Council Decision
of 22 December 2003
establishing a Community action programme for bodies promoting reciprocal understanding of relations between the European Union and certain regions in the world
(2003/911/EC)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 308 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament(1),
Whereas:
(1) The Community maintains relations with certain countries and regions, in particular by providing substantial assistance under the ALA(2), MEDA(3), TACIS(4) and CARDS(5) Regulations.
(2) The European Council has, on at least two occasions(6), underlined the importance it attaches to relations between the European Union and its partners.
(3) Special attention should be given to the regional dimension of Community assistance, taking account of the divergence of needs and priorities among the main regions covered by the aforementioned Regulations and stepping up regional cooperation in a balanced and coordinated manner.
(4) Increased reciprocal knowledge and understanding between the European Union and partners receiving assistance from it should be promoted.
(5) Strengthening reciprocal knowledge and understanding between the European Union and its partners will be assisted by the work of bodies specialising in the analysis of relations between the European Union and the regions concerned.
(6) Several budget lines are designed to support institutes, bodies or networks with a view to reinforcing relations between the European Union and other regions in the world.
(7) Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 of 25 June 2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities(7) (hereinafter referred to as the "Financial Regulation") requires a legal basis to be established for existing support actions.
(8) The geographical scope of the programme which is the subject of this Decision should be extended to all the regions covered by the ALA, MEDA, TACIS and CARDS Regulations and to the candidate countries.
(9) The operations covered by this Decision are not cooperation measures falling directly under the policies of development cooperation or cooperation with other third countries and yet are necessary to achieve one of the Community's objectives.
(10) A financial reference amount, within the meaning of point 34 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 6 May 1999 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline and improvement of the budgetary procedure(8), is inserted in this Decision for the entire duration of the programme, without the powers of the budgetary authority as defined by the Treaty being affected thereby.
(11) For the adoption of this Decision, the Treaty does not provide powers of action other than those laid down in Article 308 thereof,
Objective of the programme
1. A Community action programme is hereby established for the promotion of centres, institutes and networks specialising in the analysis of relations between the European Union and certain regions.
2. The general objective of this programme shall be to increase understanding and dialogue between the European Union and the regions covered by the ALA, MEDA, TACIS and CARDS Regulations and the candidate countries through support to the activities of the bodies mentioned in paragraph 1. The activities shall consist of the annual work programme of a centre, institute or network and shall be in keeping with those described in the Annex. The activities supported must contribute to increasing understanding and dialogue between the European Union and the regions covered by the ALA, MEDA, TACIS and CARDS Regulations and the candidate countries.
Access to the programme
1. To qualify for a grant, an applicant body must comply with the provisions laid down in the Annex and meet the following requirements:
- it shall be an independent and non-profit making legal entity active chiefly in promoting understanding of relations between the European Union and the regions concerned, with an objective that serves the public good;
- it shall have been legally established for more than two years and have had its accounts for the preceding two years certified by a registered auditor;
- its activities shall be in keeping with the principles underlying Community external relations action and take account of the priority areas identified in point 4 of the Annex.
2. For a body pursuing an objective in keeping with European Union external relations policy to qualify for an operating grant under its annual work programme, it shall also be active at a European level or in the region concerned and its structure and activities must have potential at the level of the European Union and/or these regions.
Participation
Participation in the programme shall be open to bodies, institutes and networks established in:
(a) the Member States;
(b) countries whose accession to the European Union in 2004 was approved at the 2002 Copenhagen Summit;
(c) Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey;
(d) countries or regions covered by the ALA, MEDA, TACIS or CARDS Regulations.
Selection of beneficiaries
1. The Commission shall implement the Community action programme in accordance with the Financial Regulation.
2. The award of an operating grant on the basis of the annual work programme of a body shall comply with the general criteria laid down in the Annex.
3. Bodies entitled to receive such operating grants shall be selected following a call for proposals covering the full duration of the programme, with a view to establishing a partnership between these bodies and the European Union.
On the basis of the call for proposals, the Commission shall adopt the list of recipients and the amounts approved in accordance with Article 116 of the Financial Regulation.
Award of the grant
1. The operating grants awarded under this programme may not finance the body's entire eligible expenditure for the calendar year for which the grant is awarded.
2. The amount of an operating grant awarded may not exceed 70 % of the organisation's eligible expenditure for the calendar year for which the grant is awarded.
3. Pursuant to Article 113(2) of the Financial Regulation, where such operating grants are renewed, they shall be gradually decreased. If a grant is awarded to a body which received an operating grant the preceding year, the percentage of Community cofinancing represented by the new grant shall be at least 10 percentage points lower than the Community cofinancing percentage represented by the grant in the preceding year.
Financial provisions
1. This programme shall start on 1 January 2004 and end on 31 December 2006.
2. The financial reference amount for the implementation of the programme for the period referred to in paragraph 1 shall be EUR 4,1 million.
3. The annual appropriations shall be authorised by the budgetary authority within the limits of the financial perspectives.
Monitoring and evaluation
By 31 December 2005 the Commission shall report to the Council on the achievement of the objectives of the programme. The report shall be based on the results obtained by the beneficiaries and shall assess, in particular, their relevance, effectiveness and usefulness in achieving the objectives defined in Article 1 and the Annex.
Transitional provisions
The principle of the gradual decrease of the rate of Community cofinancing provided for in Article 5 in the case of renewal of an operating grant to bodies having received such a grant for the same activities the year before this Decision enters into force and for the two preceding years shall apply only from the third year following the entry into force of this Decision provided that these bodies have fully satisfied all requirements regarding sound management.
Entry into force
This Decision shall enter into force on the day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.