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EC/Norway agreement: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction EMCDDA, revision of the amount of the financial contribution

2006/0037(CNS)

PURPOSE: the conclusion of an Agreement between the European Community and Norway on the financial contribution from Norway regarding its participation on the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA).

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

CONTENT: in July 2005, the European Commission was authorised by the Council to begin negotiations with the Kingdom of Norway in order to revise the latter’s financial contributions to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, (EMCDDA). Prior to beginning the negotiations it was specified that the calculation should be such that Norway’s contribution can automatically be adjusted after each enlargement of the EU. A minimum financial participation clause should be included, which sets a minimum amount that must be adhered to irrespective of the number of Member States to the Union.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:

Accordingly, the Commission has come to a draft agreement with Norway, which revises Article 5 of the 2001 EU/Norway Agreement on the EMCDDA. The new financial agreement is stated in Annex to the proposed Decision. The Annex specifies that in order to take account of future enlargements and in order to avoid further adjustments a new formula for the calculation of Norway’s contribution is to be set.

The formula is as follows:

  • the amount of the Community subsidy excluding Reitox financing/ [(Number of Member States of the European Union + 1) – 10%].
  • the financial contribution from Norway must not be less than EUR 271 000 (2004 prices).irrespective of the number of Member States of the Union. This amount corresponds to the cost of enlargement per country as estimated by the EMCDDA in 2001. That amount will be subject to a technical adjustment each year based on price trends and gross national income (GNI) in the European Union.

Norway will pay a financial contribution to the EMCDDA’a budget in accordance with this formula as from the beginning of the year in which the agreement enters into force. The EMCDDA’s budget will be adjusted accordingly.