WRITTEN QUESTION E-1508/98

by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE) to the Commission

(13 May 1998)

Subject: The information society and social and economic cohesion

In its report A-0399/97, Parliament's Committee on Regional Policy points out that access to the information society in general and, specifically, the ability to use information and subsequently convert it into relevant knowledge call for special training. The Amsterdam Treaty states that "Member States and the Community shall, in accordance with this title, work towards developing a coordinated strategy for employment and particularly for promoting a skilled, trained and adaptable workforce and labour markets responsive to economic change with a view to achieving objectives defined in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union and in Article 2 of this Treaty", (Section II, Chapter 3, Article 1 of a new title to be included after the existing Title VI of the EC Treaty).

Could the Commission say whether or not it has taken into account (and, where appropriate, incorporated) these considerations concerning the information society in the final proposals for reform of the Structural Funds which were approved by the College of Commissioners on 18 March 1998, particularly in the context of the new Objective 3 devoted to human resources?

Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission

(22 June 1998)

In its proposal for a Council regulation relating to the European social fund(1), the Commission has proposed that the Fund shall support human resource development measures. In particular the European social fund shall contribute to the actions undertaken in pursuance of the European employment strategy and the annual guidelines on employment supporting and complementing the activities of Member States in the following policy fields:

- developing active labour market policies to combat unemployment, to prevent long-term unemployment, facilitate the re-integration of the long-term unemployed in the labour market, and to support the occupational integration of young people and of returners to the labour market;

- promoting social inclusion and equal opportunities for all in accessing the labour market;

- developing education and training systems as part of lifelong learning policy to enhance and sustain employability, mobility, and integration into the labour market;

- improving systems to promote a skilled, trained and adaptable workforce, foster innovation and adaptability in work organisation, support entrepreneurship and employment creation, and boost human potential in research, science and technology;

- improving the participation of women in the labour market including their career development, their access to new job opportunities and to entrepreneurship, and reducing vertical and horizontal segregation in the labour market.

Article 2 paragraph 3 of the proposed regulation indicates that the social and labour market dimensions of the information society shall be taken into account, notably by developing policy and programmes designed to harness the employment potential of the information society and to ensure equal access to its facilities and benefits.

(1) COM(98) 131 final.