WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3828/97 by Wilfried TELKÄMPER to the Commission. Commission's presentation of eligibility criteria for budget headings
C 174/140 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 8. 6. 98 As stipulated in the rules governing initiation of the procedure, the decision must be published in the Official Journal in the eleven Community languages. That having been done (1), Member States and interested third parties have one month in which to present their observations. The Commission can subsequently terminate the procedure by taking a decision on the compatibility or otherwise of the notified scheme with the state aid rules. In the meantime the Italian authorities, as they have done, may apply the scheme subject to the de minimis threshold. (1) OJ C 309, 9. 10. 1997. (98/C 174/210) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3828/97 by Wilfried Telka¤mper (V) to the Commission (28 November 1997) Subject: Commissionís presentation of eligibility criteria for budget headings In connection with multiannual programmes and Community initiatives, the Commission organizes events to inform possible applicants about the eligibility criteria and about details needing to be taken into consideration. For budget heading B3-4113 (Action to integrate refugees) the Commission, and in particular DG V, in conjunction with the ECRE (European Council on Refugees and Exiles) Task Force, invited representatives of associations working for refugees to an event with a view to informing them about the eligibility criteria and providing them with tips for making their applications. 1. How did this event come about? 2. Will the Commission in future carry out such information dissemination activities in connection with all comparable budget headings? Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission (16 January 1998) In order to ensure the transparency and success of the implementation of a new pilot action, the Commission first invited the Member States to designate two representatives who met in Brussels on the subject. The Commission also invited representatives of the United Nations high commissioner for refugees (UNHCR) and the European council on refugees and exiles (ECRE) to a similar meeting. Subsequently, the Commission published a call for proposals of projects (1), and distributed guidelines and application forms. In order to raise awareness about the new budget line, and at the request of ECRE, the Commission invited non-governmental organisations (NGOs) active in the field of integration of refugees in all Member States to an information meeting in Brussels in August 1997. The Commission is prepared to proceed in the same manner in connection with similar new budget lines in the field of social policy. (1) OJ C 211, 12. 7. 1997