OBJECTIVE: to lay down the administrative procedures for Community decentralized cooperation aiming to support development operations and initiatives undertaken by decentralized cooperation agents of the European Union and developing countries (DC/ALA, DC/FED, Mediterranean).
CONTENT:
- Decentralized cooperation aims to promote:
. a participatory approach to development by people in the developing countries, responding to their needs and initiatives;
. reinforcement of civil society and grass roots democracy in these countries;
. mobilization of decentralized agents in developing countries and the European Union in pursuit of these objectives.
- Beneficiaries: all developing countries.
- Cooperation partners: local authorities, NGOs, local professional associations, cooperatives, women's and youth organizations, teaching institutions, churches and associations in developing countries and the European Union.
- Actions to be implemented: development of human and technical resources, local rural or urban development, information and mobilization of decentralized agents, support for strengthening the institutional capacities of such agents and their capacity for action. They mainly include funding studies, technical assistance, training, work supplies etc.
Community financing covers investment expenditure (except for the purchase of buildings) and operating expenditure in foreign or local currency. Co-financing is sought with local agents (where possible) and Member States. There are provisions for coordination measures to this end.
- Type of aid: grants.
- Decision-making procedure: the Commission is responsible for operations under this regulation. Participation in invitations to tender and the award of contracts is open to developing countries and the Member States and to other developing or third countries in exceptional cases.
- Exchange of views: the Commission and the Member States will hold an annual exchange of views on future operations together with the EDF, MED and ALA committees.
- Information: an annual report is forwarded to the European Parliament and the Council summarizing and evaluating the operations financed in the course of the year (contracts concluded, external evaluations etc.).
- Budget: the financial statement makes provision for a budget of 8 million ecus in 1996 (this cooperation does not include any provisions as to duration and is therefore renewable annually).�