92000E3184

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3184/00

by Carlos Ripoll y Martínez de Bedoya (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(10 October 2000)

Subject: EQUAL programme

At the meetings the Commission has held with officials from the various Member States regarding the EQUAL programme, it has undertaken to submit a document laying down guidelines and formulas for the partnerships under the programme.

1. Given that the deadlines for the Community programme EQUAL are rather tight, when will the Commission comply with its undertaking to submit a document on partnerships, since this is essential to meet the objectives of the programme?

2. What criteria will be used for allocating Community aid if a partnership is submitted between an objective 1 region and a region not covered by the objectives?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(21 November 2000)

The Commission recognises that the correct establishment of the development partnerships in all Member States is extremely important for the good development of the EQUAL initiative. This question is the subject of detailed discussions, both at bilateral and multilateral level, within the current negotiations with Member States concerning the approval of the draft national Community initiative programmes. The outcome of this close collaboration can already be seen in the establishment of questions and answers, which set out interpretation of and agreements on certain points of the initiative, including the partnerships.

It is true that, for certain Member States, it is also important to indicate clear criteria for determining the type of financing in cases where a partnership project exists between an area in objective 1 and another area outside that objective. The Commission will work within the aforementioned negotiations to ensure that pragmatic rules are established in the Member States to settle this problem.