Council Decision of 27 November 2009 on the European Year of Voluntary Activities Promoting Active Citizenship (2011)

The year 2011 shall be designated as the European Year of Voluntary activities promoting active citizenship (hereinafter referred to as ‘the European Year’).

The overall purpose of the European Year shall be to encourage and support — notably through the exchange of experience and good practices — the efforts of the Community, the Member States, local and regional authorities to create the conditions for civil society conducive to volunteering in the European Union (EU) and to increase the visibility of voluntary activities in the EU. The objectives of the European Year shall be to: 1. work towards an enabling environment for volunteering in the EU in order to anchor volunteering as part of promoting civic participation and people-to-people activities in an EU context and address existing obstacles to voluntary activities, where appropriate and necessary; 2. empower organisers of voluntary activities to improve the quality of voluntary activities in order to facilitate voluntary activities and help organisers to implement new types of voluntary activities and to encourage networking, mobility, cooperation and synergies within civil society and between civil society and other sectors in an EU context; 3. recognise voluntary activities in order to encourage appropriate incentives for individuals, companies and volunteer-development organisations and gain recognition for volunteering at EU level and in the Member States by policymakers, civil society organisations, public institutions, the formal and non-formal education sector and employers for skills and competences developed through volunteering; 4. raise awareness of the value and importance of volunteering in order to raise general awareness of the importance of volunteering as an expression of civic participation which contributes to issues which are of common concern of all Member States, such as a harmonious societal development and social cohesion.

1 The measures to be taken to achieve the objectives set out in Article 2 may include the following initiatives organised at Community, national, regional or local level linked to the objectives of the European Year: (a) exchange of experience and good practices; (b) undertaking of studies and research as well as dissemination of their results; (c) conferences and events to promote debate and raise awareness of the importance and value of voluntary activities stimulating the engagement of citizens and to celebrate the efforts of volunteers and their organisations; (d) concrete initiatives in the Member States aimed at promoting the objectives of the European Year; at least 25 % of the total budget of the year will be used for this purpose; (e) information and promotion campaigns to disseminate key messages. Details of the measures referred to in the first subparagraph are set out in the Annex.

2 Community funding for projects may be given through existing Community programmes.

By 28 February 2010 each Member State shall designate a body responsible for organising its participation in the European Year (hereinafter referred to as ‘the national coordinating body’) and shall inform the Commission of that designation. In carrying out its actions, in particular when drawing up the national programme, the national coordinating body shall closely consult and cooperate with a wide range of relevant stakeholders, including civil society organisations and where appropriate the national agencies or contact points of relevant Community programmes. The national programme and priorities of the European Year shall be set out in accordance with the objectives listed in Article 2 and the details of measures set out in the Annex.

The Commission shall convene meetings of the national coordinating bodies to coordinate implementation of the European Year and to exchange information on implementation at national level. The Commission shall also convene meetings of representatives of European organisations or bodies active in the field of volunteering and stakeholders to assist the Commission in implementing the European Year at Community level. The Commission shall implement the European Year at Community level. The Member States, the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions shall be associated in the activities.

1 Measures which are Community-wide in nature, referred to in Part A of the Annex, shall give rise to a procurement contract or the award of grants financed from the general budget of the European Communities.

2 Measures which are Community-wide in nature, referred to in Part B of the Annex, may be co-financed from the general budget of the European Communities.

3 The Commission shall give a grant to each national coordinating body in accordance with the procedure set out in Part C of the Annex.

1 The financial envelope for the implementation of this Decision for the period from 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2011 shall be EUR 8000000.

2 Annual appropriations shall be authorised by the budgetary authority within the limits of the financial framework.

For the purpose of the European Year, the Commission may cooperate with relevant international organisations, in particular with the United Nations and the Council of Europe, while ensuring the visibility of the EU’s participation.

The Commission together with the Member States shall ensure that the measures provided for in this Decision are consistent with other Community, national and regional schemes and initiatives that help attain the objectives of the European Year.

1 The Commission shall ensure that, when actions financed under this Decision are implemented, the financial interests of the Community are protected by the application of preventive measures against fraud, corruption and any other illegal activities, by effective checks and by the recovery of the amounts unduly paid and, if irregularities are detected, by effective, proportional and dissuasive penalties, in accordance with Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2988/95 of 18 December 1995 on the protection of the European Communities financial interests , Council Regulation (Euratom, EC) No 2185/96 of 11 November 1996 concerning the on-the-spot checks and inspections carried out by the Commission in order to protect the European Communities' financial interests against fraud and other irregularities , and with Regulation (EC) No 1073/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 May 1999 concerning investigations conducted by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) .

2 With regard to the Community actions financed under this Decision, the notion of irregularity referred to in Article 1(2) of Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2988/95 shall mean any infringement of a provision of Community law or any infringement of a contractual obligation resulting from an act or omission by an economic operator which has, or would have, the effect of prejudicing the general budget of the Communities, or budgets managed by them, by an unjustified item of expenditure.

3 The Commission shall reduce, suspend or recover the amount of financial assistance granted for an action if it finds irregularities, particularly non-compliance with the provisions of this Decision or of the individual decision or contract granting the financial support in question, or in the event that, without Commission approval having being sought, the action has undergone significant change that conflicts with its nature or with its implementing conditions.

4 If the time-limits have not been observed or if only part of the allocated financial assistance is justified by the progress made with implementing an action, the Commission shall request the beneficiary to submit observations within a specified period. If the beneficiary does not give a satisfactory answer, the Commission may cancel the remaining financial assistance and demand repayment of amounts already paid.

5 Any amount unduly paid shall be repaid to the Commission. Interest shall be added to any amount not repaid in due time under the conditions laid down in Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 of 25 June 2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities .

By 31 December 2012, the Commission shall submit a report to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on the implementation, results and overall assessment of the initiatives provided for in this Decision.

This Decision shall enter into force on the day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. This Decision is addressed to the Member States.