WRITTEN QUESTION P-3403/03 by John Cushnahan (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Funding for European Carrefour.
Date: 2003-11-11
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, administrative expenditure, common agricultural policy, dissemination of EU information, information centre, information network, information policy, public awareness campaign

C 78 E/452

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

27.3.2004

to take part in this ballot), the European Commission is suddenly washing its hands of the EU’s largest
information network in the Member States.

As the reasons behind this decision are difficult to grasp, can the Commission shed some light on the
matter?

(2004/C 78 E/0477)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3301/03

by Nicole Thomas-Mauro (UEN) to the Commission

(7 November 2003)

Subject: Info-points Europe

A message has recently been sent to the various Info-points Europe informing them that they were to lose
European subsidies.

The Info-points Europe were set up to enable members of the public to obtain information about Europe.

The withdrawal of subsidies manifestly conflicts with the new information strategy adopted in 2002. The
Commission seems to take the view that the entry into force of the new Financial Regulation on 1 January
2003 is a sufficient condition for this withdrawal.

What financial support systems does the Commission propose to introduce?

Are any other measures planned to enable these bodies to operate?

(2004/C 78 E/0478)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3389/03

by John Hume (PSE) to the Commission

(10 November 2003)

Subject: European Carrefours

Can the Commission explain why the Directorate-General for Press and Communication has announced
the sudden termination of operating grants to the 138 members of the European Carrefour Network? Will
it reconsider the decision and ensure that funding continues into 2004?

(2004/C 78 E/0479)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3403/03

by John Cushnahan (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(11 November 2003)

Subject: Funding for European Carrefour

I understand that DG Press and Communications has recently decided to cancel the current contracts with
the European Carrefour organisations and to offer them replacement contracts without
the annual
operating grant of EUR 20 000 for 2004. I understand that the relevant financial rules have been in force
since 1 January 2003, yet the European Carrefour were not informed of this decision until 29 September
2003.

27.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 78 E/453

The European Carrefour constitutes an essential source of information about the EU, and it would seem
that this is an inopportune moment for such a change in policy, given that they are in the process of
preparing public campaigns on enlargement; the new Constitution and the European Parliament elections.

Why was such a decision taken, and how does the Commission envisage that the European Carrefour will
be able to function in 2004 with such a reduced budget?

Supplementary joint answer
to Written Questions E-3007/03, P-3068/03, E-3112/03, P-3153/03,
E-3240/03, P-3265/03, E-3287/03, E-3301/03, P-3389/03 and P-3403/03
given by Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(29 January 2004)

This answer supplements the first answer which the Commission gave to the Honourable Members’
questions on 29 November 2003.

As announced to the House on 20 November by the Member of the Commission with responsibility for
Personnel and Administration (1),
the Commission would inform the Honourable Members that on
26 November 2003 it decided (2), by way of an exception and for the last year, to award to the host
structures of the Info-Points Europe and Rural
Information and Promotion Carrefours for 2004 an
operating grant of a maximum amount identical to that awarded in 2003. The list of the 266 potential
beneficiaries of this grant is annexed to the Commission’s decision. The specific conditions and the
appropriate control measures will be spelt out in a grant agreement concluded with each beneficiary.

This decision had the backing of a declaration of the Parliament and the Council, adopted at the budgetary
conciliation meeting on 24 November 2003 (3).

For 2005 and beyond the Commission asked for ‘a communication to be submitted to it as soon as
possible … on the implementation of the information and communication strategy beyond 2004. …’ (4).
This communication will deal with the new framework for action of the relays and networks in the
enlarged Union.

On the matter of the specific role of the European Rural Carrefours as raised in questions E-3007/03, P-
3389/03 and P-3403/03, the Commission would point out that in information activities on the common
agricultural policy and rural development ‘implemented at the Commission’s initiative’, under Council
Regulation (EC) No 814/2000, the Rural Carrefours have a special role to play in transmitting and relaying
information at local level to civil society, in particular farmers and other rural populations.

The Commission’s links with the Rural Carrefours have been strengthened in recent years by means of
more sustained contacts and events such as the specific conference organised and financed by the
Commission for representatives of the Carrefours on 30 and 31 May 2002; it is now planned to organise
an event of this type each year. In 2003 the Rural Carrefours played a large part in the conference on rural
development in Salzburg from 12 to 14 November 2003.

Efforts will continue to step up exchanges of
Commission.

information between the Rural Carrefours and the

(1) See his answer to the oral question by Ms Prets (on behalf of Mr Rocard (cid:1) O-0086/2003) on the present situation
of the European networks and the Info Points and on their future (cid:1) Report of proceedings, sitting of 20 November
2003, http://www3.europarl.eu.int/omk/omnsapir.so/calendar?APP=CRE&LANGUE=FR

(2) Commission decision awarding a grant for the year 2004 to the host structures of the Info-Points Europe and Rural

Information and Promotion Carrefours, C(2003) 4446 of 26.11.2003.

(3) Annex 5 to ANNEX ‘Summary of conclusions of the conciliation meeting of 24 November 2003’ to Doc. 15231/03

of the Council, 24.11.2003.

(4) Draft minutes of the 1636th meeting of the Commission held in Brussels on Wednesday 26 November 2003,

PV(2003) 1636, 28.11.2003, item 8, p. 13.