WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2627/98 by Daniel VARELA SUANZES- CARPEGNA to the Commission. Minority languages and cultures: Community funding
14. 5. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 135/81 The negotiating directives on future relations between the ACP and the Community emphasize the importance of support for private sector development after Lomé IV. The Commission is also preparing a communication on future Community support for private sector development in ACP countries, which will be discussed during autumn 1998. Therefore it appears that the Association is organising the conference at the right moment and the Commission would be very much interested in the reflections and perceptions of the private sector represented by the national ACP chambers and is presently considering a request for co-financing the conference. As regards the other project it should be noted that the Commission is currently discussing the possibilities of supporting the Association in a way which will appropriately address the needs of its members. Finally the attention of the Honourable Member is drawn to the ‘EU-ACP business scheme’ (EBAS) which will be implemented from the beginning of 1999 targetting service users (private ACP companies) and also service providers such as export associations and chambers of commerce. (1999/C 135/095) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2627/98 by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE) to the Commission Subject: Minority languages and cultures: Community funding (1 September 1998) The Commission is drawing up a proposal to provide a legal basis for a number of budget headings which lack such a basis and whose implementation has for that reason been suspended. Could the Commission say which budget headings are involved and, in particular, whether they include heading B3-1006 on the promotion and protection of minority languages and cultures? Could the Commission say what action it will take in respect of programmes which are currently being adopted, those which have already been adopted and those which are currently being implemented under budget heading B-1006 pending the final adoption of the appropriate legal basis? Could the Commission provide information concerning the timetable for the adoption of the relevant proposal by the College of Commissioners and say what procedures and timescale will subsequently be followed when the proposal comes before Parliament and the Council? Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission (25 November 1998) The Commission confirms that it is planning to present Parliament and the Council with a proposal for a legal basis for activities currently financed under item B3-1006 (promotion and protection of minority languages and cultures). It is preparing a multiannual programme which should be adopted by the Commission before the end of 1998. Regarding the 1998 budget, implementation of the measure was not prevented by the lack of a legal basis. About half the appropriations allocated to the measure had already been committed before 31 May following selection of a first set of projects. Selection of the second set of projects took place before 10 June, the date on which the Commission decided to suspend implementation of headings lacking a legal basis following the Court of Justice decision in Case C-106/96. The Commission considered that beneficiaries whose projects had been accepted at the time of the second selection had legitimate expectations; the project therefore continued to receive the subsidy