Explanatory Memorandum to COM(2000)416 - Conclusion of an Agreement with Malta adopting the terms and conditions for the participation of Malta in Community programmes in the fields of training, education and youth - Main contents
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This page contains a limited version of this dossier in the EU Monitor.
| dossier | COM(2000)416 - Conclusion of an Agreement with Malta adopting the terms and conditions for the participation of Malta in Community ... |
|---|---|
| source | COM(2000)416  |
| date | 06-07-2000 |
In the case of the training, education and youth programmes, the participation of Malta was already foreseen in the decisions establishing the first phase of the Leonardo da Vinci and Socrates programmes, and in the decision establishing the Youth for Europe programme. This participation did not take place, due to the decision of the Maltese Government formed in the wake of the October 1996 elections to put Malta's application for EU membership on ice. The Leonardo da Vinci, Socrates and Youth for Europe programmes expired on 31 December 1999.
The second phase of Leonardo da Vinci, the second phase of Socrates, and a new Youth programme, are succeeding the previous programmes. Now Malta has rejoined the pre-accession strategy (see Council Regulation (EC) No 555/2000 of 13 March 2000), and the decisions establishing these new programmes provide that the programmes shall be open to the participation of Malta.
As the participation of Malta in Community programmes is not provided in its Association Agreement, the conditions and modalities of its participation are to be defined in an agreement with the Community. The competent departments of the Commission conducted negotiations with Malta on the basis of the Directives adopted by the Council on 14 February 2000.
Malta has confirmed its willingness to participate in the second phase of Leonardo da Vinci, and the second phase of Socrates as from 2000, and in the Youth programme from 2001, and to pay its financial contribution partly from its national budget, and partly from the pre-accession funds. Due to the late availability of the pre-accession funds (Council Regulation on the implementation of operations in the framework of the pre-accession strategy for the Republic of Cyprus and the Republic of Malta having only been adopted on 13 March 2000), Malta will pay its contribution to Socrates and Leonardo da Vinci in 2000 entirely from its national budget. For the following years, it will use partly the pre-accession funds. As provided in the conclusions of the meeting of the European Council in Luxemburg of 12 and 13 December 1997, the part of its financial contribution coming from its national budget will be steadily increasing from 2001 to 2006.
The main issues addressed in the proposed Agreement, initialled on 16 June 2000, are the following :
* Projects and initiatives submitted by participants from Malta shall be subject to the same conditions, rules and procedures pertaining to these programmes as are applied to Member States, regarding in particular the submission, assessment, and selection of applications and projects, the responsibilities of the national structures in the implementation of the programmes, and the activities related to the monitoring of their participation in the programmes ;
* Malta will pay each year a contribution to the programmes, as established in the Agreement. This contribution will not be reimbursed to Malta if, at the end of the year, the results fall short of the contribution paid ;
* By analogy with the guidelines laid down by the Luxembourg European Council in respect of the other applicant countries, Malta will be invited to attend the Programme Committees as observer, for the points which concern it ;
* The Agreement will apply for the duration of the Leonardo da Vinci II and Socrates II programmes starting on 1 January 2000 and, in the case of the Youth programme, from 1 January 2001 to the end of the programme.
Because of the transnational nature of these programmes, it is in the interests of all Parties that the agreement enter into force by theAutumn, so that projects involving Malta which have already been submitted can be taken into account in the selection process.
The early adoption of the Agreement would allow Malta to participate in the second phase of the Leonardo da Vinci and Socrates programmes as of its beginning, and to be fully integrated in Community networks and other activities in the fields of vocational training, education and youth.
Accordingly, the Council is invited to adopt the annexed proposal for a Decision concerning the conclusion of the Agreement as soon as possible and to notify the Maltese authorities that the procedures necessary for the entry into force of the Agreement have been completed on behalf of the European Community.