Article 1 Subject
The year 2008 shall be designated as the ‘European Year of Intercultural Dialogue’ to contribute to giving expression and a high profile to a sustained process of intercultural dialogue which will continue beyond that year.
Article 2 Objectives
1. The overall objectives of the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue shall be to contribute to: — promoting intercultural dialogue as a process in which all those living in the EU can improve their ability to deal with a more open, but also more complex, cultural environment, where, in different Member States as well as within each Member State, different cultural identities and beliefs coexist, — highlighting intercultural dialogue as an opportunity to contribute to and benefit from a diverse and dynamic society, not only in Europe but also in the world, — raising the awareness of all those living in the EU, in particular young people, of the importance of developing an active European citizenship which is open to the world, respects cultural diversity and is based on common values in the EU as laid down in Article 6 of the EU Treaty and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, — highlighting the contribution of different cultures and expressions of cultural diversity to the heritage and ways of life of the Member States. 2. The specific objectives of the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue shall be to: — seek to raise the awareness of all those living in the EU, in particular young people, of the importance of engaging in intercultural dialogue in their daily life, — work to identify, share and give a visible European recognition to best practices in promoting intercultural dialogue throughout the EU, especially among young people and children, — foster the role of education as an important medium for teaching about diversity, increase the understanding of other cultures and developing skills and best social practices, and highlight the central role of the media in promoting the principle of equality and mutual understanding, — raise the profile, increase the coherence of and promote all Community programmes and actions contributing to intercultural dialogue and ensure their continuity, — contribute to exploring new approaches to intercultural dialogue involving cooperation between a wide range of stakeholders from different sectors.
Article 3 Content of measures
The measures taken in order to achieve the objectives defined in Article 2 are set out in the Annex. They shall include the implementation of the following activities or the granting of support thereto: (a) events and initiatives on a European scale aimed at promoting intercultural dialogue, through involving directly or otherwise reaching as many people as possible, and highlighting achievements and experiences on the theme of the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue; (b) events and initiatives at national level and regional level with a strong European dimension aimed at promoting the objectives of the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue, through directly involving or otherwise reaching as many people as possible, with particular attention being given to actions relating to civic education and learning to appreciate other people and their differences; (c) information and promotion campaigns, particularly in cooperation with the media and civil society organisations at Community and national level to disseminate the key messages concerning the objectives of the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue and the recognition of best practices, especially among young people and children; (d) surveys and studies on a Community or national scale and consultation with transnational networks and civil society stakeholders to assess and report on the preparation for, and the effectiveness and impact of, the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue in order to lay the basis for its long-term follow-up.
Article 4 Cooperation by the Member States
Each Member State shall appoint a national coordination body, or an equivalent administrative body, responsible for organising that Member State's participation in the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue. It shall inform the Commission of that appointment within one month of the adoption of this Decision. Each Member State shall ensure that the aforementioned body involve in an appropriate manner the various parties to intercultural dialogue at national, regional and local level. The aforementioned body shall ensure the coordination, at national level, of actions relating to the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue.
Article 5 Implementation
1. The measures necessary for the implementation of this Decision shall be adopted in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 6(2). 2. Special attention shall be paid to cooperation with the European institutions, in particular the European Parliament.
Article 6 Committee
1. The Commission shall be assisted by a Committee. 2. 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. 3. The Committee shall adopt its own rules of procedure. 4. The national representatives to the Committee shall be appointed preferably by the national coordination body referred to in Article 4.
Article 7 Financial provisions
1. Measures which are Community-wide, referred to in part A of the Annex, may be subsidised up to 80 % of their total cost from the general budget of the European Union. 2. The measures referred to in part B of the Annex may be subsidised up to 50 % of their total cost from the general budget of the European Union in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 8. 3. Measures which are Community-wide, referred to in part C of the Annex, shall give rise to a procurement contract or the award of grants financed from the general budget of the European Union.
Article 8 Application and selection procedure
1. Decisions on the awarding of grants shall be taken by the Commission in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 6(2). The Commission shall ensure a balanced and fair distribution between the Member States and among the different fields of activity involved, while taking into consideration the quality of the projects proposed. 2. Grant applications presented under Article 7(2) shall be submitted to the Commission by the body referred to in Article 4.
Article 9 International organisations
For the purposes of the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue, the Commission may cooperate with appropriate international organisations, in particular with the Council of Europe and UNESCO, taking great care to ensure the visibility of the EU's participation.
Article 10 Role of the Commission
1. The Commission shall ensure coherence between the measures laid down in this Decision and other Community actions and initiatives. 2. The Commission shall endeavour to involve the candidate countries in the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue, on the basis of their participation in a number of Community programmes including an intercultural dialogue dimension and by developing specific initiatives in appropriate frameworks, particularly in the context of civil society dialogue between the EU and candidate countries. 3. The Commission shall ensure complementarity between the measures taken to achieve the objectives of the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue and initiatives likely to be developed within the relevant cooperation and dialogue frameworks with those EFTA countries which are party to the EEA agreement, the countries of the western Balkans and the partner countries of the European neighbourhood policy. 4. The Commission shall also ensure complementarity with any other initiative of cooperation with third countries, in particular developing countries, relevant for the objectives of intercultural dialogue of the European Year.
Article 11 Budget
1. The financial envelope for the implementation of this Decision for the period from 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2008 is EUR 10 000 000. Preparatory action shall be limited to 30 % of the overall budget. 2. Annual appropriations shall be authorised by the budgetary authority within the limits of the financial framework.
Article 12 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 the 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 ( 7 ) , 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 ( 8 ) and Regulation (EC) No 1073/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 May 1999 concerning investigations conducted by the European Antifraud Office (OLAF) ( 9 ) . 2. With regard to the Community actions financed under this Decision, 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 infringement 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 European 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, particularly non-compliance with the provisions of this Decision, the individual decision or the contract granting the financial support in question, or if it transpires that, without Commission approval having being sought, the action has been subjected to significant change which conflicts with its nature or with its implementing conditions. 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 amount unduly paid shall be repaid to the Commission. Interest shall be added to any sums not repaid in due time under the conditions laid down in Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 of 25 June 2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities ( 10 ) .
Article 13 Supervision
1. The beneficiary shall submit technical and financial reports on the progress of work for any action financed under this Decision. A final report shall also be submitted within three months of the completion of the action. The Commission shall determine the form and subject-matter of the reports. 2. For a period of five years following the last payment in respect of any action, the beneficiary of financial assistance shall keep available for the Commission all the supporting documents regarding expenditure on the action. 3. The Commission shall take every other step necessary to verify that the actions financed are carried out properly and in compliance with the provisions of this Decision and Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002.
Article 14 Monitoring and evaluation
By 31 December 2009 at the latest, the Commission shall submit to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions a report on the implementation, results and overall assessment of the measures laid down in Article 3 to serve as a basis for future EU policies, measures and actions in this field.
Article 15 Entry into force
This Decision shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union .
Article 16 Addressees
This Decision is addressed to the Member States.