WRITTEN QUESTION P-1290/98

by Per Gahrton (V) to the Commission

(24 April 1998)

Subject: Amsterdam Treaty referenda and public opinion

Further to the Commission's reply to a written question on this matter from Pat Gallagher MEP (H-0369/98)(1), will the Commission state whether it has published the various contract awards in connection with the "Prince" programme, and in particular regarding "Building Europe Together". Will the Commission provide details of all of the awards in respect of the call for proposals referred to in its answer to Mr Gallagher. What is the total sum allocated to the winning proposals, and the amount to be paid to each one.

Will the Commission state why the conditions attached by Parliament to the budget line for "Prince", B3-306, concerning propaganda and national conditions, were not included in the criteria for this call for proposals, published in fact on 11 July 1997 (C210, page 9), and why, based on the answer given by the Commission, referring to the award to the Irish European Movement, these criteria have clearly not been applied, either as regards propaganda, or as regards fairness, which would clearly be one of the national conditions, in light of the judgment in the McKenna case to the Irish Supreme Court.

It is also clear that the Commission has held interviews with officials from the national broadcasting organizations, and has sought to influence youth media programmes, has launched a CD-ROM, and is producing "information packs" on a wide variety of subjects such as the environment, internal affairs and so on. Will the Commission state what further information activities will be undertaken by it in Ireland during the campaign leading up to the vote of the Irish people, foreseen for 22 May and in Denmark or any other country which may have a referendum on Amsterdam.

It is clear that the purpose of the "Building Europe Programme" is to promote European integration and the EU, and since there are those who disagree with the direction of this development, its contents should be seen for what they are - political views, even propaganda - contrary to the Commission's assertion in the answer to Mr Gallagher, and to the conditions of the Programme, and would the Commission now agree to cancel these activities and withdraw all of its material, as they contravene the conditions set by the Budget Authority?

Answer given by Mr Oreja on behalf of the Commission

(24 June 1998)

The Commission has no objection to giving the Honourable Member the full list of all the financial contributions allocated as part of the call for proposals referred to in its answer to oral question H-369/98 by Mr Gallagher during question time at the March II part-session of Parliament(2), the total of ECU 3 353 522 allocated and the amounts to be paid to each. However, the list must be used with care. All the allocations have not been paid in full, because a small number of the 110 potential recipients abandon their projects for various reasons or find that they cannot provide all the requisite supporting documents for the finalisation of the administrative file.

This list and the summary table which shows the breakdown by Member State and the percentage in relation to the requests made is being sent to the Honourable Member through the secretariat of the Committee on Culture, Youth, Education and the Media, in view of the volume of the documents.

The contracts themselves are all strictly identical as they are based on a standard text. A copy is being sent to the Honourable Member.

The conditions for granting financial contributions which applied to the call for proposals are set out in detail in the invitation to tender(3). They have been closely followed by the internal panel responsible for recommending how the financial contributions should be allocated.

A financial contribution allocated to the Irish European Movement in accordance with the terms of the call for proposals was in response to a request for funds to explain the Amsterdam Treaty. It was made clear to that organisation that this project should be "conducted in a manner such that it cannot be construed as interference by the Commission in the referendum process by appearing to advocate a particular result".

The Commission does not intend to take action which could interfere with the internal debate in any Member State where a referendum has to be held to ratify the Amsterdam Treaty. It feels that if Union citizens are required to vote on a text, they should be given unrestricted access to the facts, if they so desire, so that they can exercise their judgment in all independence.

The Commission is in regular contact with directors of national radio and television companies. The Commission can state that in no way did it try to influence media programmes for young people.

The Commission is concerned, however, to respond with all the tools and media of its time to the massive call for information by young people about the Europe whose future they see as their own and whose policies they intend to shape and the opportunities which they intend to exploit. For that reason, the Commission will accede to requests for information and technical assistance to television producers in order to enable them to produce well-documented quality programmes in all independence. In line with the times it will increasingly use the new media (CD Rom, Internet) to make impartial information available on Europe.

Lastly, the Commission through the "Building Europe together" campaign, has encouraged a large number of events and much open discussion with participation by Members of Parliament and political leaders of all sides. It feels that it conducted that campaign with the full support of and in total agreement with the various parliamentary bodies, including those responsible for the budget, to which it reported regularly within the relevant forums.

(1) Debates of the European Parliament (March 1998).

(2) Parliament debates (March 1998).

(3) OJ C 210, 11.7.1997.