(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.

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 information between the Rural Carrefours and the Commission.

(1)  See his answer to the oral question by Ms Prets (on behalf of Mr Rocard — O-0086/2003) on the present situation of the European networks and the Info Points and on their future — 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.