WRITTEN QUESTION E-2472/02

by Bartho Pronk (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(4 September 2002)

Subject: Socio-economic implications of the enlargement for the road haulage sector

In all probability, in January 2004 the European Union will be enlarged to take in a number of new Member States. Alongside all the benefits, this development will also create problems, for example in the road haulage sector. Employees whose work focuses on customs-related activities (customs clerks) will lose their jobs as a result of the abolition of customs formalities with the new Member States. A number of firms in this sector, particularly those providing road haulage services to and from the new Member States, will be forced to close. An estimate drawn up in the Netherlands suggests that up to 4 250 workers in the European Union, most of whom live in areas with high unemployment rates, may lose their jobs.

In the light of the above:

1. Is the Commission prepared to investigate the socio-economic implications of the enlargement of the EU for the road haulage sector? If not, would the Commission then be prepared to finance such an investigation to be carried out by the sector itself?

2. Is the Commission prepared to implement employment and training measures to assist workers who lose their jobs as a result of the enlargement?

3. Is the Commission prepared to take measures under the Structural Funds with a view to creating jobs particularly as the impact of the enlargement will mostly be felt in areas where unemployment is already high?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(18 October 2002)

The employment guidelines adopted by the Council as part of the European Employment Strategy encourage Member States to adopt active measures to prevent and tackle unemployment and to promote rapid integration or reintegration of the unemployed into the labour market. The guidelines also encourage Member States to develop a coherent lifelong learning strategy with a view to helping workers adapt to economic restructuring. Once the candidate countries join the EU, they will be subject to the employment guidelines in the same way as the current Member States.

Measures to be taken to address the problems of sectoral restructuring which may result from enlargement must fit into this overall framework.

The European Social Fund (ESF) contributes to action undertaken in application of the European Employment Strategy and the Annual Guidelines on Employment(1). It is thus the principal instrument of Community financial support for measures taken to develop the labour market. The other Structural Funds will help to create new jobs in the affected Objective 1 and 2 regions.

The programmes adopted for the period 2000-2006 contain measures which respond to the problems raised by the Honourable Member. Moreover, it is envisaged that the Structural Fund programming in the new Member States for the period 2004-2006 will pay particular attention to measures to prevent employment resulting from the socio-economic restructuring under way in these countries.

Costs related to specific measures resulting from the loss of jobs in the customs sector, such as early retirement, cannot be cofinanced by the Structural Funds.

(1) Regulation (EC) No 1784/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 July 1999 on the European Social Fund, OJ L 213, 13.8.1999.