WRITTEN QUESTION E-2437/02 by Cecilia Malmström (ELDR) to the Commission. Criteria for allocation of grants under budget line A-3029.
Date: 2002-08-28
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Community budget, budget, eligibility criteria, non-governmental organisation, transparency in decision-making

C 52 E/168

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

6.3.2003

Essential oils are of vegetable origin, and obtained by various processes (e.g. expression, distillation, and
extraction). They are classified as such in trade classifications (Combined Nomenclature heading 3301:
‘Essential oils (terpeneless or not), …’) according to the plants they originate from (e.g. of bergamot,
orange,
lavender, peppermint, etc.). They are generally of complex
composition and contain many chemical substances such as alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, phenols, esters,
ethers and terpenes in varying proportions.

lemon lime, geranium,

jasmine,

‘Synthetic’ essential oils are not produced as such. Specific chemical substances obtained by synthesis, that
may prove cheaper, are added to essential oils to reinforce their aroma. According to classification rules,
these substances are classified according to their chemical structure as ‘Organic chemicals’ (CN-chapter 29).
Therefore the knowledge of the exact composition of these products is necessary in order to classify them
properly. Pure substances of well defined structure that have been extracted from essential oils are equally
classified as ‘Organic chemicals’.

As a conclusion, for systemic reasons a distinction between agricultural (natural) and chemicals (synthetic)-
containing essential oils for aromatherapy could prove difficult to implement within trade classifications,
and as far as it is known, has never been requested by the industry.

From an industrial point of view, the Community activity classification NACE Revision 1 presently includes
class 24.63 Manufacture of essential oils. This class only includes manufacture of extracts of natural
aromatic products and excludes manufacture of synthetic aromatic products.

The next revision of NACE will take place in 2007. The revision process has already started, and although
so far the Commission has received no proposals for this sector, a proposal send to the Commission will
be included in the revision process.

(2003/C 52 E/185)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2437/02

by Cecilia Malmström (ELDR) to the Commission

(28 August 2002)

Subject: Criteria for allocation of grants under budget line A-3029

Each year,
funds are allocated to youth organisations through the budget line A-3029 ‘Support to
international non-governmental youth organisations’. The formal criteria to be fulfilled by applicants are
published in the Official Journal.

In the 2002 selection, the Commission has decided to reject a number of applications from organisations
that fulfil the formal criteria and that have received the grant for a number of years. According to a letter
sent by the Commission, their applications were rejected as the ‘available credit was too low to accept all
formally eligible organisations’. It was, however, mentioned that the decision was in no way a reflection of
the relevance of quality of the proposed project.

In previous years, the amounts allocated to applicants have varied with regard to the number of eligible
applications. This year, however, some organisations have been allotted substantial grants whereas others,
who still fulfil the criteria, have had their applications rejected. The criteria applied by the selection
committee have not been made public and this provides significant uncertainty for all organisations
applying under this budget line. It is important that organisations are informed about the criteria in
advance, and that maximum transparency is ensured in the distribution of grants, in particular with regard
to the Commission’s policy on good governance.

What exact criteria apply to the allocation of grants and the approval and rejection of applications that
fulfil the formal requirements under the A-3029 budget line, and what will the Commission do to improve
the advance information on its criteria and to increase transparency in the work of
the selection
committee?

6.3.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 52 E/169

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(21 October 2002)

Applications for support for international non-governmental youth organisations are evaluated in two
stages:

(cid:1) first on the basis of eligibility criteria, i.e. formal criteria relating, in particular, to the organisation’s
in

its geographical coverage and its co-financing capacity (as regards this last criterion,

status,
accordance with the remarks in the budget);

(cid:1) next on the basis of qualitative and quantitative award criteria, relating in particular to their activities

and the impact of these activities on young people.

These eligibility and award criteria are outlined in the call for proposals for the year 2002 (1). All potential
beneficiaries are therefore aware of them in advance.

The evaluation committee based its analysis of the applications on all the above-mentioned criteria. Those
applications which did not meet the formal eligibility criteria were of course rejected.

The applications which met the eligibility criteria were ranked in descending order of priority, based on
the number of points they obtained in terms of meeting the award criteria. This procedure was followed in
2002, and in previous years also.

Overall, the amount of funding requested in the 147 applications submitted came to EUR 2 500 000,
which was EUR 1 000 000 more than the appropriations available under the 2002 budget line A-3029.

Based on the priority ranking established by the selection committee, grants were awarded to the highest
possible number of organisations, within the limits of the overall budget availability of EUR 1 500 000.
Thus, grants ended up being awarded to 93 organisations, or 63 % of the applications submitted. The
applications rejected at this stage did not contain such impressive activity plans as those selected.

In 2001, the percentage of applications selected was 82 %. But this was because the total amount of
funding requested was lower (only EUR 2 000 000). It is also worth pointing out that the award of a grant
in 2001 in no way guarantees the award of a grant in 2002.

The Commission makes every effort to ensure maximum transparency, both regarding the criteria used
and the funding decisions taken. For the 2003 grants exercise, the Commission will again spell out these
criteria in the call for proposals and will make more effort to explain the reasons for the non-selection of
certain applications in the letters sent out to the organisations concerned.

(1) OJ C 352, 12.12.2001.

(2003/C 52 E/186)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2438/02

by Olivier Dupuis (NI) to the Commission

(28 August 2002)

Subject: Arrest and imprisonment in Tunisia of a woman and her two children (respectively eight- and

two-years old)

During the evening of 15 August 2002, Mrs Souad Hamrouni, née Maghroum (born 6 July 1967 in
Bizerty); travelled on flight LBT 365 to Tunis with her two children, Rahma (eight years old) and Amine
(two and a half years old), both of whom were born in France. On arrival at Tunis-Carthage Airport at
11 p.m., she was arrested by border police who searched and then questioned her in front of her two
children. According to the police officers, she was then taken to the Ministry of the Interior, where she
spent the night with her two children. Mr Abderraouf Ayadi, Mr Abdelwahab Matar and Mr Mohamed
Abou, three lawyers and friends of the family who had come to meet Mrs Hamrouni at the airport, were
present when she was arrested and were able to observe the irregular nature of this arrest.