Article 1 Subject matter and scope of the programme
1. This Decision establishes the programme ‘Europe for Citizens’ (hereinafter referred to as ‘the programme’) for the period from 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2013. 2. The programme shall contribute to the following general objectives: (a) giving citizens the opportunity to interact and participate in constructing an ever closer Europe, which is democratic and world-oriented, united in and enriched through its cultural diversity, thus developing citizenship of the European Union; (b) developing a sense of European identity, based on common values, history and culture; (c) fostering a sense of ownership of the European Union among its citizens; (d) enhancing tolerance and mutual understanding between European citizens respecting and promoting cultural and linguistic diversity, while contributing to intercultural dialogue.
Article 2 Specific objectives of the programme
The programme shall have the following specific objectives in line with the fundamental goals of the Treaty, which shall be implemented on a transnational basis: (a) bringing together people from local communities across Europe to share and exchange experiences, opinions and values, to learn from history and to build for the future; (b) fostering action, debate and reflection related to European citizenship and democracy, shared values, common history and culture through cooperation within civil society organisations at European level; (c) bringing Europe closer to its citizens by promoting Europe's values and achievements, while preserving the memory of its past; (d) encouraging interaction between citizens and civil society organisations from all participating countries, contributing to intercultural dialogue and bringing to the fore both Europe's diversity and unity, with particular attention to activities aimed at developing closer ties between citizens from Member States of the European Union as constituted on 30 April 2004 and those from Member States which have acceded since that date.
Article 3 Actions
1. The objectives of the programme shall be pursued through support for the following actions, details of which may be found in Part I of the Annex: (a) Active citizens for Europe, consisting of: — town twinning, — citizens' projects and support measures; (a) Active citizens for Europe, consisting of: — town twinning, — citizens' projects and support measures; (b) Active civil society in Europe, consisting of: — structural support for European public policy research organisations (think-tanks), — structural support for civil society organisations at European level, — support for projects initiated by civil society organisations; (b) Active civil society in Europe, consisting of: — structural support for European public policy research organisations (think-tanks), — structural support for civil society organisations at European level, — support for projects initiated by civil society organisations; (c) Together for Europe, consisting of: — high visibility events, such as commemorations, awards, artistic events, European-wide conferences, — studies, surveys and opinion polls, — information and dissemination tools; (c) Together for Europe, consisting of: — high visibility events, such as commemorations, awards, artistic events, European-wide conferences, — studies, surveys and opinion polls, — information and dissemination tools; (d) Active European Remembrance, consisting of: — preservation of the main sites and archives associated with the deportations and the commemoration of the victims. (d) Active European Remembrance, consisting of: — preservation of the main sites and archives associated with the deportations and the commemoration of the victims. 2. In each action, priority may be given to the balanced integration of citizens and civil society organisations from all Member States, as provided for in the specific objective set out in Article 2(d).
Article 4 Forms of Community measures
1. Community measures may take the form of grants or public procurement contracts. 2. Community grants may be provided through specific forms such as operating grants, action grants, scholarships, prizes. 3. Public procurement contracts will cover the purchase of services, such as for organising events, studies and research, information and dissemination tools, monitoring and evaluation. 4. To be eligible for a Community grant, the beneficiaries must satisfy the requirements set out in Part II of the Annex.
Article 5 Participation in the programme
The programme shall be open to the participation of the following countries, hereinafter referred to as the ‘participating countries’: (a) the Member States; (b) the EFTA countries party to the EEA Agreement, in accordance with the provisions of that Agreement; (c) the candidate countries benefiting from a pre-accession strategy, in accordance with the general principles and the general terms and conditions laid down in the framework agreements concluded with these countries for their participation in Community programmes; (d) the countries of the western Balkans, in accordance with the arrangements to be established with these countries under the framework agreements on the general principles for their participation in Community programmes.
Article 6 Access to the programme
The programme shall be open to all stakeholders promoting active European citizenship, in particular local authorities and organisations, European public policy research organisations (think-tanks), citizens' groups and other civil society organisations.
Article 7 Cooperation with international organisations
The programme may cover joint and innovative activities in the field of active European citizenship, with relevant international organisations such as the Council of Europe and UNESCO, on the basis of joint contributions and in accordance with the Financial Regulation and various rules of each institution or organisation.
Article 8 Implementing measures
1. The Commission shall adopt the measures necessary for the implementation of the programme in accordance with the provisions of the Annex. 2. The following measures shall be adopted in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 9(2): (a) the arrangements for the implementation of the programme, including the annual work plan, the selection criteria and the selection procedures; (b) the general balance between the various actions of the programme; (c) the procedures for monitoring and evaluating the programme; (d) the financial support (amount, duration, distribution and beneficiaries) provided by the Community in relation to all operating grants, multi-annual twinning agreements under Action 1 and high visibility events under Action 3. 3. The Commission shall inform the Committee referred to in Article 9 and the European Parliament of all other selection decisions it has taken for the implementation of this Decision within two working days of the adoption of the decisions in question. This information shall include descriptions and an analysis of the applications received, a description of the assessment and selection procedure, and lists of both the projects proposed for funding and those rejected. 4. As part of the procedure mentioned in paragraph 2, the Commission may draw up guidelines for each of the actions in the Annex in order to adapt the programme to any changes of priority in the field of active European citizenship.
Article 9 Committee
1. The Commission shall be assisted by a committee. 2. 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. 4. The committee shall adopt its rules of procedure.
Article 10 Coherence with other Community and European Union instruments
1. The Commission shall ensure coherence and complementarity between the programme and instruments in other areas of Community action, especially education, vocational training, culture, youth, sport, the environment, the audiovisual sector and the media, fundamental rights and freedoms, social inclusion, gender equality, combating all forms of discrimination, racism and xenophobia, scientific research, information society and Community external action, in particular at the level of European Neighbourhood policy. 2. The programme may share resources with other Community and European Union instruments in order to implement actions meeting the objectives of both the programme and these other instruments.
Article 11 The financial envelope
1. The financial envelope for the implementation of the programme for the period referred to in Article 1 is hereby set at EUR 215 million. 2. The annual appropriations shall be authorised by the budgetary authority within the limits of the financial framework.
Article 12 Financial provisions
1. Financial aid shall take the form of grants to legal persons. Depending on the nature of the action and the objective pursued, grants may also be awarded to natural persons. 2. The Commission may award prizes to natural or legal persons for actions or projects implemented under the programme. 3. In accordance with Article 181 of Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2342/2002, and depending on the nature of the action, flat-rate financing and/or the application of unit-cost rates may be authorised. 4. Co-financing in kind may be permitted. 5. The Commission may decide, in view of the characteristics of the beneficiaries and the nature of the actions, to exempt beneficiaries from verification of the professional competencies and qualifications required to complete the proposed action or work programme. 6. The amount of information to be provided by the beneficiary may be limited in the case of small grants. 7. In specific cases such as the award of a small grant, the beneficiary need not be required to demonstrate its financial capacity to perform the planned project or the work programme. 8. Operating grants awarded under the programme to bodies pursuing an aim of general European interest, as defined in Article 162 of Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2342/2002, shall not be automatically decreased in the event of renewal.
Article 13 Protection of the Community's financial interests
1. The Commission shall ensure that, when actions financed under this Decision are implemented, the financial interests of the Community are protected by the application of preventive measures against fraud, corruption and any other illegal activities, by effective checks and by the recovery of amounts unduly paid and, if irregularities are detected, by effective, proportional and dissuasive penalties, in accordance with Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2988/95 of 18 December 1995 on the protection of the European Communities financial interests ( 11 ), Council Regulation (Euratom, EC) No 2185/96 of 11 November 1996 concerning on-the-spot checks and inspections carried out by the Commission in order to protect the European Communities' financial interests against fraud and other irregularities ( 12 ) and with Regulation (EC) No 1073/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 May 1999 concerning investigations conducted by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) ( 13 ). 2. For the Community actions financed under the programme, the notion of irregularity referred to in Article 1(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 an economic operator, which has, or would have, the effect of prejudicing the general budget of the Union or budgets managed by the Communities, by an unjustified item of expenditure. 3. The Commission shall reduce, suspend or recover the amount of financial assistance granted for an action if it finds irregularities, including non-compliance with the provisions of this Decision or the individual decision or the contract or agreement granting the financial support in question, or if it transpires that, without Commission approval having being sought, the action has been subjected to a change which conflicts with the nature or implementing conditions of the project. 4. If the time limits have not been observed or if only part of the allocated financial assistance is justified by the progress made with implementing an action, the Commission shall request the beneficiary to submit observations within a specified period. If the beneficiary does not give a satisfactory answer, the Commission may cancel the remaining financial assistance and demand repayment of sums already paid. 5. Any undue payment shall be repaid to the Commission. Interest shall be added to any sums not repaid in good time under the conditions laid down by the Financial Regulation.
Article 14 Monitoring and evaluation
1. The Commission shall ensure regular monitoring of the programme. The results of the monitoring and evaluation process shall be utilised in implementing the programme. Monitoring shall include in particular the drawing up of the reports referred to in paragraph 3 points (a) and (c). The specific objectives may be revised in accordance with Article 251 of the Treaty. 2. The Commission shall ensure regular, external and independent evaluation of the programme and shall report to the European Parliament on a regular basis. 3. The Commission shall submit to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions: (a) an interim evaluation report on the results obtained and on the qualitative and quantitative aspects of the implementation of the programme no later than 31 December 2010; (b) a communication on the continuation of the programme no later than 31 December 2011; (c) an ex-post evaluation report no later than 31 December 2015.
Article 15 Transitional provision
Actions started before 31 December 2006 pursuant to Decision 2004/100/EC shall continue to be governed, until their completion, by that Decision. As provided for by Article 18 of the Financial Regulation, the appropriations corresponding to assigned revenue arising from the repayment of amounts wrongly paid pursuant to Decision 2004/100/EC may be made available to the Programme.
Article 16 Entry into force
This Decision shall enter into force on the day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union . It shall apply from 1 January 2007.