Who implements?

The European Commission

The European Commission is ultimately responsible for the running of the Youth in Action Programme. It manages the budget and sets priorities, targets and criteria for the Programme on an ongoing basis.

Furthermore, it guides and monitors the general implementation, follow-up and evaluation of the Programme at European level.

The European Commission also bears overall responsibility for the supervision and coordination of the National Agencies, which are offices that have been designated and set up by the National Authorities in charge of youth affairs in each Programme Country. The European Commission cooperates closely with the National Agencies and oversees their activities.

The European Commission delegates to the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency the management of projects at centralised level.

The Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency

The Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (Executive Agency) established by decision 2005/56/EC of the European Commission of 14 January 2005 is responsible notably for the implementation of the centralised Actions of the Youth in Action Programme. It is in charge of the complete life cycle of these projects, from analysing the grant request to monitoring projects on the spot. It is also responsible for launching the specific calls for proposals.

Details of the sub-actions not covered by the Guide which are managed by the Executive Agency can be found in the Agency's website (http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/youth/index_en.php).

The Executive Agency is also responsible for the management of procurement regarding the insurance of volunteers and is involved in the management of the financing of the Eurodesk Network, the former EVS Volunteers Structures and the Euro-Med Youth Platform.

The National Agencies

Implementation of the Youth in Action Programme is mainly decentralised, the aim being to work as closely as possible with the beneficiaries and to adapt to the diversity of national systems and situations in the youth field.

Each Programme Country has appointed a National Agency (please consult Annex I of Youth in Action Guide). These National Agencies promote and implement the Programme at national level and act as the link between the European Commission, promoters at national, regional and local level, and the young people themselves. It is their task to:

- collect and provide appropriate information on the Youth in Action Programme

- administer a transparent and equitable selection process for project applications to be funded at decentralised level

- provide effective and efficient administrative processes

- seek cooperation with external bodies in order to help to implement the Programme

- evaluate and monitor the implementation of the Programme

- provide support to project applicants and promoters throughout the project life cycle

- form a functioning network with all National Agencies and the Commission

- improve the visibility of the Programme

- promote the dissemination and exploit the results of the Programme at national level.

In addition, they play an important role as an intermediate structure for the development of youth work by:

- creating opportunities to share experiences

- providing training and non-formal learning experiences

- promoting values like social inclusion, cultural diversity and active citizenship

- supporting all kinds of youth structures and groups, especially less formal ones

- fostering recognition of non-formal learning through appropriate measures.

Finally, they act as a supporting structure for the Framework for European cooperation in the youth field.