91999E2478

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2478/99

by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(16 December 1999)

Subject: Clinic Clowns: projects to provide psychological help for seriously ill children

Over the last ten years projects, usually called Clinic Clowns and aiming to provide psychological and moral support for seriously ill children and adolescents, have been successfully carried out in various Member States of the European Union such as the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Austria. By placing the emphasis on humour, people including medical and non-medical staff give patients psychological and moral support in addition to the treatment provided by medical experts.

Organising and carrying out these admirable projects, which involve hospitals, universities, doctors, psychologists, entertainers and voluntary workers, is very costly. It has been proved that from the medical point of view too it is useful for patients, especially children and adolescents, to receive psychological and moral support.

Can the Commission state:

1. Whether it has already provided funding for this type of project, which is usually called Clinic Clowns?

2. Does it intend to earmark funds for European projects for the development of deserving projects of this kind in all Member States of the European Union?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(19 January 2000)

1. No, the Commission is not funding any Clinic Clowns project under its public health programmes.

2. In accordance with the provisions of European Parliament and Council decisions concerning public health programmes, calls for proposals are published annually in the Official Journal and it is at that stage that interested persons or organisations should indicate the projects for which they wish to apply under these programmes.