WRITTEN QUESTION E-3886/02 by Ioannis Marínos (PPE-DE) to the Commission. EU decentralised bodies.
Date: 2003-01-13
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Cedefop, European Training Foundation, Greece, management audit, operation of the Institutions, vocational training

10.7.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 161 E/161

(2003/C 161 E/166)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3879/02

by Jorge Hernández Mollar (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Launch of the trademark ‘Made in Malaga’

(10 January 2003)

The trademark ‘Hecho en Málaga’ (‘Made in Malaga’) has been launched by a foundation and an association
of young artists and craftsmen from Malaga province (Spain), with the objective of boosting sales of local
craft products.

This initiative, which will provide a new impetus for the market in craft goods in the province, has
recently been presented to the public. It includes measures aimed at creating a cultural base for the export
of local artefacts to other regions of Spain and to European and world markets.

Can the Commission indicate what Community aids could be activated to benefit this initiative of the
Malaga craft sector, with a view to consolidating its incipient launch and helping the province’s young
artists and craftsmen build their future while dedicating themselves to their artistic specialities?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(7 February 2003)

The project the Honourable Member refers to could receive co-financing from the Structural Funds under
the integrated operational programme for the region of Andalusia in the period 2000-2006.

The Commission reminds the Honourable Member that, in line with the principle of subsidiarity, the
choice of projects eligible for co-financing is a matter for the Member State and depends, in particular, on
the selection criteria set out in the programming documents. It would be appropriate, therefore, to call on
the foundation and the association of young artists and craftsmen promoting the project
to seek
information from the Dirección General de Fondos Europeos de la Consejería de Economía y Hacienda de
la Junta de Andalucía, at the following address: Isla de la Cartuja, Edificio Torretriana, 5a planta, 41071
Seville.

At the same time, the Commission is providing funding for the Prodecom project under the Euromed
Heritage II framework programme, which seeks to mobilise the potential of the Euro-Mediterranean artistic
and craft cultural heritage by using the designation ‘local culture product’ intended to make it easier for the
quality and originality of craft products to be recognised. In the longer term, this initiative should facilitate
the marketing of craft products in Europe and worldwide. The project is being coordinated by the Chambre
des Beaux Arts de Méditerranée (59, rue Cambronne (cid:1) 75015 Paris (cid:1) mail to: ch.beaux.arts@wanadoo.fr).

(2003/C 161 E/167)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3886/02

by Ioannis Marínos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(13 January 2003)

Subject: EU decentralised bodies

The European Union has set up a number of decentralised bodies in many Member States and is planning
to set up others. Many of them, however, are not particularly productive despite their high operating costs
(salaries, outgoings for communications, translations etc.), and the millions of euros invested by the EU to
accommodate them in ultramodern premises.

Recently, the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction located in Lisbon produced its
2002 annual report on the state of the drugs problem in the European Union and Norway which contains
a large amount of information on the subject and was also drafted in Greek. However, other organisations
such as, for example, the European Environment Agency in Copenhagen and the Cedefop in Thessaloniki
are not particularly active in their respective fields, remaining unknown even to the citizens of the Member
States in which they are situated.

The European Training Foundation (ETF) in Torino, which is concerned with vocational training (exactly
the same field as Cedefop), is targeting its activities on the countries of Central and Eastern Europe which
will within a few months, however, also be members of the EU. In view of this and the fact that the
Cedefop does not appear to be acquitting its task in such a way as to heighten its own profile or that of

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10.7.2003

Thessaloniki where it is situated, will the Commission consider the possibility of merging it with the ETF,
while keeping it in Greece’s second city? Is the Commission satisfied with Cedefop’s performance?

How could the centre be made more productive so as to contribute to improving vocational training
standards in the European Union and in the host country, Greece (which suffers from high unemployment
particularly among young people and women), with constant support being assured?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(25 February 2003)

In November 2000, the Commission launched an external evaluation of the European Centre for the
Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop) which provides a comprehensive view of the performance
of the Centre since the last evaluation in 1995. The findings and conclusions of the evaluation concerning
the Centre’s services and products represent
the views of 550 external stakeholders (including the
Parliament, Commission, civil servants and social partners representatives). Overall, the evaluation report
assessed positively the effectiveness and impact of the work of the Centre since 1995 and underlined that
Cedefop does important work in the promotion and development of vocational education and training in
the European context.

Cedefop is very active in Greece and the rest of Europe in providing information on developments in
vocational education and training to support policy-makers, researchers and practitioners. Cedefop’s
information is provided through its two websites, the European Training Village (ETV) www.trainingvil-
lage.gr and the Cedefop corporate website www.cedefop.eu.int, (also in Greek) as well as periodical and
non-periodical publications. On the basis of information provided by the Centre, the ETV currently has
about 30 000 registered users (over 2 100 from Greece, the fourth highest) and has an average of 38 000
hits and 930 user sessions per day. In 2002, Cedefop distributed over 12 500 copies of its publications in
response to specific requests and many others at conferences and exhibitions. Cedefop also fosters
exchanges and contacts through conferences, seminars and networks bringing over a 1 000 visitors from
all over Europe, to Thessaloniki, every year. Cedefop welcomes visitors from Greece, and has hosted visits
from a wide range of backgrounds (cid:1) from Ministers to students. Currently the Centre is also working with
a number of Ministries on events to be held during the Greek Union Presidency, three of which will be
staged at Cedefop’s premises in Thessaloniki.

Cedefop and the ETF actively co-operate and in 2001, agreed a framework of cooperation between them
to facilitate the transition of Candidate Countries into the Union. For the possibility of merging the two
Agencies and on their respective mission and tasks, the Commission would refer the Honourable Member
to its previous answer to written question P-0623/01 by Mr Xarchakos (1).

(1) OJ L 261 E, 18.9.2001.

(2003/C 161 E/168)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3891/02

by Giovanni Pittella (PSE) to the Commission

(13 January 2003)

Subject: ROP (Regional Operational Programme) for Calabria

Knowing that:

(cid:1) On the basis of paragraphs 2 and 3 of Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 (1) (on information and publicity
measures concerning Structural Fund assistance carried out by the Member States) the managing
authority carrying out Community structural measures is responsible for ensuring compliance with
information publicity obligations and hence responsible for guaranteeing that publicity is given to the