WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3953/97 by Marjo MATIKAINEN-KALLSTRÖM to the Commission. Applications for support under regional and research programmes
Date: 1997-12-12
Institutions: European Parliament, MATIKAINEN-KALLSTROEM
Subjects: EU regional policy, administrative formalities, administrative transparency, development plan, operational programme, research and development, research programme

C 187/100

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

16. 6. 98

How true is this information, and what will the Commission do to improve freedom of expression and action for
this and other institutes?

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek on behalf of the Commission

(19 January 1998)

The  Commission  shares  the  Honourable  Member(cid:146)s  concerns,  and  those  of  the  Council  of  Europe  and
international human rights organisations, about respect for freedom of expression and association in Croatia. The
Commission considers that the Croatian government(cid:146)s recent legislative and judicial actions against civil society
and human rights organisations, such as the Open society institute, as well as against independent media, create
serious obstacles to the development of a pluralist democracy and to safeguarding human rights.

Respect for human rights is one of the conditions for the development of improved relations between Croatia and
the  Community.  Indeed,  freedom  of  expression  and  of  association  are  specifically  mentioned  in  the  Council
conclusions  of  29  April  1997  setting  out  the  conditions  for  the  development  of  bilateral  relations  with  the
countries  covered  by  the  Community(cid:146)s  regional  approach  towards  South-Eastern  Europe.  Croatia(cid:146)s  attitude
towards non-governmental organisations promoting human rights and freedom of expression is relevant in this
context.

(98/C 187/151)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3953/97

by Marjo Matikainen-Kallstro¤m (PPE) to the Commission

(12 December 1997)

Subject: Applications for support under regional and research programmes

In my question of 17 September 1997 to the Commission (E-2961/97) (1) I called for a reduction in bureaucracy
in the EU(cid:146)s research policy and regional policy. Having received the Commission(cid:146)s reply, I should like to ask a
further question.

What are the most common reasons for projects being rejected?

(1)  OJ C 134, 30.4.1998, p. 44.

Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission

(27 January 1998)

The  principal  criteria  against  which  project  proposals  are  evaluated  in  the  research  and  technological
development  (RDT)  programmes  of  the  Community  are  scientific  and  technical  excellence,  innovativeness,
transnational  collaboration  (European  added  value),  cost  effectiveness,  the  competence  of  the  proposers  and
perspectives for disseminating and exploiting results. In addition, each specific programme sets out in its work
programme  the  criteria  essential  for  achieving  its  particular  objectives.  Because  of  limitations  on  available
funding and significant competition for such funds, failure to meet the required standard for any of these criteria
(which are all made public) will generally result in a proposal being rejected. The commonest reasons for failure
of proposals in most programmes are insufficient scientific and technical quality innovativeness.

Information on the most common reasons for rejecting RDT projects within structural funds programmes would
need to be ascertained from the Member States themselves since they apply their own specific procedures to the
selection of projects in the context of monitoring committees. Project selection criteria will similarly vary in the
light of the particular priorities of the programme concerned.