Programme to promote non-governmental organisations active in the youth field (2004 - 2006)

The requirement for greater budgetary transparency in the European Communities has led the European Parliament and the Council to adopt a new programme to support international non-governmental organisations operating in the youth field.

ACT

Decision No 790/2004/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 April 2004 establishing a Community action programme to promote bodies active at European level in the field of youth [Official Journal L 138 of 30.04.2004].

SUMMARY

1. The European Parliament and the Council have adopted this Decision in the context of the need for budgetary transparency imposed by the 2002 Financial Regulation of the European Communities (Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 of 25 June 2002), which requires a legal basis to be established to cover existing support measures. This provides an opportunity for the European Parliament and the Council to do more to support non-governmental organisations active at European level in the field of youth - as mentioned in the Commission's White Paper "A new impetus for European youth".

2. These organisations help to strengthen Community action and increase its effectiveness by participating, inter alia, in youth exchanges, education and training programmes, youth policy debates, dissemination of information on Community action and activities fostering young people's participation and initiative.

3. Under this programme, there are two categories for the award of operating grants, namely:

• grants for the operation of the European Youth Forum, a body pursuing an aim of general European interest whose members are national youth councils and international non-governmental youth organisations;
• grants for the operation of international non-governmental youth organisations, constituting non-profit-making bodies working for the benefit of young people, or a European network representing such bodies and involving young people in the management of their activities. It is stipulated that operating grants for international non-governmental youth organisations will be awarded on the basis of annual calls for proposals.

4. The programme is open to the Member States of the European Union (Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom), three countries of the European Economic Area (EEA - Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway), two candidate countries (Bulgaria and Romania) and Turkey. Participation is also open to the Balkan countries forming part of the stabilisation and association process for the countries of South-East Europe, and some countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

5. With an overall budget of EUR 13 million for the period 2004-06, this programme provides that:

• a maximum of 80% of the Forum's budget will be co-financed to cover operating costs and expenditure necessary for carrying out its activities. The resources allocated will not be less than EUR 2 million;
• a maximum of 80% of the budget of international non-governmental youth organisations will be co-financed to cover the administration and operating costs necessary for the proper conduct of the normal activities of the body selected, relating in particular to personnel, overheads, internal meetings, publications, information and dissemination. This co-financing will be reduced progressively from the third year.

The European Commission is responsible for implementing the programme.

6. The Commission will present a report on the achievement of the programme's objectives to the European Parliament and the Council no later than 31 December 2007.

RELATED ACTS

Decision No 1719/2006/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 November 2006 establishing the Youth in Action programme for the period 2007 to 2013 [Official Journal L 327 of 24.11.2006].

Last updated: 20.02.2007