WRITTEN QUESTION P-0443/01 by Georges Berthu (NI) to the Commission. Activities of the Racine association.
Date: 2001-02-13
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, France, association, employment policy, financial control, project of common interest, vocational training

C 187 E/224

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

3.7.2001

(2001/C 187 E/250)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0443/01

by Georges Berthu (NI) to the Commission

(13 February 2001)

Subject: Activities of the Racine association

The French private-law association Racine (Network for the Support and Capitalisation of European
Innovations) which is active in the areas of employment and professional training has as its aim (cid:145)helping
to ensure that Community guidelines are given practical effect in the French context(cid:146) by providing
technical assistance to project organisers. It receives considerable support from the ESF which seems to
provide 90 % of its operating budget.

Is the Commission in a position to assess the contribution the association actually makes, which certainly
does not appear to have a high profile among those active in social affairs? Are details of how it uses its
funds and full accounts publicly available?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(27 March 2001)

Racine (an association within the meaning of the 1901 Act on the creation of non-profit associations)
makes an active contribution to the implementation of various employment and social policy programmes.

Its tasks include the following:

(cid:129) work connected with the Community initiatives Adapt and Employment;

(cid:129) operations under Objectives 3 and 4 of the Structural Funds;

(cid:129) the (cid:145)surveys and analyses(cid:146) strand of the first phase of the Leonardo da Vinci programme (1995-1999);

(cid:129) for the French State: organisation of study visits under the Leonardo da Vinci programme managed by

the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP);

(cid:129) strategic monitoring of new provisions;

(cid:129) for the DØlØgation interministØrielle de la ville (interdepartmental office for urban matters): specific

activities targeting local committees;

(cid:129) Racine is also involved in PHARE activities.

In connection with project monitoring, Racine is in regular contact with social players, who are also
represented in one of the management board(cid:146)s three constituent groups (public institutions, social partners
and qualified experts).

As Racine is an association under the 1901 Act, its accounts are subject to scrutiny by an auditor.

The association is also under state surveillance in that a financial controller appointed by the French
Budget Ministry performs this function and attends meetings of the association(cid:146)s management board.

(2001/C 187 E/251)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0449/01

by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(13 February 2001)

Subject: EU-Turkey partnership

The French National Assembly recently adopted a resolution recognising the genocide of the Armenians.
Turkey responded with retaliatory measures of a mainly economic nature, cancelling a number of contracts
with French companies. On 13 December 1999, the European Council meeting in Helsinki decided to
recognise Turkey as a candidate country for accession to the EU, and to draw up an accession partnership
and a single financial framework to assist Turkey towards accession.