10.6.2008

Official Journal of the European Union

C 143/1

Agreement between the European Parliament and the Commission on procedures for implementing Council Decision 1999/468/EC laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission, as amended by Decision 2006/512/EC

(2008/C 143/01)

Information to the European Parliament

Pursuant to Article 7(3) of Decision 1999/468/EC (1), the European Parliament is to be informed by the Commission on a regular basis of proceedings of committees (2) in accordance with arrangements which ensure that the transmission system is transparent and efficient and that the information forwarded and the various stages of the procedure are identified. To that end, it is to receive, at the same time as the members of the committees and on the same terms, the draft agendas for committee meetings, the draft implementing measures submitted to those committees pursuant to basic instruments adopted in accordance with the procedure provided for by Article 251 of the Treaty, the results of voting, summary records of the meetings and lists of the authorities to which the persons designated by the Member States to represent them belong.

The Commission will establish a register containing all documents forwarded to the European Parliament (3). The European Parliament will have direct access to this register. In accordance with Article 7(5) of Decision 1999/468/EC, references of all documents transmitted to the European Parliament will be made public.

In accordance with the undertakings given by the Commission in its statement on Article 7(3) of Decision 1999/468/EC (4), and once the appropriate technical arrangements have been made, the register provided for in paragraph 2 will enable, in particular:

—	a clear identification of the documents covered by the same procedure and of any changes to the implementing measure at each stage of the procedure,

—	an indication of the stage of the procedure and the timetable,

—	a clear distinction between the draft measures received by the European Parliament at the same time as the committee members in accordance with the right to information and the final draft following the committee's opinion that is forwarded to the European Parliament,

—	a clear identification of any modification in comparison to documents already forwarded to the European Parliament.

When, after a transitional period starting from the entry into force of this Agreement, the European Parliament and the Commission conclude that the system is operational and satisfactory, the transmission of documents to the European Parliament shall be made by electronic notification with a link to the register provided for in paragraph 2. This decision shall be taken through an exchange of letters between the presidents of both institutions. During the transitional period, the documents will be forwarded to the European Parliament as an attachment to an electronic mail.

Furthermore, the Commission agrees to forward to the European Parliament, for information and at the request of the parliamentary committee responsible, specific draft measures implementing basic instruments which, although not adopted in accordance with the procedure provided for by Article 251 of the Treaty, are of particular importance to the European Parliament. These measures shall be entered in the register provided for in paragraph 2 with a notification thereof to the European Parliament.

In addition to the summary records referred to in paragraph 1, the European Parliament may request access to minutes of committee meetings (5). The Commission will examine each request, on a case by case basis, under the confidentiality rules set out in Annex 1 to the Framework Agreement on relations between the European Parliament and the Commission (6).

Confidential documents

7.	Confidential documents will be processed in accordance with internal administrative procedures drawn up by each institution with a view to providing all the requisite guarantees.

European Parliament resolutions under Article 8 of Decision 1999/468/EC

Pursuant to Article 8 of Decision 1999/468/EC, the European Parliament may indicate, in a resolution setting out the grounds on which it is based, that draft measures implementing a basic instrument adopted in accordance with the procedure provided for by Article 251 of the Treaty would exceed the implementing powers provided for in that basic instrument.

The European Parliament is to adopt such resolutions in accordance with its Rules of Procedure; it is to have a period of one month in which to do so, beginning on the date of receipt of the final draft of the implementing measures in the language versions submitted to the members of the committee concerned.

10.

The European Parliament and the Commission agree that it is appropriate to establish a shorter time limit on a permanent basis for some types of urgent implementing measures on which a decision must be taken within a shorter period of time in the interests of sound management. This applies in particular to some types of measure relating to external action, including humanitarian and emergency aid, to health and safety protection, to transport security and safety and to exemptions from public procurement rules. An agreement between the Member of the Commission and the Chair of the parliamentary committee responsible will lay down the types of measure concerned and the applicable time limits. Such an agreement may be revoked at any time by either side.

11.

Without prejudice to the cases referred to in paragraph 10, the time limit will be shorter in urgent cases and in the case of measures relating to day-to-day administrative matters and/or having a limited period of validity. That time limit may be very short in extremely urgent cases, in particular on public health grounds. The Member of the Commission responsible is to set the appropriate time limit and to state the reason for that time limit. The European Parliament may in such cases use a procedure whereby application of Article 8 of Decision 1999/468/EC is delegated to the parliamentary committee responsible, which may send a response to the Commission within the relevant time limit.

12.

As soon as the Commission's services foresee that draft measures covered by paragraphs 10 and 11 might have to be submitted to a committee, they will informally warn the secretariat of the parliamentary committee or committees responsible thereof. As soon as initial draft measures have been submitted to the members of the committee, the Commission's services will notify the secretariat of the parliamentary committee or committees of their urgency and of the time limits that will apply once the final draft has been submitted.

13.

Following the adoption by the European Parliament of a resolution as referred to in paragraph 8 or a response as referred to in paragraph 11, the Member of the Commission responsible is to inform the European Parliament or, where appropriate, the parliamentary committee responsible of the action the Commission intends to take thereon.

14.	Data pursuant to paragraphs 10 to 13 will be entered in the register.

Regulatory procedure with scrutiny

15.

Where the regulatory procedure with scrutiny applies, and following the vote in the committee, the Commission will inform the European Parliament of the applicable time limits. Subject to paragraph 16, these time limits will start to run only once the European Parliament has received all language versions.

16.

Where shorter time limits apply (Article 5a(5)(b) of Decision 1999/468/EC) and in cases of urgency (Article 5a(6) of Decision 1999/468/EC), the time limits shall start to run from the date of receipt by the European Parliament of the final draft implementing measures in the language versions submitted to the members of the committee, unless the Chair of the parliamentary committee objects. In any event, the Commission will endeavour to forward all language versions to the European Parliament as soon as possible. As soon as the Commission's services foresee that draft measures covered by Article 5a(5)(b) or (6) might have to be submitted to a committee, they will informally warn the secretariat of the parliamentary committee or committees responsible thereof.

Financial services

17.

In accordance with its statement on Article 7(3) of Decision 1999/468/EC, in respect of financial services the Commission undertakes to:

—	ensure that the Commission official chairing a committee meeting informs the European Parliament, at its request, after each meeting, of any discussions concerning draft implementing measures that have been submitted to that committee,

—	give an oral or written reply to any questions regarding discussions concerning draft implementing measures submitted to a committee.

Finally, the Commission will ensure that the undertakings made at Parliament's plenary sitting of 5 February 2002 (7) and restated at its plenary sitting of 31 March 2004 (8) and those referred to in points 1 to 7 of the letter of 2 October 2001 (9) from Commissioner Bolkestein to the Chair of the European Parliament's Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs are honoured in respect of the entire financial services sector (including securities, banks, insurance, pensions and accounting).

Calendar of parliamentary work

18.

Except where shorter time limits apply or in cases of urgency, the Commission will take into account, when transmitting draft implementing measures under this Agreement, the European Parliament's periods of recess (winter, summer and European elections) in order to ensure that Parliament is able to exercise its prerogatives within the time limits laid down in Decision 1999/468/EC and this Agreement.

Cooperation between the European Parliament and the Commission

19.	The two institutions express their readiness to assist each other in order to ensure full cooperation when dealing with specific implementing measures. To this effect, appropriate contacts at administrative level will be established.

Preceding agreements

20.

The 2000 Agreement between the European Parliament and the Commission on procedures for implementing Council Decision 1999/468/EC (10) is hereby replaced. The European Parliament and the Commission consider the following agreements superseded and thus of no effect in so far as they are concerned: the 1988 Plumb/Delors Agreement, the 1996 Samland/Williamson Agreement and the 1994 modus vivendi (11).

Done at Brussels, 3 June 2008.

For the European Parliament

The President

Hans-Gert PÖTTERING

For the Commission of the European Communities

The President

José Manuel DURÃO BARROSO

(1) OJ L 184, 17.7.1999, p. 23. Decision as amended by Decision 2006/512/EC (OJ L 200, 22.7.2006, p. 11).

(2) Throughout this Agreement, the word ‘committee’ shall be taken to refer to committees established in accordance with Decision 1999/468/EC, except where it is specified that another committee is referred to.

(3) The target date for the establishment of the register is 31 March 2008.

(4) OJ C 171, 22.7.2006, p. 21.

(5) See the judgment of the Court of First Instance of the European Communities of 19 July 1999 in Case T-188/97, Rothmans v Commission [1999] ECR II-2463.

(6) OJ C 121, 24.4.2001, p. 122.

(7) OJ C 284 E, 21.11.2002, p. 19.

(8) OJ C 103 E, 29.4.2004, p. 446 and Verbatim Report of Proceedings (CRE) for Parliament's plenary sitting of 31 March 2004, under ‘Vote’.

(9) OJ C 284 E, 21.11.2002, p. 83.

(10) OJ L 256, 10.10.2000, p. 19.

(11) OJ C 102, 4.4.1996, p. 1.

10.6.2008

Official Journal of the European Union

C 143/9

Conclusions of the Council and of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council, on the Work Plan for Culture 2008-2010

(2008/C 143/06)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION AND THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE MEMBER STATES, MEETING WITHIN THE COUNCIL,

1.	Recalling the objectives assigned to the European Community in the field of culture by Article 151 of the Treaty establishing the European Community.

Acknowledging that the first Council Work Plan for Culture 2002-2004 was an important step towards more structured working procedures, and that the second Work Plan for Culture 2005-2006, which was extended until the end of 2007, has further strengthened the aspiration towards a practical, focused and result-oriented approach.

3.	Having regard to the Commission's Communication of 10 May 2007 on a European Agenda for Culture in a Globalizing World (1) that represents an important step towards further developing cooperation in the cultural field and increasing the coherence and visibility of European action in this field.

4.	Having regard to the Council Resolution of 16 November 2007 on a European Agenda for Culture (2) endorsing priority areas of action for the period 2008-2010 in the context of the strategic objectives of the European Agenda for Culture.

5.	Having regard to the introduction of the open method of coordination by the Council Resolution of 16 November 2007 as an overall new way of cooperation in the field of culture that provides a flexible and non-binding framework and fosters exchanges of best practices.

6.	Having regard to the five priority areas of action as defined in the above Council Resolution, which should guide the setting of policy priorities for the period of 2008-2010, while fully respecting the prerogatives of the European Commission.

AGREE:

—	to pursue under each priority area the activities listed in Annex I, which can be reviewed in order to better focus on concrete results,

—	to establish working groups composed of experts from Member States on the basis of the principles and mandates defined in Annex I and II and to follow their work,

—	to invite each Presidency to build on the achievements of the Work Plan as well as to report on the implementation of the latter,

—	to invite the Member States and the Commission to regularly consult the stakeholders regarding the implementation of the Work Plan to ensure the relevance and visibility of the activities,

—	to invite the Commission, in consultation with and on the basis of voluntary contributions from Member States, to report on developments both at mid-term and at the end of the period covered by the Work Plan.

WELCOME:

The intention of the Commission to support Member States' actions in implementing the Work Plan as set out in Annex I.

(1) Doc. 9496/07 and ADD 1.

(2) OJ C 287, 29.11.2007, p. 1.

ANNEX I

WORK PLAN FOR CULTURE 2008-2010

Priority 1: Improving the conditions for the mobility of artists and other professionals in the cultural field

Initiatives

Time frame

Objectives

Member States:

Setting up a working group on the mobility of artists and other professionals in the cultural field comprising MS' experts (1)

March 2008 to end 2010 (about 3 meetings a year)

Focussing particularly on the mobility of artists and other cultural professionals, inter alia in the field of performing arts, this working group will consider, report and make recommendations (including in the form of validating best practices, making proposals for cooperation initiatives between Member States or at EC level and for elements of methodology to evaluate progress), as appropriate, on the following areas:

—	mapping the existing practices in each Member State in order to make it possible to suggest ways of improving the regulatory conditions and related administrative processes for mobility,

—	suggesting solutions at the national and Community levels regarding the inclusion of mobility (in and outside Europe) in the professional training curricula of artists and culture professionals,

—	ensuring the collection of and access to the relevant information on the conditions for mobility in Europe (tax, social, entry and residence conditions in different Member States),

—	reinforcing regional, national and Community-level support mechanisms for mobility and ensuring their complementarity

Commission:

Study on the mobility of cultural workers in Europe

October 2008

Provide overview and typology of existing mobility schemes for cultural workers at national/regional and local level in the EU Member States, analyse their impact and efficiency and potential gaps, and make recommendations on ways to enhance support to mobility at EU level.

Feasibility study for a comprehensive scheme designed to provide a European wide system of information on mobility in the cultural sector

Phase I (Interim report: mapping of existing schemes), October 2008

Phase II (Final report: recommendations), end 2008

Provide overview of existing information schemes on legal, regulatory, procedural and financial aspects to mobility at national level, analyse potential gaps, and make recommendations for a comprehensive information system at European level

Priority 2: Promoting access to culture, in particular through the promotion of cultural heritage, multilingualism, digitisation, cultural tourism, synergies with education, especially art education, and greater mobility of collections

Initiatives

Time frame

Objectives

Mobility of collections

Member States:

Setting up a working group for the mobility of collections and activities of museums comprising MS' experts (2)

June 2008 to end 2010 (2 to 3 meetings a year)

Building on the work of the six groups established in the framework of the Action Plan for the EU Promotion of Museum Collections' Mobility and Loan Standards (3), this working group will consider, report and make recommendations (including in the form of validating best practices, making proposals for cooperation initiatives between Member States or at EC level and for elements of methodology to evaluate progress), as appropriate, on the following areas:

—	proposing incentive mechanisms for the mobility of collections, including long-term loans (e.g. indemnity, digitisation, non-insurance, expert meetings, comparison of valuation systems for collections, building up trust),

—	studying possibilities of eliminating barriers to the mobility of collections that still persist in relevant legal and administrative frameworks at national level (e.g. insurance matters, lack of immunity from seizure,

—	comparing national laws on museums or equivalent in order to promote access to culture,

—	exchanging best practices in the prevention of theft, return of stolen goods, trafficking of collections and examining ways of improvement, including by applying the relevant Community law (4), etc.,

—	exchanging best practices on promoting access to museums

Synergies with education, especially art education

Member States:

Pursuing stronger synergies between culture and education in the framework of a working group to be convened as soon as possible (5)

June 2008 to end 2010 (2 to 3 meetings a year)

Building on the work of the network of civil servants on arts and cultural education, the working group will consider, report and make recommendations (including in the form of validating best practices, making proposals for cooperation initiatives between Member States or EC level and for elements of methodology to evaluate progress), as appropriate, on the following areas:

—	policies aimed at promoting synergies between culture and education, including arts in education, and the development of projects, in order to implement the key competence ‘Cultural awareness and expression’ (6),

—	exchange of best practices on activities and structures at regional, national, and local level to promote arts and cultural education, either formal (as an integrated part of school curricula), non-formal or informal

Digitisation

Member States/Commission:

Continuation of the ongoing work in the field of digitisation and online accessibility of cultural material, and digital preservation, including audiovisual aspects (7)

2008 onwards (launch of a prototype library, end 2008)

Setting up of a common European digital library, i.e. a common multilingual access point to the different collections in Europe's libraries, archives and museums

Multilingualism

Commission/Member States:

Communication on multilingualism

September 2008

European strategy for multilingualism (to be developed, with the inclusion of cultural aspects, in conjunction with other relevant sectors, in particular education).

Study on the contribution of multilingualism to creativity

First half of 2009

Demonstrate the contribution of multilingualism to creativity and provide input to the debate on the European Year of Creativity 2009

Intercultural Dialogue

Member States/Commission:

Implementation of the European Year of intercultural Dialogue

2008

In close cooperation with the relevant national coordination bodies, implementation of the objectives of the Year and a follow-up as a contribution to a sustainable strategy, including development of a cross-sectoral approach to intercultural competences

Follow-up to the Year

2009-2010

Cultural tourism/cultural heritage

Member States:

Promoting cultural heritage through new synergies with cultural tourism-related multilateral projects

Contributing to the Agenda for a sustainable and competitive European tourism (8) focussing in particular on cultural tourism and the promotion of cultural heritage, including intangible heritage

Access of young people to culture

Commission:

Study on access of young people to culture

Second half of 2009

Identify obstacles to the access of young people to culture as well as good practices in making this access easier

Priority 3: Developing data, statistics and methodologies in the cultural sector and improve their comparability

Initiatives

Time frame

Objectives

Commission/Member States:

Eurostat [will] (9) re-launch the activities of the statistical working group on culture.

It [will] work closely with a small group of interested Member States on extending methodologies and pilot surveys, for the benefit of all the Member States

Before end 2008

Developing data production on the basis of a coordinated statistical system on culture and studying the possibility of adapting or developing existing methods to cover new needs and fields

Priority 4: Maximising the potential of cultural and creative industries, in particular that of SMEs

Initiatives

Time frame

Objectives

Member States:

Setting up a working group on cultural and creative industries comprising MS' experts (10)

April 2008 to end 2010 (about 3 meetings a year)

This working group is invited to consider, report and make recommendations (including in the form of validating and disseminating best practices, taking into account new technologies, making proposals for cooperation initiatives between Member States or at EC level and for elements of methodology to evaluate progress), as appropriate, on the following areas:

—

identification of national strategies and producing an inventory of the existing national measures aiming to create an environment conducive to the establishment and development of creative and cultural industries (e.g. access to investment, access of SMEs to finance and bank guarantees, networking, strengthening the position of SMEs within hubs of competitiveness, fiscal aspects, promotion of exports, intellectual property issues, in particular in the context of the development of new technologies,

—	training of professionals of the culture sector (managerial competences, entrepreneurship, knowledge of the European dimension/market activities),

—	the impact of cultural and creative industries, including cultural tourism, in local and regional development,

—	the impact of, amongst others, European Regional Policy measures and financial instruments on capacity building and entrepreneurship in the fields of cultural and creative industries,

—	proposing possible new ways and means to promote cultural and creative industries at the Community level

Commission:

Study on the contribution of culture to creativity

February 2009

Further explore the notion of creativity and have a better understanding of the effective and concrete contribution of culture to creativity and innovation as well as of the ways to measure the links between them.

Study on the entrepreneurial dimension of cultural and creative industries

September 2009

Better understand the functioning and specific needs of cultural and creative industries, in particular SMEs, as well as the environmental factors that have an impact on their development.

Study on the contribution of culture to local and regional economic development

Second half 2009

Analyse the socio-economic impact of investment in culture at the sub-national levels.

Green Paper on cultural and creative industries

December 2009

Kick off a debate on the best ways to unlock the potential of cultural and creative industries in Europe

Priority 5: Promoting and implementing the Unesco Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions

Initiatives	Time frame	Objectives
Implementation	Ongoing
Member States/Commission:
Coordination of EU positions in meetings regarding the implementation of the Convention on the basis of the code of conduct		Protection and promotion of EU positions and interests within the governing bodies of the Convention, as well as other international frameworks.
Member States:
Implementation of the Convention and inclusion of its objectives in relevant national policies		Implementation of the Convention at national and Community level leading to better integration of its objectives in relevant policies
Commission:
Inter-service group on Culture to ensure implementation of the Convention and the mainstreaming of its objectives in Community policies
Promotion
Member States:
Promotion of the ratification of the Convention and of the objectives of the Convention in relations with third countries. Exchange of experiences on cultural cooperation with third countries	Ongoing	Promotion of the Convention at the international level
Meetings of senior government officials in the field of culture, including the meetings of Directors General of Culture in the Ministries of Foreign Affairs	Agenda driven	Exchange of views and possible recommendations on the promotion of culture inside the EU and in its external relations, and cooperation between EU Member States' cultural institutions and with their counterparts in third countries
Commission:
Systematic promotion of the Convention in dialogue with third countries

(1) The principles relating to the setting up and functioning of the working groups can be found in Annex II.

(2) The principles relating to the setting up and functioning of the working groups can be found in Annex II.

(3) See doc. 14721/06.

(4) In particular, Council Directive 93/7/EEC of 15 March 1993 on the return of cultural objects unlawfully removed from the territory of a Member State (OJ L 74, 27.3.1993) and Council Regulation (EEC) No 3911/92 of 9 December 1992 on the export of cultural goods (OJ L 395, 31.12.1992).

(5) The principles relating to the setting up and functioning of the working groups can be found in Annex II.

(6) In line inter alia with the objectives of the proposed European Year of Creativity and Innovation 2009.

(7) See Council Conclusions of 15 November 2006 (OJ C 297, 7.12.2006, p. 1).

(8) Endorsed by the European Council on 14 December 2007, doc. 16616/07.

(9) In brackets as the final decision has not yet been taken by Eurostat.

(10) The principles relating to the setting up and functioning of the working groups can be found in Annex II.

ANNEX II

Working groups to be set up in implementation of the Council Work Plan for Culture 2008-2010

Principles relating to the setting up and functioning of the working groups

—	The participation of Member States in the work of the groups is voluntary and Member States can join them at any moment.

—

Each Member State interested in participating in the work of the working groups will nominate an expert as a member of a working group. The expert should ideally have a mix of operational and policy experience in the relevant field at a national level. Member States can invite other experts or officials to attend the meetings of the working groups as observers.

—	Each working group can decide to invite experts from other fields to contribute to the work of the group as deemed necessary.

—	The working groups will be responsible for deciding which Member State or Member States, among those who have expressed their wish to do so, will be chairing the groups.

—

The functioning of these groups will be entirely transparent so that all Member States are kept duly informed of the work of the groups, irrespective of their degree of participation in a given area. The chairs of the working groups will regularly (once per Presidency) report to the Cultural Affairs Committee on the progress of work in the respective working groups. The Cultural Affairs Committee will be given an opportunity to give guidance to the working groups in order to guarantee the desired outcome and the coordination of the groups' work.

—	The working groups will submit a mid-term report by July 2009 on the work carried out thus far, which will feed into the final report on the implementation of the Council Work Plan for Culture 2008-2010.

—	The Commission will support the work of the working groups by launching studies relevant to their field of work and it will provide logistical and secretarial support to the work of the groups.

10.6.2008

Official Journal of the European Union

C 143/17

Euro exchange rates (1)

9 June 2008

(2008/C 143/07)

1 euro=

	Currency	Exchange rate
USD	US dollar	1,5784
JPY	Japanese yen	166,76
DKK	Danish krone	7,4599
GBP	Pound sterling	0,79740
SEK	Swedish krona	9,3480
CHF	Swiss franc	1,6103
ISK	Iceland króna	118,93
NOK	Norwegian krone	7,9370
BGN	Bulgarian lev	1,9558
CZK	Czech koruna	24,653
EEK	Estonian kroon	15,6466
HUF	Hungarian forint	247,20
LTL	Lithuanian litas	3,4528
LVL	Latvian lats	0,7028
PLN	Polish zloty	3,3848
RON	Romanian leu	3,6795
SKK	Slovak koruna	30,338
TRY	Turkish lira	1,9640
AUD	Australian dollar	1,6414
CAD	Canadian dollar	1,6136
HKD	Hong Kong dollar	12,3246
NZD	New Zealand dollar	2,0563
SGD	Singapore dollar	2,1494
KRW	South Korean won	1 630,49
ZAR	South African rand	12,4200
CNY	Chinese yuan renminbi	10,9273
HRK	Croatian kuna	7,2488
IDR	Indonesian rupiah	14 734,36
MYR	Malaysian ringgit	5,1503
PHP	Philippine peso	69,450
RUB	Russian rouble	37,1536
THB	Thai baht	52,584
BRL	Brazilian real	2,5745
MXN	Mexican peso	16,3838

(1)

Source: reference exchange rate published by the ECB.

10.6.2008

Official Journal of the European Union

C 143/20

P-Lisbon: Operation of scheduled air services

Invitation to tender issued by Portugal under Article 4(1)(d) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2408/92 in respect of the operation of scheduled air services for the route Lisbon-Vila Real-Bragança-Vila Real-Lisbon

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2008/C 143/09)

1. Introduction: Pursuant to Article 4(1)(a) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2408/92 of 23 July 1992 on access for Community air carriers to intra-Community air routes, Portugal has decided to amend the public service obligation imposed in respect of scheduled air services operated on the route Lisbon-Vila Real-Bragança-Vila Real-Lisbon.

If on 15 September 2008 no air carrier has begun or is about to begin operating scheduled air services on the above-mentioned route in accordance with the public service obligation imposed and without requesting financial compensation, one air carrier will be selected by public tender, in accordance with the procedure provided for in Article 4(1)(d) of the above-mentioned Regulation, which will be awarded the right to operate these services from 27 October 2008.

2. Object of invitation to tender: Provision of scheduled air services on the above route from 27 October 2008 in accordance with the public service obligation as published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

3. Participation: All air carriers holding a valid operating licence issued by a Member State in accordance with Council Regulation (EEC) No 2407/92 of 23 July 1992 on licensing of air carriers, and an appropriate air carrier's certificate may operate these services.

4. Procedure: This invitation to tender is subject to the provisions of Article 4(1)(d), (e), (f), (g), (h) and (i) of Regulation (EEC) No 2408/92.

5. Tender dossier: The complete tender dossier, comprising the specific rules governing the invitation to tender, may be obtained at the price of EUR 100 from: Instituto Nacional da Aviação Civil I.P., Rua B, Edifícios 4, 5, e 6, Aeroporto da Portela 4, P-1749-034 Lisbon.

6. Financial compensation: Tenders submitted must explicitly indicate the amount required by way of compensation for operating the service for three years from the scheduled starting date (with an annual breakdown). If the tenders include the operation of flights at weekends, these should not entail any increase in the financial contribution to be borne by the Member State. The financial impact resulting from the operation of flights at weekends (not to be borne by the Member State) will have to be duly explained and justified in the proposal of the tenderer. The exact amount of compensation finally granted will be determined annually ex post, on the basis of the proven costs and revenue actually generated by the service, up to the amount stated in the tender.

7. Fares: Tenderers' bids must indicate the planned fares, which must be in accordance with the public service obligations published in Official Journal of the European Union.

8. Duration, amendment and termination of contract: The contract will enter into force on 27 October 2008 and end after three years. The amount of the financial compensation may be revised in the event of unforeseen changes in operating conditions.

9. Penalties: Should the carrier be unable to operate the service owing to force majeure, the amount of the financial compensation may be reduced in proportion to the flights not operated. If the carrier fails to operate the service for reasons other than force majeure or fails to fulfil the public service obligation, the Portuguese authorities may:

reduce the amount of the financial compensation in proportion to the flights not operated,

initiate legal proceedings under which fines and additional penalties provided for in the law might be applied,

apply contractual penalties,

terminate the contract, in compliance with Portuguese law, without prejudice to the situations provided for in the contract in this respect,

invoke the grounds for revocation provided for in Portuguese law and in the licensing contract.

10. Submission of tenders:

1.	Bids must be submitted by 17.00 hours on the thirtieth day at the latest following publication of this invitation to tender in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Tenders and any accompanying documents may be delivered by hand — against receipt — to the headquarters of the Instituto Nacional de Aviação Civil I.P., Rua B, Edifícios 4, 5, e 6, Aeroporto da Portela 4, P-1749-034 Lisbon, between 9.00 and 17.00 hours, or sent by registered letter provided these are delivered by the date and time laid down in paragraph 1 above. The tenderer shall bear sole responsibility for late delivery.

11. Validity of invitation to tender: In accordance with the first sentence of Article 4(1)(d) of Regulation (EEC) No 2408/92, the validity of this invitation to tender is subject to the condition that no Community air carrier eligible to operate the service in question submits by 15 September 2008 an application to operate the routes in question as from 27 October 2008, in accordance with the public service obligation imposed, without receiving any financial compensation. Where one or more carriers apply, by 15 September 2008, to operate these services, satisfying the public service obligation and without requesting compensation, this invitation to tender will lapse.

		ISSN 1725-2423
Official Journal of the European Union		C 143

English edition	Information and Notices	Volume 51 10 June 2008

Notice No	Contents	page
	II Information
	INTERINSTITUTIONAL AGREEMENTS
	European Parliament Commission
2008/C 143/01	Agreement between the European Parliament and the Commission on procedures for implementing Council Decision 1999/468/EC laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission, as amended by Decision 2006/512/EC	1

	INFORMATION FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS AND BODIES
	Commission
2008/C 143/02	Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty — Cases where the Commission raises no objections ( 1 )	5

2008/C 143/03	Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty — Cases where the Commission raises no objections ( 1 )	7

2008/C 143/04	Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case COMP/M.5122 — ArcelorMittal/Borusan) ( 1 )	8

2008/C 143/05	Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case COMP/M.5090 — ČEZ/MOL/JV) ( 1 )	8

Date of adoption of the decision	9.1.2008
Reference number of the aid	N 237/07
Member State	Spain
Region	—
Title (and/or name of the beneficiary)	Incentivos mineros a empresas de la minería no energética para el programa de investigación, desarrollo e innovación tecnológica
Legal basis	Convocatoria de subvenciones públicas destinadas a la concesión de incentivos mineros a empresas de minería no energética para la I+D+i y medio ambiente
Type of measure	Aid scheme
Objective	Research and development
Form of aid	Direct grant
Budget	Overall budget: EUR 0,765 million
Intensity	70 %
Duration	Until 31.12.2008
Economic sectors	Mining and quarrying
Name and address of the granting authority	Junta de Castilla-León
Other information	—

Date of adoption of the decision	5.2.2008
Reference number of the aid	N 766/07
Member State	Italy
Region	Piemonte
Title (and/or name of the beneficiary)	Concessione ed erogazione di contributo per interventi dimostrativi in materia energetico-ambientale — proroga
Legal basis	D.G.R. 23-12920 del 5 luglio 2004 e D.G.R. 94-1646 del 28.11.2005 DDGR nn. 22-6889, 23-6890 del 17.9.2007 e 67-7436 del 12.11.2007 (atti con cui si procede alla proroga)
Type of measure	Aid scheme
Objective	Environmental protection
Form of aid	Direct grant, Interest subsidy
Budget	Annual budget: EUR 13 million Overall budget: EUR 26 million
Intensity	50 %
Duration	1.1.2008-31.12.2009
Economic sectors	All sectors
Name and address of the granting authority	Giunta regionale, Piemonte
Other information	—

Date of adoption of the decision	27.2.2008
Reference number of the aid	E 8/06
Member State	Belgium
Region	Vlaamse Gemeenschap
Title (and/or name of the beneficiary)	Financiering publieke omroep VRT
Legal basis	Decreten betreffende de radio-omroep en de televisie, gecoördineerd op 4 maart 2005 Beheersovereenkomst 2007-2011 tussen de Vlaamse Gemeenschap en de VRT van 20 juli 2006
Type of measure	Individual aid
Objective	Services of general economic interest
Form of aid	Direct grant
Budget	Annual budget: EUR 300 million Overall budget: EUR 1 500 million
Intensity	—
Duration	2007-2011
Economic sectors	Media
Name and address of the granting authority	Vlaamse Gemeenschap
Other information	—

	IV Notices
	NOTICES FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS AND BODIES
	Council
2008/C 143/06	Conclusions of the Council and of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council, on the Work Plan for Culture 2008-2010	9

	Commission
2008/C 143/07	Euro exchange rates	17

	NOTICES FROM MEMBER STATES
2008/C 143/08	Commission notice pursuant to Article 4(1)(a) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2408/92 — Amendment of public service obligations imposed on certain scheduled air services within Portugal	18

	V Announcements
	ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES
	Commission
2008/C 143/09	P-Lisbon: Operation of scheduled air services — Invitation to tender issued by Portugal under Article 4(1)(d) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2408/92 in respect of the operation of scheduled air services for the route Lisbon-Vila Real-Bragança-Vila Real-Lisbon ( 1 )	20