(2004/C 88 E/0284)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1078/04

by Philip Claeys (NI) to the Commission

(1 April 2004)

Subject:   Political neutrality of the Info-Point Europe of the Province of Flemish Brabant

On 15 April the Flemish Brabant Info-Point Europe is to hold a debate in the provincial government building in Leuven on the European elections. Although five parties represented in parliament are to take part in Flanders in the forthcoming European elections, only representatives of three parties have been invited to participate in this debate, namely Marianne Thyssen (CD & V), Saïd El Khadraoui (SPA) and Dirk Sterckx (VLD). A small party, the ‘Greens’, has not been invited. Likewise the Vlaams Blok, despite the fact that it came in third in Flanders in the last European election. Contacted by telephone and asked about this, the Info-Point Europe said that the debate concerns Flemish Brabant and Europe. However, one of the participants does not live in the province concerned, unlike one of the two Vlaams Blok MEPs who does live there. The Info-Point Europe and the province of Flemish Brabant have apparently decided on a completely arbitrary basis that the Vlaams Blok is not to be invited. The Flemish Brabant ‘Info-Point Europe’ evidently only wishes to provide part of the information about the European Parliament.

The leaflet containing an invitation to the debate includes not only the logos of the Info-Point Europe (which receives financial support from the Commission) and of the province, but also the European flag.

Does the Commission consider it usual for a public service partly financed by it to arbitrarily exclude political parties from public debate?

Are Info-Points Europe not required to show political neutrality?

What measures are intended to prevent such a deplorable state of affairs?

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(30 April 2004)

The Commission thanks the honourable member for his question.

The Commission would like to draw his attention to the fact that the debate ‘U stemt toch ook voor Europa?’ was organised by the Leuven Info-Point Europe and not by the Commission.

Like the other information relays for the general public subsidised by the Commission, this Info-Point is provided by a host structure, in this case the Province of Flemish Brabant (Provincie Vlaams-Brabant), under an agreement with the Commission whereby the host structure and its Info-Point act in their own name and assume full responsibility for the information they supply to the public and the measures taken in order to do so.

Their objectives and activities must be based on the Union's principles and aims and respect the diversity of opinion of its citizens. The Commission has inquired into the case at hand and has not observed any violation of these principles.