WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1516/96 by Mark KILLILEA to the Commission. The European Commission and the role of NGOs
Date: 1996-06-17
Institutions: European Parliament, KILLILEA
Subjects: EU aid, European Commission, European cooperation, UNO, disabled person, equal treatment, non-governmental organisation













EUR-Lex - 91996E1516 - EN






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91996E1516

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1516/96 by Mark KILLILEA to the Commission. The European Commission and the role of NGOs  


Official Journal C 356 , 25/11/1996 P. 0050 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-1516/96 by Mark Killilea (UPE) to the Commission (17 June 1996)Subject: The European Commission and the role of NGOsOn matters concerning disability, does the Commission agree that it is important to maintain NGO involvement at as high a level as possible, and can it give information on what criteria will be used to select NGO involvement over the next two years? What is the overall level of NGO funding proposed, and what activities will be eligible?Given the excellent focus of the Communications on Human Rights, will the Commission use the UN Standard Rules as a framework for NGO involvement?The Commission plans to put in place an Observatory and a high level group on disability. What will its formalized links be with NGOs representing disabled people and their families, i.e. can the Commission give assurances that the Observatory will not be just confined to government representatives or academics?Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission (17 September 1996)The Commission agrees on the importance of the high-level involvement of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in matters concerning disability issues and has supported such involvement during the Helios II programme.The Commission adopted a communication on equality of opportunity for people with disabilities and a draft resolution of the Council and of representatives of the governments of the Member States meeting within the Council on equality of opportunity for people with disabilities on 30 July 1996 ((COM(96) 406 final. )) in which it reaffirms the principles and values that underline the United Nations standard rules on the equalisation of opportunities for persons with disabilities.In its above communication, to the extent that the Community budget allows, the Commission intends to continue to provide support to organisations working in the field of disability to encourage European cooperation. The primary criterion in this regard will be the contribution made to the promotion of equal opportunities at European level.The Commission also intends to set up a high level group of Member States' representatives on disability aiming at consolidating the valuable cooperation that has been developed during recent years under Helios II both with and between the Member States. It also intends to establish an observatory or network on national disability policies drawing on independent expertise in the Member States. The Commission intends to take part in the nomination process for the latter in cooperation with the Member States. Members of such an observatory or network could be expected to have expertise in the field and report in an objective way.With regard to formal links with the NGOs, the Commission's thinking is that there should be a joint meeting of the high level group and the new independent European disability forum at least once a year.