Decision No 854/2005/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 May 2005 establishing a multiannual Community Programme on promoting safer use of the Internet and new online technologies (Text with EEA relevance)

1 This Decision establishes a Community programme for the period 2005 to 2008 to promote safer use of the Internet and new online technologies, particularly for children, and to fight against illegal content and content unwanted by the end-user. The programme shall be known as the ‘Safer Internet plus’ programme (hereinafter the programme).

2 In order to attain the aims of the programme referred to in paragraph 1, the following actions shall be addressed: (a) fighting against illegal content; (b) tackling unwanted and harmful content; (c) promoting a safer environment; (d) awareness-raising. The activities to be carried out under those actions are set out in Annex I. The programme shall be implemented in accordance with Annex III.

1 Participation in the programme shall be open to legal entities established in the Member States. Participation shall also be open to legal entities established in the candidate countries in accordance with bilateral agreements in existence or to be concluded with those countries.

2 Participation in the programme may be opened to legal entities established in EFTA States which are contracting parties to the EEA Agreement, in accordance with the provisions of Protocol 31 to that Agreement.

3 Participation in the programme may be opened, without financial support by the Community under the programme, to legal entities established in third countries and to international organisations, where such participation contributes effectively to the implementation of the programme. The decision to allow such participation shall be adopted in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 4(2).

1 The Commission shall be responsible for the implementation of the programme.

2 The Commission shall draw up a work programme on the basis of this Decision.

3 In the implementation of the programme, the Commission shall, in close cooperation with the Member States, ensure that it is generally consistent with and complementary to other relevant Community policies, programmes and actions, in particular the Community research and technological development programmes and the Daphne II , Modinis and eContentplus programmes.

4 The Commission shall act in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 4(2) for the purposes of the following: (a) adoption and modifications of the work programme; (b) breakdown of budgetary expenditure; (c) determination of the criteria and content of calls for proposals, in accordance with the objectives set out in Article 1; (d) assessment of the projects proposed following calls for proposals for Community funding where the estimated Community contribution is equal to, or more than, EUR 500000; (e) any departure from the rules set out in Annex III; (f) implementation of measures for evaluating the programme.

5 The Commission shall inform the Committee referred to in Article 4 of progress with the implementation of the programme.

1 The Commission shall be assisted by a Committee.

2 Where reference is made to this paragraph, Articles 4 and 7 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply, having regard to the provisions of Article 8 thereof. The period laid down in Article 4(3) of Decision 1999/468/EC shall be set at three months.

3 The Committee shall adopt its rules of procedure.

1 In order to ensure that Community aid is used efficiently, the Commission shall ensure that actions under this Decision are subject to prior appraisal, follow-up and subsequent evaluation.

2 The Commission shall monitor the implementation of projects under the programme. The Commission shall evaluate the manner in which the projects have been carried out and the impact of their implementation in order to assess whether the original objectives have been achieved.

3 The Commission shall report on the implementation of the actions referred to in Article 1(2) to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, by mid-2006 at the latest. In this context, the Commission shall report on the consistency of the amount for 2007 to 2008 with the financial perspective. If applicable, the Commission shall take the necessary steps within the budgetary procedures for 2007 to 2008 to ensure the consistency of the annual appropriations with the financial perspective. The Commission shall submit a final evaluation report at the end of the programme.

4 The Commission shall forward the results of its quantitative and qualitative evaluations to the European Parliament and the Council together with any appropriate proposals for the amendment of this Decision. The results shall be forwarded before presentation of the draft general budget of the European Union for the years 2007 and 2009 respectively.

1 The financial framework for the implementation of the Community actions under this Decision for the period from 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2008 is hereby set at EUR 45 million, of which EUR 20050000 is for the period until 31 December 2006. For the period following 31 December 2006, the amount shall be deemed to be confirmed if it is consistent for this phase with the financial perspective in force for the period commencing in 2007. The annual appropriations for the period from 2005 to 2008 shall be authorised by the budgetary authority within the limits of the financial perspective.

2 An indicative breakdown of expenditure is given in Annex II.

This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.