Address: Rue de la Loi 200/ Wetstraat 200
B-1049 Brussels, Belgium
Tel: 32-2-2952093
Fax: 32-2-2963562
The Equal Opportunities Unit of DG V (Unit V/D/5), a sub-division of Directorate D: Social Dialogue and Freedom of movement for Workers, co-ordinates the implementation of the Fourth Action Programme on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men (1996-2000).
A Committee for the implementation of the Fourth Action Programme has been installed with representatives from each member state including EFTA countries Norway and Iceland. The committee members, often government officials, can be an important source of information for you, because they often have background information about the grant programmes. The accessibility of these committee members, naturally, depends, however, on the way each national Ministry is functioning. That is, you will find considerable national differences in the Ministries' methods of communicating with citizens.

List of Committee members for the implementation of the Fourth Action Programme

Austria	Ms Mag. Hermine Sperr	Bundesministerium für Arbeit und Soziales Abteilung Europäische Integration Stubenring 1 A-1012 Vienna
Belgium	Ms Rien van Meensel	Kabinet van Tewerkstelling & Arbeid Gelijke Kansenbeleid Belliardstraat 51 B-1040 Brussels
Denmark	Ms Inga Galamba, Head of Secretariat	Danish Equal Status Council Tordenskjolsgade 27 Postboks 1519 DK-1020 Kopenhagen
Finland	Ms Leila Räsänen	Ministry of Social Affairs and Health PO Box 267 FIN-00171 Helsinki
France	Mme Claudine Brocard	Ministère du Travail et des Affaires Sociales service des droits des femmes rue le Peletier 31 F-75009 Paris
Germany	M. Andreas Kirner	Bundesministerium für Familie, Senioren, Frauen & Jugend Referat Internationale Frauenpolitik Rochusstrasse 8-10 D-53123 Bonn
Greece	The Secretary General	General Secretariat for Equality Pl. Kaniggos 20 GR-10181 Athens
Iceland	Ds Drifa Hronn Kristjansdottir	Office for Gender Equality Posthusstraeti 13 IS-101 Reykjavik
Ireland	M. Dominic Kelly	Department of Equality and Law Reform, Dún Aimhirgin 43/49 Mespil Road IRL-Dublin 4
Italy		Ufficio del Ministro per le pari opportunità via del Giardino Theodoli 66 I-00187 Roma
Luxembourg	Ms Maddy Mulheims	Ministère de la Promotion Féminine Boulevard Prince Henri 33 L-2921 Luxembourg
The Netherlands	Ms Drs Anne Offermans	Ministerie van Sociale Zaken en Werkgelegenheid SZW/DCE Postbus 90801 NL-2509 Den Haag
Norway	Ms Wenche L. Kverneland	Ministry of Children and Family Affairs PO Box 8036 Dep. NO-0030 Oslo
Portugal	Dr.a Ligía Amancio	Presidente da Comissão para a Igualdade e para os Direitos das Mulheras av. da Republica 32-1 P-1093 Lisboa Codex
Spain	Ms Concepción Dancousa Trevino Directora General	Ministerio de Trabajo Y Asuntos Sociales Instituto de la Mujer Almagro 36 E-28010 Madrid
Sweden	Ms Mona Danielson Assistant Under-Secretary	Ministry of Health and Social Affairs Jacobsgatan 26 S-10333 Stockholm
United Kingdom	Ms Diana Cunliffe	Int. Section of the Sex Equality Branch Dept. for Education & Employment Level 4, Caxton House, Tothill Street UK-London SW1H 9NF

4.2. DIRECTORATE-GENERAL X
INFORMATION, COMMUNICATION, CULTURE AND AUDIOVISUAL MEDIA
Address: Rue de la Loi 200/Wetstraat 200
B-1049 Brussels, Belgium
Tel: 32-2-2991111
Organisational Structure
The Directorate comprises four Directorates A-D subdivided into different units.
Directorate A: Information and communication strategy.
Directorate B: Communication Media
Directorate C: Institutional Matters
Directorate D: Culture and audiovisual policy
Women's Information Service
Unit X/A/5 European Commission
Véronique Houdart-Blazy, Head Sector Women's Information
Address: Wetstraat 200
B-1049 Brussels, Belgium
Tel: 32-2-2999124/2999416
Fax: 32-2-2993891
Visiting address: Trierstraat 120
B-1040 Brussels, Belgium
The Women's Information Service is listed under Directorate A, Unit General Public. It serves to inform networks of women's organisations about European politics and activities from a women's angle. Every three months a special issue of The Dossiers of Women of Europe is being published by Véronique Houdart. The last number of 1996 for example, The Information Society...also a women's issue, deals with the threats and opportunities of information technology for women. A monthly publication Women in Europe - Info gives information about Union's policy on equal opportunities and equal treatment and other subjects of interest to women.
Directorate D is concerned with culture and audio-visual media. It co-ordinates several grant programmes that aim at conservation of cultural heritage and dissemination of knowledge of European culture. Caleidoscope (1996-1998) and Raphael and Ariane (1996-2000) are aimed at the performing arts and grand-scale cultural events. Research possibilities are not mentioned in Caleidoscope. The two other programmes Raphael/Ariane should have been implemented in 1996. However, it has proven almost impossible to obtain any information from DG X despite repeated efforts.

4.3. DIRECTORATE-GENERAL XII
SCIENCE, RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Address: Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 200
B-1049 Brussels, Belgium
Tel: 32-2-2991111
Internet: (URL) http://europa.eu.int/comm/dg12/
Information and communication service
Otto von Schwerin, Head of Unit,
Tel: 32-2-2956997
Fax: 32-2-2958220
Email: info.dg12@mhsg.cec.be
DG XII co-ordinates all EU research programmes streamlined into one, the Fourth Framework Programme. The programmes of the Framework are usually described as RTD, that is Research, Technology and Development programmes. Further, DG XII co-ordinates the joint research programmes of EU with non-member countries and international organisations, such as Central and Eastern Europe, non-European industrialised countries and developing countries.
The information and communication department of DG XII issues a continuous stream of booklets and brochures on subjects related to the EC Research and Technological Development Programmes. Each programme forming part of the Fourth Framework Programme is summarised in an information package that can be ordered. For example, Training & Mobility of Researchers (TMR) is one of the four activities of the Fourth Framework Programme. The information package Marie Curie Research Training Grants (1996), issued by DG XII, details dates of calls and deadlines for proposal submissions, types of grant, criteria for participation, proposal form, proposal submission and evaluation/selection criteria. More general information about dates of calls for proposals and about the state of the art in the research programmes is available in the quarterly RTD Info. News Roundup on EC Research and Technological Development Programmes published by DG XII.
In 1992, DG XII published EC Research Funding. 3rd fully revised edition. A Guide for Applicants. This very popular text on the Third Framework aims to provide: "a descriptive outline of the problems associated with information, consultation, submission of applications and financing. A concentrated and schematic outline of programme content and programme procedures. And practical hints for interested parties, ranging from the quest for partners to the completion of a potentially successful project proposal" (EC Research Funding, Foreword).
There are several publications on the management of proposals and the decision-making. In order to improve consistency and transparency vis-à-vis researchers, a step-by-step manual on EC procedures for applicants was issued in 1994, EC-funded research and technological development. An insight into the handling of project proposals; an introduction to contract negotiation. The information and communication unit of DG XII is very communicative and accessible. Publications or subscriptions ordered are sent out promptly.
National RTD Info Desks
At the Commission's request, each member state has set up a national focal point -officially called Innovation Relay Centres- to ensure that each country is adequately informed about the Framework Programmes. The addresses can easily be found in the EC guides on the Fourth Framework or at your university's international desk. The services these centres offer, seem quite impressive at first, but you will soon find out that they are restricted to large scale technical research programmes and projects. Presently, the non-technical fields have not much to gain from these centres, although they do have all the latest information on science, technology and development programmes. However, in view of a possible EC future for women's studies research in the Fifth Framework, it is not unwise to get yourself acquainted with the goings-on in this field.

4.4. DIRECTORATE-GENERAL XXII
EDUCATION, TRAINING, YOUTH
Address: Rue de la Loi 200/Wetstraat 200
B-1049 Brussels
Belgium
Tel: 32-2-2991111
Internet: http://europa.eu.int/en/comm/dg22/socrates.html
Organisational Structure
This DG is subdivided into two directorates:
Directorate A: Co-operation in the fields of education and youth
Directorate B: Co-operation on vocational training
SOCRATES & YOUTH Technical Assistance Office
Address: Rue Montoyer 70
B-1000 Brussels
Tel: 32-2-2330111
Fax: 32-2-2330150
Socrates, the European Community action programme for co-operation in the field of education, running until 2000, is co-ordinated by DG XXII. In July 1996, a comprehensive guide Socrates, Guide for applicants 1997, was published and can be ordered at the SOCRATES & YOUTH Technical Assistance Office mentioned earlier. The guide gives practical information for all SOCRATES applicants, describing actions within SOCRATES and other sources of community support. The introduction reminds you that SOCRATES is applicable to the 15 member states of the EU as well as to Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.

5. TEN WISE RULES FOR APPLICATION
Bidwell's Help from Brussels, The PACE guide to EC Grants and other assistance (1994) gives a lot of wise advice on the subject of the application, especially chapter 11 on General Application Procedures. I have taken the liberty of relying on Bidwell's 'Bible' for this paragraph.
For most on-going programmes information packages can be obtained from the addresses given in the Official Journal, announcing the programmes. The amount and quality of the information packages varies from programme to programme and from call to call within programmes. Some are full, detailed and precise, others are so general -especially calls for studies-, that they give the impression of a fishing expedition. It is a characteristic of the EC that its officials are prepared to listen to suggestions from outside experts.
1. Some programmes accept and process applications throughout the year while others call for applications at irregular intervals with very tight application deadlines. It is therefor essential to keep a constant watch on the publications where information about the programmes of interest is published.
2. The time limits set either for initial applications or for any stage during the evaluation process are absolute inflexible. Miss one and the application will automatically be discarded, even if the failure to meet the deadline is the direct result of a delay by the Commission in reviewing documentation already submitted or in providing additional information requested.
3. The Commission staff are, on the whole, very helpful and want to make the various programmes work. Do not be afraid to ask for additional information but, on the other hand, do not rely on its being supplied within the anticipated time frame. Contrary to popular myth, the Commission is very short staffed and often, with the best will in the world, they simply cannot help.
4. Make sure that the application meets all the conditions requested. It is a waste of time, for example, making an application in the name of one company in one member state when the programme calls for co-operation with social partners. It is advisable to have discussions with potential partners well in advance of considering becoming involved in EC programmes calling for collaboration in more than one member state.
5. Make sure that all the information requested is provided. The officials scrutinising the bundles of applications received for most programmes have not got the time to contact applicants who have omitted information requested; this also applies to basics like numbers of copies. It is further advisable to send at least one extra copy in case an additional official wants to have a look or copies are lost.
6. For most programmes, the administrators are inundated with applications, most of which meet the necessary requirements. As well as making their documentation clear and attractive, applicants must find a way to make their application stand out from the rest.
7. Read all the Regulations, Directives or Decisions establishing and regulating the programme concerned. They will set out in detail the reasons for establishing the programme and this can be extremely helpful in anticipating the criteria according to which applications will be assessed. The latter are not always absolutely clear from the documentation supplied and it can improve an applicant's chances of success if she can demonstrate that her proposal furthers the objectives of the programme in ways that are beyond those specifically mentioned in the information pack.
8. Remember that grant applications are scrutinised and assessed within the context of EC policy as a whole. This means that applicants must have a thorough knowledge and understanding of EC policy in the wider context, and should make sure that their application conforms not just to the narrower requirements of the specific programme but also complies with the wider context of EC policies on matters like the environment, competition, consumer protection, cultural matters and social policy where appropriate, even if not specifically mentioned in the documentation supplied. To show that it actually promotes such policies would be a great bonus in making an application stand out from the pile.
9. Be prepared to use experts to help with the application, particularly if new to the game. Make sure, however, that any consultants used are of high repute in their own field and preferably experienced in dealing with the Commission. It also helps if they are known and trusted by the officials concerned.
10. Do not despair if you have not heard by the date announced for notification of successful applicants. Experience shows, for example, that a tender to undertake a study for a programme like PHARE will schedule notification of an award by 1 March 1994, for a study to start on 1 June and be completed by 31 December 1994. In reality, the successful applicant is unlikely to be contacted before the beginning of May and the final details of the contract are unlikely to be agreed before the proposed starting date. Nonetheless, the study will have to be completed by 31 December.
AND REMEMBER: IF YOU DON'T SUCCEED THE FIRST TIME, TRY AGAIN !

6. IMPORTANT NETWORKS AND ORGANISATIONS
On a European level, several important networks are active inside and outside the European Union. Lobbying is one of their paramount objectives. Lobbying involves a more political and strategic long-term planning than networking. Lobbying is aimed at influencing policy, while networking means looking for allies in your field of research be they individuals or organisations.
When a call for proposals is being published and you have laid your hand on it in time, other sources of information might be useful. One of these may be an already existing network on a national or international level.
The following networks will be mentioned briefly here:
Women's International Studies Europe (WISE)
European Women's Lobby (EWL)
Migrant's Forum (MF)
Women in Technology in the European Community (WITEC)
Centre for Research on European Women (CREW)
European Forum of Left Feminists (ELF)
Association of Institutions in Feminist Education and Research in Europe (AOIFE)
European Network of Women's Studies (ENWS)

WISE
WISE, Women's International Studies Europe, is the European association for individuals and institutions involved in women's studies. These very guidelines are published by WISE. Please visit the WISE HomePage for a complete and updated review of WISE.

European Women's Lobby
Address: Barbara Helfferich (general secretary)
22, Rue du Méridien, 1030 Brussels.
Tel: 32-2-2179020
Fax: 32-2-2198451.
e-mail Eurowomen-Lobby@mcr1.geonet.de
Established in 1990 and officially one of the NGO's (Non-Governmental Organisation) officially recognised by the EU, the European Women's Lobby (EWL) is an umbrella organisation of representatives of national and European non-governmental women's organisations. Its aims are to achieve equality of rights and opportunity for women across Europe including the most marginalized.
The EWL co-operates with individuals and organisations working toward the same goals, in particular with the Equal Opportunities Unit, the Women's Information Unit of the EC as well as with relevant committees of the European Parliament such as the Committee on Women's Rights. The EWL has its secretariat in Brussels with Barbara Helfferich as general secretary. The main task of this secretariat is gathering information relevant to women's equality in Europe and passing it on. EWL initiated projects on women in decision-making positions and violence against women and monitors the Fourth Action Programme for Equality.
One of the concerns of EWL is the position of black and migrant women in the European Union. At the formation of EWL in 1990 no black and migrant women organisations were involved. Recognising this deficit decision was made to start a project on black and migrant women in Europe culminating in the report Confronting the Fortress, published by the European Commission in April 1993 after considerable hesitation due to political bickering.

Migrant's Forum Women's Committee
Address: 33 rue de Trèves, B-1040 Brussels.
Tel: 32-2-2301414.
Fax: 32-2-2301461
The Migrant's Forum is a top-down initiative of the European Parliament, in particular the Division on the Freedom of Movement and Migration Policy of DG V. This Division controls the funding for the Migrant's Forum and played a considerable role in its formation. At the start of its existence in 1991 there were no women representatives on the executive committee. Under pressure of a newly set up Women's Committee one seat in the Executive Committee is secured for a woman representative since. The Women's Committee's strategy is to mainstream black and migrant women's concerns under major headings like education or employment and to break away from the view of black and migrant women as a problem, emphasising the positive factors which racism is preventing us from seeing.

WITEC
Address: Secretariat Sheffield Hallam University
Heriot House, City Campus
Sheffield S1 1WB, UK.
Tel.: 0114-2532041
Fax: 0114-2532046
e-mail: witec@shu.ac.uk
WITEC stands for Women in Technology in the European Community. It is a pan-European network of universities, enterprises, other organisations and individuals working for the motivation, development and support of women in science, technology and engineering. Its secretariat is based in Sheffield, UK and most of its funding comes from the EU's COMETT programme, other EU programmes and membership fees. Of more than 200 University-Enterprise Training Partnership (UETP) WITEC is the only UETP specifically working on the equal opportunities objective of trying to encourage more women in advances technology training. This network is very widespread and well organised and offers many services to its members, such as providing information on all European Programmes that relate to women in science. As to research funding WITEC has a high profile in Brussels, gives advice on funding sources for research and development, subsidises training courses and helps organise and finance staff exchanges.

CREW
Address: Rue Capouillet, Box 21
B 1060 Brussels
Tel: 32-2-5349085
Fax: 32-2-5348134
e-mail: crew@mcr1.geonet.de
CREW is short for Centre for Research on European Women.
Founded in 1980 by a group of nine women from different EU member states, CREW has wide knowledge and expertise in all aspects of equal opportunities, training and enterprise creation. It is an independent consultancy, research and information centre specialising in the development and management of human resources in the EU. CREW was originally set up to respond to the need for more information on equal opportunities policies formulated and adopted in Brussels, which were affecting the lives of women across Europe. Its target public has always been policy makers, institutions, employers and women's groups whom it has informed and influenced over the years through its publications and activities. CREW publishes a monthly CREW Reports containing an overview of EU policy developments in the field of equal opportunities, social policy, employment and training.

The European Forum of Left feminists (ELF)
Address:
Jane Pillinger (co-ordinator), Northern College,
Wentworth Castle, Stainborough
Barnsley, S75 3ET, UK.
The European Forum of Left Feminists (ELF) is a network of individual women studies academics and grassroots feminists from most countries of Europe loosely linked through a mailing list and an occasional newsletter. Through this network the yearly conference on Migrant Women and Europe was organised in Amsterdam. EFLF is committed to the involvement of black, ethnic minority and migrant women in Europe and seeks to build on links with women in other parts of the world. Some women of minority ethnic groups have been involved from the start and efforts are continually made to reach others and to recognise the specific needs and concerns of Black and Migrant Women. In association with ELF authors Helma Lutz, Ann Phoenix and Nira Yuval-Davis published Crossfires: Gender, Nationalism and Racism in Europe in 1995.

Association of Institutions in Feminist Education and Research (AOIFE) and the Socrates Thematic Network
Address: Centre for Studies in Gender and Education,
University of Limerick, Plassey, Limerick, Ireland.
Tel: 353-61-202630
Fax: 353-61-202572
e-mail: Dearbhal.nicharthaigh@ul.ie
In the framework of the new Socrates programme on Higher Education (1995-1999) applications can be made for a so-called thematic network for departments and institutes of one subject area. These networks are university co-operation programmes on issues of common interest to develop a European dimension. This involves co-operation activities in the field of curriculum development, research on education, teaching methodologies and policy making on education. One of these 'issues of common interest' is the field of Women's/Feminist/Gender Studies, for which an application for the forming of such a thematic network is scheduled for the second round in 1997.
One of the qualifying conditions DG XXII required for future applicants to the thematic networks is the creation of a European Association of Women's Studies Institutions. AOIFE has been launched during a conference in November 1996, Ireland.
AOIFE will focus on European activities at the institutional level, effecting European links between departments and institutes of Women's/Feminist/Gender Studies. Through AOIFE and the thematic network (funded by DGXII, Education and Training) it is hoped to get better access for Women's Studies projects to funding from DG XII (Science, Research and Development) as well.

European Network of Women's Studies
Address: Dr. Margaret Fine-Davis, co-ordinator,
Centre for Women's Studies/Research Annex Trinity College,
University of Dublin, 4
Lr. Hatch Street, IRL-Dublin 2.
Tel: 353-1-6082265
Fax: 353-1-6083997
The European Network for Women's Studies (ENWS) is a network dedicated to scientific and technical co-operation. The three objectives of the Network are stimulation and support of research in women's studies, incorporation of the results of that research into post-graduate training on women's studies and application of the results of women's studies research to policy making in all sectors of society. ENWS has good relations with the Council of Europe and organised a joint conference on Gender Approaches to Emergency Situations: Women's Realities in May 1995.