WRITTEN QUESTION P-2107/03 by Isabelle Caullery (UEN) to the Commission. Non-governmental organisations in Moldova.
Date: 2003-06-18
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing arrangements, Moldova, action programme, drug traffic, fight against crime, human rights, non-governmental organisation, trafficking in human beings

C 33 E/218

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

6.2.2004

it should be noted that article 14 of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 does not prevent food
However,
business operators from donating to charities safe food, which they would normally throw away, because
of its non-compliance with private quality standards voluntarily adopted by the operators in question.

(1) OJ L 31, 1.2.2002.
(2) Although, according to the Regulation, article 14 shall apply only from 1 January 2005, it should be considered to
apply also at present, given that it does not create a new legal obligation for food business operators but it simply
confirms an overriding principle of food legislation. In any case, until 1 January 2005, the general food safety
requirement is covered by the equivalent provisions (article 3) of the general product safety Directive 92/59/EEC,
which will be repealed the 15 January 2004 by Directive 2001/95/CE. The provisions of this Directive apply in so
far as there are no specific Community rules governing the products concerned.

(2004/C 33 E/222)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2107/03

by Isabelle Caullery (UEN) to the Commission

(18 June 2003)

Subject: Non-governmental organisations in Moldova

Can the Commission tell us which types of programme, project and/or budget lines can be called upon to
support the activities in Moldova of NGOs set up under Moldovan law?

Can it also state the criteria that the NGOs must meet before they can apply for subsidies from the
European Union?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(29 July 2003)

The Commission is committed to supporting non-governmental organisations (NGOs) directly, through
projects and grants, and to involving them whenever possible in its initiatives.

The Delegation of the Commission to Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus is running a programme for small
grants to NGOs in the framework of the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights.
In
addition, the Institutional Building Partnership Programme (IBPP) is designed to strengthen NGOs and
other local
initiatives through partnership with similar bodies in the Union and neighbour countries.
Refinancing the IBPP is foreseen in the draft Action Programme (AP) 2003 for Moldova.

The draft AP 2003 for Moldova also envisages:

(cid:1) a project to support civil society which aims to increase the influence of civil society in political life

and to provide well-targeted support to the social sector through civil society organisations;

(cid:1) four different projects will be implemented with the Council of Europe, aimed at strengthening the
protection of human rights in Moldova. The projects cover training of judges, lawyers, prosecutors,
trade unions, NGOs and law students in human rights. They also cover assistance in the
implementation of
the Revised European Social Charter and assistance in strengthening local
democracy.

The Community is furthermore providing financial support through the United Nations Development
Program (UNDP) for actions against trafficking in human beings and women, and tackling the various
aspects of drug use and trafficking. Both actions have a heavy involvement of NGOs.

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Official Journal of the European Union

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As regards the conditions for obtaining grants, NGOs have to satisfy the eligibility criteria set out in
specific detail in each call for proposals. These criteria are announced together with the call for proposals,
are transparent, and accessible to all potential applicants. They generally include conditions on the status
(non-profit-making), geographic location, trade record and financial viability.

(2004/C 33 E/223)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2110/03

by Margrietus van den Berg (PSE) to the Commission

Subject: Closure of the Europa Centrum in the Netherlands

(19 June 2003)

Is the Commission aware that the Europa Centrum in the Hague, a foundation providing information on
the EU, will close on 1 July 2003?

How does the Commission explain that the foundation has not been granted a subsidy for 2003?

Does the Commission agree with me that information on the European Union and its institutions is of
crucial importance?

How does the Commission plan to ensure that in the year ahead, in which events of major importance for
the EU are on the agenda (enlargement to include ten new countries, European Parliament elections,
drafting of a Constitution), reliable and detailed information can be provided in the Netherlands if the
Europa Centrum foundation (cid:1) which is a key source of information for young people and schools (cid:1) is no
longer able to take on this task?

Is the Commission prepared to reconsider the foundation’s application for a subsidy? If so, when will it be
able to give its final answer? If not, why not?

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(16 July 2003)

The Commission is aware of and deeply regrets the fact that Europa Centrum will close on 1 July 2003.
Information and communication about the Union and its Institutions is extremely important, as the
Honourable Member recalls, particularly in the Netherlands, which will assume the Union-presidency in
the second half of 2004. The loss of Europa Centrum is therefore clearly felt by the Commission and the
national authorities in the Netherlands.

the new Financial Regulation (1) prevents operating grants to
As the Honourable Member knows,
organisations such as Europa Centrum which cannot exist solely on the basis of project-based subventions,
via calls for proposals.

As far as this kind of project-based grants is concerned, the Europa Centrum has been awarded in 2003
two grants by the Directorate General (DG) for Education and Culture, in the framework of the Calls for
Proposals addressed to Non-Governmental Organisations and Associations of European Interest. Unfor-
tunately, after the sad decision to terminate its activities, the Europa Centrum will not be able to use these
grants.

It goes without saying that, if Europa Centrum changes this decision in the future and starts over its
activities, nothing would prevent it to present one or more projects in the framework of new calls for
proposals and the Commission would of course seriously consider them, as it does with any other project.

A call was published by the Commission’s Representation in the Netherlands in May 2003, following the
adoption of the work programme for DG Press and Communication on 28 March 2003. The first deadline
for this call was set at the 30 June 2003.

(1) Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 of 25 June 2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the

general budget of the European Communities, OJ L 248, 16.9.2002.