WRITTEN QUESTION E-3662/00

by Piia-Noora Kauppi (PPE-DE) to the Council

(28 November 2000)

Subject: The EU's White Paper seminar in Paris from 5 to 7 October 2000

The Commission has drawn up a first white paper on youth policy. A hearing on the subject for young people in Europe was organised in Paris from 5 to 7 October 2000.

Responsibility for the event in Paris was shared between the Commission and France's Ministry of Youth and Sport. According to sources, the practical arrangements could be described as little short of chaotic. Hotel reservations went astray, and many delegations had to look for hotels for themselves late at night.

Although the official speeches constantly stressed taking account of the needs of special groups, no account whatsoever had been taken, for example, of the needs of the disabled or those with special dietary requirements.

The meeting rooms for the working groups were too small, and there were not even enough chairs for all the participants. The original intention was that the hosts should make the travelling arrangements, but those for the Finnish participants, for instance, ultimately had to be made at short notice by the Finnish organisation CIMO. As the Sunday flights were fully booked, the whole of the Finnish delegation had to leave in the middle of the working groups' reporting session on Saturday afternoon.

What will the Council do to ensure that similar organisational problems do not arise during further white paper preparations?

Reply

(8 March 2001)

With regard to the preparations for the European youth seminar in Paris from 5 to 7 October 2000, the Council would draw the Honourable member's attention to the fact that it is only responsible for the organisation of meetings held under its Rules of Procedure: Ministerial Councils (Article 2) and meetings to prepare for them (Article 19 of the Council's Rules of Procedure).

The Council invites the Honourable Member to address any questions concerning the organisation of discussions in preparation for the White Paper on youth policy to the author of the White Paper, the Commission.