title: Decision No 472/2014/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 on the European Year for Development (2015)

text:
               9.5.2014

               EN

               Official Journal of the European Union

               L 136/1

         DECISION No 472/2014/EU OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL
   of 16 April 2014
   on the European Year for Development (2015)
   THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
   Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 209 and Article 210(2) thereof,
   Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,
   After transmission of the draft legislative act to the national Parliaments,
   Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee of 10 December 2013 (1),
   Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure (2),
   Whereas:

               (1)

               Development cooperation policy has as its primary objective the reduction and, in the long term, the eradication of poverty as laid down in Article 21 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) and Article 208 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. Combating global poverty helps to build a more stable, peaceful, prosperous and equitable world, reflecting the interdependence of richer and poorer countries.

               (2)

               As stated in the European Parliament resolution of 23 October 2012 entitled ‘An Agenda for Change: the future of EU development policy’, development cooperation also consists of promoting human development and the fulfilment of human beings in all respects, including the cultural dimension.

               (3)

               The Union has been providing development cooperation assistance since 1957 and is now the largest donor of official development assistance in the world.

               (4)

               The Treaty of Lisbon has firmly anchored development policy within the Union's external action in support of the Union's interest in a stable and prosperous world. Development policy also helps to address other global challenges and contributes to the Europe 2020 Strategy, set out in the Commission Communication of 3 March 2010 entitled ‘Europe 2020, a strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth’.

               (5)

               The Union has been a leader in formulating and implementing the concept of policy coherence for development, which aims at strengthening synergies between non-aid policies and development objectives, in order to ensure that Union policies support developing countries' development needs, or at least do not contradict the aim of poverty eradication.

               (6)

               In 2000, the international community undertook to take concrete steps by 2015 to fight poverty, with the adoption of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which were accepted by the Union and the Member States.

               (7)

               The joint statement by the Council and the representatives of the governments of the Member States meeting within the Council, the European Parliament and the Commission on European Union Development Policy: ‘The European Consensus’ (3), which remains the most comprehensive basis for Union development cooperation, calls upon the Union to help strengthen the role of new Member States as new donors.

               (8)

               The world has undergone enormous change over recent years, including major shifts in the global economic and political balance. New actors, including private and other non-governmental players, have emerged in the global arena. While developed and emerging economies account for most of global gross domestic product, the latter have now become the key drivers of global growth and already have a significant impact on the world economy.

               (9)

               Continued support for development cooperation is vital in a rapidly changing world. Around 1,3 billion people still live in extreme income poverty and the human development needs of many more are still not being met. Inequalities within countries have increased in most parts of the world. The natural environment is under increasing pressure and the developing countries are hit particularly hard by the effects of climate change. Those challenges are universal and inter-related and need to be addressed by all countries acting together.

               (10)

               Discussions on the post-2015 framework have started: building on the Commission communication of 13 October 2011 entitled ‘Increasing the impact of EU Development Policy: an Agenda for Change’ and the Council Conclusions of 14 May 2012 on the Agenda for Change, which have already resulted in a major reorientation of Union development policies, the Commission has set out its views in its communication of 27 February 2013 entitled ‘A decent life for all, ending poverty and giving the world a sustainable future’ and in its conclusions of 25 June 2013 the Council adopted ‘The Overarching Post-2015 Agenda’, with the aim of addressing the shortcomings of the current development framework and setting out a common approach to bringing together poverty eradication and sustainability concerns in an overarching international framework.

               (11)

               The year 2015 should be emblematic and pivotal, being the last year for achieving the collectively agreed MDGs and thus offering a unique opportunity to take stock of the international commitments. The year 2015 will also be the year in which major international decisions are to be taken on the development framework that is to replace the MDG framework over the coming decades.

               (12)

               The year 2015 is the appropriate year during which to present the results of Union development policy following implementation of the principles set out in the Commission communication on an Agenda for Change.

               (13)

               The year 2015 will also be the year during which important international events take place in Member States, such as the Universal Expo ‘Feeding the Planet: Energy for Life’ in Milan, which will provide a special opportunity to discuss global development policies and to carry out extensive public outreach activities on sustainable development and related issues.

               (14)

               In its resolution on an Agenda for Change, the European Parliament invited the Commission to make 2015 the European Year for Development, expressing its hope that this would raise the profile of development cooperation.

               (15)

               The year 2015 should therefore be designated a European Year for Development (‘the European Year’) in order to provide a timely opportunity to raise general public awareness of the current orientation of Union development policy. Information is needed on how an outward-looking Union can help to ensure global sustainability. This includes raising awareness of global interdependence and illustrating that development is more than just aid.

               (16)

               The key to the successful impact of Union action for development is the extent to which it enjoys broad popular and political support and provides evidence of effective and efficient use of public funds for achieving development results. The European Year should therefore act as a catalyst for raising awareness, including through public political debate and development education, building momentum and exchanging best practices between Member States, local and regional authorities, civil society, the private sector, social partners and international entities and organisations involved in development issues. It should help to focus political attention and mobilise everyone concerned in order to drive forward and promote further action and initiatives at Union and Member State level, in association with the beneficiaries of development assistance and their representatives.

               (17)

               The European Year should raise awareness of all forms of gender discrimination faced by women and girls in various regions, particularly in terms of access to education, jobs and health systems, as well as of forced marriage, sexual exploitation, genital mutilation and other malpractices.

               (18)

               The Special Eurobarometer 392 entitled ‘Solidarity that spans the globe: Europeans and development aid’, published in October 2012, showed that 85 % of Union citizens were in favour of helping people in partner countries. As stated in that report, in spite of the current economic climate, more than six out of ten citizens think that aid for people in partner countries should be increased. At the same time, that report showed clearly that there is a lack of knowledge on Union development cooperation, which calls for better communication.

               (19)

               Efficient coordination between all partners contributing at Union, national, regional and local levels is a fundamental prerequisite for an effective European Year. Local and regional partners have, in this case, a particular role to play in promoting Union development policy.

               (20)

               Differing national socioeconomic and cultural contexts and sensitivities call for some of the activities of the European Year to be decentralised to national level, in accordance with Article 58 of the Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 of the European Parliament and the Council (4). However, the setting of policy priorities at national level should be coordinated with the Commission with a view to guaranteeing consistency with the strategic objectives of the European Year. Close coordination between the Commission's and Member States' activities is of prime importance in order to create synergies and make the European Year a success.

               (21)

               In addition to Member States, participation in the activities to be financed within the European Year should be open to the candidate countries benefiting from a pre-accession strategy, in accordance with the general principles and general terms and conditions for the participation of those countries in Union programmes established in the respective framework agreements and in Association Council decisions. Coordination with national measures, in particular with national Development Education and Awareness Raising (DEAR) programmes, should be encouraged. The level and form of involvement in the European Year should remain at each Member State's discretion.

               (22)

               Consistency and complementarity with other Union legislation and actions should be ensured, in particular with the Development Cooperation Instrument established by Regulation (EU) No 233/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council (5) including the DEAR programme, the European Development Fund, the European Neighbourhood Instrument established by Regulation (EU) No 232/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council (6) and other Union instruments for financing external action, where relevant to development policy.

               (23)

               The financial interests of the Union should be protected through proportionate measures throughout the expenditure cycle, including the prevention, detection and investigation of irregularities, the recovery of funds lost, unduly paid or incorrectly used and, where appropriate, administrative and financial penalties in accordance with Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012.

               (24)

               In order to optimise the effectiveness and efficiency of the activities envisaged for the European Year, it is important that a set of preparatory actions be carried out in 2014.

               (25)

               The Commission has already taken various measures to promote development policies and inform Union citizens about its development cooperation. Those existing measures should be used as much as possible for the European Year.

               (26)

               The primary responsibility for raising citizens' awareness of development issues rests with Member States. Action at Union level complements and supplements actions taken at national, regional and local levels, as highlighted in the political declaration signed on 22 October 2008 by the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission entitled ‘Communicating Europe in Partnership’.

               (27)

               Since the objectives of this Decision cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States, due to the need for multilateral partnerships, transnational exchange of information and Union-wide awareness-raising and dissemination of good practices, but can rather, by reason of the scale of the European Year, be better achieved at Union level, the Union may adopt measures, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 TEU. In accordance with the principle of proportionality, as set out in that Article, this Decision does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve those objectives,

         HAVE ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
   Article 1
   Subject matter
   The year 2015 shall be designated the ‘European Year for Development’ (‘the European Year’).
   The motto of the European Year shall be ‘Our world, our dignity, our future’.
   Article 2
   Objectives
   The objectives of the European Year shall be:

               (a)

               to inform Union citizens about the Union's and the Member States' development cooperation, highlighting the results that the Union, acting together with the Member States, has achieved as a global actor and that it will continue to do so in line with the latest discussions on the overarching post-2015 framework;

               (b)

               to foster direct involvement, critical thinking and active interest of Union citizens and stakeholders in development cooperation including in policy formulation and implementation; and

               (c)

               to raise awareness of the benefits of the Union's development cooperation not only for beneficiaries of the Union's development assistance but also for Union citizens and to achieve a broader understanding of policy coherence for development, as well as to foster among citizens in Europe and developing countries a sense of joint responsibility, solidarity and opportunity in a changing and increasingly interdependent world.

         Article 3
   Measures
   1.   The measures taken to achieve the objectives of the European Year shall include the following measures, which may be organised at Union, national, regional or local levels, as set out in the Annex, and in partner countries, in accordance with Article 6(5):

               (a)

               communication campaigns to disseminate key messages targeted at the general public and more specific audiences, in particular young people and other key target groups, including through social media;

               (b)

               the organisation of conferences, events and initiatives with all relevant stakeholders, to promote active participation and debate, and to raise awareness at all levels;

               (c)

               concrete measures in the Member States aimed at promoting the objectives of the European Year, in particular through development education, the exchange of information and sharing of experience and good practices among national, regional or local administrations and other organisations; and

               (d)

               undertaking studies and surveys and disseminating their results.

         2.   The Commission may identify other measures as contributing to the objectives of the European Year and may allow references to the European Year and to the motto to be used in promoting those measures, insofar as they contribute to achieving those objectives.
   Article 4
   Coordination with Member States
   1.   The Commission shall invite the Member States to appoint each a national coordinator to be responsible for organising the involvement of that Member State in the European Year. The Member States shall inform the Commission of any such appointment.
   2.   The national coordinators shall, in close coordination with the Commission, consult and cooperate with a wide range of relevant stakeholders, including civil society and the private sector, national parliaments, social partners and, where appropriate, the national agencies, the federal State or sub-national government level, including regional and local authorities and, where applicable, associated Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) or contact points for the relevant Union programmes.
   3.   The Commission shall invite the Member States to transmit to it, by 1 September 2014, their work programme, which shall set out details of the national activities planned for the European Year, in accordance with the objectives of the European Year and the details of the measures set out in the Annex.
   4.   Before approving the work programmes, the Commission shall verify that those activities comply, in accordance with Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 and Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 1268/2012 (7), with the objectives of the European Year.
   Article 5
   Participation
   Participation in the activities of the European Year to be financed by the Union shall be open to the Member States and candidate countries benefiting from a pre-accession strategy, in accordance with the general principles and general terms and conditions for the participation of those countries in Union programmes established in the respective framework agreements and in Association Council decisions.
   Article 6
   Coordination at Union level and implementation
   1.   The Commission shall implement this Decision at Union level, in particular by adopting the necessary financing decisions in accordance with the Regulations establishing the instruments for financing external action relevant to the actions concerned, namely the Development Cooperation Instrument, the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights, as established by Regulation (EU) No 235/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council (8), the European Neighbourhood Instrument, the Instrument contributing to Stability and Peace, as established by Regulation (EU) No 230/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council (9), the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance, as established by Regulation (EU) No 231/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council (10), and the Partnership Instrument for cooperation with third countries, as established by Regulation (EU) No 234/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council (11) (‘the instruments for financing external action’).
   2.   The Commission, together with the European External Action Service (EEAS), shall cooperate closely with the European Parliament, the Council and the Member States, the European Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions and the bodies and associations active in development issues at Union level.
   3.   The Commission shall convene meetings of the national coordinators to coordinate the implementation of the European Year and to exchange information on implementation at Union and national levels. The Commission may invite representatives of civil society and regional and local authorities and members of the European Parliament to attend those meetings as observers.
   4.   The Commission shall convene meetings of all relevant stakeholders involved in Union development cooperation to assist it in implementing the European Year at Union level. The national coordinators shall be invited to those meetings.
   5.   The Commission shall make the European Year a priority in the communication activities of its Representations in the Member States and of EU Delegations in partner countries. With a view to their participation in activities related to the European Year, whether those activities take place in the Union or in third countries, development partners in third countries shall be supported through EU Delegations while OCTs shall be supported through appropriate institutional channels.
   6.   The EEAS and EU Delegations shall make the European Year an integral part of their ongoing information and communication activities.
   Article 7
   Consistency and complementarity
   In accordance with the Regulations establishing the instruments for financing external action relevant to the actions concerned, the Commission shall ensure that the measures provided for in this Decision are consistent with any other Union, national and regional measures that help attain the objectives of the European Year, and fully complement the existing Union, national and regional measures.
   Article 8
   Specific provisions on financial and non-financial support
   1.   Measures which are Union-wide in nature and referred to in Part A of the Annex shall lead to a procurement procedure or the award of grants financed by the Union in accordance with Titles V and VI of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012.
   2.   Measures which are Union-wide in nature and referred to in Part B of the Annex may be co-financed by the Union.
   3.   The Commission may award co-financing to each national coordinator in accordance with the procedure set out in Part C of the Annex.
   4.   Where appropriate, and without prejudice to their objectives and budget, existing programmes which contribute to the promotion of development may support the European Year. Furthermore, exceptional efforts by Member States in managing international development-related events or international development work streams may also be taken into consideration in national work programmes.
   5.   The Commission may grant non-financial support for activities that are undertaken by public and private organisations and that comply with Article 3(2).
   6.   In order for measures to be considered eligible for financing under this Decision they shall be required to make effective use of public spending, to bring added value and to be results-orientated.
   Article 9
   Protection of the financial interests of the Union
   1.   The Commission shall take appropriate measures ensuring that, when actions financed under this Decision are implemented, the financial interests of the Union are protected by the application of preventive measures against fraud, corruption and any other illegal activities, by effective checks and inspections and, if irregularities are detected, by the recovery of the amounts unduly paid and, where appropriate, by effective, proportionate and dissuasive administrative and financial penalties.
   2.   The Commission or its representatives and the Court of Auditors shall have the power of audit, on the basis of documents and on-the-spot checks and inspections, over all grant beneficiaries, contractors and subcontractors who have received Union funds under this Decision.
   3.   The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) may carry out investigations, including on-the-spot checks and inspections, in accordance with the provisions and procedures laid down in Council Regulation (Euratom, EC) No 2185/96 (12) and Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 883/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council (13) with a view to establishing whether there has been fraud, corruption or any other illegal activity affecting the financial interests of the Union in connection with a grant agreement or grant decision or a contract funded under this Decision.
   Article 10
   Reporting and assessment
   By 31 December 2016, the Commission shall submit a report to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on the implementation, results and overall assessment of the measures provided for in this Decision in order to consider appropriate follow-up.
   Article 11
   Entry into force
   This Decision shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

      Done at Strasbourg, 16 April 2014.

            For the European Parliament

            The President

         M. SCHULZ

            For the Council

            The President

         D. KOURKOULAS

      (1)  Not yet published in the Official Journal.

      (2)  Position of European Parliament of 2 April 2014 (not yet published in the Official Journal) and decision of the Council of 14 April 2014.

      (3)  OJ C 46, 24.2.2006, p. 1.

      (4)  Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 of the European Parliament and the Council of 25 October 2012 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union and repealing Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 (OJ L 298, 26.10.2012, p. 1).

      (5)  Regulation (EU) No 233/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2014 establishing a financing instrument for development cooperation for the period 2014-2020 (OJ L 77, 15.3.2014, p. 44).

      (6)  Regulation (EU) No 232/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2014 establishing a European Neighbourhood Instrument (OJ L 77, 15.3.2014, p. 27).

      (7)  Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 1268/2012 of 29 October 2012 on the rules of application of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union (OJ L 362, 31.12.2012, p. 1).

      (8)  Regulation (EU) No 235/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2014 establishing a financing instrument for democracy and human rights worldwide (OJ L 77, 15.3.2014, p. 85).

      (9)  Regulation (EU) No 230/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2014 establishing an instrument contributing to stability and peace (OJ L 77, 15.3.2014, p. 1).

      (10)  Regulation (EU) No 231/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2014 establishing an Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA II) (OJ L 77, 15.3.2014, p. 11).

      (11)  Regulation (EU) No 234/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2014 establishing a Partnership Instrument for cooperation with third countries (OJ L 77, 15.3.2014, p. 77).

      (12)  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 (OJ L 292, 15.11.1996, p. 2).

      (13)  Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 883/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 September 2013 concerning investigations conducted by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1073/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Council Regulation (Euratom) No 1074/1999 (OJ L 248, 18.9.2013, p. 1).

      ANNEX
      DETAILS OF THE MEASURES REFERRED TO IN ARTICLE 3
      Implementation of the European Year shall focus on a broad Union-wide information and communication campaign complemented by actions taken by the Member States. Both Union and national actions can also involve civil society, youth organisations, social partners, the private sector, national parliaments, and, where appropriate, national agencies, the federal State or sub-national government level, including regional and local authorities and other stakeholders, with a view to creating a sense of ownership among key actors.
      The Union shall grant financial support, as well as the authorisation to use a logo developed by the Commission, and other materials associated with the European Year, to measures carried out by public or private organisations, where those organisations provide assurances to the Commission that those measures are or will be carried out in 2015 and are likely to make a significant contribution to achieving the objectives of the European Year.
      A.   DIRECT UNION MEASURES
      Financing shall take the form of the direct purchase of goods and services under existing framework contracts. It may also take the form of grants covering up to 80 % of the final cost of activities. Measures may include:

                  (a)

                  information and promotional campaigns including:

                              (i)

                              production and dissemination of audiovisual and print material which reflect the objectives of the European Year;

                              (ii)

                              high-visibility events to raise awareness of the objectives of the European Year and fora for exchanging experience and good practices;

                              (iii)

                              measures to publicise the results and raise the profile of Union programmes, as well as measures contributing to the objectives of the European Year;

                              (iv)

                              establishment of an interactive information website on Europa (http://europa.eu/index_en.htm) dedicated to action taken in the context of the European Year and adequate use of social media;

                              (v)

                              a prize for innovative and successful communication concepts and campaigns which help, or which have helped, to raise awareness and foster reflection about development issues in unusual or original ways, in particular those designed to reach target audiences which previously have had little or no exposure to global development issues;

                  (b)

                  other initiatives:

                              (i)

                              the provision of linguistic services (translation, interpretation, multilingual information);

                              (ii)

                              monitoring surveys and audits at Union level to assess and report on the preparation, effectiveness and impact of the European Year.

            B.   CO-FINANCING UNION MEASURES
      High-visibility events on a Union scale that aim to raise awareness of the objectives of the European Year, that may be organised in cooperation with the Member States holding the Council Presidency in 2015, may receive a Union grant of up to 80 % of the final costs of the activities.
      C.   CO-FINANCING MEMBER STATES' MEASURES
      Each national coordinator may submit an application for Union co-financing of measures or of a work programme to promote the European Year. The work programme shall describe the national specific activities to be funded. Within that framework, Member States may define their own priorities and initiatives in accordance with Article 2 and may include OCTs where applicable.
      The application for co-financing shall be accompanied by a detailed budget setting out the total costs of the measures or work programme proposed, as well as the amount and sources of possible co-funding. The Union contribution may cover up to 80 % of the final costs of the activities. The Commission shall determine indicative amounts to be made available for co-financing to each national coordinator and the deadline for submission of the applications, based on criteria that take into account the population and the cost of living of the Member State concerned. A fixed amount per Member State shall guarantee a minimum level of activities.
      When determining that fixed amount, the Commission shall take into account the relatively short experience in development cooperation of those Member States that have joined the Union since 1 January 2004. The Commission shall also take into account measures submitted jointly or shared by several Member States.
      The Commission shall ensure a transparent, timely and efficient approval procedure based on the principles of equal treatment and sound financial management.


title: 2006/458/EC: Council Decision of  29 April 2004  on the signing and provisional application of a Protocol to the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement establishing a partnership between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Uzbekistan, of the other part to take account of the accession of the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovak Republic to the European Union

text:
               6.7.2006

               EN

               Official Journal of the European Union

               L 185/22

         COUNCIL DECISION
   of 29 April 2004
   on the signing and provisional application of a Protocol to the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement establishing a partnership between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Uzbekistan, of the other part to take account of the accession of the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovak Republic to the European Union
   (2006/458/EC)
   THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
   Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 44(2), the last sentence of Article 47(2), and Articles 55, 57(2), 71, 80(2), 93, 94, 133 and 181a, in conjunction with Article 300(2) first subparagraph, first sentence thereof,
   Having regard to the Treaty of Accession of 16 April 2003, and in particular Article 2(3) thereof,
   Having regard to the Act annexed to the Treaty of Accession, and in particular Article 6(2) thereof,
   Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
   Whereas:

               (1)

               On 8 December 2003, the Council authorised the Commission, on behalf of the Community and its Member States, to negotiate with the Republic of Uzbekistan a Protocol to the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement to take account of the accession of the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovak Republic to the European Union, and to provide for certain technical adjustments linked to the institutional and legal developments within the European Union.

               (2)

               Subject to its possible conclusion at a later date, the Protocol has been negotiated between the Parties and should now be signed on behalf of the European Community and its Member States.

               (3)

               The Protocol should be applied on a provisional basis as from the date of accession, pending completion of the relevant procedures for its formal conclusion,

         HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:
   Article 1
   The President of the Council is hereby authorised to designate the person(s) empowered to sign, on behalf of the European Community and its Member States, the Protocol to the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement establishing a partnership between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Uzbekistan, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Czech Republic, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovak Republic to the European Union, subject to possible conclusion at a later stage.
   The text of the Protocol is attached to this Decision (1).
   Article 2
   Pending its entry into force, the Protocol shall be applied on a provisional basis from the date of accession.

      Done at Luxembourg, 29 April 2004.

            For the Council

            The President

         M. McDOWELL

      (1)  See page 23 of this Official Journal,
    ---documentbreak---

               6.7.2006

               EN

               Official Journal of the European Union

               L 185/23

         PROTOCOL
   to the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement establishing a partnership between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Uzbekistan, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Slovenia, and the Slovak Republic to the European Union
   THE KINGDOM OF BELGIUM,
   THE CZECH REPUBLIC,
   THE KINGDOM OF DENMARK,
   THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY,
   REPUBLIC OF ESTONIA,
   THE HELLENIC REPUBLIC,
   THE KINGDOM OF SPAIN,
   THE FRENCH REPUBLIC,
   IRELAND,
   THE ITALIAN REPUBLIC,
   THE REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS,
   THE REPUBLIC OF LATVIA,
   THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA,
   THE GRAND DUCHY OF LUXEMBOURG,
   THE REPUBLIC OF HUNGARY,
   THE REPUBLIC OF MALTA,
   THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS,
   THE REPUBLIC OF AUSTRIA,
   THE REPUBLIC OF POLAND,
   THE PORTUGUESE REPUBLIC,
   THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA,
   THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC,
   THE REPUBLIC OF FINLAND,
   THE KINGDOM OF SWEDEN,
   THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND,
   hereinafter referred to as the ‘Member States’, represented by the Council of the European Union, and
   THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY AND THE EUROPEAN ATOMIC ENERGY COMMUNITY,
   hereinafter referred to as ‘the Communities’ represented, by the Council of the European Union and the European Commission,
   of the one part, and
   THE REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN
   of the other part,
   HAVING REGARD TO the accession of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia to the European Union on 1 May 2004,
   HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS:
   Article 1
   The Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia shall be Parties to the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, establishing a partnership between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Uzbekistan, of the other part, signed in Florence on 21 June 1996 (hereinafter the Agreement) and shall respectively adopt and take note, in the same manner as the other Member States of the Community, of the texts of the Agreement and of the documents attached to it.
   Article 2
   To take account of recent institutional developments within the European Union, the Parties agree that, following expiry of the Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community, existing provisions in the Agreement referring to the European Coal and Steel Community shall be deemed to refer to the European Community, which has taken over all rights and obligations contracted by the European Coal and Steel Community.
   Article 3
   This Protocol shall form an integral part of the Agreement.
   Article 4
   1.   This Protocol shall be approved by the Communities, by the Council of the European Union on behalf of the Member States, and by the Republic of Uzbekistan in accordance with their own procedures.
   2.   The Parties shall notify each other of the accomplishment of the corresponding procedures referred to in the preceding paragraph. The instruments of approval shall be deposited with the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union.
   Article 5
   1.   This Protocol shall enter into force on the same day as the 2003 Treaty of Accession, provided that all the instruments of approval of this Protocol have been deposited before that date.
   2.   Where not all the instruments of approval of this Protocol have been deposited before that date, this Protocol shall enter into force on the first day of the first month following the date of the deposit of the last instrument of approval.
   3.   Where not all the instruments of approval of this Protocol have been deposited before 1 May 2004, this Protocol shall apply provisionally with effect from 1 May 2004.
   Article 6
   The texts of the Agreement, the Final Act and all documents annexed to it are drawn up in the Czech, Estonian, Hungarian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Slovene and Slovak languages.
   These texts are annexed to this Protocol (1) and are equally authentic with the texts in the other languages in which the Agreement, the Final Act and the documents annexed to it are drawn up.
   Article 7
   This Protocol is drawn up in duplicate in the Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Hungarian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Slovak, Slovene, Spanish, Swedish and in Uzbek languages, each of these texts being equally authentic.

      Hecho en Bruselas, el treinta de abril del dos mil cuatro.
      V Bruselu dne třicátého dubna dva tisíce čtyři.
      Udfærdiget i Bruxelles den tredivte april to tusind og fire.
      Geschehen zu Brüssel am dreißigsten April zweitausendundvier.
      Kahe tuhande neljanda aasta kolmekümnendal aprillil Brüsselis.
      Έγινε στις Βρυξέλλες, στις τριάντα Απριλίου δύο χιλιάδες τέσσερα.
      Done at Brussels on the thirtieth day of April in the year two thousand and four.
      Fait à Bruxelles, le trente avril deux mille quatre.
      Fatto a Bruxelles, addì trenta aprile duemilaquattro.
      Briselē, divi tūkstoši ceturtā gada trīsdesmitajā aprīlī.
      Priimta du tūkstančiai ketvirtų metų balandžio trisdešimtą dieną Briuselyje.
      Kelt Brüsszelben, a kétezer-negyedik év április havának tizenharmadik napján.
      Magħmul fi Brussel fit-tletin jum ta' April tas-sena elfejn u erbgħa.
      Gedaan te Brussel, de dertigste april tweeduizendvier.
      Sporządzono w Brukseli, dnia trzynastego kwietnia roku dwa tysiące czwartego.
      Feito em Bruxelas, em trinta de Abril de dois mil e quatro.
      V Bruseli dňa tridsiateho apríla dvetisícštyri.
      V Bruslju, dne tridesetega aprila leta dva tisoč štiri.
      Tehty Brysselissä kolmantenakymmenentenä päivänä huhtikuuta vuonna kaksituhattaneljä.
      Som skedde i Bryssel den trettionde april tjugohundrafyra.
      Брюссель шахрида 2004 йил «30» апрелда тузилди.

         Por los Estados miembros
         Za členské státy
         For medlemsstaterne
         Für die Mitgliedstaaten
         Liikmesriikide nimel
         Για τα κράτη μέλη
         For the Member States
         Pour les États membres
         Per gli Stati membri
         Dalībvalstu vārdā
         Valstybių narių vardu
         A tagállamok részéről
         Għall-Istati Membri
         Voor de lidstaten
         W imieniu Państw Członkowskich
         Pelos Estados-Membros
         Za členské štáty
         Za države članice
         Jäsenvaltioiden puolesta
         På medlemsstaternas vägnar
         Аъзо Давлатлар Номидан

         Por las Comunidades Europeas
         Za Evropská společenství
         For De Europæiske Fællesskaber
         Für die Europäischen Gemeinschaften
         Euroopa ühenduste nimel
         Για τις Ευρωπαϊκές Κοινότητες
         For the European Communities
         Pour les Communautés européennes
         Per le Comunità europee
         Eiropas Kopienu vārdā
         Europos Bendrijų vardu
         Az Európai Közösségek részéről
         Għall-Komunitajiet Ewropej
         Voor de Europese Gemeenschappen
         W imieniu Wspólnot Europejskich
         Pelas Comunidades Europeias
         Za Európske spoločenstvá
         Za Evropske skupnosti
         Euroopan yhteisöjen puolesta
         På europeiska gemenskapernas vägnar
         Европа Xамжамиятлари Номидан

         Por la República de Uzbekistán
         Za Uzbeckou republiku
         For Republikken Usbekistan
         Für die Republik Usbekistan
         Usbekistani Vabariigi nimel
         Για τη Δημοκρατία του Ουζμπεκιστάν
         For the Republic of Uzbekistan
         Pour la République d'Ouzbékistan
         Per la Repubblica dell'Uzbekistan
         Uzbekistānas Republikas vārdā
         Uzbekistano Respublikos vardu
         Üzbegisztán részéről
         Għar-Repubblika ta'l-Uzbekistan
         Voor de Republiek Oezbekistan
         W imieniu Republiki Uzbekistanu
         Pela República do Usbequistão
         Za Uzbeckú republiku
         Za Republiko Uzbekistan
         Uzbekistanin tasavallan puolesta
         På republiken uzbekistans vägnar
         Ўзбекистон Республикаси Номидан

      (1)  The Czech, Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Hungarian, Maltese, Polish, Slovak and Slovene versions of the Agreement shall be published in the Official Journal Special Edition at a later date.


Avis juridique important

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31991D0020

91/20/EEC: Council Decision of 21 December 1990 concerning the provisional application of the Agreed Minute amending the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic on trade in textile products

Official Journal L 013 , 18/01/1991 P. 0017

COUNCIL DECISION  of 21 December 1990  concerning the provisional application of the Agreed Minute amending the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic on trade in textile products  (91/20/EEC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,  Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Article 113 thereof,  Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,  Whereas, pending the completion of the procedures necessary for its conclusion, the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic initialled on 19 June 1986, has been provisionally applied since 1 January  1987 in accordance, having regard to the Community, with Decision 87/498/EEC (1);  Whereas that Agreement provides for the possibility of adjustments to the quantitative limits;  Whereas Czechoslovakia accepted the offer for improved market access which the Community made on the basis of a specific request submitted by Czechoslovakia under the Phare action plan and it was agreed, in an Agreed Minute of 30 October 1990, to  increase for 1990 and 1991 the Community quantitative limits of a number of categories mentioned in Annex II to the aforementioned Agreement;  Whereas both parties agreed that the aforesaid quota increases are exceptional and intended to contribute to the co-ordinated effort of the 'Group of 24' industrialized countries, to facilitate the restructuring of Czechoslovakia's economy through,  inter alia, improved access to the Community's markets;  Whereas it was agreed that the said Agreed Minute will be applied provisionally as from 15 November 1990 pending the completion of the procedures necessary for its conclusion, provided that there is a reciprocal provisional application on the part of  the contracting party,  HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:    Sole Article  The Agreed Minute amending the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic on trade in textile products shall be applied provisionally as from 15 November 1990 pending its formal conclusion,  provided that there is a reciprocal provisional application on the part of the contracting party.  The text of the Agreed Minute is attached to this Decision.   Done at Brussels, 21 December 1990. For the Council  The President  A. RUBERTI   (1) OJ No L 287, 9. 10. 1987, p. 89.    ANNEX  For practical reasons the product descriptions used in the Annex are given in abbreviated form  Increase of EEC quantitative limits for Czechoslovakia for 1990 and 1991   Category  Description   Units  Increase  of EEC  limits  1990 and 1991       2  Woven fabrics of cotton  tonnes  650       3  Woven fabrics of man-made fibres  tonnes  325  3 (a)  (a) of which:  other than bleached or unbleached  tonnes  F: 54  BNL: 31        6  Woven trousers  1 000 pieces  400       8  Men's shirts, woven  1 000 pieces  340       9  Woven terry fabrics and toilet linen  tonnes  70       19  Handkerchiefs  1 000 pieces  8 000       32  Velvet and corduroy  tonnes  600  32 (a)  of  which: cotton corduroy  tonnes  600       36  Woven fabrics of continuous artificial fibres  tonnes  250       37  Woven fabrics discontinuous artificial fibres  tonnes  200       76  Industrial or occupational clothing  tonnes  230       90  Synthetic  cordage  tonnes  240       110  Pneumatic mattresses  tonnes  120       117  Woven fabrics of flax or of ramie  tonnes  175


title: 2013/569/EU: Decision of the European Parliament of 17 April 2013 on the closure of the accounts of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control for the financial year 2011

text:
               16.11.2013

               EN

               Official Journal of the European Union

               L 308/208

         DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
   of 17 April 2013
   on the closure of the accounts of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control for the financial year 2011
   (2013/569/EU)
   THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT,

               —

               having regard to the final annual accounts of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control for the financial year 2011,

               —

               having regard to the Court of Auditors’ report on the annual accounts of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control for the financial year 2011, together with the Centre’s replies (1),

               —

               having regard to the Council’s recommendation of 12 February 2013 (05753/2013 – C7-0041/2013),

               —

               having regard to Article 319 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

               —

               having regard to Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 of 25 June 2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities (2), and in particular Article 185 thereof,

               —

               having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union and repealing Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 (3), and in particular Article 208 thereof,

               —

               having regard to Regulation (EC) No 851/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 April 2004 establishing a European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (4), and in particular Article 23 thereof,

               —

               having regard to Commission Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2343/2002 of 19 November 2002 on the framework Financial Regulation for the bodies referred to in Article 185 of Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities (5), and in particular Article 94 thereof,

               —

               having regard to Rule 77 of, and Annex VI to, its Rules of Procedure,

               —

               having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgetary Control and the opinion of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (A7-0082/2013),

               1.

               Approves the closure of the accounts of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control for the financial year 2011;

               2.

               Instructs its President to forward this Decision to the Director of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, the Council, the Commission and the Court of Auditors, and to arrange for its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union (L series).

            The President

         Martin SCHULZ

            The Secretary-General

         Klaus WELLE

      (1)  OJ C 388, 15.12.2012, p. 66.

      (2)  OJ L 248, 16.9.2002, p. 1.

      (3)  OJ L 298, 26.10.2012, p. 1.

      (4)  OJ L 142, 30.4.2004, p. 1.

      (5)  OJ L 357, 31.12.2002, p. 72.


title: 2008/670/JHA: Council Decision of 24 July 2008 amending Council Decision 2000/265/EC on the establishment of a financial regulation governing the budgetary aspects of the management by the Deputy Secretary-General of the Council, of contracts concluded in his name, on behalf of certain Member States, relating to the installation and the functioning of the communication infrastructure for the Schengen environment, Sisnet

text:
               15.8.2008

               EN

               Official Journal of the European Union

               L 220/19

      COUNCIL DECISION

   of 24 July 2008
   amending Council Decision 2000/265/EC on the establishment of a financial regulation governing the budgetary aspects of the management by the Deputy Secretary-General of the Council, of contracts concluded in his name, on behalf of certain Member States, relating to the installation and the functioning of the communication infrastructure for the Schengen environment, ‘Sisnet’
   (2008/670/JHA)
   THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
   Having regard to first sentence of the second subparagraph of Article 2(1) of the Protocol integrating the Schengen acquis into the framework of the European Union, annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
   Whereas:

               (1)

               The Deputy Secretary-General of the Council was authorised by Decision 1999/870/EC (1) and Decision 2007/149/EC (2) to act, in the context of the integration of the Schengen acquis within the European Union, as representative of certain Member States for the purposes of concluding contracts relating to the installation and the functioning of the communication infrastructure for the Schengen environment, ‘SISNET’, and to manage such contracts, pending its migration to a communication infrastructure under the responsibility of the European Union.

               (2)

               The financial obligations arising under those contracts are borne by a specific budget, hereinafter ‘the Sisnet budget’, financing the communication infrastructure referred to in those Council Decisions.

               (3)

               The Sisnet budget is governed by a specific Financial Regulation established by Council Decision 2000/265/EC (3), hereinafter referred to as the ‘Sisnet Financial Regulation’, which provides for different procedures from those of the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities, as set out in Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 (4).

               (4)

               It is appropriate, by analogy, to bring the Sisnet Financial Regulation into line with the Community Financial Regulation, whilst simplifying the internal procedures within the Council Secretariat, in particular by abolishing the role of the financial controller and where appropriate replacing his functions by those of the internal auditor established by Article 85 of Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002.

               (5)

               Current procedures should also be made smoother and more appropriate to actual practice, for instance by adapting deadlines in respect of calls for funds and payments, and updating some provisions in the current procedural or legislative frameworks.

               (6)

               The Sisnet Financial Regulation was amended by Council Decision 2007/155/EC (5) and Council Decision 2008/319/EC in order to allow Switzerland to participate in the Sisnet budget. Switzerland should also be allowed to participate in possible future activities of the Advisory Committee.

               (7)

               The proposed amendments have no financial impact on the Member States’ contributions to the Sisnet budget,

         HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:
   Article 1
   Decision 2000/265/EC is hereby amended as follows:

               1.

               Article 6(4) shall be replaced by the following:
               ‘4.   The expenditure of a financial year shall be entered in the accounts for that year on the basis of expenditure authorised no later than 31 December and for which the corresponding payments were made by the accounting officer before the following 15 January.’;

               2.

               Article 7 shall be amended as follows:

                           (a)

                           in paragraph 2:

                                       (i)

                                       the first subparagraph shall be replaced by the following:
                                       ‘Notwithstanding paragraph 1, the Deputy Secretary-General of the Council may forward to the representatives of the States referred to in Article 25, meeting within the framework of the SIS/SIRENE Working Party (Mixed Committee), hereinafter referred to as the “SIS/SIRENE Working Party”, before 31 January, duly substantiated requests to carry over to the next financial year appropriations not committed at 15 December when the appropriations provided for the headings concerned in the budget for the following financial year do not cover requirements.’;

                                       (ii)

                                       the fourth subparagraph shall be replaced by the following:
                                       ‘The SIS/SIRENE Working Party shall act on such requests for carrying over by 1 March at the latest.’;

                           (b)

                           paragraph 4 shall be deleted;

               3.

               Article 8(2) to (4) shall be replaced by the following:
               ‘2.   The Deputy Secretary-General shall forward the preliminary draft budget to the SIS/SIRENE Working Party before 15 October and attach an explanatory memorandum.
               3.   The SIS/SIRENE Working Party shall deliver its opinion on that preliminary draft.
               4.   The Deputy Secretary-General shall establish the draft budget and forward it by 15 November to the States referred to in Article 25.’;

               4.

               Article 10(2) shall be replaced by the following:
               ‘2.   An amending budget shall be submitted on an annual basis, in the three months following the closure of the accounts as laid down in Article 46(1), with the aim of entering the balance of the budget outturn from the previous financial year as revenue in the case of a positive balance or expenditure if the balance is negative.’;

               5.

               Article 12 shall be replaced by the following:
               ‘Article 12
               The budget shall be implemented in accordance with the principle that the authorising officer and the accounting officer are different individuals. The duties of authorising officer, accounting officer and internal auditor shall be mutually incompatible.’;

               6.

               Article 13(2) shall be replaced by the following:
               ‘2.   The authorising officer may decide on transfers between articles within each chapter. With the agreement of the SIS/SIRENE Working Party, he may decide on transfers between chapters within the same title. The SIS/SIRENE Working Party shall give its agreement under the same conditions as for adopting its opinion on the budget.’;

               7.

               Article 14 shall be deleted;

               8.

               Article 16 shall be amended as follows:

                           (a)

                           paragraph 1 shall be replaced by the following:
                           ‘1.   For the collection of any amount owing pursuant to Article 25, or of any debt due to the States concerned by a third party relating to the conclusion, installation and functioning of Sisnet, the issue of a recovery order by the authorising officer shall be required. Recovery orders shall be forwarded to the accounting officer.’;

                           (b)

                           paragraph 2 shall be deleted;

               9.

               the last sentence of Article 18(1) as well as Articles 18(2), 20(2)(g), 20(4), (20)(5), and 22 shall be deleted;

               10.

               Article 23 shall be replaced by the following:
               ‘Article 23
               The liability to disciplinary action of the authorising officer and accounting officer in the event of failure to comply with the provisions of this Financial Regulation shall be as laid down in the Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Communities.’;

               11.

               a Chapter shall be added as follows:
               ‘CHAPTER III A
               Internal auditor
               Article 24a
               An internal auditor shall verify the proper operation of the budgetary implementation systems and procedures set out in this Regulation. By analogy, the internal auditor shall benefit from all the powers, shall perform all the tasks, and shall be subject to all the rules provided for 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 (6), in particular in Part I, Title IV, Chapter 8 thereof.

               12.

               Article 28 shall be amended as follows:

                           (a)

                           paragraph 1 shall be replaced by the following:
                           ‘1.   Until 31 December 2008, the States referred to in Article 25 shall be required to pay 25 % of their contribution by 15 February, 1 April, 1 July and 1 October at the latest.’;

                           (b)

                           the following paragraph shall be added:
                           ‘1a.   From 1 January 2009, the States referred to in Article 25 shall be required to pay 70 % of their contribution by 1 April and 30 % by 1 October at the latest.’;

               13.

               Article 29(6)(h) shall be replaced by the following:

                           ‘(h)

                           prohibit any contact between the Deputy Secretary-General and his staff, representatives of the Governments of the Member States referred to in Article 25, representatives of the Governments of Iceland, Norway and Switzerland and tenderers on matters related to that invitation to tender save, by way of special exception, under the following conditions:
                           before the closing date for the submission of tenders:

                                       (i)

                                       at the instance of tenderers:
                                       additional information solely for the purpose of clarifying the nature of the invitation to tender may be communicated to all tenderers;

                                       (ii)

                                       at the instance of the Deputy Secretary-General:
                                       if the Member States referred to in Article 25, or Iceland, Norway and Switzerland, or the General Secretariat of the Council notice an error, a lack of precision, an omission or any other type of clerical defect in the text of the invitation to tender, the General Secretariat may, in a manner identical to that applicable in respect of the original invitation to tender, inform the persons concerned accordingly;

                                       (iii)

                                       after the tenders have been opened and at the instance of the Member States referred to in Article 25, Iceland, Norway or Switzerland, or the General Secretariat of the Council, if some clarification is required in connection with a tender, or if obvious clerical errors contained in the tender must be corrected, the General Secretariat may contact the tenderer.’;

               14.

               Article 31 shall be replaced by the following:
               ‘Article 31
               No discrimination shall be practised between nationals of Member States and of Iceland, Norway and Switzerland on grounds of nationality in respect of contracts entered into by the Deputy Secretary-General on behalf of the Member States referred to in Article 25.’;

               15.

               the second subparagraph of Article 34 shall be replaced by the following:
               ‘The tenders shall be opened together by a committee appointed for this purpose by the Deputy Secretary-General. It shall be composed of three high-level officials from different directorates of the Council General Secretariat.’;

               16.

               the first subparagraph of Article 35 shall be replaced by the following:
               ‘Every tender shall be assessed by the Member States referred to in Article 25, together with Iceland, Norway and Switzerland. A report, approved unanimously by these States, shall be presented by the competent official within the Council General Secretariat designated by the authorising officer or by an alternate, also designated by the authorising officer, to the Advisory Committee referred to in Article 36.’;

               17.

               Article 36 shall be replaced by the following:
               ‘Article 36
               Contracts to be concluded by the Deputy Secretary-General on behalf of the Member States referred to in Article 25 and by the appropriate representatives of Iceland, Norway and Switzerland after an invitation to tender has been issued shall first be submitted for the opinion of an Advisory Committee on procurements and contracts.’;

               18.

               the first subparagraph of Article 37 shall be replaced by the following:
               ‘The Advisory Committee referred to in Article 36 shall include one representative from each Member State referred to in Article 25, together with one representative from each of Iceland, Norway and Switzerland. The Member States referred to in Article 25, together with Iceland, Norway and Switzerland, shall ensure that the representatives selected have adequate expertise in informatics and/or financial matters and/or legal matters. Representatives must not have participated in the assessment of the files to be submitted to the Advisory Committee. A representative of the internal auditor shall be present as observer.’;

               19.

               Article 39(e) shall be replaced by the following:

                           ‘(e)

                           at the request of one of the Member States referred to in Article 25 or of Iceland, Norway or Switzerland, or of a member of the Advisory Committee, or of the Deputy Secretary-General, proposed contracts involving an amount below the thresholds referred to in point (a), where they consider that such contracts involve questions of principle or are of a special nature.’;

               20.

               Article 40 shall be replaced by the following:
               ‘Article 40
               The files submitted to the Advisory Committee for an opinion pursuant to Article 39(b) to (e), shall also be accompanied by a report approved unanimously by the Member States referred to in Article 25, as well as Iceland, Norway and Switzerland.’;

               21.

               Article 41 shall be replaced by the following:
               ‘Article 41
               The opinions of the Advisory Committee shall be signed by its chairman. In order to avoid delays in the process as a result of the intervention of the Advisory Committee, the Member States referred to in Article 25, as well as Iceland, Norway and Switzerland, may, if they deem it necessary, impose a reasonable deadline by which an opinion must be furnished. Opinions shall be communicated to the Deputy Secretary-General and to the Member States referred to in Article 25, as well as to Iceland, Norway and Switzerland. Following due consideration of that opinion, the Member States referred to in Article 25, as well as Iceland, Norway and Switzerland, shall take a final decision on the case by unanimity. Once that decision has been taken, the contract or contracts which form the subject of each case shall be concluded by the Deputy Secretary-General on behalf of the Member States referred to in Article 25 and by the appropriate representatives of Iceland, Norway and Switzerland.’;

               22.

               Article 43(6) shall be replaced by the following:
               ‘6.   Where a contract has not been performed or completion has been late, the Deputy Secretary-General shall ensure that the Member States referred to in Article 25, as well as Iceland, Norway and Switzerland, are adequately compensated in respect of all damages, interests and costs by the deduction of the amount from the deposit, whether this has been lodged directly by the supplier or contractor or by a third party.’;

               23.

               Article 46(1) shall be replaced by the following:
               ‘1.   The Deputy Secretary-General shall, within three months from the end of the budget implementation period, draw up a revenue and expenditure account and a balance sheet and transmit them to the SIS/SIRENE Working Party.’;

               24.

               Article 50(2) shall be replaced by the following:
               ‘2.   By derogation from Article 8, for the purposes of the budget referred to in paragraph 1, the Deputy Secretary-General of the Council shall forward the preliminary draft budget to the SIS/SIRENE Working Party as soon as possible after the adoption of this Financial Regulation. Following the delivery of the opinion of the SIS/SIRENE Working Party and the establishment of the draft budget, the Member States referred to in Article 25, meeting within the Council, shall adopt the budget without delay.’.

         Article 2
   1.   This Decision shall take effect from the date of its adoption.
   2.   It shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

      Done at Brussels, 24 July 2008.

            For the Council

            The President

         B. HORTEFEUX

      (1)  OJ L 337, 30.12.1999, p. 41.

      (2)  OJ L 66, 6.3.2007, p. 19.

      (3)  OJ L 85, 6.4.2000, p. 12. Decision as last amended by Decision 2008/319/EC (OJ L 109, 19.4.2008, p. 30).

      (4)  OJ L 248, 16.9.2002, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1525/2007 (OJ L 343, 27.12.2007, p. 9).

      (5)  OJ L 68, 8.3.2007, p. 5.

      (6)  OJ L 248, 16.9.2002, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1525/2007 (OJ L 343, 27.12.2007, p. 9).’;


Avis juridique important

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31998D0807(02)

Council Decision of 20 July 1998 designating the representative organisations of workers in France required to draw up lists of candidates for the representation of workers on the Consultative Committee of the European Coal and Steel Community

Official Journal C 247 , 07/08/1998 P. 0004 - 0004

COUNCIL DECISION of 20 July 1998 designating the representative organisations of workers in France required to draw up lists of candidates for the representation of workers on the Consultative Committee of the European Coal and Steel Community (98/C 247/03)THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,Having regard to Article 18 of the Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community,Whereas the Consultative Committee of the European Coal and Steel Community, whose term of office expired on 3 March 1998, should be renewed;Whereas in its Decision of 30 April 1998 (1) the Council designated the representative organisations of producers and workers required to draw up lists of candidates for the representation of producers and workers on the Consultative Committee of the European Coal and Steel Community, except for the representative organisations of workers in France and one representative organisation of workers in the United Kingdom;Whereas a notification has been submitted by the French Government,HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:Article 1 The representative organisations of workers listed in the table annexed to this Decision are hereby designated to draw up lists of candidates on the basis of which the members representing workers on the Consultative Committee of the European Coal and Steel Community shall be appointed in numbers equal to those shown in the aforesaid table in respect of those same organisations.Article 2 This Decision shall be published, for information, in the Official Journal of the European Communities.Done at Brussels, 20 July 1998.For the CouncilThe PresidentW. MOLTERER(1) OJ C 156, 21.5.1998, p. 1.ANNEX >TABLE>


title: 2008/380/EC,Euratom: Council Decision of 9 May 2008 appointing a new member of the Commission of the European Communities

text:
               21.5.2008

               EN

               Official Journal of the European Union

               L 131/6

      COUNCIL DECISION

   of 9 May 2008
   appointing a new member of the Commission of the European Communities
   (2008/380/EC, Euratom)
   THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
   Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular the second paragraph of Article 215 thereof,
   Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community, and in particular the second paragraph of Article 128 thereof,
   Whereas:
   In a letter dated 7 May 2008, followed by a letter dated 8 May 2008, Mr Franco FRATTINI resigned from his post as a member of the Commission. He should be replaced for the remainder of his term of office,
   HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
   Article 1
   Mr Antonio TAJANI is hereby appointed a member of the Commission for the period from 9 May 2008 to 31 October 2009.
   Article 2
   This Decision shall take effect on 9 May 2008.
   Article 3
   This Decision shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

      Done at Brussels, 9 May 2008.

            For the Council

            The President

         A. BAJUK


title: 2013/597/EU: Decision of the European Parliament of 17 April 2013 on the closure of the accounts of the European Training Foundation for the financial year 2011

text:
               16.11.2013

               EN

               Official Journal of the European Union

               L 308/294

         DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
   of 17 April 2013
   on the closure of the accounts of the European Training Foundation for the financial year 2011
   (2013/597/EU)
   THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT,

               —

               having regard to the final annual accounts of the European Training Foundation for the financial year 2011,

               —

               having regard to the Court of Auditors’ report on the annual accounts of the European Training Foundation for the financial year 2011, together with the Foundation’s replies (1),

               —

               having regard to the Council’s recommendation of 12 February 2013 (05753/2013 – C7-0041/2013),

               —

               having regard to Article 319 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

               —

               having regard to Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 of 25 June 2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities (2), and in particular Article 185 thereof,

               —

               having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union and repealing Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 (3), and in particular Article 208 thereof,

               —

               having regard to Regulation (EC) No 1339/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2008 establishing a European Training Foundation (4), and in particular Article 17 thereof,

               —

               having regard to Commission Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2343/2002 of 19 November 2002 on the framework Financial Regulation for the bodies referred to in Article 185 of Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities (5), and in particular Article 94 thereof,

               —

               having regard to Rule 77 of, and Annex VI to, its Rules of Procedure,

               —

               having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgetary Control and the opinion of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (A7-0080/2013),

               1.

               Approves the closure of the accounts of the European Training Foundation for the financial year 2011;

               2.

               Instructs its President to forward this Decision to the Director of the European Training Foundation, the Council, the Commission and the Court of Auditors, and to arrange for its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union (L series).

            The President

         Martin SCHULZ

            The Secretary-General

         Klaus WELLE

      (1)  OJ C 388, 15.12.2012, p. 165.

      (2)  OJ L 248, 16.9.2002, p. 1.

      (3)  OJ L 298, 26.10.2012, p. 1.

      (4)  OJ L 354, 31.12.2008, p. 82.

      (5)  OJ L 357, 31.12.2002, p. 72.


Avis juridique important

|

31998D0716(02)

Council Decision of 29 June 1998 appointing the members and alternate members of the Advisory Committee on Medical Training

Official Journal C 222 , 16/07/1998 P. 0003 - 0005

COUNCIL DECISION of 29 June 1998 appointing the members and alternate members of the Advisory Committee on Medical Training (98/C 222/02)THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,Having regard to Council Decision 75/364/EEC of 16 June 1975 setting up an Advisory Committee on Medical Training (1), and in particular Articles 3 and 4 thereof,Having regard to the Act of Accession of 1994, and in particular Article 165(1) thereof,Whereas, under Article 3 of the Decision mentioned above, the said Committee consists of three experts from each Member State and an alternate member for each of those experts; whereas, under Article 4 of the same Decision, the term of office of such members and alternate members is three years;Whereas, by its Decision of 25 July 1994 (2), the Council appointed the members and alternate members of the Committee in respect of eleven Member States for the period 25 July 1994 to 24 July 1997; whereas, by its Decision of 6 October 1995 (3), the Council appointed the Austrian, Finnish and Swedish members and alternate members of the Committee for the period to 24 July 1997;Whereas the Governments of the Member States have each submitted lists of candidates for the appointment, replacement or renewal of the term of office of these members and alternate members;Whereas, in view of its special situation, Luxembourg will designate in place of experts from university medical faculties experts proposed by the Commission d'homologation (standardisation committee) for foreign medical diplomas,HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:Sole Article The following are hereby appointed members and alternate members of the Advisory Committee on Medical Training for the period from 29 June 1998 to 28 June 2001.A. >TABLE>B. >TABLE>C. >TABLE>Done at Luxembourg, 29 June 1998.For the CouncilThe PresidentR. COOK(1) OJ L 167, 30.6.1975, p. 17.(2) OJ C 221, 9.8.1994, p. 1.(3) OJ C 272, 18.10.1995, p. 1.


title: 2012/520/EU: Council Decision of 24 September 2012 appointing an Italian alternate member of the Committee of the Regions

text:
               26.9.2012

               EN

               Official Journal of the European Union

               L 258/32

         COUNCIL DECISION
   of 24 September 2012
   appointing an Italian alternate member of the Committee of the Regions
   (2012/520/EU)
   THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
   Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 305 thereof,
   Having regard to the proposal of the Italian Government,
   Whereas:

               (1)

               On 22 December 2009 and on 18 January 2010, the Council adopted Decisions 2009/1014/EU (1) and 2010/29/EU (2) appointing the members and alternate members of the Committee of the Regions for the period from 26 January 2010 to 25 January 2015.

               (2)

               An alternate member’s seat has become vacant following the end of the term of office of Ms Barbara BONINO,

         HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
   Article 1
   The following is hereby appointed as alternate member to the Committee of the Regions for the remainder of the current term of office, which runs until 25 January 2015:

               —

               Mr Mattia TARSI, Consigliere, Provincia di Pesaro.

         Article 2
   This Decision shall enter into force on the day of its adoption.

      Done at Brussels, 24 September 2012.

            For the Council

            The President

         A. D. MAVROYIANNIS

      (1)  OJ L 348, 29.12.2009, p. 22.

      (2)  OJ L 12, 19.1.2010, p. 11.