91997E3760

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3760/97 by Graham Mather (PPE) to the Commission (21 November 1997)

Subject: Psychological aspects of unemployment - EU funding of research

Under existing provisions, direct European funding for employment initiatives cannot be used for health-related (mental or physical) schemes. This precludes EU funding of research into the psychological aspects of unemployment, and specifically of how the long-term unemployed can be helped to cope with the transition back into the workplace.

As the long-term unemployed make up a disproportionately high number of those out of work across the EU, it seems that this is one area in which research could usefully be conducted with EU funding.

What are the guidelines for determining eligibility for European funding of employment initiatives, how are these arrived at, and will the Commission undertake to review them in the light of this clear omission?

Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission (19 December 1997)

It is true that in the past, it has been difficult to fund research on this area from the budget line dealing with labour market analysis and policy (B3-4010). However, the heads of state and government agreed in Luxembourg in November 1997 that Member States should adopt preventive and employability-oriented strategies built on early identification and early action. This has been strongly supported by the Parliament in its report on the employment guidelines and the Commission expects that employment guidelines will now be adopted before the end of the year. To the extent that it reflects this policy strategy, it could be expected that the commentary on this budget line would be suffiently flexible to allow for the funding of research into the psychological aspects of unemployment, which clearly come under the heading of employability.