| ACP -EU | Joint assembly of the convention concluded between the African, Caribbean and Pacific States and the European Economic Community |
| Acquis | Acquis Communautaire |
| Additionality | The principle whereby Structural Funds should complement the contributions of the Member States rather than replacing or substituting normal public expenditure. In practice, it means that Member States must normally maintain public spending on each area of expenditure targeted by the Funds at no less than the level reached in the preceding programming period. |
| AGENDA 2000 | Name given to the package of reforms proposed by the Commission in 1997 to prepare to the European Union for enlargement and the accession of several countries in Central and Eastern Europe. A significant element of these reform proposals concerned the operation and management of the Structural Funds. The Structural Funds reform package was finalised and agreed at the Berlin European Council meeting in March 1999. |
| Agrifin | DG agriculture - financial information systems |
| BEUC | European Bureau of Consumers' Union |
| BIC | Community measure for the creation and development of business and innovation centres and their network |
| C.B.A. | Cost-Benefit Analysis. |
| CAP | Common agricultural policy |
| CCT | Common Customs Tariff |
| Cedefop | European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training |
| CEECs | Central and eastern European countries (Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia) |
| CEIES | Advisory Committee on Statistical Information in the Economic and Social Spheres |
| CELEX | Computerised documentation system for Community law |
| CEN | European Committee for Standardisation |
| Cenelec | European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardisation |
| CERN | European Organisation for Nuclear Research |
| CFP | Common fisheries policy |
| CFSP | Common foreign and security policy |
| CIRCE | European Communities Information and Documentary Research Centre |
| CIREA | Centre for Information, Discussion and Exchange on Asylum (within the General Secretariat of the Council) |
| CJTF | Combined Joint Task Forces |
| Codest | Committee for the European Development of Science and Technology |
| Cofinancing | Refers to a situation where a proportion of the financing of a scheme/ project/ programme is obtained from an E.U. source of funding. |
| Cogeca | General Committee for Agricultural Cooperation in the EC |
| Cohesion Fund | Financing Mechanism established by the Maastricht Treaty on European Union to finance transport and environmental infrastructure projects in the E.U.. Specific and separate rules regarding eligibility and management apply to Cohesion Fund projects, which distinguishes it from the Structural Funds. Also, the Cohesion Fund, like the Community Initiatives, is not part of the C.S.F.. |
| Cohom | Council Working Group on Human Rights |
| Com | European Commission |
| Comett | Community programme in education and training for technology |
| Community Initiatives | These are initiatives cofinanced by the Structural Funds and targeted at promoting specific issues, such as cross-border cooperation or rural development. For the 2000-2006 period, there are four Community Initiatives (INTERREG, LEADER, EQUAL, and URBAN). On the basis of Guidelines drawn up by the Commission, the Managing Authority for each Community Initiative draws up an Operational Programme for each one. Also, the Community Initiatives, like the Cohesion Fund, is not part of the C.S.F.. |
| COPA | Committee of Agricultural Organisations in the European Economic Community |
| COPEC | Joint Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men |
| COPO | Political committee (Comite politique) |
| COR | Committee of the Regions |
| Cordis | Community Research and Development Information Service |
| Coreper | Permanent Representatives Committee |
| COSAC | Conference of European Affairs Committees of the National Parliaments of Member States |
| COST | European Cooperation in the field of Scientific and Technical Research |
| CRAFT | European cooperative research action for technology |
| CREST | Scientific and Technical Research Committee |
| CSF | Community Support Framework - this is the document agreed between the European Commission and the Irish Government, through which Structural Fund assistance is paid. The basis for negotiations on the C.S.F. is the National Development Plan. The C.S.F. includes an outline of priorities for action, quantified objectives and targets, and anticipated financial resources for investment, as well as monitoring, evaluation and control systems. Once adopted, Operational Programmes can then be approved by the Commission. |
| CSIFA | Strategic Committee on Immigration, Frontiers and Asylum |
| CST | Scientific and Technical Committee (Euratom) |
| CTC | Counter-Terrorism Committee |
| D.G. | Directorate-General (Of the European Commission). Until 1999, D.G.s were referred to by their number (for example, D.G. XVI was the Directorate General for Regional Policy). This practice was abolished in 1999, and D.G.s are now generally referred by an abbreviation of their name (for example, D.G. Regio). |
| DAC | Development Assistance Committee |
| DECT | Digital European cordless telecommunications |
| DELTA | Development of European learning through technological advance |
| DG | Directorate-general |
| DIB | Defence industrial base |
| DOSES | Development of statistical expert systems (Community programme) |
| DRIVE | Dedicated road infrastructure for vehicle safety in Europe |
| E.I.B. | European Investment Bank - this body grants loans and guarantees at preferential rates for infrastructure investment and S.M.E. ventures in E.U. Member States and in non-E.U. countries. |
| E.U. | European Union. |
| EAC | European Association for Cooperation |
| EAEC | European Atomic Energy Community, Euratom |
| EAGGF | European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund - this fund is used to support agricultural incomes and structures, and to finance rural development measures. |
| EAPC | Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council |
| EASA | European Aviation Safety Agency |
| EBRD | European Bank for Reconstruction and Development |
| EC | European Community, European Communities |
| EC | European Commission |
| ECA | European Court of Auditors |
| ECB | European Central Bank |
| ECB- NET | European chemicals bureau network |
| ECDIN | Environmental chemicals data and information network |
| ECHO | European Community Humanitarian Office / European Commission host organisation (Commission database server) |
| ECHR | European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms |
| ECIP | EC International Investment Partners |
| ECJ | Court of Justice of the European Communities |
| Eclair | European collaborative linkage of agriculture and industry through research |
| ECMF | European Monetary Cooperation Fund |
| Ecofin | Council of Ministers for Economic and Financial Affairs |
| ECOS | European city cooperation system |
| ECPE | Centre of Enterprises with Public Participation |
| ECPT | European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations |
| ECSC | European Coal and Steel Community |
| ECU | European currency unit |
| EDF | European Development Fund |
| EEA | European Economic Area |
| EEA | European Environment Agency |
| EEC | European Economic Community |
| EEIG | European Economic Interest Group |
| EESC | European Economic and Social Committee |
| EFGP | European Federation of Green Parties |
| EFICS | European forestry information and communication system |
| EFSA | European Food Safety Authority |
| EFTA | European Free Trade Association |
| EIB | European Investment Bank |
| EICs | Euro-Info Centres |
| EIN | European informatics network |
| Einecs | European inventory of existing commercial chemical substances |
| ELISE | European information exchange network on local development and local employment |
| EMCDDA | European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction |
| EMCF | European Monetary Cooperation Fund |
| EMEA | European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products |
| EMI | European Monetary Institute |
| EMS | European Monetary System |
| EMU | Economic and monetary union |
| ENEA | European Nuclear Energy Agency |
| Envireg | Programme for regional environment measures |
| EOTC | European Organisation for Testing and Certification |
| EP | European Parliament |
| EPA | European Protection Agency |
| EPC | European political cooperation |
| EPC | European Political Community |
| EPO | European Patents Office / Organisation |
| EPOS | European pool of studies |
| EPSCO | Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs |
| EQUAL | A Community Initiative to combat discrimination in the workforce and promote equal opportunities between men and women in terms of access to employment, business and training. |
| Erasmus | European Community action scheme for the mobility of university students |
| ERDC | European Research and Development Committee |
| ERDF | European Regional Development Fund - this fund supports productive investment and job creation, infrastructure projects, and local and S.M.E. development initiatives. |
| ERICA | European Research Institute for Consumer Affairs |
| ERM | Exchange rate mechanism |
| ESA | European Space Agency |
| ESBC | European System of Central Banks |
| ESC | Economic and Social Committee |
| ESDI | European Security and Defence Identity |
| Esdi | European strategic programme for research and development in information technologies |
| ESF | European Social Fund - this fund supports education and training measures. |
| ESSI | European software and systems initiative |
| ETSI | European Telecommunications Standards Institute |
| ETUC | European Trade Union Confederation |
| EU | European Union |
| EU HR | European Union High Representative |
| EUI | European University Institute |
| EUMC | European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia |
| EUMC | European Union Military Committee |
| EURAM | European research on advanced materials |
| Euratom | European Atomic Energy Community, EAEC |
| Eureka | European Research Coordination Agency |
| EURES | European employment services |
| EURET | European research for transport |
| Euro | European single currency |
| Euro-12 | Eurogroup |
| EURO- AIM | European Organisation for and Audiovisual Independent Market |
| Euromed | Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (Barcelona Process), Member States: EU+ Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestinian Authority, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey. Libya has observer status. |
| Europol | European Police Office |
| Eurostat | Statistical Office of the European Union |
| Eurostat | European Statistical Office. |
| Ex-ante | Evaluation Evaluation designed to provide an independent assessment of overall strategies and proposals for N.D.P. expenditure. |
| Ex-post Evaluation | Evaluation designed to examine the utilisation of resources and the efficiency, effectiveness and impact of expenditure. |
| EYC | Education, Youth and Culture |
| F.I.F.G. | Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance a fund supporting the structural adjustment and modernisation of the fisheries sector. |
| FIDE | International Federation for European Law |
| FIFG | Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance |
| G.D.P. | Gross Domestic Product. |
| G.N.P. | Gross National Product. |
| Gymnich | Informal meeting of Foreign Ministers |
| IGC | Intergovernmental Conference |
| IMP | Integrated Mediterranean programme |
| Implementing Body | Refers to agencies and bodies responsible for administering individual schemes, usually at measure or sub-measure level. Examples might include Government Departments, Local Authorities, FAS, Enterprise Ireland, and the County/City Enterprise Boards. |
| INTERREG | A Community Initiative for inter-regional cooperation, which assists border regions and promotes joint projects between beneficiaries in different Member States. |
| IST | Information society technologies |
| JET | Joint European Torus, research project on controlled thermonuclear fusion |
| JHA | Justice and Home Affairs |
| JRC | Joint Research Centre |
| LEADER | A Community Initiative to promote the development of eligible rural areas. The LEADER programme in the 2000-2006 programming period is known as LEADER+. |
| Leonardo da Vinci | Action programme for the implementation of a European Community vocational training policy |
| Lingua | Programme to promote training in foreign languages |
| Lome | Lome Convention, multilateral trade and development agreements between the EU and the ACP States |
| Managing Authority | Managing Authority refers to Government Departments and Regional Assemblies responsible for administering an individual Operational Programme. |
| MCA | Monetary compensatory amount |
| Measure | A sub-set of a Sub-Programme. |
| MEDA | Programme for democracy in the Mediterranean region |
| MEDIA | Measures to encourage the development of the audiovisual production industry |
| MED -Invest | Programme to support cooperation for the development of SMEs in Mediterranean non-member countries, in association with European SMEs and professional bodies |
| MED -MEDIA | Programme to support cooperation between media institutions, organizations and companies in the Community and in the Mediterranean non-member countries |
| MED -URBS | Programme to support cooperation between local authorities in the Community and those the in Mediterranean non-member countries |
| MEP | Member of the European Parliament |
| Mid-term Evaluation | Evaluation designed to examine the initial results of the C.S.F. and O.P.s, the extent to which targets are being attained, to make proposals on any changes that may be required. |
| MISEP | Mutual information system on employment policies |
| Monitoring Committee | The monitoring committee is responsible for monitoring and supervision of expenditure under the N.D.P.. Each O.P. has a specific Monitoring Committee, and there is a Monitoring Committee for the C.S.F. as a whole. Monitoring Committees represent a broad range of interests, including Government Departments, Regional bodies, implementing bodies, social partners, environmental and equality interests. |
| N.D.P. | National Development Plan - Refers to the Plan submitted by Government to the European Commission on priorities for investment for the programming period. |
| N.G.O.s | Non-Governmental Organisations. |
| N.U.T.S. | Nomenclature of Territorial Statistical Units is a system of classification of regions in the EU used. |
| NACE | General industrial classification of economic activities within the European Communities |
| NAMSA | NATO Maintenance and Supply Agency |
| NATO | North Atlantic Treaty Organization |
| NCI | New Community Instrument (borrowing and lending facility to promote investment) |
| NET | Next European Torus (nuclear fusion project) |
| NIS | New independent States (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan) |
| O.J. | Official Journal of the European Union. |
| O.P. | Operational Programme refer to EU co-financed programmes drawn up by government authorities, also approved and adopted by the Commission to implement the C.S.F. An O.P. can apply to a specific region or to a specific development sector. Each O.P. is administered by the relevant Managing Authority, and will normally contain a series of sub-programmes, measures and sub-measures. The financing allocated to each programme allows projects to be implemented on the ground. The Managing Authority details the eligible projects and beneficiaries to individual schemes in a programme complement. |
| Objective 1 Region | The European Union classifies different regions into three different categories for Structural Fund purposes. Objective 1 regions are defined as regions whose development are lagging behind. |
| OHIM | Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market |
| OPEC | Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries |
| OPET | Organisation for the Promotion of Energy Technologies |
| P.P.P.s | Public-Private Partnerships. |
| Paying Authority | Paying Authorities are Government Departments responsible for making payment applications to the European Commission for the passing down of EU funds. They are to ensure payment to final beneficiaries or to intermediary organisations, and proper payment and financial management procedures. |
| PCA | Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (with the NIS) |
| Performance Reserve | Following the mid-term review (2003/04), a performance reserve (approximately 4% of the Structural Funds budget) was allocated to programmes on the basis of a set of indicators reflecting effectiveness, management and financial implementation. |
| PESCA | Community initiative concerning the restructuring of the fisheries sector |
| PETRA | Action programme for the vocational training of young people and their preparation for adult and working life (now Leonardo da Vinci) |
| Phare | Phare programme (EC aid for economic restructuring CEECs) |
| Programme Complement | This document describes in detail the measures and sub-measures that have been described in each O.P., and outlines specific budgets for individual schemes, the level of assistance available, project selection criteria, and the type of beneficiary eligible for assistance. The programme complement is adopted by the Managing Authority responsible for the relevant O.P., is approved by the relevant Monitoring Committee, and is sent to the Commission for information purposes. |
| Programming Period | Structural Fund expenditure is based on multi-annual development programmes covering specific periods. Since the current programming period lasts from 2000-2006, the EU is currently seeking to establish the funding provisions for the period 2007-2013. Previous programming periods covered the years 1989-93 and 1994-99. |
| PSC | Political and Security Committee |
| QMV | Qualified majority voting |
| RACE | Research and development in advanced communications technologies for Europe |
| RARE | Associated networks for European research |
| REGEN | Community initiative concerning transmission and distribution networks for energy |
| REGIS | Community initiative concerning the most remote regions |
| Reitox | European information network on drugs and drug addiction |
| SEA | Single European Act |
| SIS | Schengen information system |
| SME | Small and medium-sized enterprises |
| Socrates | Reshaped Erasmus programme |
| Sprint | Strategic programme for innovation and technology transfer |
| Stability and Growth Pact | An arrangement agreed between EU Member States participating in the euro-zone in 1997. The aim is to ensure that budgetary discipline is maintained amongst participating countries. Under the Stability and Growth Pact, sanctions and financial penalties can be imposed by the Council of Finance Ministers against any Member State running an excessive deficit - defined as a budget deficit above 3% of G.D.P. |
| Structural Funds | The collective name given to the E.R.D.F., E.S.F., E.A.G.G.F. (Guidance section) and F.I.F.G.. |
| Sub-Programme | A sub-set of an Operational Programme (O.P.). |
| Tacis | Technical assistance to the Commonwealth of Independent States and Georgia |
| TAIEX | Technical Assistance Information Exchange Office |
| TARIC | Integrated customs tariff of the European Communities |
| Tempus | Trans-European mobility scheme for university studies |
| TENs | Trans-European networks |
| TEU | Treaty on European Union/ Maastricht Treaty |
| TTE | Transport, Telecommunications and Energy |
| UCLAF | Unit for the Coordination of Fraud Prevention |
| URBAN A | Community Initiative directed at development and regeneration of deprived urban areas. |