CHAPTER VII Access to the Programme

Article 23Access

1.

Any public or private body active in the fields of education, training, youth and grassroots sport may apply for funding within the Programme. In the case of the activities referred to in point (a) of Article 13(1) and point (a) of Article 14(1), the Programme shall support the participation of groups of young people who are active in youth work, but not necessarily in the context of a youth organisation.

2.

When implementing the Programme, inter alia as regards the selection of participants and the award of scholarships, the Commission and the Member States shall ensure that particular efforts are made to promote social inclusion and the participation of people with special needs or with fewer opportunities.

Article 24Country participation

1.

The Programme shall be open to the participation of the following countries (the 'Programme countries'):

(a)

the Member States;

(b)

the acceding countries, candidate countries and potential candidates benefiting from a pre-accession strategy, in accordance with the general principles and general terms and conditions for the participation of those countries in Union programmes established in the respective framework agreements, Association Council decisions or similar agreements;

(c)

those EFTA countries that are party to the EEA Agreement, in accordance with the provisions of that agreement;

(d)

the Swiss Confederation, on the basis of a bilateral agreement to be concluded with that country;

(e)

those countries covered by the European neighbourhood policy which have concluded agreements with the Union providing for the possibility of their participation in the Union's programmes, subject to the conclusion of a bilateral agreement with the Union on the conditions of their participation in the Programme.

2.

The Programme countries shall be subject to all the obligations, and shall fulfil all the tasks set out in this Regulation in relation to Member States.

3.

The Programme shall support cooperation with partner countries, in particular neighbourhood countries, in actions and activities as referred to in Articles 6, 10 and 12.