WRITTEN QUESTION E-1379/03 by Anne Jensen (ELDR) to the Commission. Multi-Stakeholder Forum.
Date: 2003-04-15
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU policy, business policy, labour relations, social dialogue, social role, type of business

15.1.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 11 E/179

Payment requests corresponding to advances thus covered on the basis of legitimate expectation will be
taken into account for application of the N+2 rule. Moreover, this clarification of the ineligibility rules on
advances corresponding to arrangements after 19 February 2003 applies only to advances not mobilised
by the final beneficiary. This has no bearing on the eligibility of payment requests corresponding to actual
utilisation of advances by the final beneficiary. With regard to the Operational Programme ‘Investigación,
Desarrollo e Innovación (cid:1) Objetivo 1 (2000-2006)’, approved by Commission decision on 26 February
2001, the initial deadline for possible application of the N+2 rule is 31 December 2003.

(1) OJ L 193, 29.7.2000.

(2004/C 11 E/204)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1379/03

by Anne Jensen (ELDR) to the Commission

(15 April 2003)

Subject: Multi-Stakeholder Forum

The Commission has set up a Multi-Stakeholder Forum to ensure, among other things, the exchange of
experience and good practice at EU level while seeking to establish common guiding principles for
corporate social responsibility also at EU level.

What has this Multi-Stakeholder Forum cost to date? What result does the Commission expect from this
forum?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(27 May 2003)

The activities of the Multistakeholder Forum on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) are supported from
within the existing financial, human and administrative resources of the Commission. For each meeting of
the Forum (1) the Commission provides a room, interpretation (2), and covers the reimbursement of 20
experts (3).

The Commission strongly believes that the Union’s success in promoting CSR is based ultimately on
widespread ownership of CSR principles by business, social partners and civil society. Also, in order to
ensure credible and effective CSR policies, it is the Commission’s position that these need to be developed,
implemented and evaluated with the involvement of the most affected stakeholders.

In this context, the Commission has set up the Multistakeholder Forum to develop a structured and
partnership-based approach between business and their stakeholders to raise awareness on CSR, promote
the exchange of experience and good practices, and enhance the transparency and credibility of CSR
practices and instruments.

The approach is bottom-up:
the Commission is not mandating solutions but rather is asking the
stakeholders to try to develop common answers through dialogue and partnership. The Commission sees
the Forum as a challenging experiment and a great opportunity for the different stakeholders to develop a
common approach to CSR and reach consensus on the challenges raised by CSR.

At the launch of the Forum in October 2002, the Forum members adopted the following objectives: to
foster corporate social responsibility and to promote innovation, transparency and convergence of CSR
practices and instruments though improving knowledge on CSR, facilitating the exchange of experience
and exploring the appropriateness of establishing common guiding principles for CSR.

C 11 E/180

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

15.1.2004

At the beginning of this year, the four Round Tables of the Forum have been launched. They are working
on the following issues: improving knowledge on CSR; promoting CSR amongst small and medium-sized
enterprises (SMEs); the development aspects of CSR and transparency, diversity and convergence of CSR
practices and tools.

The Forum has a clear mandate: before summer 2004 it is invited to submit a report about its work to the
Commission.

(1)

In 2002 two plenary meetings took place, while for 2003 two plenary meetings and nine Round Table meetings are
foreseen.

(2) Usually French, English and German for the plenary meetings and French & English for the Round Tables.
(3) Plus a Rapporteur for the Round Table meetings.

(2004/C 11 E/205)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1412/03

by Ioannis Marínos (PPE-DE)
and Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(23 April 2003)

Subject: Implementation of Interreg programme in Albania

Representatives of the Greek ethnic minority in southern Albania and Mr Karamelos, a Member of the
Albanian Parliament, claimed in a recent press conference at the European Parliament (2 April 2003), that
only 30 % of the funding under the Community’s Interreg II programme for measures on both sides of the
Greek-Albanian border has been utilised, while Interreg III (which was set up for the period 2000-2006)
has not yet begun. Consequently, no support has been received from Community sources for projects and
initiatives to improve the position of the internationally recognised Greek minority in southern Albania.
The Greek minority suffered persecution at the hands of the tyrannical totalitarian regime of Enver Hoxha
for decades and still does not enjoy the fundamental democratic rights that are its due, as the EU
institutions have repeatedly pointed out. During their visit to Parliament, these same representatives
stressed that, twelve years after the collapse of the above regime, no census has been taken of the Greek
population of Albania as a whole in accordance with practices in all well-governed European countries.

Are these claims concerning the implementation of Interreg II and III correct? If so, what is the reason for
this delay, which is having an impact on the quality of life of thousands of Greeks and Albanians living in
southern Albania? How does the Commission intend to exert pressure on Albania to carry out a credible
census of the Albanian population, along European lines, in order to determine the size of the Greek and
other minorities (gypsies, Roma, Slavs, etc.) living in that country?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(13 June 2003)

Albania as a whole has benefited since 1991 from Community support through PHARE, CARDS and other
Community assistance programmes. The largest of these programmes is CARDS. The CARDS programme
can be used, among other things, for cross-border projects, supporting expenditure on the Albanian side of
the border matching that on the Greek side supported by Interreg. In accordance with the Country
Strategy Paper for Albania, the priorities are the environment, integrated border management and local
community development.

The Interreg II programme for Greece contained a number of sub-programmes including one for co-
operation with Albania. According to information received from the authorities in Greece, 97 of the funds
available for this sub-programme were committed and paid, which suggests that implementation has been
very satisfactory.