(1) This Regulation establishes the ‘Europe for Citizens’ programme for the period from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2020 (the Programme).
(2) Under the overall aim of bringing the Union closer to citizens, the general objectives of the Programme are the following:
(a)
to contribute to citizens' understanding of the Union, its history and diversity;
(b)
to foster European citizenship and to improve conditions for civic and democratic participation at Union level.
Article 2 -
Specific objectives of the Programme
The Programme shall have the following specific objectives which shall be implemented through actions at transnational level or with a European dimension:
(a)
to raise awareness of remembrance, the common history and values of the Union and the Union's aim, namely to promote peace, the values of the Union and the well-being of its peoples, by stimulating debate, reflection and the development of networks;
(b)
to encourage the democratic and civic participation of citizens at Union level, by developing citizens' understanding of the Union policy making-process and promoting opportunities for societal and intercultural engagement and volunteering at Union level.
Article 3 -
Structure of the Programme and supported actions
1. The Programme, while fostering European citizenship in accordance with the general objectives as set out in Article 1(2), shall be divided into the following two strands:
(a)
‘European remembrance’;
(b)
‘Democratic engagement and civic participation’.
The two strands shall be complemented by horizontal actions for analysis, dissemination and use of project results (‘Valorisation’ action).
2. In order to achieve its objectives, the Programme shall finance, inter alia, the following types of action, implemented at transnational level or with a European dimension:
(a)
Mutual learning and cooperation activities such as:
—
citizens' meetings, town-twinning, networks of twinned towns;
—
projects implemented by transnational partnerships including different types of stakeholders listed in Article 6;
—
remembrance projects with a European dimension;
—
exchanges based, inter alia, on the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) and/or social media;
(b)
Structural support for organisations such as:
—
bodies pursuing an aim of general Union interest as defined in Article 177 of Regulation (EU) No 1268/2012;
—
Europe for Citizens Contact Points;
(c)
Union level analytical activities such as:
—
studies focusing on issues relating to the objectives of the Programme;
(d)
Awareness raising and dissemination activities designed to use and further valorise the results of the supported initiatives and to highlight good practices, such as:
—
Union level events including conferences, commemorations and award ceremonies;
—
peer reviews, expert meetings and seminars.
3. Initiatives relating to the actions listed in paragraph 2 are described in the Annex to this Regulation.
Article 4 -
Union measures
1. Union measures may take the form of grants or public procurement contracts.
2. Union grants may be provided through operating grants or action grants.
3. Public procurement contracts shall cover the purchase of services, such as for organising events, studies and research, information and dissemination tools, monitoring and evaluation.
Article 5 -
Participation in the Programme
The Programme shall be open to the participation of the following countries:
(a)
the Member States;
(b)
acceding countries, candidate countries and potential candidates, 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, Association Council Decisions or similar Agreements;
(c)
the EFTA countries party to the EEA Agreement, in accordance with that Agreement.
Article 6 -
Access to the Programme
The Programme shall be open to all stakeholders promoting European citizenship and integration, in particular local and regional authorities and organisations, twinning committees, European public policy research organisations (think-tanks), civil society organisations (including survivors' associations), and cultural, youth, educational and research organisations.
Article 7 -
Cooperation with international organisations
The Programme may support joint activities in the field covered by it, with relevant international organisations, such as the Council of Europe and Unesco, on the basis of joint contributions and in accordance with the Financial Regulation.
Article 8 -
Implementation of the Programme
1. The Commission shall implement the Programme in accordance with the Financial Regulation.
2. In order to implement the Programme, the Commission shall adopt annual work programmes by way of implementing acts in accordance with the advisory procedure referred to in Article 9(2). The annual work programmes shall set out the objectives pursued, the expected results, the method of implementation and the total amount of the financing plan. They shall also contain a description of the actions to be financed, an indication of the amount allocated to each action and an indicative implementation timetable. In relation to grants, the annual work programmes shall include the priorities, the essential evaluation criteria and the maximum rate of co-financing.
Article 9 -
Committee
1. The Commission shall be assisted by a committee. That committee shall be a committee within the meaning of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011.
2. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Article 4 of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 shall apply.
Article 10 -
Stakeholder consultation
The Commission shall have a regular dialogue with the beneficiaries of the Programme and relevant partners and experts.
Article 11 -
Coherence with other Union instruments
The Commission shall ensure the coherence and the complementarity between the Programme and instruments in other areas of Union action, especially education, vocational training and youth, sport, culture and the audiovisual sector, fundamental rights and freedoms, social inclusion, gender equality, combating discrimination, research and innovation, information society, enlargement and the external action of the Union.
Article 12 -
Budget
1. The financial reference amount for the implementation of the Programme for the period from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2020 is set at 185 468 000 EUR.
2. The annual appropriations shall be authorised by the European Parliament and the Council within the limits of the multiannual financial framework.
3. The resources allocated to communication actions under this Regulation may also contribute proportionally to covering the institutional communication of the political priorities of the Union, as far as they are related to the general objectives of this Regulation.
Article 13 -
Protection of the Union's financial interest
1. The Commission shall ensure that, when actions financed under this Regulation 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, 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, over all grant beneficiaries, contractors and subcontractors who have received Union funds under the Programme.
3. The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) may carry out investigations, including on-the-spot checks and inspections on economic operators concerned directly or indirectly by such funding, in accordance with the provisions and procedures laid down in Regulation (EC) No 1073/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council (11) and Council Regulation (Euratom, EC) No 2185/96 (12) 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 the Programme.
4. Without prejudice to paragraphs 1, 2 and 3, cooperation agreements with third countries and international organisations, contracts, grant agreements and grant decisions resulting from the implementation of this Regulation shall contain provisions expressly empowering the Commission, the Court of Auditors and OLAF to conduct such audits and investigations, according to their respective competences.
Article 14 -
Communication
The Commission shall provide the Member States with information on the projects which have received the Union's funding by transmitting the selection decisions to them within two weeks of their adoption.
Article 15 -
Monitoring and evaluation
1. The Commission shall ensure that the Programme is regularly monitored against its objectives using performance related indicators. The results of the monitoring and evaluation process shall be used in implementing the Programme. Monitoring shall include in particular the drawing up of the reports referred to in points (a) and (c) of paragraph 4.
Where relevant, indicators shall be disaggregated by gender and age.
2. Regarding the specific objectives referred to in Article 2, progress shall be measured against indicators laid down in the Annex to this Regulation.
3. The Commission shall ensure that a regular, external and independent evaluation of the Programme be carried out and shall report to the European Parliament on a regular basis.
4. The Commission shall submit the following to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions:
(a)
by 31 December 2017, an interim evaluation report on the results obtained and on the qualitative and quantitative aspects of the implementation of the Programme;
(b)
by 31 December 2018, a communication on the continuation of the Programme;
(c)
by 1 July 2023, an ex-post evaluation report.
Article 16 -
Transitional provisions
Decision No 1904/2006/EC shall be repealed with effect from 1 January 2014.
Actions which began before 31 December 2013 pursuant to Decision No 1904/2006/EC shall continue to be governed, until their completion, by that Decision.
As provided for in Article 21 of the Financial Regulation, the appropriations corresponding to assigned revenue arising from the repayment of amounts unduly paid pursuant to Decision No 1904/2006/EC may be made available to the Programme.
Article 17 -
Entry into force
This Regulation shall enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
It shall apply from 1 January 2014.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
