Relations EU/non-industrialised regions: grants to specialised bodies, action programme 2004-2006

The committee adopted the report by Lennart SACRÉDEUS (EPP-ED, S) amending the proposal under the consultation procedure: - the action programme should help to promote "dialogue of cultures and civilisations and the universal value of human rights"; - the activities funded should include "reinforcing social, cultural and human partnership"; - on cofinancing, the operating grants awarded should cover up to 80% (rather than 70% as proposed by the Commission) of an organisation's eligible expenditure; - degressivity (the requirement that grants be progressively reduced) should apply at a rate of 2.5% from the third year onward, whereas the Commission was proposing that a grant be at least 10% lower than in the preceding year; - the programme should last for 5 years rather than 3 years (ending on 31 December 2008 instead of 31 December 2006 as proposed), and the Commission's assessment report should therefore be presented at the end of 2007 rather than at the end of 2005; - the Commission should report to Parliament as well as to the Council on the achievement of the programme's objectives and should inform Parliament of the criteria used (priority themes and types of activities) before it issued a call for proposals.�