/dash Finally,regardingthethirdquestion,thegreatestsourceofnewjobcreationhasbeentheservices
sector,asisthecaseforallMemberStates.AccordingtoLFS,theemploymentgrowthintheservicesectorwas5,4%in1998,0,5%in1999,1,1%in2000,0,5%in2001and1%in2002,explainingtheincreaseoftheshareofemploymentfrom57,7%in1998to60%in2002.
/dash A more detailed examination of sectoral employment developments, shows that the current
employmentgainsarefuelledbyarevivalofagriculturalemployment,bystronggainsinconstructionactivity(associatedwiththepreparationoftheinfrastructureofthe2004OlympicGames)andbyrapidgrowthinbusinessservicesandrealestatesector.
(2004/C58E/210) WRITTENQUESTIONE-2686/03
byAlexandrosAlavanos(GUE/NGL)totheCommission
(10September2003)
Subject:Collectionofstatisticaldata
IthasbeenestablishedthattheGreekadministrationdoesnotforwardontimetotheEuropeanStatistical
Service(Eurostat)thestatisticaldatawhichitisobligedtosendunderseveraldirectives,forexamplethoserelatingtotourism,theenvironmentandemployment.CantheCommissionprovidealistofthedirectivesrequiringspecificdatatobesenttothecompetentEuropeanUniondepartmentsforwhichGreeceeitherdoes not send the data, does so after the deadline or does so using data collection methods whichincompatiblewiththecollectionmethodslaiddownbytheEuropeanUnion?
AnswergivenbyMrSolbesMiraonbehalfoftheCommission
(24October2003)
ItshouldbestatedthatGreecemeetsthevastmajorityofitsCommunitystatisticalobligations,andfailsto
complywithonlyafewprovisionsfromamongover260legalinstruments.
Itisneverthelesstruethatprogressstillhastobemadeincertainareas,particularlywhenitcomesto
meeting transmission deadlines. A summary table of areas in which the level of conformity withCommunitystatisticalobligationsmaybe opentocriticism hasbeen sentdirectly tothe HonourableMember and Parliament’s Secretariat. The Commissionis considering what action shouldbe taken toremedythissituationinaccordancewiththeestablishedprocedures,andisincontactwiththeGreekauthorities.
(2004/C58E/211) WRITTENQUESTIONP-2698/03
byIngoSchmitt(PPE-DE)totheCommission
(3September2003)
Subject:Policyondisabledpersons/dashallocationoffunding
1. What type and what amountoffunding are available overall for the general area ofpolicy on
disabledpersons?
2. Whattypeandwhatamountoffundingareavailableoverallfortheareaofpolicyondisabled
personsinconnectionwiththeEuropeanYearofPeoplewithDisabilities?
3. What amount of the funding provided under paragraphs 1 and 2 was available and/or is still
availablefortheFederalRepublicofGermanyand/oritsfederalstates,andsubjecttowhatconditions?C58E/196 EN6.3.2004 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion
AnswergivenbyMrsDiamantopoulouonbehalfoftheCommission
(29September2003)
1. The shift in disability policies in recent years from a compensation based approach to equal
participationatalllevelsofsocietyhasledtoareorientationofthefundingstrategyfromvertical,specialprogrammes for specific target groups to a mainstreaming approach, a horizontal consideration ofdisabilityissuesifpossibleinallCommunity-Programmes.
Thismeansthatpeoplewith disabilitiesandtheir needsare takenintoaccountinmanyCommunity
Programmesinalmostallthematicfieldsforexampleeducation,research,informationandcommunicationtechnologies,publichealth,culture,sports,transport,telecommunications,thefightagainstdiscrimination,labourmarketandsocialpoliciesetc.Thereforethetotalamountoffundingavailablefortheareaofpoliciesondisabledpersonsisdifficulttoidentify.
IntheframeworkoftheProgrammetocombatdiscrimination,aboutEUR1millionisallocatedona
yearlybasisforspecificactionstocombatdiscriminationagainstpeoplewithdisabilities.Moreoverthe
Commissionfundspartoftheadministrativecostsofdifferentdisabilitynon-governmentalorganisations
(NGOs)atUnionleveltoallowforabetterpresentationoftheinterestsofpeoplewithdisabilities.
AsapartoftheFP6(SixFrameworkResearchProgramme)DirectorateGeneral(DG)InformationSocietyis
promotingresearchonassistivetechnology.Theobjectiveistoincludealsopeoplewithdisabilitiesintheinformation society, ‘eInclusion’. The budget for 2003 in this research domain will be aboutEUR36million.
GrantsfromtheEuropeanSocialFundaredirectlymanagedbytheMemberStatesinaccordancewiththeir
programming documents approved by the Commission. As it is a priority for the Commission toincorporate disability issues in every aspect of its employment and social policy, projects especiallytargetingpeoplewithdisabilitieshavebeenincludedinalltypeofmeasures(training,re-conversion,elderlyworkers…)sothatitisnotpossible,atCommunityleveltoidentifytheamountspentforthisspecifictargetgroup.
2. For the European Year of People with Disabilities a total amount of EUR13 million has been
allocated. This amount includes EUR272640 for a voluntary participation of European Free Trade
Association (EFTA) States and an amount of EUR780000 which was additionally allocated by theEuropeanParliamentatalaterstage.
3. AsageneralruletheparticipationinCommissionProgrammeshastobeviacallsfortenderorcalls
forproposalsforeachthematicfield.Accordingtothespecificationsforeachcallfortender/proposals,organisations,NGOsorpublicinstitutionsinallMemberStateshavethepossibilitytoapply.InrelationtotheSocialFundseereplytopoint1above.
FortheEuropeanYearofPeoplewithDisabilitiestheFederalRepublicofGermanyhasreceivedatotal
amountofEUR850000whichwasspentinlinewithnationalprioritiesviaanationalcallfortenderwithinaconsistentEuropeanframework.AdditionallyEUR90000wasallocatedforthenationalopeningceremony which took place in February 2003 in Magdeburg. All this funding has been taken upcompletelybytheFederalRepublicofGermany.
(2004/C58E/212) WRITTENQUESTIONE-2704/03
byLuigiVinci(GUE/NGL)totheCommission
(11September2003)
Subject:TransposalofDirective2000/78/ECof27November2000intoItalianlaw
On 3July 2003 the Italian Government adopted a draft legislative decree to meet the obligation to
transposeintonationallawtheprovisionsofDirective2000/78/EC,whichlaysdowncriteriaforequal6.3.2004EN C58E/197 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion