WRITTEN QUESTION P-3101/00 by Daniel Hannan (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Article B3-301.
Date: 2000-09-26
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: access to EU information, budget financing, financial control, information network

C 163 E/34

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

6.6.2001

In order to stress the importance of socio-educational measures, the Council and the representatives of the
Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council, adopted two declarations: one on the
fight against racism, xenophobia and anti-semitism in the youth field, the other on respecting diversity and
combating racism and xenophobia (2).

These declarations emphasise that the Member States and the Commission need to adopt measures in the
framework of existing actions and programmes. They also stress the need to build upon the achievements
of the European Year against racism (1997) and to take initiatives to ensure continuity beyond that year.

in particular, a training module
Finally, as regards police cooperation,
concerning racism and xenophobia which makes it possible to ascertain, analyse and evaluate the
dimensions of
the phenomena in the specific context of each Member State and which facilitates
appropriate police responses.

the Council recommended,

The Council also draws attention to the work done on the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the

3.
European Union which was solemnly proclaimed at the Nice European Council on 7 December 2000.

(1) OJ L 185, 24.7.1996, p. 5.
(2) OJ C 368, 5.12.1997, p. 1 and OJ C 1, 3.1.1998, p. 1.

(2001/C 163 E/034)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3101/00

by Daniel Hannan (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(26 September 2000)

Subject: Article B3-301

Article B3-301, which has an annual endowment of several million pounds sterling, funds (cid:145)information
outlets(cid:146).

Can the Commission inform Parliament of:

1.

2.

the nature of funding since 1997,

the type of scrutiny applied to these projects,

3. whether the Commission draws up end-of-year reports on these funds and whether they are

unclassified and open to review by Parliament,

4.

the safeguards put in place to ensure that the material is factual and does not express and individual
opinion, in other words, that it is not used to portray the European Union and its development or
politics in a particular light,

5. whether any money has ever been used in Member States to support activities of a politically

controversial nature, for instance support for one side of a referendum campaign?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(7 December 2000)

1.
Article B3-301 funding has been used to help set up and run outlets for information on Europe and
information campaigns carried out by these outlets or relays since 1997. These centres exist at various
levels. Some are set up in capital cities as a result of a partnership agreement between the Commission and
the national governments (Paris, Lisbon). They are funded by equal contributions from the two founding
members.

There are also centres at inter-regional level which are set up in regions given priority for socio-economic
or geographical reasons (Thessaloniki, Naples). The host structure signs an agreement with the Commis-
sion, which awards an annual subsidy for the centre(cid:146)s activities.

6.6.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 163 E/35

Local/regional centres are set up within existing bodies. For example, there are 128 Info-Points Europe
which are located in the Member States(cid:146) main cities and 130 Rural Information and Promotion Carrefours
which are located in rural areas or regions. The Commission awards these centres an agreed fixed annual
subsidy covering, on average, 20 to 25 % of their budget.

Finally, there are the large networks (cid:129) the International Federation of Europe Houses (IFEH) and the
European Movement. The IFEH receives subsidies for Europe-wide information seminars and other
activities organised in conjunction with the Europe Houses that are members of the network. The
European Movement organises many information and promotional activities on Union policies via the
national sections in several Member States. Since 1997 all the various actions are covered by an annual
programme which is decided, as in the case of the IFEH, following consultation of the Commission(cid:146)s
representations in the Member States concerned.

The information relays at local, regional,

inter-regional and national level are obliged, under the
2.
terms of the agreement, to submit a detailed activity report to the Commission every year. Annual renewal
of the subsidy is dependent on a positive assessment of this report.

A detailed report is required for each action by the external information networks for which funds are
provided.

A monitoring system has recently been developed for the continuous and transparent checking and
evaluation of the relays(cid:146) activities.

3.
Figures relating to the implementation of Article B3-301 are included annually in the accounts for
the preceding financial year. The Commission does not draw up a specific report on the use of
appropriations under this article.

4. and 5.
The information relays are accommodated within the host structures to which they belong,
and these structures are independent of the Commission. The Commission is not responsible for the
information they provide, nor is it responsible for managing them, with the exception of the large centres
set up in capital cities (Paris and Lisbon). Article 11 of the agreement which the Commission signs with
the host bodies specifies that the contracting parties shall act on their own behalf and assume full
responsibility for the information they provide to the public. The information process is fully decentralised
in line with the principle of subsidiarity.

(2001/C 163 E/035)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3120/00

by Gerhard Hager (NI) to the Council

(16 October 2000)

Subject: Intended response to the revision of the FSC and successor provisions

The US rules on foreign sales corporations are due to be reviewed by Congress very soon. Under these
provisions, the proceeds of sales transacted abroad are exempt from tax. According to the US Deputy
Secretary of the Treasury, Stuart Eizenstat, the WTO dispute settlement body has established that it is
entirely up to Members to decide whether or not to tax such earnings.

The Council:

1. Does it agree with the Member of the Commission responsible, Pascal Lamy, that the proposed

provisions are incompatible with WTO rules?

2.

If so, what form of measures to protect EU trade does the Council envisage taking?

3. What goods and/or enterprises would be affected by these measures?