Active European citizenship: grants to civic participation actions, 2004-2008 action programme

PURPOSE : to provide a basic act for the funding of programmes actively promoting European citizenship. LEGISLATIVE ACT : Council Decision 2004/100/EC establishing a Community action programme to promote active European citizenship (civic participation). CONTENT : This Decision establishes a Community action programme to support bodies working in the field of active European citizenship and to promote actions in this field. The programme has the following objectives: - to promote and disseminate the values and objectives of the EU; - to bring citizens closer to the EU and its institutions and to encourage them to engage more frequently with its institutions; - to involve citizens closely in reflection and discussion on the construction of the EU; - to intensify links and exchanges between citizens from the countries participating in the programme, notably by way of town-twinning arrangements; - to stimulate initiatives by the bodies engaged in the promotion of active and participatory citizenship. The activities supported by the programme seek to support the operation and to promote the actions of the bodies pursuing the programme's objectives in accordance with the criteria set out in the Annex. This support takes the form of one of two types of grant: - either an operating grant to co-finance expenditure associated with the permanent work programme of a body which pursues an aim of general European interest in the field of active European citizenship or an objective forming part of the European Union's activities in this area; - or a grant to co-finance a specific action in this area. Support includes co-financing for the operating costs of: - the Association of the Councils of State and Supreme Administrative Jurisdictions of the European Union; - the "Our Europe" Association; - European think-tanks and organisations advancing the idea of Europe; - the activities of associations and federations of European interest; - the European Council on Refugees and Exiles; - the Jean Monnet House and the Robert Schuman House; - town twinning schemes in the EU; - the promotion of European citizenship ; - measures for civil society by means of grants to non-governmental organisation and trade union organisations; -the Platform of European Social NGO's. The programme starts on 1 January 2004 and ends on 31 December 2006. The financial reference amount for the implementation of this programme for the period 2004 to 2006 is EUR 72 million. The annual appropriations will be authorised by the budgetary authority within the limits of the financial perspective. No later than 31 December 2007, the Commission must present to the European Parliament and the Council a report on the achievement of the programme's objectives. This report must be based, inter alia, on an external evaluation report which must be available no later than the end of 2006. DATE OF APPLICATION : 1/01/04. DATE OF EFFECT : 05/02/04.�