WRITTEN QUESTION E-0782/96 by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission (1 April 1996)

Subject: Youth unemployment

In view of the high level of unemployment among young people and the social repercussions of this on society in the European Union, will the Commission assess the possibility of introducing, at European level, a voluntary community service programme open to all young people under the age of 25?

Such a programme could be based on a social partnership, at regional level, between the public and private sectors, the social partners and young volunteers, with the aim of combining the public-private partnerships, part-time working patterns and wage guarantees referred to in the white paper. Partnerships for activities which benefit the community would attract tax relief and social security cover and could be supported by cross-border pilot projects, as in the case of other programmes.

It would be useful, in this context, to determine whether, in addition to the existing Youthstart programme, endowed with ECU 300 million and designed to help young people under 20 by means of transnational measures, a programme of the type outlined above could be launched in 1996 when the interim budget for the current ESF programmes is negotiated. In this way, one of other objectives of the Youthstart programme, defined during the programme's development stage, would also be pursued.

Answer given by Mrs Cresson on behalf of the Commission (20 May 1996)

The Commission agrees with the Honourable Member that the involvement of young people in community service activities in a European context may be conducive to their social and occupational integration, helping also to foster the development of genuine European citizenship.

This is precisely why the Commission is this year launching a new pilot scheme for European voluntary service whereby young people between the ages of 18 and 25, who are resident in a Member State, can participate in transnational activities of general interest in the social sphere or in the field of environmental protection as part of a locally run project lasting between six months and one year. This educational scheme will provide young people with opportunities for self-development and will open the door to new experiences and skills, while benefiting the community in which the voluntary service is performed.

The Commission welcomes the interest shown by Parliament and the support it has given for this initiative. A resolution adopted by Parliament on 22 September 1995 endorsed the idea of establishing European civilian service for young people ((OJ C 269, 16.10.1995. )). Parliament also introduced a new heading (B3-1011) into the 1996 budget, with an allocation of ECU 15 million, for launching the European voluntary service pilot project.

A distinction should be made between the European voluntary service approach and vocational training activities. European voluntary service is intended to test new methods of social and occupational integration, and to offer young people new pathways into working life. The Commission is, however, in the process of studying possible areas of tie-in between European voluntary service and a series of measures geared to young people's integration and vocational training with support from the Structural Funds. In particular, the Youthstart programme (third strand of the Community's Employment initiative) provides for a series of measures to promote the integration of young people under the age of 20, especially those who are poorly skilled or have no qualifications.