 

Volume of 
realisations 

Total cost 
(€mio) 

Cash prices (2004 prices in brackets) 

Network grant 

Network grant 

450,000 

331,824
(294,047) 

1,242,261
(1,090,221) 

“Standard” 
networks 

Erasmus 
Thematic 
Networks 

Total networks 

917 

304.283 

98 

121.742 

1,015 

426.025 

This activity consists of Community support for European networks of organisations active in 
different sectors of education and training. The aim of such networks, which usually include 
members  from  every  Member  State,  is  to  facilitate  the  exchange  of  practices  among 
specialists  and  to  foster  reflection  at  European  level  on  some  key  transversal  issues  in  the 
field of education and training.  

“Standard”  networks  are  found  in  Comenius,  Leonardo,  Grundtvig  and  in  the 
(a) 
transversal  programmes.  These  large-scale  networks,  each  in  a  given  thematic  area  of 
importance,  are  designed  to  act  as  a  forum  for  ongoing  and  needs  analysis,  to  promote 
interaction  between  projects  and  partnerships,  and  to  disseminate  project  outputs  and  good 
practice across Europe. As a general  rule,  all participating countries are represented in each 
network  by  the  end  of  the  work  programme,  but  Comenius  and  Grundtvig  networks  can  be 
smaller.  This  action  also  covers  the  Eurydice  network,  for  the  analysis  of  data  relating  to 
education  in  Europe,  and  the  National  Academic  Recognition  Centres  (NARICs)  which 
facilitate the recognition of higher education qualifications between countries.  

(b) 
Erasmus  “Thematic  Networks”.  These  are  very  large-scale  actions  acting  as  think-
tanks  for  opinion  leaders  from  academia  and  society,  representing  a  discipline  or  cross-
disciplinary field of teaching and learning. They involve universities, other higher education 
institutions, research bodies, professional associations, employers, trade unions, international 
organisations,  NGOs,  independent  experts  and  public  authorities  (including  links  with  EU 
policies  in  the  field  concerned,  like  human  rights,  consumer  protection,  environment,  etc.). 
Each  Thematic  Network  project  lasts  three  years  and  it  involves  institutions  from  all 
participating  countries  ;  the  average  number  of  partners  is  60.  The  increase  in  unit  cost 
provides  for  an  expansion  of  the  number  of  partners  and  activities  of  thematic  networks  in 
response in particular to the Bologna process.  

Observation, statistics, indicators 

Action 

Unit 

Unit cost 2004 
(€) 

Unit cost new 
programme (€) 

Volume of 
realisations 

Total cost 
(€mio) 

Observation, 
statistics, etc 

Grants and 
tenders 

278,028
(246,684) 

700 

194.620 

Cash prices (2004 prices in brackets) 

EN 

73 

   EN 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
This activity comprises: 

(a) 
the collection and analysis of statistics and indicators in key policy areas, notably in 
the  context  of  the  Objectives  Process  following  up  the  Lisbon  goals,  the  operation  of  a 
languages indicator to measure progress towards the Barcelona objective of mother tongue + 
two  languages,  etc.  The  unit  will  vary  according  to  the  activity  concerned,  but  may  include 
market  tenders  for  the  collection  and  analysis  of  data,  as  well  as  grants  for  projects  in  the 
field.  

(b) 
support for studies in the field of education and training, focusing on areas of policy 
importance for the European Union. It builds on the existing studies actions of Socrates and 
Leonardo da Vinci. 

Accompanying Measures 

Action 

Unit 

Unit cost 2004 
(€) 

Unit cost new 
programme (€) 

Volume of 
realisations 

Total cost 
(€mio) 

Cash prices (2004 prices in brackets) 

Standard 
Accompanying 
Measures 

Project grant 

Other supporting 
activities 

Project grant and 
tenders 

Total 
Accompanying 
Measures 

98,322
(86,323)

154,369
(136,966) 

637 

62.631 

994 

153.443 

1,631 

216.074 

Standard Accompanying Measures consist of projects that are otherwise not eligible under the 
main  actions  of  the  programme,  such  as  the  organisation  of  conferences  or  seminars,  the 
establishment  of  new  European  associations  etc.  The  action  carries  forward  the  existing 
Accompanying Measures actions of the Socrates and Leonardo da Vinci programmes.  

In  addition,  this  heading  covers  support  for  Community  initiatives  such  as  Europass  and 
Euroguidance and the maintenance of the Ploteus database, which are not covered elsewhere 
within  the  Integrated  Programme,  and  a  series  of  initiatives  related  to  language  learning, 
including  the  allocation  of  European  Language  Prizes,  awareness-raising  events  organised 
jointly  with  national  media,  the  operation  of  a  European  language  indicator  to  measure 
progress towards the Barcelona objective, and an annual language conference.  

EN 

74 

   EN 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Jean Monnet Programme 

Action 

Unit 

Unit cost 2004 
(€) 

Unit cost new 
programme (€) 

Volume of 
realisations 

Total cost 
(€mio) 

Cash prices (2004 prices in brackets) 

Jean Monnet 
Action 

Project grant 

Operating grant 

2,285,000 

Operating grant 

Named European 
institutions 

Other European 
institutions and 
associations 

Total Jean 
Monnet 

39,813
(35,325) 

4,760,827
(4,213,120) 

665,242
(590,253) 

2,051 

81.656 

28 

84 

133.303 

55.880 

2,163 

270.840 

The Jean Monnet programme consists of three actions: 

(a) 
The “Jean Monnet Action” itself, which supports networks and projects at university 
level to promote the teaching of, research into and reflection on European integration within 
higher education. In contrast to the remainder of the Integrated Programme, the Jean Monnet 
Action  has  worldwide  coverage.  The  sub-actions  include  support  for  conferences  and 
dialogue,  for  the  establishment  of  Jean  Monnet  chairs,  Jean  Monnet  Centres  of  Excellence 
and  other  teaching  activities,  for  research  networks,  for  national  associations  of  university 
lecturers and researchers involved in European integration studies, and for networks of young 
researchers in the field. 

(b) 
Community  support  for  four  European  institutions  in  education  and  training:  the 
College  of  Europe  –  Bruges  and  Natolin  campuses;  the  European  University  Institute, 
Florence;  the  Academy  of  European  Law,  Trier;  the  European  Institute  of  Public 
Administration,  Maastricht.  The  increase  in  unit  cost  reflects  the  larger  role  anticipated  for 
these  institutions  in  the  new  programme  period,  and  the  establishment  of  a  new  graduate 
college at Florence.  

Community support for other European institutions and associations in education and 
(c) 
training.  This  action  will  cover  the  award  of  some  twelve  operating  grants  per  year  to 
associations and institutions in the field, selected following an open call for proposals.  

EN 

75 

   EN 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
5.2.3.  Programme-related operational activities 

Cash prices (2004 prices in brackets) 

Action 

Unit 

Unit cost 2004 
(€) 

Unit cost new 
programme (€) 

Volume of 
realisations 

Total cost 
(€mio) 

National Agencies  Operating grant 

245,720 

822.343
(723,810) 

525 

431.730 

Information & 
publications 

Grants 

New 

19,447 

1,750 

34.033 

Evaluation 

Tenders 

330,000 

486.964
(428,571) 

28 

13.635 

Total operational 

479.399 

This activity consists of essential programme-related operational activities, notably: 

1) 
The allocation of operating grants to the National Agencies designated by the Member 
States  to  handle  the  indirect  centralised  actions  of  the  new  programme  under  the  “National 
Agency procedure”. As set out in the draft Decision, this contribution may cover up to 50% of 
eligible costs of these agencies. The profile includes a rising unit cost across the seven-year 
period  of  the  programme,  reflecting  the  very  substantial  increase  in  the  volume  of  activity 
with which the agencies will deal (in excess of 300% by 2013). The Commission assumes that 
the  bulk  of  the  increase  in  workload  for  the  National  Agencies  will  occur  in  Comenius, 
Leonardo  da  Vinci  and  Grundtvig,  where  an  increase  in  volume  will  tend  to  result  in  a 
corresponding  increase  in  the  number  of  grant  agreements.  In  the  case  of  Erasmus,  the 
volume-related  increase  in  workload  is  likely  to  be  more  marginal  since  the  majority  of 
universities  already  participate  in  the  programme  (but  the  transfer  of  advanced  vocational 
placements from Leonardo to Erasmus will represent a new area of activity for the agencies 
concerned). 

Support for information and publications relating to the products and outcomes of the 
2) 
programme.  This  is  complementary  to  the  dissemination  key  action  of  the  transversal 
programme, and will address the issue of lack of information about programme achievements 
and opportunities highlighted in the interim evaluations of Socrates and Leonardo da Vinci. 

3) 
Funding for external evaluations of the Integrated Programme, which are an essential 
to  fulfil  the  Commission’s  monitoring  and  evaluation  obligations  as  set  out  in  the  draft 
Decision.  The  increase  in  unit  cost  reflects  the  larger  scale  of  the  evaluation  task  for  the 
proposed new programme, given the planned increase in its range of volume of activity. 

5.3.  Methods of implementation 

Mobility,  partnership  and  some  project  actions  (82%  of  the  programme  budget)  will  be 
implemented by the Commission and National Agencies in the participating countries using 
the indirect centralised management model set out in the Financial Regulation.  

The remaining 18% will be implemented centrally, either directly by the Commission and/or 
via an Executive Agency established for the purpose.  

EN 

76 

   EN 

 
 
 
 
 
 
6. 

FINANCIAL IMPACT 

6.1. 

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

6.1.1.  Financial intervention 

2007 

2008 

2009 

2010 

2011 

2012 

2013 

Total

Commitments (cash prices) 

Comenius  

142.357 

159.506 

182.706 

221.048 

269.569 

308.225 

328.633 

1,612.044

Erasmus 

500.113 

595.701 

693.686 

795.151 

940.487  1,070.948  1,333.659 

5,929.746

Leonardo 

320.485 

343.131 

414.030 

488.754 

589.276 

726.429 

767.249 

3,649.355

Grundtvig 

48.285 

50.658 

67.459 

83.449 

98.557 

114.237 

130.504 

593.149

Transversal 

101.644 

115.938 

123.187 

124.889 

122.335 

120.611 

122.135 

830.739

Jean Monnet 

34.116 

35.608 

37.972 

38.732 

40.652 

41.465 

42.295 

270.840

Operational 

41.387 

53.580 

61.829 

69.259 

76.962 

84.359 

92.022 

479.399

Total 

1,188.387  1,354.122  1,580.870  1,821.283  2,137.838  2,466.274  2,816.497  13,365.271

EN 

77 

   EN 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
6.1.2.  Technical  and  administrative  assistance,  support  expenditure  and  IT  expenditure 

(commitment appropriations) 

2007 

2008 

2009 

2010 

2011 

2012 

2013 

Total 

Commitments (cash prices) 

1) Technical and administrative assistance 

a)  Executive 
Agency 

b) Other TAA: 

- intra muros: 

- extra muros: 

Symmetry 

Audits 

Other informatics 
assistance 

Experts – project 
evaluations 

19.286 

22.519 

25.613 

26.126 

26.648 

27.183 

27.727 

175.101 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

1.248 

0.787 

1.273 

0.802 

1.299 

0.818 

1.325 

0.835 

1.351 

0.851 

1.378 

0.868 

1.406 

0.886 

9.282 

5.847 

1.561 

1.592 

1.624 

1.656 

1.689 

1.723 

1.757 

11.602 

1.248 

1.380 

1.548 

1.579 

1.610 

1.643 

1.675 

10.683 

Subtotal 1 

24.130 

27.566 

30.901 

31.521 

32.150 

32.795 

33.452 

212.515 

2) Support expenditure 

a) Studies 

b) Meetings of 
experts 

c) Information and 
publications 

d)  Other 

Subtotal 2 

TOTAL 

0.520 

0.637 

0.758 

0.828 

0.845 

0.862 

0.879 

5.328 

1.040 

1.061 

1.082 

1.104 

1.126 

1.149 

1.172 

7.735 

5.202 

3.184 

3.247 

3.312 

3.378 

3.446 

3.515 

25.285 

0.520 

7.283 

0.531 

5.412 

0.541 

5.629 

0.552 

5.796 

0.563 

5.912 

0.574 

6.031 

0.586 

3.867 

6.151 

42.214 

31.413 

32.978 

36.530 

37.317 

38.062 

38.826 

39.603 

254.729 

These  costs  include  the  programme  contribution  to  the  operating  costs  of  the  proposed 
Education  and  Culture  Executive  Agency,  in  particular  the  personnel  costs  relating  to  this 
programme.  These  personnel  costs  correspond  to  140  staff  (secondments  and  temporary 
agents, and contractual staff) in 2007, and 186 staff in 2013. The increase in human resources 
across this period reflects the increase in the volume of activity to be managed by the Agency, 
corresponding to the planned increase in the volume of operational credits to be managed in 
the  centralised  (Commission  procedure)  actions  of  200%  by  the  end  of  the  programme 
compared with 2006. 

EN 

78 

   EN 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
6.2. 

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

Breakdown  

Type  
of outputs 
(projects, files ) 

Number of 
outputs 

Average unit 
cost 

(total for years 
2007-2013)  

Total cost 

(total for years 
2007-2013)  

Commitments (cash prices) 

Comenius 
In-service training for teachers 

for 

future 

school  pupil 

Work-experience 
language teachers 
Upper 
secondary 
mobility 
Preparatory visits 

Partnerships 

Projects 
Networks 
Accompanying measures 
Total Comenius 

Erasmus 
Intensive programmes 

Intensive language courses 

Standard student mobility 

Special student mobility 

Student placements 

Short-term teacher mobility 

Long-term teacher mobility 

Teacher mobility to undertakings 

Other staff mobility 

Organisation of mobility 

Multilateral projects 
Thematic networks 
Accompanying measures 
Total Erasmus 

Leonardo da Vinci 
Trainee placements 

Trainer mobility 

Innovation transfer projects 

Individual 
mobility 
Individual 
mobility 
Individual 
mobility 
Individual 
mobility 
Project + 
mobility 
Project 
Project 
Project 

Project + 
mobility 
Project + 
mobility 
Individual 
mobility 
Individual 
mobility 
Individual 
mobility 
Individual 
mobility 
Individual 
mobility 
Individual 
mobility 
Individual 
mobility 
Grant to 
organisers 
Project 
Project 
Project 

Individual 
mobility 
Individual 
mobility 
Project 

77,834 

11,372 

101,829 

16,450 

6,691 

20,885 

64,266 

420 
126 
126 

1,610 

2,555 

1,721,262 

210,318 

279,513 

3,384 

28,493 

36,440 

17,500 

1,400 
98 
224 

721,772 

132,000 

2,176 

5,616 

2,316 

1,361 

221.625 

92.383 

15.498 

28.416 

16,157 

1,038.374 

322,853 
538,088 
98,021 

28,331 

8,119 

1,750 

3,015 

1,025 

11,394 

1,531 

1,579 

150,728 
1,242,261 
149,871 

3,644 

1,584 

135.598 
67.799 
12.351 
1,612.044 

45.613 

20.745 

3,021.161 

887.647 

635.977 

287.397 

38.670 

43.737 

57.674 

211.019 
121.742 
33.571 
5,929.746 

2,630.123 

209.057 

704.733 

29,988 

524.795 

EN 

79 

   EN 

2,500 

281,893 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Networks 
Accompanying measures 
Total Leonardo  

Grundtvig 
European Assistantships 

Adult learner mobility 

Staff training mobility 

Learning partnerships 

Cooperation projects 
Innovation projects 
Networks 
Accompanying measures 
Total Grundtvig 

Transversal programme: KA1 
ARION study visits 

Cedefop study visits 

Experimental projects 
Innovation projects 
Standing conferences 
Eurydice 
NARICS 
Statistics and indicators 
Studies and comparative research 
Accompanying Measures 
Databases 
Euroguidance 
Europass 
Total Key Activity 1 

language 

for 

tools 

Transversal programme: KA2 
New language materials 
Online courses 
Training 
teachers 
Web portal 
Networks 
Awareness raising 
Competence tests 
Conferences 
European language label 
Total Key Activity 2 

Transversal programme: KA3 
Multilateral projects 
Networks 
ICT development monitoring 
Total Key Activity 3 

Transversal programme: KA4 
National projects 

Project 
Project 

Individual 
mobility 
Individual 
mobility 
Individual 
mobility 
Project + 
mobility 
Project 
Project 
Project 
Project 

Individual 
mobility 
Individual 
mobility 
Project 
Project 
Project 
Project 
Project 
Project 
Project 
Project 
Project 
Project 
Project 

Project 
Project 
Project 

Project 
Project 
Project 
Project 
Project 
Project 

Project 
Project 
Project 

175 
105 

567,717 
58,007 

99.351 
6.091 
3,649.355 

5,850 

58,500 

20,540 

11,351 

560 
21 
56 
182 

17,578 

17,578 

49 
21 
35 
217 
210 
133 
189 
350 
21 
210 
196 

42 
14 
42 

7 
21 
28 
7 
7 
175 

140 
70 
28 

5,771 

1,397 

2,281 

19,214 

281,797 
643,022 
549,435 
58,343 

1,352 

1,352 

416,210 
1,109,892 
665,935 
196,916 
25,547 
657,173 
443,957 
49,945 
138,737 
92,491 
158,556 

554,946 
2,219,784 
554,946 

416,210 
416,210 
1,664,838 
2,497,257 
416,210 
88,791 

840,101 
332,968 
554,946 

33.759 

81.734 

46.858 

218.101 

157.806 
13.503 
30.768 
10.618 
593.149 

23.774 

23.774 

20.394 
23.308 
23.308 
42.731 
5.365 
87.404 
83.908 
17.481 
2.913 
19.423 
31.077 
404.859 

23.308 
31.077 
23.308 

2.913 
8.740 
46.615 
17.481 
2.913 
15.538 
171.895 

117.614 
23.308 
15.538 
156.460 

Project 

350 

112,504 

39.376 

EN 

80 

   EN 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Multilateral projects 
Studies 
Total Key Activity 4 
Total Transversal programme 

Project 
Project 

Jean  Monnet  programme:  Jean 
Monnet Action 
Conferences and dialogue 
National Associations 
Research 
Teaching 
Young researchers 
Total Jean Monnet Action 

Project 
Project 
Project 
Project 
Project 

49 
350 

1,028,151 
22,198 

231 
70 
70 
980 
700 

61,304 
22,487 
168,653 
36,742 
22,487 

50.379 
7.769 
97.525 
830.739 

14.161 
1.574 
11.806 
36.007 
15.741 
79.289 

Jean  Monnet  programme:  Named 
institutions 
4 institutions 

Jean  Monnet  programme:  Other 
institutions and associations 
Institutions 
Associations 
Total  other 
associations 
Total Jean Monnet programme 

institutions  and 

Programme-related operational 

TOTAL COST 

Operating grant 

28 

4,760,827 

133.303 

Operating grant 
Operating grant 

35 
49 

1,124,352 
337,306 

39.352 
16.528 
55.880 

270.840 

479.399

13,365.271

The subtotals and overall total do not always sum because of rounding 

7. 

IMPACT ON STAFF AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENDITURE  

7.1. 

Impact on human resources 

Types of post 

Officials 
temporary staff 

or 

A 

B 

C 

Other human resources 

DNE/AUX 

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

Number of 
permanent posts 

Number of 
temporary posts 

2007 (2013) 

2007(2013) 

Total 

Description of tasks deriving from 
the action 

85.2 (97.6)

35.7 (40.0)

62.8 (70.4) 

0 

0 

0 

85.2 (97.6)

Programme implementation 

35.7 (40.0)

62.8 (70.4) 

AUX A 2.2 (2.6)
AUX B 17.6(20.8)
AUX C 9.9 (11.7)
DNE 17.6(20.8) 

2.2 
(2.6)
17.6  (20.8)
(11.7)
9.9 
17.6  (20.8)

Programme implementation 

Total 

183.7 (208.0) 

47.3 (55.9)  231.0 

(263.9) 

EN 

81 

   EN 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
7.2. 

Overall financial impact of human resources – 2004 prices 

Type of human resources 

Officials 

Temporary staff 

Other human resources 

(specify budget line) 

Amount (€ million) 
2007(2013) 

Method of calculation 

19.840 (22.464)  € 108,000 * 183.7 (208.0) officials 

N/A 

0.238 (0.281)
1.901 (2.246)
1.069 (1.264)
0.792 (0.936) 

A € 108,000 * 2.2 (2.6) staff 
B € 108,000 * 17.6 (20.8)staff 
C € 108,000 * 9.9 (11.7) staff 
DNE € 45,000 * 17.6 (20.8) staff 

The amounts are total expenditure for twelve months. 

Total 

23.836 (27.191) 

7.3. 

Other administrative expenditure deriving from the action – 2004 prices 

Budget line 

(number and heading) 

Overall allocation (Title A7) 

A0701 – Missions 

A07030 – Meetings 

A07031 – Compulsory committees 1 

A07032 – Non-compulsory committees 

A07040 – Conferences 

A0705 – Studies and consultations 

Other expenditure (specify) 

Information systems (A-5001/A-4300) 

Other expenditure - Part A (specify) 

Amount € million 

2007(2013) 

Method of calculation 

1.000 (1.000)  1,230 missions of up to 2 days at €650 

+ 200 missions of 1 week at €1,000 

1.000 (2.000)  €1,160  per  participant  (€860  travel  + 
€150  per  diem  *  2  days)  =  860 
participants 

1.000 (1.000)  €860 

per 
participants 

participant 

= 

1,160 

0 

0.500 (0.500) 

0 

0 

Total 

3.500 (4.500) 

The amounts are total expenditure for twelve months. 

1 Mixed advisory/management committee (Council Decision 199/468/EC Articles 3 and 4) 

I. 

II. 

Annual total (7.2 + 7.3) 

Duration of action 

III. 

Total cost of action (I x II) 

€ 30.758 (average) 

7 years 

€ 215.303 

The planned staff resources amount to an increase of 30% compared with 2006, when steady-
state  is  reached  in  2009,  compared  with  an  increase  in  operational  credits  to  be  managed 
through the centralised (Commission) procedure of 200% by the end of the programme. The 

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increase  in  staff  resources  also  reflects  the  increased  financial  monitoring  and  verification 
demands  resulting  from  the  significant  increase  in  resources  managed  through  the  National 
Agencies (in excess of 300% by the end of the programme). 

The requirements for human and administrative resource expenditure will be met within the 
budget  allocated  to  the  Directorate  General  responsible  within  the  context  of  the  annual 
allocation procedure. The allocation of posts will depend in part on the internal organisation 
of the next Commission and in part on the result of a possible reallocation of posts between 
Commission services following the new financial perspectives.  

8. 

FOLLOW-UP AND EVALUATION 

8.1. 

Follow-up arrangements 

The Commission has developed indicators for each specific and operational objective of the 
programme. These are set out in the annex to the extended impact assessment document.  

Data  collection  will  be  assured  through  the  National  Agencies  for  the  indirect  centralised 
actions, and the necessary provisions  shall  be included in the grant agreements between the 
Commission  and  the  National  Agencies,  and  for  the  centralised  actions  directly  by  the 
Commission and by the Executive Agency.  

For  the  purpose  of  data  collection  by  all  parties,  a  dedicated  software  application  will  be 
produced  (based  on  the  existing  Symmetry  system)  and  implemented  concurrently  with  the 
start of the new programme.  

8.2. 

Arrangements and schedule for the planned evaluation 

An  interim  evaluation  report  on  the  results  achieved  and  on  the  qualitative  and  quantitative 
aspects  of  implementation  is  scheduled  for  March  2011,  based  on  reports  from  the 
participating  countries.  A  final  evaluation  report  will  be  produced  by  March  2016,  likewise 
based on national reports.  

9. 

ANTI-FRAUD MEASURES 

The current proposal has been subject to the new pre-examination procedure with OLAF. It 
provides  in  particular  that  decisions  of  the  Commission,  agreements  with  the  National 
Agencies  and  the  resulting  agreements  and  contracts  should  provide  for  monitoring  and 
financial control by the Commission (or any authorised representative), including OLAF, and 
for  audits  by  the  Court  of  Auditors,  which  may  be  undertaken  in  situ  as  necessary.  These 
controls may be undertaken in relation to the National Agencies and as appropriate in relation 
to beneficiaries of grants. 

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