WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3173/98 by Katerina DASKALAKI to the Commission. Participation of Greek NGOs in urgent humanitarian aid programmes
15. 10. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 297/53 Last year the Commission allocated around ECU 20 million to North Korea in the health and medical sector, as compared to ECU 2,5 million this year. The Commission is still financing two humanitarian projects in North Korea. However, in order for humanitarian action in this sector to be meaningful and effective and therefore in line with the Commission’s mandate, certain conditions must be met (freedom of access to beneficiaries and freedom to monitor the projects by NGOs). Before deciding on any future interventions in the health and medical sectors, the Commission will therefore have to pay close attention to developments in this regard. (1999/C 297/069) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3173/98 by Katerina Daskalaki (UPE) to the Commission (27 October 1998) Subject: Participation of Greek NGOs in urgent humanitarian aid programmes Since the foundation of ECHO in 1991, a large amount of money has been made available for cooperation with its partners. The management of these programmes by the partners takes place under pressure, and this probably influences the selection criteria for partners which must provide the following guarantees: a) transparent and effective management under these difficult circumstances, and b) the participation of organizations based in all the Member States. Will the Commission say: What are the most important of these criteria and, specifically, what is the rate of participation of Greek NGOs in urgent humanitarian aid programmes (which sectors and which geographical regions and countries)? What amounts of money have Greek NGOs managed within the framework of the relevant programmes? Answer given by Ms Bonino on behalf of the Commission (25 November 1998) When choosing Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) to implement humanitarian operations the Commission’s assessment is based on the criteria laid out in the Council Regulation (EC) 1257/96 of 20 June 1996 concerning humanitarian aid (1), which includes: capacity for administrative and financial management, technical and logistical capacity for the planned operation, experience in the field of humanitarian aid and if need be experience in the third country concerned with the humanitarian operation involved, results of previous actions and impartiality. The number of contracts for humanitarian operations concluded with Greek NGOs has noticeably increased in the last few years. Thus, from 2 contracts in 1996 to 6 in 1997 and 1998. The following are the Greek NGOs and amounts allocated in the context of these contracts: Greek Committee for International Democratic Solidarity: ECU 820 000 (5 contracts), Croix Rouge Hellénique: ECU 150 000 (1 contract), Kessap Dimitra: ECU 385 000 (1 contract), Médecins du Monde: ECU 1 070 000 (7 contracts). The Greek NGOs receiving finance are in particular active in the health and food sectors and in emergency rehabilitation. The countries in which they operate are Lebanon, Albania, Jordan, Israel, Azerbaijan and Georgia. The Commission, while respecting the criteria mentioned above, is keen to encourage Greek NGOs to take part in Community humanitarian programmes, and attaches particular importance to staff training. In this connection it is planning specific training sessions to help familiarise them with the procedures applying to the new framework partnership contract that will enter into force in January 1999. (1) OJ L 163, 2. 7. 1996