EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 88/441

(2004/C 88 E/0449)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2904/03

by Miet Smet (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(1 October 2003)

Subject: CARDS Programme

The EU is encouraging compliance with the rule of law, good governance, public accountability and freedom of opinion in the western Balkans through its regional programme ‘Community Assistance for reconstruction, development and stabilisation’ (CARDS). Under this regional programme the Commission published in 2002 an open appeal for submission of proposals for ‘Support to the rule of law, good governance, public accountability and freedom of opinion’ (114716/C/G/multi).

There has been a response from at least three women's centres from the former Yugoslavia (the Belgrade Women's Studies Center, Women's Studies Center of Zagreb and the Alternative Academic Network-Belgrade), each with a project proposal. Despite the fact that promoting the equal participation of men and women in the democratisation process was one of the priorities of the CARDS Democratic Stabilisation Programme for 2002, none of the three centres has obtained support from the EU for project funding.

Are there any other organisations that advocate equal opportunities for men and women and are receiving EU funding via the open appeal 114716/C/G/multi for their project? If so, which ones?

Why were the project proposals from the Belgrade Women's Studies Center, Women's Studies Center of Zagreb and the Alternative Academic Network-Belgrade not considered?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(14 November 2003)

The Commission pays utmost attention to ensure that gender issues are integrated in the mainstream of all European Community assistance programmes. The selection of projects participating in calls for proposals within the Community Assistance for Reconstruction, Development and Stabilisation Programme (CARDS) follow very strict evaluation procedures, which aim to select the best proposals to match the financial resources available.

As far as the proposed project that the Honourable Member mentions, it is important to highlight that out of the 130 proposals received from the six beneficiary states in the Western Balkans, only nine have been chosen. These nine were selected strictly on the basis of the quality of the projects in respect to factors such as the capacity of the management and the Sustainability of the proposals. The three organisations which are mentioned by the Honourable Member unfortunately did not achieve an evaluation score which enables them to be funded. However, it may be of interest for the Honourable Member to know that the non governmental organisation (NGO) ‘Woman Kind World-Wide’ will be awarded a grant to develop, with the aid of local partners, an Albanian Women's Leadership programme.

As a general note, promotion of equal participation of men and women in the democratisation process in Serbia and Montenegro is also one of the priorities of the European Initiative for Democratisation and Human Rights programme (EIDHR). The 2000 EIDHR micro-projects programme which will end in December 2003 has supported four local women organisations from Serbia (Novi Sad Women's Center; SOS hotline and Center for Girls; Women's Multiethnic Group Seleus; and Autonomous Women's Center) and two local women organisations from Montenegro (League of Women Voters of Montenegro and Women Forum). The Commission will continue to pay special attention to gender issues both in the CARDS and EIDHR programmes.