WRITTEN QUESTION E-0743/01 by Giles Chichester (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Budget Item A-3037.
Date: 2001-03-09
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU aid, budget, non-governmental organisation, women's movement, women's rights

4.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 340 E/83

It is possible, therefore, that within the terms of the Sixth VAT Directive, a legal entity involved in
commercial activities with the intention of profit, could be excluded from the exemption in some Member
States under the provisions of these articles.

(2001/C 340 E/096)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0743/01

by Giles Chichester (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(9 March 2001)

Subject: Budget Item A-3037

At present the European Women(cid:146)s Lobby receives all the funding from Item A-3037, a total of € 600 000
for 2001. Can the Commission give a breakdown on how the money is spent and indicate what access
other NGOs involved in women(cid:146)s rights have to similar funding?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(18 June 2001)

Following the decision of the Parliament, the amount under budget line A-3037 is dedicated to the
European Women(cid:146)s Lobby (EWL)
(€ 600 000 in 2000, € 650 000 in 2001). The Commission has no
discretion on this. As decided by the Parliament, the Commission will pay 80 % of the real expenses up to
the total amount under the budget line.

EWL(cid:146)s budget planning for 2000 (the deadline for handing in the final accounts for 2000 was 31 March
2001):

Administrative expenses

Salaries

Meeting expenses

Expenses for the General Assembly

(€)

149 490

413 900

112 500

74 150

Total

750 000

Main activities carried out by the EWL in 2000:

(cid:129) The preparations for the United Nations Special Session to review and assess progress made in
implementing the Beijing platform for action (Beijing+5) were a major area of activity, as the EWL co-
ordinated the production of the Regional Alternative Report for the Community.

(cid:129) The EWL monitored the work of the Convention for the Union Charter of Fundamental Rights, issuing

regular briefing papers.

(cid:129) The Policy Action Centre on Violence against women focused its activities on the fight against

trafficking in women and lobbying for better international legal protection.

(cid:129) The EWL launched a campaign on Women Asylum Seekers, which will run throughout 2001 to
coincide with the 50th anniversary of the United Nations Geneva Convention on the Status of
Refugees and the developments within the Union concerning asylum and refugee procedures.

(cid:129) During the second half of 2000, the secretariat of the EWL launched a broad consultation process
involving EWL(cid:146)s whole membership of 2700 women(cid:146)s organisations concerning the Social Policy
Agenda. The EWL made a full analysis of the document and made a formal intervention during the
Conference of Ministers on Gender Equality in Paris on 27 October 2000.

C 340 E/84

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

4.12.2001

(cid:129) The EWL followed very closely the policy developments linked to the modification of Council
Directive 76/207/EEC of 9 February 1976 on the implementation of the principle of equal treatment
for men and women as regards access to employment, vocational training and promotion, and
working conditions (1). A joint letter and press release were drafted with the European Trade Union
Confederation on the issue of sexual harassment in the workplace in June 2000.

(cid:129) The EWL has been working in the field of women and globalisation (international trade) since June
2000, taking an active part in the civil society meetings organised by the Directorate General for
Trade. Two position papers have been prepared.

(cid:129) In September 2000, the EWL launched its new web-site (2). A wide range of documents, news and
information on urgent action campaigns is now available, and there has been a significant increase in
the use of the EWL web-site.

(cid:129) The EWL is intensifying its working contacts and activities with women(cid:146)s organisations from the
accession countries. Following unanimous agreement at the General Assembly in 2000, the EWL is in
the process of developing a Policy Centre on Women and Enlargement.

(cid:129) Funding possibilities for other non governmental organisations (NGOs): NGOs and other organisations
can obtain funding for their activities under the new (cid:145)Programme relating to the Community
framework strategy on gender equality (2001-2005)(cid:146) (3). This Programme shall co-ordinate, support
and co-finance the implementation of horizontal activities under five fields of intervention: economic
life, equal participation and representation, social rights, civil life, gender roles and stereotypes. The
financial reference amount for the implementation of the Programme for the period 2001-2005 will
be € 50 million.

(cid:129) Besides this gender equality targeted programme, there are numerous other funding possibilities, like
the Structural Funds, EQUAL, Leonardo, Socrates, the Fifth framework programme for Research and
Technological Development, Daphne and STOP, to name just a few.

(1) OJ L 39, 14.2.1976.
(2) http://www.womenlobby.org/.
(3) OJ L 17, 19.1.2001.

(2001/C 340 E/097)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0745/01

by Michel Hansenne (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(13 March 2001)

Subject: The information society

The Forum for the Information Society recently published a report entitled (cid:145)A European Way for the
Information Society(cid:146). That report highlights all the economic, societal, cultural and citizenship challenges
arising from the emergence of the information society and its associated technologies.

Is the Commission planning to publish a communication on the basis of that report?

What action does it
recommendations set out in the report?

intend to take, within the limits of

its powers and responsibilities, on the

What is the agenda of the Forum for the Information Society in 2001?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(19 June 2001)

The Commission welcomed the latest report of the Information Society Forum (ISF) (cid:145)A European Way for
the Information Society(cid:146)
in a press conference held in Brussels on 23 March 2000, attended by the
member of the Commission responsible for Enterprises and Information Society and the ISF President. The
report was also discussed in the dedicated conference on (cid:145)Information Society, Globalisation and
Sustainable Development: The Promise of the European Way(cid:146), held in context of the Hanover EXPO on
6 October 2000.