Proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds concerning the extension of the duration of the PEACE programme and the granting of new commitment appropriations
Date: 2004-10-13
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU programme, Northern Ireland, Structural Funds, establishment of peace, public safety

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 13.10.2004 
COM(2004)631 final 

2004/0224(AVC) 

Proposal for a 

COUNCIL REGULATION 

amending Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 laying down general provisions on the 
Structural Funds concerning the extension of the duration of the PEACE programme 
and the granting of new commitment appropriations  

(presented by the Commission) 

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EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

The  EU  is  supporting  the  peace  process  in  Northern  Ireland  and  the  whole  or  part  of  the 
Republic of Ireland. 

Since  1995,  the  PEACE  Programme  has  a  strategic  aim  "to  reinforce  progress  towards  a 
peaceful  and  stable  society  and  promoting  reconciliation".  This  unique  mission  among 
Structural Funds follows the work pioneered by the Special Support Programme (PEACE I), 
established in 1995-1999 following the announcement of ceasefires by the main paramilitary 
organisations  in  the  region.  In  April  1998  the  Belfast  (“Good  Friday”)  Agreement  set  a 
political  settlement  for  a  peace  process,  including  the  devolution  of  powers  to  a  Northern 
Ireland Assembly and Executive Committee, which were set up at the end of 1999.  

The Programme's total expenditure for the period 2000-2004 is estimated at €708 million, of 
which the four Structural Funds contribute €531 million (80% Northern Ireland – 20% Border 
Region). 15% of the total allocation is attributed to cross-border projects.  

On  18  May  2004  the  UK  and  Irish  Prime  Ministers  wrote  to  the  President  of  the  European 
Commission requesting an extension of  the EC  contributions to  the  PEACE  Programme  for 
two years (2005-2006), which they consider to be essential for the consolidation of the peace 
and reconciliation process.  

On 16 June 2004 Commissioner President Romano Prodi responded that the Commission was 
keen  to  maintain  these  efforts.  He  also  added  that  unless  the  European  Council  was  able  to 
provide  a  clear  mandate  in  this  regard,  it  would  be  difficult  for  the  Commission  to  bring 
forward budgetary and legislative proposals that would meet these ambitions. 

On 17-18 June 2004 the European Council took note of the current difficulties in the peace 
process in Northern Ireland and confirmed its support for the efforts of the two governments 
in  seeking  to  re-establish  the  devolved  institutions.  In  order  to  support  these  efforts,  the 
European  Council  called  on  the  Commission  to  examine  the  possibility  of  aligning 
interventions under the PEACE II Programme with the programmes of the Structural Funds 
that come to an end in 2006. 

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2004/0224(AVC) 

Proposal for a 

COUNCIL REGULATION 

amending Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 laying down general provisions on the 
Structural Funds concerning the extension of the duration of the PEACE programme 
and the granting of new commitment appropriations  

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 
161 thereof, 

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission1, 

Having regard to the assent of the European Parliament2, 

Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee3, 

Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions4, 

Whereas: 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

Article  7(4)  of  Council  Regulation  (EC)  No  1260/19995  sets  up  a  programme  under 
Objective  1  to  assist  the  peace  process  in  Northern  Ireland  (PEACE)  for  an  initial 
period  of  four  years  from  2000  to  2004,  for  the  benefit  of  Northern  Ireland  and  the 
border areas in Ireland. 

The European Council held in Brussels on 17 and 18 June 2004 asked the Commission 
to study whether measures under the PEACE programme and  the International Fund 
for Ireland could be aligned with those under the other Structural Funds programmes, 
which will end in 2006, to include the financial consequences thereof. 

Consolidation  of  the  peace  process  in  Northern  Ireland,  to  which  the  PEACE 
programme  has  made  an  original  and  essential  contribution  thus  far,  requires 
continuing financial support from the European Community to the regions concerned 
and the extension of the PEACE programme for another two years. 

1 
2 
3 
4 
5 

OJ C […], […], p. […]. 
OJ C […], […], p. […]. 
OJ C […], […], p. […]. 
OJ C […], […], p. […]. 
OJ L 161, 26.6.1999, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by the 2003 Act of Accession. 

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(4) 

Regulation  (EC)  No  1260/1999  should  therefore  be  amended  accordingly  so  as  to 
extend  the  implementation  of  the  PEACE  programme  by  two  years,  coinciding  with 
the programming period for the Structural Funds. 

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: 

Article 1 

Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 is hereby amended as follows: 

1) 

Article 7 is amended as follows: 

a) 

In paragraph 1, first subparagraph, the amount “195” is replaced by “195,1”; 

b) 

In paragraph 2, second subparagraph, the amount “135,6” is replaced by “136”; 

c) 

In  paragraph  4,  first  subparagraph,  the  years  “2000-2004”  are  replaced  by 
“2000-2006”. 

2) 

Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 is replaced by the text in the annex of the 
present Regulation. 

This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in 
the Official Journal of the European Union. 

Article 2 

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. 

Done at Brussels, 

For the Council 
The President 

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ANNEX 

“ANNEX I 

STRUCTURAL FUNDS 

Annual breakdown of commitment appropriations for 2000-06 (referred to in Article 7(1)) 

2000
29430

2001
28840

2002
28250

2003
27670

2004
27080

2005
27133

2006
26712

” 

(EUR million, 1999 prices) 

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