COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL on the evaluation of the Programme for exchange, assistance and training for the protection of the euro against counterfeiting ('Pericles' Programme)
Date: 2013-08-14
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU programme, action programme, counterfeiting, euro, technical education













EUR-Lex - 52013DC0588 - EN











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52013DC0588

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL on the evaluation of the Programme for exchange, assistance and training for the protection of the euro against counterfeiting ('Pericles' Programme) /* COM/2013/0588 final */









COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO
THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL
on the evaluation of the Programme for
exchange, assistance and training for the protection of the euro against
counterfeiting ('Pericles' Programme) 
1. Introduction
The 'Pericles'
Programme is an exchange, assistance and training programme for the protection
of the euro against counterfeiting. The programme was established by Council
Decision 2001/923/EC of 17 December 2001[1]
and extended to all EU Member States, also including the ones which have not
adopted the euro as the single currency, by Council Decision 2001/924/EC of 17
December 2001.[2]
Subsequent amendments to these basic acts by Council Decisions 2006/75/EC,[3] 2006/76/EC,[4] 2006/849/EC[5] and 2006/850/EC[6] have prolonged the duration of
the programme until 31 December 2013. The programme budget is Euro
1 million per year.
This Communication accompanies the final report on the
evaluation of the 'Pericles' Programme. The evaluation is required by Council
Decision 2006/849/EC which amends Council Decision 2001/923/EC and provides
that, by 30 June 2013, the Commission shall send to the European Parliament and
the Council a report, which shall be independent of the programme manager,
evaluating the relevance, efficiency and effectiveness of the programme and a
communication on whether the programme should be continued and adapted,
accompanied by an appropriate proposal. 
The evaluation was performed by the Internal Audit Capability
and Evaluation function of OLAF assisted by a Steering Group which also ensured
the quality control of the evaluation. The Steering Group included
representatives from the European Central Bank (Anti-Counterfeiting Section)
and the following European Commission services: OLAF/D5 (Hercules, Pericles and
euro protection) OLAF/R2 (Budget), Secretariat General/C1 (Evaluation and simplification)
and DG Justice/B2 (Criminal Law). 
2. Main conclusions of the
evaluation
The evaluation exercise analysed the
relevance, the European and overall value-added, as well as efficiency,
effectiveness and sustainability of the programme. The findings and the overall
results of the evaluation are very positive. Some areas for improvement have
been identified with respect to efficiency and effectiveness, while it has been
underlined that the sustainability of achieved results will depend
significantly on the possibility to continue the programme beyond 2013. 
3. Way forward
The Commission's "Proposal for a Regulation of the European
Parliament and of the Council establishing an exchange, assistance and training
programme for the protection of the euro against counterfeiting (the 'Pericles
2020' programme)[7]"
and the "Proposal for a
Council Regulation extending
the application of Regulation (EU) No …/2012 establishing an exchange, assistance
and training programme for the protection of the euro against counterfeiting
(the ‘Pericles 2020’ programme) to the non-participating Member States[8]",
once adopted, accommodate – to
a large extent – the suggestions for potential improvements. For example these
proposals include an annual reporting on the results of the Programme and
clarified procedures. 
The Commission will furthermore take the results of this
evaluation into account in the framework of the implementation of the 'Pericles
2020' Programme through its Annual Work Programmes. 
[1]               OJ L 339 of 21.12.2001.
[2]               OJ L 339 of 21.12.2001.
[3]               OJ L 36 of 8.2.2006.
[4]               OJ L 36 of 8.2.2006.
[5]               OJ L 330 of 28.11.2006.
[6]               OJ L 330 of 28.11.2006.
[7]               2011/0449(COD) – COM(2011)0913 – C7-0510/2011.
[8]               2011/0446(APP) – COM(2011)0910.