WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1169/97 by Gerardo FERNÁNDEZ-ALBOR to the Commission. Community action on behalf of the homeless
Date: 1997-04-03
Institutions: European Parliament, FERNANDEZ ALBOR
Subjects: catering, homelessness, marginalisation, poverty, reintegration into working life, social facilities, social integration













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91997E1169

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1169/97 by Gerardo FERNÁNDEZ-ALBOR to the Commission. Community action on behalf of the homeless  


Official Journal C 319 , 18/10/1997 P. 0241 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-1169/97 by Gerardo Fernández-Albor (PPE) to the Commission (3 April 1997)Subject: Community action on behalf of the homelessThe European Monitoring Centre for the Homeless estimates that some 5 million Community citizens are living on the streets. In the various Member States, a range of programmes of different types are underway to tackle this situation by setting up shelter services, dining rooms, day centres, occupational workshops, supervised centres and even reintegration enterprises. Such measures, however, are only partial and will not solve the pressing human problem of homeless people, whose sufferings include not only loneliness and rootlessness, but also very low self-esteem due to their feeling of social uselessness.Can the Commission state what Community policy is with regard to this problem, and whether it believes that in conjunction with the Member States, a medium- and long-term policy should be developed to provide all Community citizens with a place to live?Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission (30 April 1997)The problem of homelessness is dealt with under the more general matter of social exclusion, homelessness being an extreme form of social excusion. In this area the Commission has undertaken to support the efforts of the Member States, who hold the main responsibility for the economic and social integration of the most vulnerable individuals and groups.In this context, the Commission submitted to the Council in 1993 a proposal for a medium-term action programme (1994-1999) to combat exclusion and promote solidarity ((COM(93) 435. )). The Council is still considering this proposal.Additionally, in 1995 and 1996 the Commission had an allocation earmarked under budget heading B3-4103 for measures to combat poverty and social exclusion. The total allocation for this budget heading in 1996 was 9 mecu, of which 1.5 mecu was earmarked for housing and homelessness. The United Kingdom appealed to the Court of Justice, contesting the legality of funding projects in 1995 and 1996 from budget heading B3-4103. In September 1996 the President of the Court of Justice issued an order relating to interim measures, whereby the Commission was allowed to sign contracts in 1996 but not to make any payments until after delivery of the judgment, and only if the Commission won the case.There is no sum earmarked for homelessness under heading B3-4103 in the 1997 budget. This does not exclude the possibility of certain measures to help the homeless being funded under Community initiatives such as Emploi (and the new Integra programme within this initiative), URBAN or Leonardo.Also, the Commission continues to support Feantsa (the European Federation of National Organisations working with the homeless) and the associated Monitoring Centre.