WRITTEN QUESTION E-1493/00 by Mauro Nobilia (UEN) to the Commission. Use of ESF for vocational retraining courses in Italy.
Date: 2000-05-11
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Campania, European Social Fund, Italy, competence of the Member States, rail transport, updating of skills

C 46 E/198

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

13.2.2001

(2001/C 46 E/235)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1493/00

by Mauro Nobilia (UEN) to the Commission

(11 May 2000)

Subject: Use of ESF for vocational retraining courses in Italy

On 25 May 1999 a trade-union agreement was signed between the Regional Transport Division of the
Italian Railways and the National federal trade union secretariats on courses for retraining, technological
innovation, company reorganisation and occupational reskilling, co-financed by the European Social Fund
and the Ministry of Labour. The programmes under way involve approximately 2 165 employees from all
the FGCGs (railway companies for which government trustees have been appointed), at different stages of
training. For the purposes of co-funding from the ESF, in selecting the staff that would attend the courses,
priority had to be given to the requirements of innovation, reorganisation and vocational retraining and
participation had to reflect the various levels of workers in the firms concerned. However, the government
trustee for the Circumvesuviana line in the Campania region has applied for and obtained funding
exclusively for advanced level courses (management, coordinators, project analysts, supervisory and
managerial staff, etc.) neglecting retraining courses for those at a lower level. Participants in the courses
have been chosen directly by the company(cid:146)s management. Eight courses have taken place so far and it is
not clear on the basis of what criteria the company applied for funding for the courses concerned.

The Commission:

1. Will it therefore check whether this is the actual position?

2. Will it ascertain whether the criteria applied for selecting participants in the courses are in breach of

the rules governing the use of ESF funds?

3.

If appropriate, will it establish where responsibility lies for any mismanagement of ESF funds?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(27 June 2000)

Judging from what the Honourable Member reports, the Commission considers that there have been no
irregularities or infringements of Community law. The party who wants to develop certain job skills in a
productive sector is the only one responsible for such a choice.

The matter must ultimately be addressed in the context of regional vocational training policy, which lays
down criteria for access to Community co-funding.

The Commission has no role to play in this decision-making process, because these areas do not come
within the Commission(cid:146)s remit in managing the structural funds.

That said, the choice of the job categories to be trained seems to be unclear, judging from the information
provided by the Honourable Member.

Hence the Commission will request information from the Campania regional authorities.

(2001/C 46 E/236)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1508/00

by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission

(12 May 2000)

Subject: Establishment of Limited Companies in Austria

Does not the Commission believe that the financial and bureaucratic rules governing the establishment of
limited companies discriminate against non-Austrians trying to do business in Austria? Will the Com-
mission make representations to the Austrian Government seeking the abolition of these barriers to free
trade?