Police cooperation: exchange programme for law enforcement athorities of the Member States, Oisin II

PURPOSE: to present a Commmission proposal for a Council decision establishing a second phase of the programme of incentives, exchanges, training and cooperation for law enforcement authorities (Oisin II). CONTENT: On 31.12.2000, the Oisin programme, one of three multiannual financing programmes adopted through Joint Actions on the basis of Article K.3 of the Treaty on European Union, will expire. Its proposed successor Oisin II will encourage cooperation between the law enforcement services of the Member States to allow them to achieve a better understanding of the working methods of their counterparts in other Member States and constraints by which they may be bound. The applicant countries may participate in projects in order to familiarise themselves with the Union "acquis" in this area and help them prepare for accession. Other third countries may also participate where this serves the aims of the project. The main provisions in the proposed decision relate to access to Oisin II, activities, implementation, monitoring and its evaluation. With regard to finance, the annual appropriations shall be authorised by the budgetary authority within the limits of the financial perspective. Furthermore, the proportion of financial support from the Community budget shall not exceed 70% of the cost of the project. In certain cases however, measures can be financed to 100%, up to a ceiling of 10% of the total financial package allocated annually to the programme for each of the two categories. The financial reference amount for the implementation of the programme for the period 2001 to 2002 shall be EUR 8 million. Finally, with regard to evaluation, the Commission shall undertake each year an evaluation of the actions carried out in implementing the programme for the previous year. Each year, the Commission shall also report to the European Parliament and the Council on the implementation of the programme. The first report shall be presented before 31.07.2002.�