WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2041/97 by Bill MILLER to the Commission. Charitable status
C 45/148 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 10. 2. 98 (98/C 45/193) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2043/97 by Bill Miller (PSE) to the Commission (13 June 1997) Subject: Register of charities Has the Commission any plans to introduce an EU-wide register for charitable organizations? Joint answer to Written Questions E-2041/97 and E-2043/97 given by Mr Papoutsis on behalf of the Commission (15 July 1997) The Commission does not intend to promote Community legislation concerning specifically the creation of a Europe wide register of charitable organisations or the establishment of common criteria for the registration of these organisations in the Member States. Nevertheless, in order to help organisations to operate outside their own national borders, without making a distinction on whether they have a charitable or any other objective of general or special interest, the Commission has submitted to the Council a proposal for a regulation on the statute for a European non-profit volunteer association (1). This requires Member States to ensure first that a full legal capacity is granted to all European non-profit organisations incorporated pursuant to the regulation and second that a notice is published in the Official journal stating that a European association has been incorporated in a Member State and giving information on its identity. (1) Ammended proposal for a Council regulation (EEC) on the statute for a European association non-profit or voluntary organisation, OJ C 236, 31. 8. 1993 (98/C 45/194) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2045/97 by Philippe Monfils (ELDR) to the Commission (13 June 1997) Subject: Illegal trade in cultural artefacts For many years, one of the methods used to combat the illegal trade in cultural artefacts has been marking. Many reports have been drawn up and much work has already been done on this procedure. Does the Commission intend to carry out a study on this issue with the aim of reaching conclusions about the reliability of marking cultural artefacts? Answer given by Mr Oreja on behalf of the Commission (23 July 1997) The Commission would point out that this question is exactly the same as the Honourable Memberís Written Question E-1631/97. The Commission would therefore refer the Honourable Member to the answer it has already given to that question (1). (1) See page 66