
Article 1 
The year 2004 shall be designated ‘European Year of Education through Sport’.
Article 2 
The aims of the European Year of Education through Sport shall be as follows:

((a)) to make educational institutions and sports organisations aware of the need for cooperation in order to develop education through sport and its European dimension, given the very great interest that young people take in all kinds of sport;
((b)) to take advantage of the values conveyed through sport to develop knowledge and skills whereby young people in particular can develop their physical prowess and readiness for personal effort and also social abilities such as teamwork, solidarity, tolerance and fair play in a multicultural framework;
((c)) to promote awareness of the positive contribution that voluntary activities make to non-formal education, especially of young people;
((d)) to promote the educational value of pupil mobility and exchanges particularly in a multicultural environment through the organisation of sporting and cultural contacts as part of school activity;
((e)) to encourage the exchange of good practice concerning the role sport can play in education systems to promote the social inclusion of disadvantaged groups;
((f)) to create a better balance between intellectual and physical activity in school life by encouraging sport in school activities;
((g)) to consider the problems relating to the education of young sportsmen and sportswomen taking part in competitive sports.
Article 3 

1. The measures taken to attain the objectives set out in Article 2 shall include the organisation of the following activities in 2004 or the granting of support for such activities:
(a) meetings, European educational competitions and events highlighting achievements and experiences on the theme of the European Year of Education through Sport;
(b) voluntary actions at European level during Olympic and other sporting events in 2004;
(c) information and promotional campaigns, including cooperation with the media to disseminate the educational values of sport;
(d) events promoting the educational value of sport and providing examples of good practice;
(e) financial support for transnational, national, regional or local initiatives to promote the objectives of the European Year of Education through Sport.
2. A detailed description of the measures referred to in paragraph 1 is set out in the Annex hereto.
Article 4 

1. The Commission shall be responsible for ensuring that Community measures adopted pursuant to this Decision are implemented in accordance with the procedure provided for in Article 5(2) and in full compliance with the principle of subsidiarity.
2. Each Member State shall designate one or more appropriate bodies to be responsible for participation in the European Year of Education through Sport and for coordination and implementation at the appropriate level of the measures provided for in this Decision, inter alia, by assisting with the selection procedure referred to in Article 7.
Article 5 

1. The Commission shall be assisted by a Committee.
2. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Articles 3 and 7 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply, having regard to the provisions of Article 8 thereof.
3. The Committee shall adopt its rules of procedure.
Article 6 

1. Measures which are Community-wide in nature, as described in part A of the Annex, may be subsidised from the general budget of the European Union up to a maximum of 80 % of the total cost.
2. Measures of Community interest which are local, regional, national or transnational in nature, as described in part B of the Annex, may be co-financed from the general budget of the European Union up to a maximum of 50 % of the total cost.
Article 7 

1. Applications for co-financing of measures from the Community budget under Article 6(2) shall be submitted to the Commission by the body or bodies referred to in Article 4(2). Applications shall include information making it possible to assess the outcomes using objective criteria. The Commission shall take the utmost account of the evaluation provided by the bodies concerned.
2. Decisions on co-financing of measures under Article 6 shall be taken by the Commission in accordance with the procedure provided for in Article 5(2). The Commission shall ensure a balanced distribution among Member States and among the different fields of activity involved.
3. The Commission, in particular through its national or regional contact points, shall, in conjunction with the bodies referred to in Article 4(2), ensure that the calls for proposals are published in good time and distributed as widely as possible.
Article 8 

1. The Commission, in cooperation with the Member States, shall ensure that the measures provided for in this Decision are consistent with other Community actions and initiatives.
2. The Commission shall ensure that the European Year of Education through Sport complements as far as possible other existing Community, national and regional initiatives and resources, where these can contribute to fulfilling the objectives of the European Year of Education through Sport.
Article 9 
The European Year of Education through Sport shall be open to participation by:

((a)) the EFTA/EEA countries in accordance with the conditions established under the EEA Agreement;
((b)) the associated central and eastern European countries in accordance with the conditions established pursuant to their respective Europe Agreements;
((c)) . . . . .
((c)) Turkey, whose participation shall be funded by additional appropriations in accordance with the provisions of the Treaty.
Article 10 

1. The financial framework for the implementation of this Decision is hereby set at EUR 12,1 million.
2. The annual appropriations shall be authorised by the budgetary authority within the limits of the financial perspective.
3. At the Commission's initiative, funding may also be provided for the period 2004 for expenditure on technical and administrative assistance for the mutual benefit of the Commission and the beneficiaries of the measure and falling outside the realm of ongoing public service tasks, relating to the identification, preparation, management, follow-up, audit and monitoring of the measures.
Article 11 
The Commission may cooperate with the Council of Europe and other appropriate international organisations for the purposes of the European Year of Education through Sport, in accordance with the procedure provided for in Article 5(2).
Article 12 
The Commission shall submit, by 31 December 2005 at the latest, a report to the European Parliament, the Council, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on the implementation, results and overall assessment of the measures provided for in this Decision.
Article 13 
This Decision shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
ANNEX
A.  1. 

((a)) organisation of meetings;
((b)) organisation of events to raise awareness on education through sport, including conferences to open and close the European Year of Education through Sport;
((c)) voluntary actions during Olympic and other sporting events in 2004.
 2. 

((a)) the development of a logo and slogans for the European Year of Education through Sport, for use in connection with any activity linked to it;
((b)) an information campaign;
((c)) the production of tools and aids accessible to people throughout the Community;
((d)) appropriate initiatives by educational institutions and sports organisations aimed at disseminating information on the European Year of Education through Sport;
((e)) the organisation of European educational competitions highlighting achievements and experiences on the themes of the European Year of Education through Sport.
 3. 

((a)) setting-up of an on-line database, using available resources, as a means of disseminating good practice across Member States for the use of sport as a tool for education and, in particular, for promoting the social integration of disadvantaged groups;
((b)) surveys and studies that assess the impact of the European Year of Education through Sport.
 4. 

((a)) direct purchase of goods and services, in particular in the field of communication, surveys and studies as referred to in point 3(b) above, via open and/or restricted calls for tenders;
((b)) subsidies allocated to cover the expenses of special events to highlight and raise awareness of the European Year of Education through Sport; such funding shall not exceed 80 % of the total cost.

B. 
Depending on the nature and content proposed, local, regional, national or transnational actions may qualify for aid from the Community covering up to a maximum of 50 % of the total cost. These actions may, for instance, include:


1.. events connected with the objectives of the European Year of Education through Sport, including an event to launch the year;
2.. information campaigns and measures to disseminate examples of good practice, other than those mentioned in part A above;
3.. the organisation of awards or competitions that highlight the importance of education through sport;
4.. surveys and studies other than those mentioned in part A above.

C. 
The Community will offer its moral support, including written authorisation to use the logo and other materials associated with the European Year of Education through Sport, for initiatives undertaken by public or private organisations, where those organisations can satisfy the Commission that the initiatives involved are or will be in progress during the year 2004 and are likely to contribute significantly to achieving one or more of the objectives of the European Year of Education through Sport.
