Press release

The Delegation of the European Commission to Bangladesh organised a seminar for the NGOs working in Bangladesh at BRAC Centre Inn on 13 January 2003. The purpose of the seminar was to explain in detail the application procedure for the call for proposals for co-financing of NGOs under which the European Commission provides grants for European NGOs working in developing countries together with local partners.
For the year 2003, the European Union has allocated a worldwide package of € 120 million (about 720 crore taka) for projects and € 20 million (about 120 crore taka) for block grants.
In Bangladesh, under the co-financing arrangements, the EC has contributed significantly in the fields of health, rural development, education, human rights, disability and other areas related to poverty alleviation. The overall objective of the European Union is the poverty reduction through support for disadvantaged people in developing countries, especially Least Developed Country like Bangladesh. The fundamental aim is to meet their basic needs, to improve the quality of their lives and reinforce their own development capacities.
The meeting with NGOs provided an opportunity to explain and clarify different issues related to the rules of co-financing. The Commission officials who took part in explaining the different aspects of EC rules were: Ms. Josephine Kalinauckas, First Secretary, Ms. Anne Marchal, Second Secretary, Mr Hans Rhein, Second Secretary, and Mr. Robert Hynderick, EC Food Adviser. At the end of the meeting-cum-seminar Ms Josephine Kalinauckas thanked the participants and expressed the hope that the seminar would prove useful in contributing to the increased participation of NGOs in development efforts through partnership with the European Commission. More than 30 national and European NGOs took part in the seminar.

Delegation of the European Commission to Bangladesh
House 7, Road 84
Dhaka 1212
Bangladesh