Small and medium-sized enterprises SMEs: participation of Estonia in the Community programme

OBJECTIVE: within the framework of the pre-accession strategy, to open up the third Community programme for SMEs to Estonia for the period 1998 to 2000. COMMUNITY MEASURE: Council Decision 98/645/EC adopting the conditions and procedures for the participation of Estonia in the Community programme for SMEs. SUBSTANCE: Decision 5/98 by the EC-Estonia Association Council lays down the conditions and procedures for Estonia's participation in the Community Multiannual Programme for small and medium-sized enterprises. In particular, Estonia: - shall participate in all actions of the programme under the same conditions as the Member States; - shall include in all transnational measures and projects proposed a minimum number of partners from the Member States; - shall pay a contribution to the budget of the Community to cover its participation in the programme. This will cover the financial aid provided to Estonian entities under the programme and additional administrative costs imputable to the management of the programme by the Commission (approximately 7%). It amounts to ECU 368 294 per year for 1998, 1999 and 2000. To some extent, the Community will contribute to these contributions by deducting the necessary amounts from the annual financial allocation to PHARE/Estonia (PHARE would contribute ECU 56 000 per year, the remainder being met from Estonia's national budget). Estonia will facilitate the free movement and residence of all private persons receiving funding under the programme and moving between its territory and the Member States. Estonia will be involved in monitoring its participation in the programme in order to prepare for the Community decision-making process with a view to accession (particularly by attending coordination meetings before meetings of the management committee and by being informed of the latter's decisions). ENTRY INTO FORCE: 1 December 1998. Estonia's participation is valid for the duration of the programme (i.e. until 31 December 2000). �