WRITTEN QUESTION E-2904/03 by Miet Smet (PPE-DE) to the Commission. CARDS Programme.
Date: 2003-10-01
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, Serbia and Montenegro, aid policy, gender equality, project evaluation, women's movement

8.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 88 E/441

(2004/C 88 E/0447)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2857/03

by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Commission

(26 September 2003)

Subject: Seychelles

Is the Commission aware of recent murders in the Seychelles which are widely believed to be instigated by
the Government?

What action has the Commission taken about these?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(5 November 2003)

The Commission is aware and concerned by rise in violent crime in the Seychelles which appears to be
caused, at least in part, by worsening socio-economic conditions.
It is also aware of claims of an
involvement of the security forces of the Government but has no first-hand information to back this up.

If the Commission were to receive evidence of Government involvement in recent crimes, or if there were
other indications of a worsening human rights situation, we would review our relations with the
Seychelles.

(2004/C 88 E/0448)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2859/03

by Mario Borghezio (NI) to the Commission

(26 September 2003)

Subject: Quantity of European funding for the Palestinian Islamic fundamentalist organisation Hamas

Since the European Union grants substantial funding to the Palestinian Authority, and at the recent summit
at Riva del Garda it finally gave the go-ahead for the inclusion of the Palestinian organisation Hamas on
the blacklist of terrorist movements whose funds should be frozen, can the Commission say how much
European funding has been granted to Hamas directly or indirectly up until now?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(17 November 2003)

The Union has not entered into any contract with, nor granted any direct or indirect financial support to
the organisation Hamas.

(2004/C 88 E/0449)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2904/03

by Miet Smet (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(1 October 2003)

Subject: CARDS Programme

The EU is encouraging compliance with the rule of law, good governance, public accountability and
freedom of opinion in the western Balkans through its regional programme ‘Community Assistance for
reconstruction, development and stabilisation’ (CARDS). Under this regional programme the Commission

C 88 E/442

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

8.4.2004

published in 2002 an open appeal for submission of proposals for ‘Support to the rule of law, good
governance, public accountability and freedom of opinion’ (114716/C/G/multi).

There has been a response from at least three women’s centres from the former Yugoslavia (the Belgrade
Women’s Studies Center, Women’s Studies Center of Zagreb and the Alternative Academic Network-
Belgrade), each with a project proposal. Despite the fact that promoting the equal participation of men and
women in the democratisation process was one of the priorities of the CARDS Democratic Stabilisation
Programme for 2002, none of the three centres has obtained support from the EU for project funding.

Are there any other organisations that advocate equal opportunities for men and women and are receiving
EU funding via the open appeal 114716/C/G/multi for their project? If so, which ones?

Why were the project proposals from the Belgrade Women’s Studies Center, Women’s Studies Center of
Zagreb and the Alternative Academic Network-Belgrade not considered?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(14 November 2003)

The Commission pays utmost attention to ensure that gender issues are integrated in the mainstream of all
European Community assistance programmes. The selection of projects participating in calls for proposals
within the Community Assistance for Reconstruction, Development and Stabilisation Programme (CARDS)
follow very strict evaluation procedures, which aim to select the best proposals to match the financial
resources available.

As far as the proposed project that the Honourable Member mentions, it is important to highlight that out
of the 130 proposals received from the six beneficiary states in the Western Balkans, only nine have been
chosen. These nine were selected strictly on the basis of the quality of the projects in respect to factors
such as the capacity of the management and the sustainability of the proposals. The three organisations
which are mentioned by the Honourable Member unfortunately did not achieve an evaluation score which
enables them to be funded. However, it may be of interest for the Honourable Member to know that the
non governmental organisation (NGO) ‘Woman Kind World-Wide’ will be awarded a grant to develop,
with the aid of local partners, an Albanian Women’s Leadership programme.

As a general note, promotion of equal participation of men and women in the democratisation process in
Serbia and Montenegro is also one of the priorities of the European Initiative for Democratisation and
Human Rights programme (EIDHR). The 2000 EIDHR micro-projects programme which will end in
December 2003 has supported four local women organisations from Serbia (Novi Sad Women’s Center;
SOS hotline and Center for Girls; Women’s Multiethnic Group Seleus; and Autonomous Women’s Center)
and two local women organisations from Montenegro (League of Women Voters of Montenegro and
Women Forum). The Commission will continue to pay special attention to gender issues both in the
CARDS and EIDHR programmes.

(2004/C 88 E/0450)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2956/03

by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(8 October 2003)

Subject: Increased financial support for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)

Although the US State Department cleared the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) of accusations of abortion
and forced sterilisation, the US House of Representatives decided on Tuesday, 23 July not to make any
further contributions to the Fund. As a result, the Fund will be deprived of nearly USD 100 million in
2004 and 2005.