European Youth Centre in Budapest

Reply to Recommendation 1293 (1996)

 

Doc. 7642

18 September 1996

 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS

adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 11 September 1996 at the 573rd meeting of the Ministers' Deputies

1.         On the occasion of detailed discussions about the European Youth Centre (EYC) in Budapest, inter alia in its Ministers' Deputies' Rapporteur Group on Youth, the Committee of Ministers has reiterated its support for the Council of Europe youth sector and for the Budapest Centre.

2.         The Committee of Ministers has reaffirmed the pan‑European vocation of the Centre, which forms an integral part of the Youth Directorate, as well as the importance of its contribution to the democratisation process in the countries of central and eastern Europe, where it enables the Council of Europe to have an institutional presence.  The Budapest EYC is also a valuable instrument for implementation of an integrated youth policy.

3.         Respecting the principle of co-management and as in the case of the Strasbourg EYC, the Governing Board is responsible for the programme of the Budapest EYC. The Committee of Ministers agrees that it is appropriate to organise "external" activities in order to use fully all the Budapest Centre's potential.  The Governing Board has laid down appropriate criteria for such activities, which could lead to partnerships with other sectors of the Council of Europe and the European Union, in accordance with the tasks of the youth sector.

4.         In this context, the Committee of Ministers takes note of the Parliamentary Assembly's wish to "make use of the facilities of the Centre, in particular through such activities as hearings or conferences related to young people".

5.         The Committee of Ministers has considered the functioning and interrelationship of the two EYCs.  It emphasises the importance both of taking account of the specific features of the Budapest Centre and of creating complementarity and synergy with the Strasbourg EYC, and it invites the Governing Board to ensure the coherency of both Centres' action.

6.         It also takes the view that management of the Budapest EYC must be based upon a decentralisation of procedures and operating methods, in accordance with the Council of Europe's Financial Regulations.  To this end, it has instructed the Secretary General to make sure that the Budapest Centre is managed in accordance with the guidelines adopted by the Ministers' Deputies at their 573rd meeting (September 1996, item 8.1.a).

7.         Where budgetary issues are concerned, the Committee of Ministers, at its 562nd meeting, released the sum of 1 000 000 FF from the Budapest EYC budget and allocated 250 000 FF for promotional purposes.  As to the question of human resources, the recruitment of staff members approved for 1996 has been completed.  The Committee of Ministers agrees that the Centre must have sufficient resources to function properly and to make possible a fair assessment at the end of the three‑year trial period.  It has agreed to resume consideration of the resources needed by the Budapest Centre during its debate of the 1997 budget, on the basis of the Secretary General's proposals.