Euro: protection against counterfeiting, extending Pericles programme to the non-participating Member States

PURPOSE : to extend to the non-participating Member States the application of the ‘Pericles’ programme untiol 31.12.2011.

PROPOSED ACT : Council Decision.

CONTENT : The Pericles programme, which deals with the exchange, assistance and training programme for the protection of the euro against counterfeiting, usually applies to Member States participating in the euro. The decision establishing the programme is the subject of a proposal for certain amendments to Pericles. (Please see 2005/0029(CNS)).

However, the exchange of information and staff and the assistance and training measures implemented under the Pericles programme should be uniform throughout the Community and the requisite provisions should therefore be taken to guarantee the same level of protection for the euro in the Member States where the euro is not their official currency.

This proposal seeks to extend the application of the Decision to Member States other than the participating Member States as defined in Regulation 974/1998/EC.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS : Please see the parallel proposal mentioned above.

- Budget lines : 24 02 02 Pericles

- Duration of the action and of the financial impact: From 1 January 2006 until 31 December 2011

- Total commitment and payment appropriations: EUR 6 million over the duration of the programme.

- Human resources not included in the financial reference amount : total EUR 1,782 million

- Other administrative costs not included in the reference amount : EUR 0,540 million

Detail of resources :

- Action 1(subsidies to Member States for seminars, exchanges of personnel and studies) : EUR 4,8 million over 6 years;

- Action 2 (costs borne by the Commission for seminars etc): EUR 1,2 million EUR over 6 ans.