WRITTEN QUESTION E-1732/00

by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(31 May 2000)

Subject: Commission policy on implementation of the EU budget for 2000 in respect of the promotion and safeguard of regional and minority languages

The two EU budgetary authorities, Parliament and the Council, agreed to set aside a number of budget headings under the Community budget for 2000 to promote and safeguard minority and regional languages.

Specifically, under budget line B3-1003N (preparatory actions for promotion of the linguistic diversity of the Community in the information society), with 2 million total funding, it was indicated that in today's information society, the purpose of this heading was to promote the linguistic diversity of the Community, including regional and minority languages, and to provide financing for preparatory measures with a view to the designation of 2001 as European Year of Languages, including sign languages.

In its reply to my written question E-0466/00 of 19 April 2000, the Commission stated that it intended to use the entire 2 million sum that was finally agreed for preparatory measures for the European Year of Languages. The Commission also stated that at the end of April 2000 it intended to issue a call for proposals for preparatory measures for the joint monitoring of the Multilingual Information Society (MLIS) and Info 2000 programmes and that, in principle, proposals for all languages would be considered, including regional and minority languages, on condition that this was justified by the objectives of the proposed measures and that they complied with the criteria laid down in the call for proposals.

Will the Commission give details both of the source of the funding and of the total amount it plans to make available for preparatory measures for 2000 for the MLIS and Info 2000 programmes, given that, as stated in the reply to my previous question, it intends to use the entire sum set aside under budget heading B3-1003N for preparatory measures for the European Year of Languages in 2001?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(20 July 2000)

The Community's Multilingual information society (MLIS) and INFO 2000 programmes ended in late 1999. Having taken account of the results of their interim assessment, and having consulted the Member States (Infocom Committee) and Parliament (Culture Committee) the Commission has taken steps towards preparatory action on the joint follow-up to those activities in order to promote European digital content on the worldwide web.

The budgetary authority has allocated10M under budget heading B5-344 for the year 2000, which has enabled a call for proposals to be launched concerning preparatory activities intended to promote European digital content on the worldwide web(1) on the three topics specified in order to prepare the joint follow-up to MLIS and INFO 2000: easing access to venture capital for start-ups and small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) whose activities are linked to the Internet; demonstrating how to turn public-sector information to account; making the linguistic and cultural adaptation of digital products and services easier.

In parallel to the this the Commission, on 24 May 2000, approved a draft Council decision adopting a multiannual Community programme intended to spur the development and use of European digital content on the worldwide web, and to promote linguistic diversity in the information society(2). Useful information on these activities may be found on Europa(3).

These activities are distinct from those initiated by the Directorate-General for Education and Culture, but will be conducted in close coordination with the latter. The preparatory activities begun, which will represent a significant contribution towards promoting linguistic and cultural diversity in the information society, could, in particular, illustrate the events planned as part of the European Year of Languages.

Finally, as regards the languages covered, the activities proposed could include action on any language, more especially minority and regional, where so justified by their aims.

(1) http://www.cordis.lu/econtent.

(2) COM(2000) 323.

(3) http://europa.eu.int/com/information society/policy/index fr.htm.