WRITTEN QUESTION P-2841/02

by Roberta Angelilli (UEN) to the Commission

(2 October 2002)

Subject: Use of funds from EQUAL, the ESF and the Fourth Action Programme on Equal Opportunities by the City of Rome

In September 2002, the monitoring committee of the Italian Ministry for Economic Affairs issued a report on the spending of EU funds. The report reveals the alarming slowness and inefficiency with which funds are allocated to projects by regional authorities. For example, spending commitments for the year 2000 account for only 2 % of the entire CSF.

These grave concerns about the inadequate use of European funds by local authorities have frequently been echoed by the Commission.

Bearing in mind that some local authorities, such as the City of Rome, urgently need to use European funds for vocational training and employment, equal opportunities and social integration, will the Commission say:

- whether the City of Rome has submitted projects for the EQUAL programme, the ESF and Fourth Action Programme on Equal Opportunities?

- whether the City of Rome has secured funding for these projects?

- whether this funding has been used?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(29 October 2002)

Within the framework of the Structural Funds for the 2000-2006 period, the Commission approved the Objective 3 Operational Programme for the Lazio Region on 21 September 2000. The budget available is EUR 884 million (45 % European Social Fund, 44 % national resources and 11 % regional resources), of which EUR 90 million (or 10,3 %) are earmarked for equal opportunities.

Few projects have been selected at this early stage of the programming period, which explains the low degree of completion. Nevertheless, during the 2000-2001 period, 740 projects were submitted under the equal opportunities heading, of which 188 were approved and funded.

The EQUAL initiative, which is also funded through the European Social Fund, enables experimentation with new approaches to fighting discrimination and inequalities suffered by employed persons and jobseekers alike. EQUAL contains nine thematic fields, one of which is equal opportunities for women and men. The City of Rome, in cooperation with the Immigration Office, is taking part in two projects in the field of equal opportunities.

The City of Rome received no funding under the Fourth Action Programme on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men.