Corrigendum to Council Regulation (EC) No 1968/2006 of 21 December 2006 concerning Community financial contributions to the International Fund for Ireland (2007 to 2010) ( OJ L 409, 30.12.2006 )
Date: 2007-02-08
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: EU financing, Ireland, Northern Ireland, cross-border cooperation, financial aid, peacekeeping

8.2.2007

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Official Journal of the European Union

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Corrigendum to Council Regulation (EC) No 1968/2006 of 21 December 2006 concerning
Community financial contributions to the International Fund for Ireland (2007 to 2010)

(Official Journal of the European Union L 409 of 30 December 2006)

Regulation (EC) No 1968/2006 should read as follows:

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 1968/2006

of 21 December 2006

concerning Community financial contributions to the International Fund for Ireland (2007 to 2010)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Commu-
nity, and in particular Article 308 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

(4)

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

The International Fund for Ireland (hereinafter ‘the Fund’)
was established in 1986 by the Agreement of 18 September
1986 between the Government of
Ireland and the
Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland concerning the International Fund for
Ireland (hereinafter the Agreement) in order to promote
economic and social advance, and to encourage contact,
dialogue and reconciliation between nationalists and
in implementation of one
unionists throughout Ireland,
of the objectives specified by the Anglo-Irish Agreement of
15 November 1985.

The Community, recognising that the objectives of the
Fund are a reflection of
those pursued by itself, has
provided financial contributions to the Fund from 1989.
For
the period 2005 to 2006 EUR 15 million was
committed from the Community budget for each of the
years 2005 and 2006 in accordance with Council
Regulation (EC) No 177/2005 of 24 January 2005 on
Community financial contributions to the International
Fund for Ireland (1). That Regulation will expire on 31
December 2006.

The assessments carried out in accordance with Article 5 of
Regulation (EC) No 177/2005 have confirmed the need for
further support for activities of the Fund, while continuing
reinforcing synergy of objectives and coordination with
Structural Funds interventions,
in particular with the
for Peace and Reconciliation in
Special Programme

(1) OJ L 30, 3.2.2005, p. 1.

Northern Ireland and the Border Counties of
Ireland
(hereinafter the PEACE programme) set up in accordance
with Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June
1999 laying down general provisions on the Structural
Funds (2).

to the

The peace process in Northern Ireland requires a continua-
tion of Community support
Fund beyond
31 December 2006. In recognition of the special effort
for the peace process, the PEACE programme has been
allocated additional support from the Structural Funds for
the period 2007 to 2013 pursuant to paragraph 22 of
Annex II to Council Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006 laying
down general provisions on the European Regional
Development Fund, the European Social Fund and the
Cohesion Fund and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1260/
1999.

(5) At its meeting in Brussels on 15 and 16 December 2005,
the European Council called on the Commission to take the
necessary steps with a view to continued Community
support for the Fund as it enters the crucial final phase of
its work up to 2010.

(6)

(7)

(8)

The main purpose of this Regulation is to support peace
and reconciliation through a wider range of activities than
those covered by the Structural Funds, and which extend
beyond the scope of the Community's policy on economic
and social cohesion.

The Community contribution to the Fund should take the
form of financial contributions for the years 2007, 2008,
2009 and 2010, thus terminating at the same time as the
life of the Fund.

In allocating the Community contribution, the Fund should
give priority to projects of a cross-border or cross-
community nature, in such a way as to complement the
activities funded by the PEACE programme for the period
2007 to 2010.

(2) OJ L 161, 26.6.1999, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regulation
(EC) No 173/2005 (OJ L 29, 2.2.2005, p. 3) and repealed and
replaced by Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006 (OJ L 210, 31.7.2006, p.
210) as of 1 January 2007.

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(9)

In accordance with the Agreement, all financial contribu-
tors to the Fund participate as observers at the meetings of
the Board of the International Fund for Ireland.

Annual appropriations shall be authorised by the budgetary
authority within the limit of the financial framework.

(10)

to ensure proper coordination between the
is vital
It
activities of
the
Community Structural Funds provided for by Article 159
of the Treaty, in particular the PEACE programme.

the Fund and those financed under

(11) Assistance from the Fund should be regarded as effective
only in so far as it brings about sustainable economic and
social improvement and is not used as a substitute for other
public or private expenditure.

(12) An assessment reviewing the closure provisions of the Fund

should be carried out before 1 July 2008.

(13) A financial reference amount, within the meaning of Point
38 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006
between the European Parliament, the Council and the
Commission on budgetary discipline and sound financial
management (1) is inserted in this Regulation for the entire
duration of the programme, without the powers of the
budgetary authority as defined by the Treaty being affected
thereby.

(14) The amount of the Community contribution to the Fund
should be EUR 15 million for each of the years 2007,
2008, 2009, and 2010, expressed in current values.

(15) The Fund strategy launched for the final phase of

its
activities (2006 to 2010) and entitled ‘Sharing this Space’
for
focuses on four key areas: building foundations
reconciliation in the most marginalised communities,
building bridges for contact between divided communities,
moving towards a more integrated society and leaving a
legacy. Consequently, the ultimate aim of the Fund and of
this Regulation is, therefore, to encourage inter-community
reconciliation.

Article 2

The contribution shall be used by the Fund in accordance with
the Agreement of 18 September 1986 between the Government
of Ireland and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Northern Ireland concerning the International Fund
for Ireland (hereinafter the Agreement).

In allocating the contribution the Fund shall give priority to
projects of a cross-border or cross-community nature, in such a
way as to complement the activities financed by the Structural
Funds, and especially those of the PEACE programme operating
in Northern Ireland and the Border Counties of Ireland.

The contribution shall be used in such a way as to bring about
sustainable economic and social
in the areas
concerned. It shall not be used as a substitute for other public
and private expenditure.

improvement

Article 3

The Commission shall represent the Community as an observer
at the meetings of the Board of the Fund (hereinafter the Board).

The Fund shall be represented as an observer at the Monitoring
Committee meetings of the PEACE programme, and of other
Structural Funds interventions as appropriate.

Article 4

The Commission shall, in cooperation with the Fund's Board,
determine appropriate procedures to foster coordination at all
levels between the Fund and the managing authorities and
the Structural Funds
set up under
implementing bodies
interventions
the PEACE
programme.

in particular under

concerned,

(16) The Community support will contribute to reinforcing
solidarity between the Member States and between their
peoples.

Article 5

(17) The adoption of this Regulation is considered necessary to
attain the objectives of the Community in the course of
operation of the common market. Since the Treaty does not
specifically provide the necessary powers, this Regulation
should be adopted on the basis of Article 308 of the Treaty,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

The Commission shall, in cooperation with the Fund's Board,
determine appropriate publicity and information procedures in
order to publicise the Community's contribution to the projects
financed by the Fund.

Article 6

By 30 June 2008 at the latest, the Fund shall submit to the
Commission its strategy for the closure of the activities of the
Fund, including:

The financial reference amount for the implementation of the
International Fund for Ireland (hereinafter the Fund) for the
period 2007 to 2010 shall be EUR 60 million.

(a)

an action plan with projected payments and a foreseen
winding up date;

(1) OJ C 139, 14.6.2006, p. 1.

(b)

a de-commitment procedure;

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(c)

the treatment of any residual amounts and interest received
at the closure of the Fund.

and shall continue payments as soon as they are considered
justified.

Subsequent payments to the Fund are conditional on the
Commission's approval of the closure strategy. If the strategy for
closure is not submitted by 30 June 2008, payments to the Fund
shall be interrupted until the strategy is received.

Article 7

1. The Commission shall administer the contributions.

Subject to paragraph 2 the annual contribution shall be paid in
instalments as follows:

(a)

(b)

(c)

a first advance payment of 40 % shall be made after the
Commission has received an undertaking, signed by the
Chairman of the Fund's Board, to the effect that the Fund
shall comply with the conditions for the grant of the
contribution set out in this Regulation;

a second advance payment of 40 % shall be made six
months later;

a final payment of 20 % shall be made after
the
Commission has received and accepted the Fund's annual
activity report and audited accounts for
in
question.

the year

2. Before paying out an instalment the Commission shall carry
out an assessment of the Fund's financial needs on the basis of
the Fund's cash balance at the time scheduled for each payment.
If following that assessment, the Fund's financial needs do not
justify payment of one of
the payment
concerned shall be suspended. The Commission shall review that
decision on the basis of new information provided by the Fund

those instalments,

Article 8

A contribution from the Fund may be allocated to an operation
which receives or is due to receive financial assistance under a
Structural Funds intervention, only if the sum of that financial
assistance plus 40 % of the contribution from the Fund does not
exceed 75 % of the operation's total eligible costs.

Article 9

A final report should be submitted to the Commission six
months before the winding up date foreseen in the strategy for
closure referred in point (a) of the first paragraph of Article 6 or
six months after
the last Community payment, whichever
happens first, and should include all the necessary information
that would enable the Commission to evaluate the implementa-
tion of the assistance and the attainment of the objectives.

Article 10

The final year contribution shall be paid following the financial
needs analysis referred to in Article 7(2) and provided the Fund's
performance respects the closure strategy provided for in Article
6.

Article 11

The final date of eligibility of expenditure is 31 December 2013.

Article 12

This Regulation shall enter into force on 1 January 2007.

It shall expire on 31 December 2010.

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

Done at Brussels, 21 December 2006.

For the Council

The President

J. KORKEAOJA