PURPOSE: to amend Decision No 573/2007/EC establishing the European Refugee Fund for the period 2008 to 2013 by removing funding for certain Community actions and altering the limit for funding such actions.
LEGISLATIVE ACT: Decision No 458/2010/EU of the European Union and of the Council amending Decision No 573/2007/EC establishing the European Refugee Fund for the period 2008 to 2013 by removing funding for certain Community actions and altering the limit for funding such actions.
BACKGROUND: the European Refugee Fund (ERF) was set up by Decision No 573/2007/EC for the period 2008 to 2013 as part of the General programme "Solidarity and Management of Migration Flows". Its general objective is to support and encourage the efforts made by the Member States in receiving refugees and displaced persons, by co-financing specific actions.
The proposal for a Regulation establishing the European Asylum Support Office and this proposal to amend the Decision establishing the ERF 2008-2013 are part of the European Union's efforts to develop a comprehensive asylum policy. They are a response to the requests from the Council and the European Council for the creation of an asylum support structure and form part of the measures announced by the In its Policy Plan on Asylum adopted in June 2008, the Commission announced its intention to develop the Common European Asylum System (CEAS) by proposing a revision of the existing legal instruments in order to achieve greater harmonisation of the applicable standards and by strengthening support for practical cooperation between the Member States, in particular, by a legislative proposal to establish a European Asylum Support Office (the Support Office) in order to increase coordination of operational cooperation between Member States so that the common rules are implemented effectively.
It is now necessary to allocate the Community Funds to finance the Support Office actions.
CONTENT: in the interests of simplifying the use of Community funds, and because the European Asylum Support Office will be responsible for some of the tasks currently funded under the ERF, it is necessary to:
The financial envelope for the implementation of this Decision from 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2013 shall be EUR 614 million.
Territorial provisions: in accordance with Article 3 of the Protocol on the Position of the United Kingdom and Ireland in respect of the area of freedom, security and justice, annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, the United Kingdom and Ireland have notified their wish to take part in the adoption and application of this Decision. Denmark is not taking part in the adoption of this Decision and is not bound by it nor subject to its application.
ENTRY INTO FORCE: 08/06/2010.