WRITTEN QUESTION P-2448/99 by Ilkka Suominen (PPE-DE) to the Council. Future of the EU's Youth programme and of the Council of Youth Ministers.
Date: 1999-12-13
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Council of the European Union, EU programme, young person

1.8.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 219 E/165

Reply

(31 January 2000)

An Evaluation Report on the Humanitarian Situation in Northern Iraq of June 1999, commissioned and
financed by the European Commission, gives an overview of the humanitarian situation in Kurdish
controlled areas of northern Iraq. It is clear from the report that there are numerous necessary and urgent
basic humanitarian needs that must be attended to, such as mine clearance, malnutrition and rehabilitation
of water plants. To these necessary activities must be added study and assessment of the effects of chemical
and other weapons of mass destruction on the overall living conditions in northern Iraq. The implementa-
tion of the oil-for-food programme needs to be speeded up and streamlined which requires the full
cooperation of the Iraqi government. An effective implementation of humanitarian assistance would also
be facilitated by an improvement of the political situation in northern Iraq. The recent normalisation
measures agreed between the two main Kurdish Parties are important in this context. The Council, assisted
by the Secretary General/High Representative for the CFSP, will continue to closely monitor the situation
in Iraq,
including the northern provinces, and contribute to ensuring an adequate response from the
European Union when circumstances so permit to the needs of the Iraqi people.

(2000/C 219 E/209)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2444/99

by John Cushnahan (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(16 December 1999)

Subject: Early retirement scheme

Has the Commission made a decision as to when farmers will be paid compensation following the 5,055 %
reduction in the Early Retirement Pension Scheme arising from the introduction of the Euro in January
1999 to participants who joined the scheme prior to 1998?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(21 December 1999)

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its answer to written question No E-2170/99 by
Mr McCartin (1).

(1)

See page 110.

(2000/C 219 E/210)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2448/99

by Ilkka Suominen (PPE-DE) to the Council

(13 December 1999)

Subject: Future of the EU(cid:146)s Youth programme and of the Council of Youth Ministers

Putting the EU(cid:146)s youth programme into practice has been one of the Finnish Presidency(cid:146)s major objectives.
However, it now appears that the implementation of the youth programme, which was intended to be
launched at the beginning of next year, may be postponed owing to intervention by some Member States
in the programme(cid:146)s budget.

In his report, the Secretary-General of the Council proposes the holding of Council meetings on an
irregular basis and the abolition of the Council of Youth Ministers. This formation of the Council has
brought about significant programmes which have noticeably improved the freedom of movement of
young people in Europe, and this in turn has actively helped ensure that (cid:145)closeness to the citizen(cid:146) has
found a place on the European Union(cid:146)s agenda.

C 219 E/166

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

1.8.2000

What measures does the Council propose to take to guarantee the implementation of the EU(cid:146)s youth
programme according to the planned timetable?

Does the Council propose to ensure that the Council of Youth Ministers can continue its work?

Reply

(31 January 2000)

Regarding the future Youth programme the honourable member will be aware that according to the Treaty
(Article 251 (cid:129) codecision procedure) the Council has three months in which to approve or not approve
the European Parliament(cid:146)s second reading amendments, and thereafter, in the case of non-approval, six
weeks within which to convene the conciliation committee. It must, however, be stressed that it is very
much the Council(cid:146)s wish that this programme be adopted as soon as possible in the new year.

As far as the future of the (cid:145)Youth(cid:146) Council is concerned, it should be pointed out that the general question
of the future organisation of the Council(cid:146)s work was on the agenda of the Helsinki European Council, and
that though the European Council decided to reduce to a maximum of fifteen the number of Council
formation(cid:146)s, no firm decisions have yet been made as to which compositions of the Council will or will not
continue to meet. Nonetheless, it should be made very clear that initiatives concerning the youth sector at
European level will continue to be given their due place on the agenda of the Council, irrespective of the
composition of the Council concerned.

(2000/C 219 E/211)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2450/99

by Mathieu Grosch (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(13 December 1999)

Subject: Community action programme for youth

the Commission submitted a proposal

for a European
On 28 August 1998,
Parliament and Council Decision establishing the Community action programme for youth for the period
2000-2004. After the second reading by the European Parliament on 28 October 1999, that Decision was
submitted to the Council for second reading.
If the negotiations fail to culminate in an acceptable
compromise, the programme will not be able to begin, as provided for, on 1 January 2000.

(COM(1998) 331) (1)

Should the Council and the European Parliament

1.
to reach agreement, will a transitional
programme be implemented in place of the real programme, or will the organisations and young people
concerned be left in limbo?

fail

If a transitional programme were to be implemented, would it follow the guidelines of the old action

2.
programme or of the new one?

(1) OJ C 311, 10.10.1998, p. 6.

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(17 December 1999)

At this stage, a final compromise has not yet been reached between the Council and Parliament concerning
the Youth programme. It is planned to hold the first meeting of the Conciliation Committee on 13 January
2000, under the Portuguese Presidency. The Commission is confident that the new programme will be
adopted. Insofar as the conciliation procedure will have to be concluded in the course of the first quarter
of 2000, everything has been done to ensure continuity of the programme.