CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTORY PROVISIONS

Subject-matter and duration
Article 1
This Decision establishes a Community action programme to be called the ‘ARGO programme’ to support and complement the actions undertaken by the Community and the Member States in the implementation of Community legislation founded on Articles 62, 63 and 66 of the Treaty.
The ARGO programme shall cover the period from 1 January 2002 to 31 December 2006.

Definition
Article 2
For the purposes of this Decision ‘national agencies’ means the administrative and judicial authorities of the Member States or other bodies delegated by those authorities to implement Community legislation founded on Articles 62 and 63 of the Treaty and on Article 66 of the Treaty in so far as it concerns cooperation between national agencies in the areas covered by the said Articles 62 and 63.

General objectives
Article 3
The ARGO programme shall contribute to the following objectives:
1. to promote cooperation between national agencies in implementing Community rules with special attention to the pooling of resources and coordinated and homogeneous practices;
2. to promote uniform application of Community law in order to harmonise decisions taken by the national agencies of Member States, thereby avoiding malfunctioning likely to prejudice the progressive establishment of an area of freedom, security and justice;
3. to improve the overall efficiency of national agencies in the carrying out of their tasks when implementing Community rules;
4. to ensure that proper account is taken of the Community dimension in the organisation of national agencies contributing to the implementation of Community rules;
5. to encourage transparency of actions taken by national agencies by strengthening their relations with the relevant national and international governmental and non-governmental organisations.