WRITTEN QUESTION E-0696/04 by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Funding by the Culture 2000 programme of books or translations of books which extol nationalistic policies and their despotic practices.
Date: 2004-03-09
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, European Commission, Greece, Türkiye, action programme, biography, book trade, cultural policy, image, nationalism, political figure

C 84 E/656

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

3.4.2004

A scientific analysis of the dossier is now being undertaken at Community level by the European Food
Safety Authority in the framework of Council Directive 91/414/EEC of 15 July 1991 on the placing of
plant protection products on the market (1). When the analysis is complete, the Commission will propose
appropriate measures at Community level for the substance in question. Since the Directive provides that,
pending a Community Decision on the substance, Member States may continue to apply national measures
to products containing the substance, the Commission does not propose taking any measures at this time
other than following the case closely and facilitating the exchange of information among the Member
States.

As far as the follow-up to the Parliament Resolution is concerned, the Commission adopted the follow-up
on the recommendations in its meeting of 5 February 2004 (2). This follow-up was e-mailed to Parliament
on 11 February 2004 in the language in which it was drafted. The other language versions will be sent as
soon as they become available.

Programmes presented by the Member States under Council Regulation (EC) No 1221/97 of 25 June 1997
laying down general rules for the application of measures to improve the production and marketing of
honey (3) may include measures to restock hives. For example, the honey programme presented by France
for the 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 marketing years includes such measures.

(1) OJ L 230, 19.8.1991.
(2) Doc. SP (2004)-293.
(3) OJ L 173, 1.7.1997.

(2004/C 84 E/0740)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0696/04

by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(9 March 2004)

Subject: Funding by the ‘Culture 2000’ programme of books or translations of books which extol

nationalistic policies and their despotic practices

Has the European Commission funded, via the ‘Culture 2000’ programme, the writing of a book (or its
translation, e.g. from French into Greek) on the life and exploits of Kemal Atatürk, the Turkish nationalistic
politician?

Is the Commission aware of whether funding has been given in Greece or in other EU countries (and if so,
which ones) for the publication or translation of such a book, which praises the nationalism of this
politician and of the totalitarian regime which he established in that country, and his despotic tendencies,
and libels the Greeks as ‘murderers’?

Which translations of biographies of great leaders and heroes of the Balkan peoples and of the Arabs who
resisted the despotic Ottoman empire and led their peoples to freedom has the Commission funded via the
‘Culture 2000’ programme?

If such a book on the exploits of Atatürk was in fact funded via ‘Culture 2000’, what was the procedure
followed and which body chose the book or its translation for funding?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(23 April 2004)

With regard to books, reading and translation, the aim of the Culture 2000 programme is to raise
awareness of the literature and history of the peoples of Europe and to promote the distribution of such
works. This is done using funding awarded for the translation of literature, drama and reference works
(particularly works in the lesser-known European languages and the languages of central and eastern
Europe).

3.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 84 E/657

In selecting works whose translations are to be awarded funding, the fundamental criterion is the quality of
the original work and of the translations, as well as the quality and reliability of the publishing house, with
due respect for the principle of freedom of expression.

The arrangements for the selection of works are set out clearly in the annual calls for proposals published
in the Official Journal of the European Union.

The Commission provided funding under the Culture 2000 programme for the translation from French to
Greek of the historical work ‘Kemal Atatürk: les chemins de l’occident’ by the author Alexandre Jevakhoff.

The Commission has not been informed of any other public financing being awarded for translation of this
work into other languages in Europe.

A detailed list of all books for which funding for translation has been provided under the Culture 2000
programme
(http://europa.eu.int/comm/culture/eac/
index_en.html).

available on the

since 2000 is

Internet

at:

The procedure followed for awarding translation funding under the Culture 2000 programme is provided
for in the Decision which established the programme (1). It is applied strictly.

The publishing house which received funding for translation of the work ‘Kemal Atatürk: les chemins de
l’occident’ is Travlos éditions.

(1) Decision No 508/2000/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 February 2000 establishing the

Culture 2000 programme, OJ L 63, 10.3.2000.

(2004/C 84 E/0741)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0700/04

by Benedetto Della Vedova (NI) to the Commission

(9 March 2004)

Subject: Use of European Social Fund resources in connection with the Edunet project

In two earlier questions (E-0103/01 (1) of 29 January 2001 and E-2345/02 (2) of 29 July 2002) the author
of this question referred to the Commission for its consideration the case of the ‘Edunet Project’, which
was being promoted by the CST srl company and financed by means of the EU’s European Social Fund
(Adapt programme) and in connection with which EU funding seemed to be being used for a purpose
totally different from its intended one.

In her reply of 8 March 2001 Mrs Anna Diamantopoulou (Commissioner) said that in response to the
above questions the Commission had asked the Italian Ministry of Labour to check the expenditure made
in connection with the Edunet project and not to pay any advances.

In her second reply (of 16 September 2002) Mrs Diamantopoulou announced (a) that she had received a
report from the Ministry of Labour, according to which there appeared to be ‘a confusion of project-
related activities and activities outside the scope of the project, i.e. trade union activities’, (b) that the
Ministry of Labour had suspended all further payments, (c) that the case had been forwarded to the
European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and (d) that the Commission was awaiting the financial certification of
the closure of the Community initiatives (Adapt/Employment) and had reserved the right to evaluate the
eligibility of the submitted expenditure.

In the light of the facts set out above the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Rome opened a judicial inquiry, the
preliminary stage of which has now, apparently, been concluded.

Would the Commission answer the following questions:

(cid:1) Has it received (from the Italian Government, amongst other sources) any further clarification

concerning the Edunet Project?

(cid:1) Is it now able to evaluate the eligibility of the expenditure made in connection with the Edunet

Project?