Youth for Europe programme: participation of Bulgaria

OBJECTIVE: participation of Bulgaria in the Community programme in the field of youth (1998- 1999) as part of the preaccession strategy. SUBSTANCE: the proposal for a decision by the EC Bulgaria Association Programme lays down conditions and provisions for the participation of this country in the Community Programme in the field of youth. In particular, Bulgaria: - shall participate in the actions of the programme on the same footing as the Member States and in accordance with the objectives, criteria and procedures of the programme; - set up the necessary national structures in order to implement the programme; - pay a contribution to the Community budget for participation in the programme; The financial contribution will cover subsidies or any other financial support received from the Youth for Europe Programme by Bulgarian beneficiaries, supplementary administrative costs relating to the management of the programme by the Commission and financial support from the programme to the functioning of the national agency. This contribution shall be paid annually. The Community shall bear some of the cost of this contribution from Bulgaria's PHARE budget. The PHARE contribution will not, however, be used to meet the costs of administering the programme by the Commission which will be met entirely from the Bulgarian national budget. The total contribution shall be ECU 658 000 for the two years under consideration (ECU 501 900 from PHARE). Bulgaria shall participate in the assessment of its participation in the programme in order to prepare for the Community decision making process in anticipation of accession (particularly by taking part in prior coordination to meetings of the programme management committee and being informed of the results of these meetings). Bulgarian participation shall apply for the period 1998-1999.�