Community action programme Socrates: financial framework 1995-1999

In adopting the report by Mrs Doris PACK (EPP, D) on the increase in the budget for the Socrates programme, Parliament calls for that increase to be ECU 100 m, rather than the ECU 50 m proposed by the European Commission, bringing the overall budget to ECU 950 m. Parliament takes the view that the success of the programme would be seriously jeopardized if the percentage of projects supported had to be reduced and if the average annual support granted were to fall below a critical threshold, to the detriment of the least-favoured groups. Moreover, given that the associated countries from Central and Eastern Europe and Cyprus will take full part in the programme as from 1998, it is essential to provide for an adequate financial framework in order not to reduce in real terms the overall financial contribution earmarked for Socrates. �