European youth: grants to bodies active at European level, 2004-2006 action programme

The Commission considers that the text of the common position is a good basis for a European Parliament and Council decision. The Commission agrees with the budgetary modification proposed by the Council. It also accepts the amendment on the obligation of the Commission to present a regular report to the Council and the European Parliament. However, in line with the agreement reached at the budget conciliation meeting on 24 November, transitional clauses covering the period before the approval of the legal base should be added to the basic act as follows: - For grants awarded in 2004, it will be possible for the period of eligibility of expenditure to start on 1 January 2004, provided that the expenditure does not precede the date on which the grant application was lodged or the date on which the beneficiary's budget year starts. During 2004, in the case of beneficiaries whose budgetary year starts before 1 March, an exception may be granted to the obligation to sign the grant agreement within the first four months of the start of the beneficiary's budget year, as referred to in Article 112, paragraph 2 of Council Regulation 1605/2002/EC, Euratom on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities. In this case, the grant agreement should be signed by 30 June 2004 at the latest.�