# CE2004084EN.01018401.xml

| 3.4.2004 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | CE 84/184 |
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3.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

CE 84/184

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(2004/C 84 E/0224)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0256/04

by María Valenciano Martínez-Orozco (PSE) to the Commission

(29 January 2004)

Subject:   Open call for proposals VP/2002/6 for the programme relating to the Community framework strategy on gender equality (2001-2005)

Subject:

Section 4 of the open call for proposals for the programme relating to the Community framework strategy on gender equality, entitled ‘Who can submit a proposal?’, stipulates what kind of organisations may present a proposal as a promoter and what kind may act as partners in a proposal.

The wording of section 4 suggests that NGOs wishing to participate as promoters must be in one of the two following situations:

| — | according to paragraph 1, the NGO must be ‘organised at European level’; in the absence of specific European legislation governing associations, the only way for NGOs to demonstrate their ‘European dimension’ is by having offices in three or more Member States; |
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according to paragraph 1, the NGO must be ‘organised at European level’; in the absence of specific European legislation governing associations, the only way for NGOs to demonstrate their ‘European dimension’ is by having offices in three or more Member States;

| — | according to paragraph 4, promoters must be a transnational network of organisations which are ‘legally established or equivalent’; this requirement creates legal uncertainty since ‘transnational networks’ as such do not figure in national or European law and therefore cannot be ‘legally established or similar’. |
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according to paragraph 4, promoters must be a transnational network of organisations which are ‘legally established or equivalent’; this requirement creates legal uncertainty since ‘transnational networks’ as such do not figure in national or European law and therefore cannot be ‘legally established or similar’.

Does the Commission not think that this restriction based on size and the accompanying uncertainty could become a real obstacle to participation by NGOs and could even prevent women's organisations from becoming promoters of proposals?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(1 March 2004)

(1 March 2004)

In accordance with the Programme relating to the Community framework strategy on gender equality (2001-2005) (1), Community actions are implemented with a view to achieving the objectives referred to in the above programme within a transnational framework. The types of action to be taken under the programme are set out in three strands, the third of which, ‘Strengthening capacity’, provides for transnational exchange actions involving a range of players from at least three Member States. These actions ‘may be undertaken by NGOs or social partners at European level and transnational networks of regional or local authorities and of organisations which aim to promote gender equality’.

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The call for proposals (VP/2002/6) mentioned by the Honourable Member was issued as part of this approach. The Commission decided to highlight the transnational aspect in the actions it cofinances by establishing eligibility, selection and award criteria which encourage NGOs, public authorities and women's organisations, even small ones, to aim at forms of association which strengthen the European added value of their projects.

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(1)  Council Decision 2001/51/EC of 20 December 2000 establishing a Programme relating to the Community framework strategy on gender equality, OJ L 17, 19.1.2001.

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