92000E1742

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1742/00

by Mary Honeyball (PSE) to the Commission

(31 May 2000)

Subject: Closure of the Ford plant at Dagenham

What European funding will be available to minimise job losses at Ford's Dagenham, London, plant?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(11 July 2000)

As regards the issue of minimising job losses among employees at the Ford Dagenham plant in London, no special or additional funding is made available in the light of the recent announcements. However, it is important to point out that a considerable amount of European social fund (ESF) support will be available to London through objective 3 which can be used to address, amongst other issues, the potential unemployment problems resulting from announced job losses at the Ford Dagenham plant. The London Region will receive a considerable share-out of the United Kingdom objective 3 programme worth 4 500 million.

The objective 3 plan is structured according to the five policy fields contained in the ESF Regulation. In relation to the Ford case, two policy fields are particularly relevant. Under policy field a), active labour market policies, one of the strategic objectives is precisely to reduce the flows into (long-term) unemployment through the use of active labour market measures targeted at those recently unemployed or threatened by unemployment. Possible types of intervention vary from advice and guidance to providing support through integrated approaches including the provision of vocational and social skills. Under policy field d), adaptability, one of the strategic objectives is to improve the skills base and adaptability of the employed work force.

In addition, further structural funds of 259,9 million will be available under the objective 2 programme for London for the programming period 2000-2006 to counterbalance job losses in the area. The draft proposal to be negotiated this summer aims at tackling barriers to economic opportunity in key areas suffering industrial decline. Priorities proposed include community and neighbourhood economic development, business development and competitiveness, innovation and technology as well as skills and access to jobs.