L 381/52 Official Journal of the European Union 28.12.2004 COUNCIL DECISION of 2 December 2004 establishing the European Refugee Fund for the period 2005 to 2010 (2004/904[EC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 63(2)(b) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (%), Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee (), After consulting the Committee of the Regions, Whereas: A common policy on asylum, including a Common European Asylum System, is a constituent part of the European Union’s objective of progressively establishing an area of freedom, security and justice open to those who, forced by circumstances, legitimately seek protection in the European Union. Implementation of this policy should be based on soli- darity between Member States and requires the existence of mechanisms to promote a balance of effort between Member States in receiving and bearing the consequences of receiving refugees and displaced persons. To that end, a European Refugee Fund was established for the period 2000 to 2004 by Decision 2000/596/EC (%). It is necessary to establish a European Refugee Fund (the Fund) for the period 2005 to 2010 to ensure continued solidarity between Member States in the light of recently adopted Community legislation in the field of asylum, taking account of the experience acquired when imple- menting the first phase of the Fund for the period 2000 to 2004. (") Opinion delivered on 20 April 2004 (not yet published in the Official Journal). () O] C 241, 28.9.2004, p. 27. () O] L 252, 6.10.2000, p. 12. (4) It is necessary to support the efforts made by Member States to grant appropriate reception conditions to refugees and displaced persons and to apply fair and effective asylum procedures so as to protect the rights of persons requiring international protection. The integration of refugees into the society of the country in which they are established is one of the objectives of the Geneva Convention of 28 July 1951 relating to the Status of Refugees, as supplemented by the New York Protocol of 31 January 1967. Such persons must be enabled to share the values set out in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. To this end, there should be support for action by Member States to promote their social, economic and cultural integration in so far as it contributes to economic and social cohesion, the maintenance and strengthening of which is one of the Community’s funda- mental objectives provided for by Articles 2 and 3(1)(k) of the Treaty. It is in the interests of both Member States and the persons concerned that refugees and displaced persons who are allowed to stay in the territory of the Member States should be given the opportunity to provide for themselves by working in accordance with the provisions of the related Community instruments. Since measures supported by the Structural Funds and other Community measures in the field of education and vocational training are not in themselves sufficient to promote such integration, support should be given for special measures to enable refugees and displaced persons to benefit fully from the programmes which are organised. Practical support is needed to create or improve conditions enabling refugees and displaced persons to take an informed decision to leave the territory of the Member States and return home, should they so wish. Action involving bodies of two or more Member States and action of Community interest in this field should be eligible for support by the Fund, and exchanges between Member States should be encouraged with a view to identifying and promoting the most effective practices.