WRITTEN QUESTION E-1687/97 by Wolfgang Kreissl-Dörfler (V) to the Commission (20 May 1997)

Subject: Implementation of Agenda 21 (aid programmes)

Five years ago, in 1992, the international community meeting at the UNCED Conference in Rio agreed on the objectives of Agenda 21. The conference stressed that a global action plan for women was the prerequisite for achieving sustainable and just development. It also assigned to NGOs and local authorities a major role in the agenda process.

Can the Commission indicate to what extent it supports these objectives and what financial support, and through what programmes, it makes available to women and local authorities to achieve the objectives of Agenda 21?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (7 July 1997)

The Community funds many programmes which help women, non governmental organizations (NGOs) and local authorities in achieving the objectives of Agenda 21, both within the Community and in the wider world. While there are no centrally kept figures on overall financial support, nevertheless it is possible to give examples of such assistance.

The Community is a signatory to the Beijing platform for action which represents a global action plan for women. In accordance with the policy set out in the Beijing platform for action, the Community uses the dual strategy of positive actions for women and the mainstreaming of gender in all programmes and projects. In 1996, the Commission produced a communication on 'Incorporating equal opportunities for women and men into all Community policies and activities' ((COM (96) 67. )) as part of the Community's overall follow up to the Beijing conference.

Between 1994 and 1999, 785 MECU will be committed from the structural funds on specific measures in favour of women in the context of the campaign against long-term unemployment and the integration of young people into working life which are part of the social element of sustainable development.

With regard to the role of women in development, and in line with the dual strategy mentioned above, most activities in favour of women are financed under the main budget lines for development cooperation, in the form of integrated projects addressing both women and men, but with specific attention to the needs of women. In addition, a number of large-scale positive action programmes specifically for women are funded on these mainstream budget lines. Furthermore, the Commission makes use of the small but important budget line concerning women's role in development (amount in 1997: 5 MECU) to finance actions such as studies, training, sensitisation and strategic planning in order to promote the mainstreaming of gender issues into Community development cooperation.

The Commission committed 175 MECU in co-financing NGO development projects in third countries in 1996. In the same year the Commission awarded 1.6 MECU in core funding to 18 environmental NGOs working in Europe.

The structural funds contribute large sums to helping local authorities achieve sustainable development. In addition, the Commission supports a number of specific initiatives such as sustainable cities campaign, which help local authorities implement particular elements in Agenda 21. Local authorities in developing countries have also received support. For example more than 44 MECU over four years is being provided to innovate cooperation between cities in Europe and in Asia, Latin America and the Mediterranean regions. A little under 1 MECU has been allocated to helping six urban and six rural communities in sub-Saharan Africa to prepare their own local environment action plans.