Training, youth and education: participation of Latvia in Community programmes Leonardo, Socrates

OBJECTIVE: participation of Latvia in Community programmes in the fields of training, youth and education (SOCRATES, LEONARDO, Youth for Europe) for the years 1998 to 1999 as part of the preaccession strategy. SUBSTANCE: the proposal for an EC-Latvia Association Council Decision lays down the terms and conditions for participation by Latvia in the three Community programmes in the field of education, training and youth. In particular, Latvia: - shall participate in all activities on the same footing as the Member States of the Community and in accordance with the objectives, criteria and procedure established by this programmes; - shall apply the same terms and conditions for submission, assessment and selection of applications as those applied in the Member States; - shall select a minimum number of partners from EC Member States for all proposed transnational activities and projects; - shall set up the national structures necessary to implement its participation; - shall pay a financial contribution to the Community budget for its participation in the three programmes. The financial contribution will cover subsidies or other financial support from the three programmes to Latvian participants, administrative costs relating to the management of the programmes by the Commission and financial support from the programmes to the functioning of the national agencies. The contribution will vary in accordance with the programme and will be paid annually. The contribution from the Community will take the form of payments from the annual PHARE allocation for Latvia. The PHARE contribution shall not, however, be used to cover the administrative costs related to the management of the programmes by the Commission, which must be met in full from the Latvian national budget. For the two years under consideration the total financial contribution will amount to ECU 3 962 000 (of which ECU 2 522 000 shall be drawn from the PHARE allocation). Latvia will be associated in the monitoring of its participation in preparation for the Community decision-making process with a view to accession (by taking part in coordination meetings preceding programme administrative committee meetings and being informed of the outcome of such meetings). Provisions regarding the participation of Latvia are valid for the period 1998-1999.�