Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on promoting gender equality in development co-operation
Date: 2003-07-30
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: cooperation policy, developing countries, development aid, equal treatment, gender equality, women's rights

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 30.07.2003
COM(2003)465 final

2003/0176 (COD)

Proposal for a

REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

On promoting gender equality in development co-operation

(presented by the Commission)

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

The co-operation and development policy, referred to in Article 179 of the Treaty establishing
the European Community, highlights the need for the Council, acting in accordance with the
procedure referred to in Article 251, to adopt the measures necessary to further the objectives
referred to in Article 177 of the Treaty.

Community policy in this area shall focus on the fight against poverty, foster the sustainable
development  of  developing  countries,  and  the  integration  of  developing  countries  into  the
world economy.

The sustained improvement of gender equality and the empowerment of women in developing
countries  are  important  outcomes  of  development  and  significantly  contributions  to  poverty
reduction.  Since  the  Declaration  and  the  Beijing  Platform  for  Action  of  the  Fourth  World
Conference  on  Women  in  1995  global  improvement  has  been  made  in  terms  of  promoting
gender equality in developing  countries.  In  particular,  progress  has  been  made  in  putting  in
place  a  comprehensive  gender  mainstreaming  strategy  within  the  general  framework  of  EU
Development Co-operation. The main reference policy document is the Programme of Action
(PoA) on mainstreaming of gender equality, COM (2001) 295. However, even if the process
is  on  track  in  setting  the  priorities  much  remains  to  be  done  in  terms  of  delivering  results,
such as improving the conditions of women in  developing countries, within a definite  time-
perspective.  This  is  especially  accurate  in  the  fields  of  effective  implementation  at  country
level, with respect to exploring new policy developments, and giving a higher profile to the
ongoing initiatives.

In 1998, the Council adopted Regulation (EC) No 2836/98 on integrating of gender issues in
development  co-operation,  due  to  expire  on  31  December  2003.  The  Regulation  aims  at
mainstreaming  gender  perspectives  into  all  of  the  Communities  development  co-operation
policies  and  interventions  and  supporting  the  implementation  of  national  plans  designed  to
implement major elements of the Beijing Platform for Action. These objectives are still valid
to date yet need an increased and accelerated effort. Furthermore, the EC Treaty stresses the
need  to  aim  for  the  elimination  of  inequalities  and  to  promote  equality  between  men  and
women in all policies of the Community, (Art. 3 paragraph 2).

Therefore  a  more  comprehensive  strategic  approach  is  needed  to  support  the  present
implementation strategy of the PoA of 2001. In particular this Regulation proposes to clarify
the  political  goal  of  the  Community  gender  policy  within  the  field  of  development  co-
operation.  A  stronger  orientation  will  make  the  process  clearer  and  more  visible  and  will
make it easier to activate the necessary change to promote gender equality in development co-
operation.

This approach is necessary in order to effectively use the strategy of gender mainstreaming in
the  context  of  poverty  reduction  as  it  was  highlighted  by  the  PoA  in  2001.  The  1998
Regulation  2836  focused  on  "gender  integration".  Later  on  in  2001  the  PoA  underlined  the
process  of  "gender  mainstreaming".  Now  this  need  to  be  complemented  by  a  solid  policy
basis, with the promotion of gender equality, and a goal-oriented approach with a strong link
to  the  achievement  of  the  UN  Millennium  Development  Goal  (MDG)  to  promote  gender
equality and the empowerment of women.

To  support  the  goal  of  promoting  gender  equality  two  complementary  actions  are  foreseen:
gender mainstreaming and specific measures. Gender mainstreaming is the main process that
integrates priorities and needs of women and men of all ages in all the key development and

2

co-operation  policies.  This  process  needs  to  be  reinforced  by  a  set  of  specific  measures  to
support the empowerment of women through their economic, social and environmental roles.

In  order  to  highlight  the  intrinsic  long-term  perspective  of  promoting  gender  equality,  it  is
vital that the budget line is maintained, and that the catalytic and strategic role played by the
present Regulation is reinforced with respect to the implementation of the PoA of 2001. This
orientation was confirmed by the recent Thematic Evaluation on the Integration of Gender in
EC Development Co-operation with Third Countries  finalised  by the Commission  in March
2003.

Operations  under  this  Regulation  form  part  of  the  Community's  overall  gender  and  poverty
policies  within  development  co-operation.  In  this  context,  co-ordination,  coherence  and
complementarity  with  other  aid  instruments  available  to  the  EC  and  with  the  policies  at
national, regional and international level remain essential.

The  Thematic  Evaluation  confirmed  the  necessity  of  reinforcing  a  political  message
supporting  gender  equality.  Therefore  there  is  a  clear  need  for  a  revised  legal  instrument
enabling operations to continue beyond 31 December 2003. For this reason, the Commission
proposes to the Council and the European Parliament to adopt this Regulation.

3

2003/0176 (COD)

Proposal for a

REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

On promoting gender equality in development co-operation

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article
179 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission1,

Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

The UN Millennium Development Goals2 call for gender equality  and empowerment
of women,  setting  clear targets  in  the field  of  education  that  have  to  be  achieved  no
later than 2015.

Article 3 (2) of the EC Treaty stipulates that in all the activities referred to in Article 3,
including a policy in the sphere of development cooperation, the Community shall aim
to eliminate inequalities, and to promote equality, between men and women.

A disproportionate majority of the world's poor are women, therefore the promotion of
gender equality is important for the overarching goal of poverty reduction by 2015.

Gender equality of women and men of all ages is recognised as important to effective
and efficient work against poverty. To achieve the goal of gender equality through the
gender mainstreaming strategy there is a need to combine it with specific measures in
favour of women of all ages.

(5) Women's contribution to development is achieved in the face of numerous obstacles,
limiting  the  outcome  of  their  work  and  reducing  the  benefits  for  themselves  and  to
society  as  a  whole  The  importance  of  women's  economic,  social,  and  environmental
roles across the life course, in developing countries has led to increasing international
recognition  that  their  full  participation  without  discrimination  is  indispensable  for
sustainable and effective development.

(6)

The  Community  and  its  Member  States  were  signatories  to  the  Declaration  and
Platform  for  Action  of  the  1995  Fourth  World  Conference  on  Women  in  Beijing,
which stressed the need for action against world-wide obstacles to gender equality and
established gender mainstreaming as a strategy to promote gender equality.

1

2

OJ C […], […], p. […]
http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/

4

                                                
(7)

(8)

(9)

(10)

(11)

(12)

(13)

(14)

The  United  Nations  Convention  on  the  Elimination  of  all  forms  of  Discrimination
to
against  Women  considers  discrimination  against  women  as  an  obstacle 
development, and the parties to the Convention agree to eliminate this discrimination
using all appropriate means.

Regulation (EC)  No  2836/98  on  the  integration  of  gender  issues  in  development  co-
operation3  aims  to  support  the  mainstreaming  of  gender  analysis  in  all  area  of
development  co-operation  policies  and  to  support  and  facilitate  the  inclusions  of
actions addressing major gender disparities. It ensures that gender equality is promoted
in  national  plans  designed  to  implement  major  elements  of  the  Beijing  Platform  for
Action. The Regulation is due to expire on 31 December 2003.

The  Declaration  by  the  Council  and  the  Commission  on  the  European  Community’s
development  policy,  adopted  on  the  Development  Council  on  10  November  2000,
states that gender equality is a cross-cutting issue.

The Commission’s Communication to the Council and the European Parliament on the
Programme  of  Action  for  the  mainstreaming  of  gender  equality  in  Community
Development  Co-operation  of  21  June  2001  (PoA),  COM  (2001)295  final,  sets  the
implementation framework for mainstreaming gender equality in EC development co-
operation.  The  PoA  was  endorsed  by 
its  Conclusions  of
8 November 2001.

the  Council 

in 

The  European  Parliament  stressed  in  its  April  2002  Resolution  on  the  PoA  its
commitment to gender mainstreaming as the approach to furthering the goal of gender
equality and improving the position of women in developing countries.

This  Regulation  should  lay  down  a  financial  framework  constituting  the  prime
reference, within the meaning of point 33 of the Inter-institutional Agreement between
the  European  Parliament,  the  Council  and  the  Commission  of  6  May  1999  on
budgetary discipline and improvement of the budgetary procedure4, for the budgetary
authority during the annual budgetary procedure.

The measures necessary for the implementation of this Regulation should be adopted
in accordance with Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28  June 1999  laying  down the
procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission5.

In accordance with the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality set out in Article
5 of the Treaty  establishing the  European  Community,  the  objective of  the  proposed
action,  namely  to  promote  gender  equality  in  development  co-operation,  cannot  be
attained  by  the  Member  States  acting  alone.  Therefore,  by  reason  of  the  scale  and
effects  of  the  proposed  action,  can  be  better  achieved  by  the  Community.  This
Regulation confines itself to the minimum required to achieve that objective and does
not go beyond what is necessary for that purpose.

3

4

5

OJ L 354, 30.12.1998, p. 5
OJ C 172, 18.6.1999, p. 1
OJ L 184, 17.7.1999, p. 23

5

                                                
HAVE ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Chapter I

SCOPE

Article 1

1.

2.

The purpose of this Regulation is to implement measures to promote gender equality
in Community development co-operation policies, strategies and interventions.

To  this  end,  the  Community  shall  provide  financial  assistance  and  appropriate
expertise  aimed  at  promoting  gender  equality  into  all  its  development  co-operation
policies and interventions in developing countries.

The  Community  support  shall  be  aimed  at  complementing  and  reinforcing  the
policies  and  capacities  of  developing  countries  as  well  as  the  assistance  provided
through other instruments of development co-operation.

For the purposes of this Regulation:

Article 2

a)

b)

'gender  mainstreaming'  concerns  planning,  (re)organisation,  improvement,  and
evaluation of policy processes, so that a gender equality perspective is incorporated
in all development policies, strategies and interventions, at all levels and at all stages
by the actors normally involved therein;

specific measures to prevent or compensate for disadvantages linked to sex may be
maintained or introduced with a view to ensuring equality in practice  between men
and  women;  such  measures  should,  in  the  first  instance,  aim  at  improving  the
situation of women in the field covered by this Regulation.

Article 3

The  objectives  to  be  pursued  by  this  Regulation,  in  accordance  with  the  goal  of  promoting
gender  equality  and  empower  women  as  specified  by  the  United  Nations  Millennium
Development Goals, are the following:

a)

b)

to  support  the  mainstreaming  of  gender  in  all  areas  of  development  co-operation,
combined  with  specific  measures  in  favour  of  women,  with  the  goal  to  promote
gender equality as an important contribution to poverty reduction;

to  support  endogenous  public  and  private  capacities  in  developing  countries  which
can take the responsibility and initiative for promoting gender equality.

6

1.

Activities in the field of promoting gender equality eligible for financing include, in
particular:

Article 4

a)

b)

c)

d)

supporting specific measures related to access to and control of resources and
services for women, e.g. in areas of education, employment opportunities, and
political decision making;

supporting the analysis and improvement of statistics disaggregated by sex and
age,  development  and  dissemination  of  methodologies,  guidelines,  gender
impact  assessments,  thematic  studies,  indicators,  and  other  operational
instruments;

supporting awareness raising and advocacy work;

supporting  activities  aiming  at  strengthening  institutional  and  operational
capacities of key players in the development process, such as the provision of
gender specialist, training and technical assistance.

2.

The instruments to be financed in the course of the activities referred to in Article 4
(1) may take the form of:

a)

b)

methodological and organisational studies on gender mainstreaming relevant to
all age-groups;

technical  assistance  including  gender  impact  assessment,  training  or  other
services;

c)

supplies, audits, evaluation and monitoring missions.

3.

Community financing may cover:

a)

b)

investment projects, with the exception of the purchase of real estate, and;

operating expenditure of a beneficiary body including recurring administrative
and maintenance costs.

Operating grants shall be awarded on a gradually decreasing basis.

Article 5

In the selection and implementation of activities referred to in Article 4(1), particular attention
shall be paid to:

a)

b)

the potential of interventions and programmes to act as a catalyst and a multiplier in
order to support the strategy of gender mainstreaming on a large scale in Community
interventions;

the  contribution  to  strengthen  strategic  partnership  and  to  initiate  transnational  co-
operation which reinforces regional co-operation in the area of gender equality;

7

c)

d)

e)

1.

2.

3.

the pursuit of cost-effectiveness and sustainable impact in the design and planning of
interventions;

the clear definition and monitoring of objectives and indicators;

efforts  made  to  promote  synergies  with  policies  and  programmes  targeting
reproductive and sexual health and rights and poverty diseases, girl-child issues and
education, ageing people, and environment.

Chapter II

IMPLEMENTATION OF AID

Article 6

Financial  support  pursuant  to  this  Regulation  shall  take  the  form  of  grants  or
contracts.

A  grant  may  finance  the  entire  costs  of  an  action  only  if  it  is  shown  that  this  is
essential  for  it  to  be  carried  out,  with  the  exception  of  actions  resulting  from  the
implementation of financing agreements with third countries or actions managed by
international  organisations.  In  other  cases,  a  financial  contribution  from  the
beneficiaries  defined  in  Article  7  shall  be  sought.  In  specifying  the  amount  of  the
contribution  requested,  regard  shall  be  given  to  the  capacity  of  the  partners
concerned and the nature of the operation in question.

The provision of  financial assistance under this Regulation may  entail co-financing
with  other  donors,  in  particular  with  Member  States,  the  United  Nations,  and
international or regional development banks or financial institutions.

1.

The partners eligible for financial assistance under this Regulation include:

Article 7

a)

b)

c)

d)

e)

administrative  authorities  and  agencies  at  national,  regional  and  local
government levels;

local authorities and other decentralised bodies;

local  communities,  NGOs,  community-based  organisations,  trade  unions,  and
other not-for-profit natural and legal persons;

regional organisations;

international organisations, such as the United Nations and its agencies, funds
and  programmes,  as  well  as  development  banks,  financial  institutions,  global
initiatives, international public/private partnerships;

f)

research and development studies institutes and universities.

8

2.

1.

2.

3.

1.

2.

1.

Without prejudice to paragraph 1(e), Community financial assistance in the form of
grants shall be available to partners whose head office is located in a Member State
or  in  a  third  country  that  is  a  beneficiary  or  potential  beneficiary  of  Community
assistance  under  this  Regulation,  provided  that  this  office  is  the  actual  centre
directing  business  operations.  In  exceptional  cases,  this  office  may  be  located  in
another third country. Priority will be given to endogenous structures that can play a
role in developing local capacities with respect to gender.

Article 8

Where  operations  are  the  subject  of  financing  agreements  between  the  Community
and the recipient country, such agreements shall stipulate that the payment of taxes,
duties or any other charges is not to be covered by the Community.

All financing  agreements,  grant  agreements  or  contracts  concluded  pursuant  to  this
Regulation  shall provide for the Commission  and the  Court  of  Auditors  to  conduct
on-the-spot  checks  in  accordance  with  the  usual  procedures  laid  down  by  the
Commission under the rules in force, in particular those of the Financial Regulation
applicable to the general budget of the European Communities.

The necessary measures shall be taken to emphasise the Community character of the
aid provided pursuant to this Regulation.

Article 9

Participation in invitations to tender and the award of procurement contracts shall be
open  on  equal  terms  to  all  natural  and  legal  persons  of  the  Member  States,
assimilated countries, and in all developing countries. It shall be open to other third
countries on the condition of reciprocity. It may be extended, under exceptional and
duly justified circumstances, to other third countries.

Supplies  shall  originate  in  the  Member  States,  the  beneficiary  country  or  other
developing countries. In the cases mentioned in Article 9(1), supplies may originate
in other third countries.

Article 10

In  order  to secure the objectives  of  consistency  and  complementarity  referred  to  in
the Treaty and to ensure maximum effectiveness of these operations as a whole, the
Commission may take all necessary coordination measures, including in particular:

a)

b)

the  establishment  of  a  system  for  the  systematic  exchange  and  analysis  of
information  on  the  operations  financed  and  those  which  the  Community  and
the Member States propose to finance;

the  on-the-spot  coordination  of  the  implementation  of  operations  through
regular meetings and exchanges of information between the representatives of
the  Commission  and  the  Member  States  in  the  recipient  country,  local
authorities and other decentralised bodies;

9

2.

3.

1.

2.

1.

2.

1.

The Commission can organise meetings between representatives of the Commission,
Member States and partner countries in order to increase awareness of gender issues
in emerging areas of development cooperation.

The Commission, liaison with the Member States, may take any initiative necessary
for ensuring proper coordination with the other donors concerned, in particular those
forming part of the United Nations system.

Chapter III

FINANCIAL PROVISIONS AND RELEVANT DECISION-MAKING PROCEDURES

Article 11

The  financial  framework  for  the  implementation  of  this  Regulation  for  the  period
2004 to 2006 is hereby set at 9 million Euro.

The annual appropriations shall be authorised by the budgetary authority within the
limits of the financial perspective.

Article 12

The Commission shall be responsible for drafting strategic programming guidelines,
defining the Community's cooperation in terms of measurable objectives,  priorities,
deadlines  for  specific  areas  of  action,  assumptions  and  expected  outcomes.
Programming shall be multi-annual and indicative.

An  annual  exchange  of  views  shall  take  place  once  a  year  on  the  basis  of  a
presentation  by  the  representative  of  the  Commission  of  the  general  guidelines  for
the  operations  to  be  carried  out,  in  the  framework  of  a  joint  meeting  of  the
Committees referred to in Article 14(1).

Article 13

The Commission shall be responsible for appraising, deciding on and administering
operations  covered  by  this  Regulation  according  to  the  budgetary  and  other
procedures  in  force,  and  in  particular  those  laid  down  in  the  Financial  Regulation
applicable to the general budget of the European Communities.

2.

The work programme shall be adopted under the procedure laid down in Article 14.

1.

The  Commission  shall  be  assisted  by  the  geographically  determined  Committee
competent for development.

Article 14

10

2.

3.

1.

2.

Where reference is made to this paragraph, the management procedure laid down in
Article  4  of  Decision  1999/468/EC  shall  apply,  in  compliance  with  Article  7  and
Article 8 thereof.

The period provided for in Article 4, paragraph 3, of Decision 1999/468/EC shall be
45 days.

Chapter IV

REPORTS

Article 15

After  each  budget  year,  the  Commission  shall  submit  in  its  annual  report  on  EC
development policy to the European Parliament and  to the  Council, information on
the operations financed in the course of that year and the Commission's conclusions
on the implementation of this Regulation over the previous budget year.

The summary shall in particular provide information about the strengths, weaknesses
and outcomes of operations, those with whom contracts have been concluded as well
as the results of any independent evaluations of specific operations.

One  year  before  the  expiry  of  this  Regulation,  the  Commission  shall  submit  an
independent  appraisal  report  on  the  implementation  of  this  Regulation  to  the
European  Parliament  and  the  Council  with  a  view  to  establishing  whether  its
objectives  have  been  achieved  and  providing  guidelines  for  improving  the
effectiveness  of  future  operations.  On  the  basis  of  this  appraisal  report  the
Commission may make proposals for the future of this Regulation and, if necessary,
proposals for its amendment.

This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in
the Official Journal of the European Union.

Article 16

It shall apply until 31 December 2006.

Done at Brussels,

For the European Parliament
The President

For the Council
The President

11

LEGISLATIVE FINANCIAL STATEMENT

Policy area(s): Development and Relations with ACP countries

Activity: Development co-operation policies and sectorial strategies

TITLE OF ACTION: PROMOTING GENDER EQUALITY IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

1.

2.

2.1.

2.2.

2.3.

(a)

BUDGET LINE + HEADING – B7-622 – ON  PROMOTING  GENDER  EQUALITY  IN
DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION

OVERALL FIGURES

Total allocation for action (Part B): € 9 million

Period of application: 1.1.2004 - 31.12.2006

Overall multi-annual estimate of expenditure:

Schedule  of  commitment/payment  appropriations  (financial  intervention).  Schedule
of CA/PA planned for 2004-2006 and payments for the period 2007 and after.

€ thousand (to 3rd decimal place)

2004

2005

2006

2007 and
after

B

CA

PA

2,900.000

2,900.000

2,900.000

1,000.000

2,400.000

2,900.000

2,400.000

(b)

Technical  assistance  and  administrative  support  expenditure.  Schedule  of  CA/PA
planned from 2004 till 2006

€ thousand (to 3rd decimal place)

2004

2005

2006

BA

CA

100.000

100.000

100.000

PA

100.000

100.000

100.000

Subtotal a+b € thousand (to 3rd decimal place)

2004

2005

2006

2007 and
after

Total

CA

3,000.000

3,000.000

3,000.000

PA

1,100.000

2,500.000

3,000.000

2,400.000

(c)

Overall financial impact of human resources and other administrative expenditure

€ thousand (to 3rd decimal place)

12

Commitments/
payments

€  224  400  +  €  100  000  per
annum (2004 - 2006)

Subtotal a+b+c € thousand (to 3rd decimal place)

2004

2005

2006

2007 and
after

Total

CA

3,324.400

3,324.400

3,324.400

PA

1,424.400

2,824.400

3,324.400

2,400.000

2.4.

Compatibility with financial programming and financial perspective

[x]

Proposal is compatible with existing financial programming.

□

□

Proposal  will  entail  reprogramming  of  the  relevant  heading  in  the  financial
perspective.

Proposal  may  require  application  of  the  provisions  of  the  Interinstitutional
Agreement.

2.5.

Financial impact on revenue:

[x]

Proposal  has  no  financial  implications  (involves  technical  aspects  regarding
implementation of a measure)

3.

BUDGET CHARACTERISTICS

Type of expenditure

New

EFTA
participation

Participation
applicant
countries

NCA

D.A.

NO

NO

NO

Heading
Financial
Perspective

Heading 4

4.

LEGAL BASIS

Art. 179/Treaty

5.

DESCRIPTION AND GROUNDS

5.1.

Need for Community intervention

5.1.1. Objectives pursued

The objectives to be pursued, in accordance with the goal of promoting  gender equality and
empower women as specified by the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, by this
Regulation are the following:

a)

to  support  the  mainstreaming  of  gender  in  all  areas  of  development  co-operation,
combined  with  specific  measures  in  favour  of  women,  with  the  goal  to  promote
gender equality as an important contribution to poverty reduction;

13

b)

to  support  endogenous  public  and  private  capacities  in  developing  countries  which
can take the responsibility and initiative for promoting gender equality.

5.1.2. Measures taken in connection with ex ante evaluation

The  Commission  has  been  actively  involved  in  integrating/mainstreaming  gender  in
development  co-operation,  since  1995,  based  on  policy  commitments  on  gender  in  EC
development  co-operation  dating  back  from the  first  Council  Resolution  of  December  1995
on  "Integrating  Gender  Issues  in  Development  Co-operation".  Subsequently,  the  Council
Regulation  on  Integration  of  Gender  issues  in  Development  Co-operation  of  22  December
1998 was enacted to provide a legal basis for using the gender budget line and in particular to
better  enable  an  appropriate  and  flexible  use  to  support  gender  mainstreaming  in  EC
development co-operation. Article 11 of the 1998 Regulation states that "Three years after this
Regulation enters into force, the Commission shall submit to the European Parliament and to
the  Council  an  overall  assessment  of  the  operations  financed  by  the  community  under  this
Regulation  which  may  be  accompanied  by  suggestions  concerning  the  future  of  this
Regulation".

In  order  to  provide  a  basis  for  revision  and  improvements  of  policies,  strategies  and
implementation, the Commission decided to focus the Thematic Evaluation of the Integration
of Gender in EC Development Co-operation with Third countries on a long-term perspective
(1995-2001) and a broader policy and thematic scope. The Evaluation was finalised recently
in  March  2003.  The  Evaluation  provides  an  overall  assessment  of  operations  to  integrate
gender  into  EC  development  co-operation  and  gives  thereby  a  good  picture  of  what  the
Commission has achieved in terms of making its policies operational. An additional specific
assessment of  the  projects  financed  under  the  1998  Regulation  is  currently  underway  under
the  supervision  of  the  Commission  and  it  will  contribute  to  better  refine  the  present
knowledge of the functioning of the Regulation.

Some of the findings of the Thematic Evaluation are particularly relevant to this Regulation in
terms of lessons to be drawn:

– 

– 

– 

– 

EC  policy  commitments  have  been  only  partially  implemented  during  the  period
1995-2001.  The  most  important  explanations  are  that  necessary  resources,  both
financial and human, to implement the policies were not made available.

Poor  information  and  data  base  have  hindered  any  systematic  monitoring  or
evaluation. "With some specific  exceptions  (primarily  certain  aspects  of  health  and
education), this weakness is evident at the level of projects and programmes as well
as country and sector support."

Financial  resources  have  been  insufficient.  The  main  financial  resource  to  support
the  strategy  of  gender  mainstreaming  during  the  period  1995-2001  has  been  the
gender budget line (B7-6220).

Significant  reduction  of  the  actual  allocations  of  the  gender  budget  line  has  taken
place since 1999.

The Evaluation also informs that "there is a tendency to  confuse  gender mainstreaming (the
strategy)  with  gender  equality  (the  objective)  and  to  talk  merely  of  "integrating  gender  in"
development rather than  ensuring  that it contributes to  the  promotion  of  gender  equality.  In
many cases "gender" is still equated with women only, while gender equality is interpreted as

14

ensuring  a  gender  balance  in  staff.  The  EC's  dual  approach  to  gender  mainstreaming  -
involving systematic attention to gender equality across all instrument and interventions and
at  all  phases  of  the  cycle,  as  well  as  the  use  of  specific  actions  where  required  -  is  not  yet
sufficiently understood."

These findings and past experiences do not only validate the importance of a new Regulation
but  also  create  great  challenges  for  the  Commission  to  implement  the  new  budget  line  in  a
more efficient and sustainable manner with a clear and visible strategy of the complementary
approach.

The Evaluation gives in its ninth and last recommendation its view on the budget line's special
strength as well as limitations:

"The  Gender  budget  line,  with  its  very  limited  resources,  must  play  -  as  the  Programme  of
Action  indicates  -  a  catalytic  role,  pump-priming  pilot  initiatives  and  developing  and
disseminating good practice. However, it is crucial to avoid the risks of marginalisation and
lack  of  sustainability  of  actions  that  have  characterised  many  previous  actions  on  gender
mainstreaming supported by the gender budget line. Longer-term financial sustainability - and
ownership  of  any  pilot  initiative  by  mainstream  actors  -  must  be  amongst  the  criteria  for
allocating gender budget line resources, to achieve a maximum impact on the mainstream of
EC development co-operation."

5.1.3. Measures taken following ex post evaluation

The  management  of  the  interventions  financed  from  the  budget  line  will  be  continuously
monitored  by  means  of  a  monitoring  system,  involving  the  relevant  partners  and  actors
concerned and working with clear progress and outcome indicators (as referred to in 5.1.2.).
All  programmes  or  actions  financed  from  this  budget  line  shall  be  subject  to  an  ex  post
evaluation in terms of the human and financial resources allocated and the results obtained in
order to verify that they were in keeping with the objectives set. To this end, a timetable shall
be set which will allow the findings of the evaluation to be taken into account for any decision
on the continuation, modification or suspension of the programme or action.

5.2.

Actions envisaged and arrangements for budget intervention

Financial support shall be given to operations following the objectives described above, and
in particular, to those which aim to:

a)

b)

c)

d)

supporting specific measures related to access and control of resources and services
for  women,  e.g.  in  the  area  of  education,  employment  opportunities  and  political
decision making

supporting the analysis and improvement of statistics disaggregated by sex and age,
development  and  dissemination  of  methodologies,  guidelines,  gender  impact
assessments,  thematic  studies,  development  of  indicators,  and  other  operational
instruments

supporting awareness-raising and advocacy work

supporting activities aiming at strengthening institutional and operational capacities
of key players in the development process, such as the provision of gender specialist,
training and technical assistance.

15

5.3.

Methods of implementation

In the context of the operations referred to above, Community support may take the form of:

a)

b)

c)

methodological  and  organisational  studies  on  gender  mainstreaming  relevant  to  all
age-groups,

technical assistance including gender impact assessment, training or other services,

supplies, audits, evaluation and monitoring missions.

Priority  shall  be  given  to  strengthen  strategic  partnerships  and  set  up  transnational  co-
operation  which  reinforces  regional  co-operation  in  the  area  of  gender  equality.  Special
attention  will  be  given to the potential  of  interventions and  programmes  to  act  as  a  catalyst
and a multiplier in order to support the objective of gender mainstreaming on a large scale in
Community interventions.

Community financing may cover both investment expenditure, excluding the purchase of real
estate, and, in exceptional and duly substantiated  cases, taking into account the fact that  the
operation must, as far as possible, aim at medium-term viability, recurring expenditure as well
(including administrative expenditure, maintenance and running costs), the operation of which
temporarily represents a burden for the partner.

Community financing shall take the form of grants or contracts.

The effectiveness of programmes to support national gender equality strategies partly depends
on improved co-ordination of aid both at European level and at international level, and on the
use of procedures tailored to the specific nature of the activities and the partners concerned.

6.

FINANCIAL IMPACT

6.1.

Total financial impact on Part B

3.0 million Euro per year (2004 – 2006)

6.2.

Calculation  of  costs  by  measure  envisaged  in  Part  B  (over  the  entire
programming period)6

(Where  there  is  more  than  one  action,  give  sufficient  detail  of  the  specific  measures  to  be
taken for each one to allow the volume and costs of the outputs to be estimated.)

6

For further information, see separate explanatory note.

16

                                                
Breakdown

Commitments (in € million to three decimal places)

Type
of outputs
(projects, files )

Number of
outputs

Average unit
cost

(total for years
1…n)

Total cost

(total for years
1…n)

1

2

3

4=(2X3)

Action 1

- Measure 1

- Measure 2

Action 2

- Measure 1

- Measure 2

- Measure 3

etc.

TOTAL COST

(If necessary explain the method of calculation)

7.

IMPACT ON STAFF AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENDITURE

"The  requirements  for  human  and  administrative  resources  shall  be  covered  within  the
envelopes allocated to the programming and managing DGs.

7.1.

Impact on human resources

Types of post

Staff to be assigned to management of the
action using existing and/or additional
resources

Number of
permanent posts

Number of
temporary posts

Total

Description of tasks deriving from the
action

Officials 
temporary staff

or

1.3 (A)

1 (B)

A

B

C

Other human resources

1 (A, END)

Policy – Programming - Management
budget line - identification
interventions, monitoring impact,
liasing with partners, representing
Commission etc.

Total

2.3

1

3.3

17

7.2.

Overall financial impact of human resources

Type of human resources

Amount (€)

Method of calculation *

Officials (2.3)

Temporary staff (1 END)

124 800

55 200

44 400

1.3 A = 10 400 € x 12

1 B = 4 600 € x 12

1 END = 3 700 x 12

Other human resources (give budget line)

Total

224 400

The  amounts  are  total  expenditure  for  twelve  months.  The  needs  for  human  and
administrative resources shall be covered within the allocation granted to the managing DG in
the framework of the annual allocation procedure.

7.3.

Other administrative expenditure deriving from the action

Budget line

(number and heading)

Amount €

Method of calculation

Overall allocation (Title A7)

100,000

A0701 – Missions

A07030 – Meetings
A07031 – Compulsory committees 1
A07032 – Non-compulsory committees 1

A07040 – Conferences

A0705 – Studies and consultations

Other expenditure (specify)

Information systems (A-5001/A-4300)

Other expenditure - Part A (specify)

Total

100,000

The amounts are total expenditure for twelve months.

1 Specify the type of committee and the group to which it belongs.

I.

II.

III.

8.

Annual total (7.2 + 7.3)

Duration of action

Total cost of action (I x II)

€ 324 400

1 year

€ 324 400

FOLLOW-UP AND EVALUATION

8.1.

Follow-up arrangements

After each budget year, the Commission shall submit in its annual report on EC development
policy to the European Parliament and to the Council, information on the operations financed
in  the  course  of  that  year  and  the  Commission's  conclusions  on  the  implementation  of  this
Regulation  over  the  previous  budget  year.  The  summary  shall  in  particular  provide

18

information  about  the  strengths  and  weaknesses  of  operations,  those  with  whom  contracts
have  been  concluded  as  well  as  the  results  of  any  independent  evaluations  of  specific
operations.

8.2.

Arrangements and schedule for the planned evaluation

An annual exchange of views shall take place once a year on the basis of a presentation by the
representative  of  the  Commission  of  the  general  guidelines  for  the  operations  to  be  carried
out.

One  year before the expiry of this Regulation, the Commission shall submit an independent
appraisal report on the implementation of this Regulation to the European Parliament and the
Council with a view to establishing whether its objectives have been achieved and providing
guidelines for improving the effectiveness of future operations. On the basis of this appraisal
report the Commission may make proposals for the future of this Regulation and, if necessary,
proposals for its amendment.

9.

ANTI-FRAUD MEASURES

Joint evaluations and reviews will be carried out in agreement with the community of donors
and partner countries according the agreed Community rules and standards.

19