92001E0318

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0318/01

by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Commission

(13 February 2001)

Subject: Termination of the europartenariat scheme

Will the Commission explain why a decision was taken to terminate the europartenariat programme before the results of the evaluation of the scheme were known?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(21 March 2001)

The Commission has been reviewing its priorities and the means it has to carry out its work. In this context, and following the work of the Peer Group as set out in the Communication from the Commission Matching the Commission's activities with its human resources of 26 July 2000(1), it has decided that it will no longer be directly involved in the management of Europartenariat events.

The Europartenariat evaluation study that is being carried out has as its objective to examine the impact that the programme Europartenariat has had over the 10-12 year period of its existence, and to suggest improvements to the formula. The decision of the Commission not to continue investing its own resources in managing this programme does not preclude that the formula developed over the years may be used by other interested parties, particularly those who have recognised the benefits of past programmes. In this context the evaluation will be a useful tool for such interests. The Commission is ready to make available the management tools it has developed such as the organisers guide and the software package to new organisers.

(1) SEC(2000) 2000.