WRITTEN QUESTION E-0879/00 by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Council. EU initiatives on education in the Third World.
C 26 E/126 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 26. 1. 2001 (2001/C 26 E/155) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0879/00 by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Council (23 March 2000) Subject: EU initiatives on education in the Third World With reference to the question tabled by Graham Watson MEP on 19 November 1999 (No. P-2163/99 (1)) regarding initiatives to promote literacy in lesser developed countries, can the Council clarify what collective action has so far been taken by the Member States to promote education in the Third World? How exactly does the Council intend to develop the provision for education in its aid programmes? (1) OJ C 219 E, 1. 8. 2000, p. 107. Reply (8 June 2000) 1. The Council would reiterate that it considers support for education in developing countries of vital importance, in particular as it can make a significant contribution to the fight against poverty which is one of the principal objectives of Community development policy. The Council has no information on action taken by Member States, 2. bilateral aid, to promote education in the third world. in the framework of their The Council would draw the honourable Membersí attention to the fact that the Commission is 3. responsible for the development and management of the Communityís aid programmes. (2001/C 26 E/156) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0885/00 by Raffaele Costa (PPE-DE) to the Commission (22 March 2000) Subject: Projects financed under LIFE II On 24 February 2000 the Official Journal of the European Communities published the communication of six decisions (Nos C(1999) 1800, C(1999) 4712, C(1999) 2414, C(1999) 4063, C(1999) 2073 and C(1999) 2261) to grant Community financial support for demonstration projects forwarded under the LIFE instrument concerning the environment (1). As a result of these decisions 94 projects were selected 1999 under LIFE-Nature and 152 projects under LIFE-Environment submitted by organisations, public or private bodies, local authorities and businesses. For these projects a total of EUR 64. 8 million was allocated under LIFE-Nature (7. 9 million for projects submitted by Italian applicants) and a total of EUR 65 million under LIFE-Environment (9. 4 million for projects submitted by Italian applicants). For the 26 projects under LIFE-Environment and the 19 projects under LIFE-Nature Italy therefore received a total of EUR 17. 3 million, equivalent to approximately Lit 33. 5 billion. The beneficiaries of these projects belong to the following regions: Lombardy (7 projects), the Veneto (8 projects), Emilia Romagna (2 projects), Liguria (3 projects), Tuscany (6 projects), Calabria (1 project), Umbria (1 project), Sicily (4 projects), Basilicata (1 project), Lazio (9 projects), Apulia (1 project) and Sardinia (2 projects). Among the projects submitted by Italian applicants not one from Piedmont was selected. Can the Commission explain why none of the Italian projects selected was from the Piedmont region and whether this was due to a lack of adequate information? If so, can it say who is responsible?