WRITTEN QUESTION P-1764/01 by Helena Torres Marques (PSE) to the Commission. Economic value of voluntary work.
Date: 2001-06-12
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, EU programme, costing, gender equality, non-governmental organisation, voluntary work

11.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 350 E/221

The Commission can confirm that according to information received on 19 June from the Secretariat of
the Council and Secretariat of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) States, the institutions with which
the instruments of ratification have to be deposited, 14 ACP States and no Member State had ratified the
Agreement.

The Member of the Commission responsible for development raised the Commission(cid:146)s concern that
ratification should not be unduly delayed at the meeting of the Development Council on 31 May 2001. He
has written to all Development Ministers asking for an indication of when they expect ratification to be
completed. The Commission will put up a (cid:145)scoreboard(cid:146) on its website to keep track of the process and to
encourage progress.

The indications which the Commission has received to date are that one Member State Parliament has
approved the Agreement and that most Member States expect to ratify by the end of 2001. However,
while only two thirds of ACP States(cid:146) ratifications are required for the entry into force of the Agreement, on
the European side all Member States must ratify it and the Community must approve it. The agreement is
not, therefore, expected to enter into force until some time in 2002.

(2001/C 350 E/248)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1764/01

by Helena Torres Marques (PSE) to the Commission

(12 June 2001)

Subject: Economic value of voluntary work

Given that much of the work done by NGOs, particularly women(cid:146)s NGOs, is carried out by volunteers,
why does the Commission attach no economic value to contributions in kind and in the form of voluntary
work as part of Community projects covered by the fifth Community framework programme on equal
opportunities for women and men?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(9 July 2001)

The Honourable Member refers to the fact
that voluntary work carried out by members of non-
governmental organisations (NGOs) is not regarded as an eligible cost in projects to be funded by the
Programme relating to the Community framework strategy on gender equality (2001-2005).

The Commission would like to stress that proper management of Community funds implies that it is
possible to monitor the tasks actually carried out and the contributions from third parties to projects
funded by the Community.

like contributions

However, voluntary work,
in kind generally, cannot be valued precisely. The
Commission has therefore decided, partly at Parliament(cid:146)s request, to limit contributions in kind in the
projects it subsidises. For this reason, contributions in kind are not accepted as eligible costs in projects
funded by the Commission, unless the decisions relating to these projects provide for a derogation (in this
case Council Decision 2001/51/EC of 20 December 2000 establishing a Programme relating to the
Community framework strategy on gender equality (2001-2005) (1)).

(1) OJ L 17, 19.1.2001.