WRITTEN QUESTION E-2353/02 by Juan Naranjo Escobar (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Local dimension of the European employment strategy.
Date: 2002-07-31
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU employment policy, local employment initiative

17.4.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 92 E/157

fisheries management issues and that should therefore be examined, nothing in the proposal impedes them
from doing so. The Commission believes that it will be up to each regional advisory council to decide on
the precise tasks that they should accomplish. The Commission, however, believes that priority should be
given to fisheries management issues because it is for those very issues that the advice of the regional and
local actors is mostly needed.

(1) COM(2001) 135 final.
(2) OJ C 287, 12.10.2001.
(3) COM(2002) 181final.
(4) OJ C 203 E, 27.8.2002.

(2003/C 92 E/210)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2353/02

by Juan Naranjo Escobar (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Local dimension of the European employment strategy

(31 July 2002)

On Thursday, 4 July, the European Parliament adopted a report on strengthening the local dimension of
the European employment strategy, which was unanimously supported by all parliamentary groups.

Inter alia,
description ‘local market’.

the report stresses that one third of the total European labour market qualifies for the

What specific proposals and action plans does the Commission intend to implement as part of the recent
joint decision to step up incentives to improve local employment strategies?

In major cities, the labour market is more diversified and more integrated with its surroundings. More and
more urban districts are segregating in terms of their particular labour market characteristics (high
unemployment level, little specialisation, low quality jobs). What role could local employment strategies
play in these markets?

Answer given by Mrs. Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(11 September 2002)

Taking into account the principles of proportionality and subsidiarity, which are particularly relevant in
the field of local development, notably by fully respecting the national administrative and constitutional
arrangements of the Member States, the Commission endeavours to provide a favourable framework for
local employment. Local action strategies and programmes submitted by the national authorities within the
Structural Funds programmes receive Community financial support.

Moreover, the Commission will endeavour to raise awareness of the European Employment Strategy at all
levels, in particular at local level. All actors at local level, such as local and regional authorities, and in the
social economy, are encouraged to support the economic and social development of their territory by
setting up local employment partnerships.

In this context, a European Forum on Local Employment Development, to be held in May 2003, will
provide the opportunity for Community institutions, national, regional and local authorities and other key
actors at local level to promote the employment strategy and exchange good practice.

The Commission is also developing a number of analytical and methodological tools with a view to
improving the understanding and enhancing the efficiency of local employment strategies.

C 92 E/158

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

17.4.2003

The Commission agrees with the view that particular big cities face segregated and diverse labour markets.
Therefore, the Commission supports, notably through Community Initiatives, strategies to tackle the local
differences at the appropriate level where the needs and problems are best known and solutions can be
found,
in agreement between the levels concerned. The partnership and the territorial approaches in
developing local employment strategies have proved to be among the most efficient means of tackling
urban deprivation, maximising the impact of intervention and reinforcing the mutual benefits of the
various employment schemes.

(2003/C 92 E/211)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2357/02

by Marie Isler Béguin (Verts/ALE), Catherine Guy-Quint (PSE),
Elmar Brok (PPE-DE), Pedro Marset Campos (GUE/NGL), Lennart Sacrédeus (PPE-DE),
Monica Frassoni (Verts/ALE), Hans Modrow (GUE/NGL)
and David Martin (PSE) to the Commission

Subject: EU information policy in the republics of eastern Europe

(2 August 2002)

Knowledge and, therefore, an understanding of the projects and policies pursued by the European Union is
gaining ground on a daily basis and in the field through the Union’s information and documentation
networks in the Member States, the applicant countries and third countries. These information networks
comprise Info-Points Europe (1), European documentation centres (2), the rural information carrefours (3),
the Euro Info Centres (4) and the Team Europe conference speakers (5) situated in towns and cities.

These Union showcases and databases are efficient and effective sources of information for the general
public and other players in European societies, drawing their attention to and facilitating their participation
in programmes, projects and debates launched by the Union

In the short term, the enlargement of the Union to include the central European countries will mean a shift
in its eastern borders. This enlargement will produce a new EU perceived in a different light by countries
such as Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova, which have common links with European history and civilisation,
even though they are not at present officially recognised as candidates for participation in the process of
European integration. Although the Ukrainian Government has confirmed its willingness to forge closer
links with and take its place in the European Community, sentiments also previously expressed by the
leaders of Belarus and Moldova, Community information sources are at present confined to two European
documentation centres in Ukraine (population 50 million), one in Belarus (population 10 million) and
none in Moldova (population 4,5 million), whereas neighbouring Poland has some forty EU information
centres for its population of 40 million.

Is it not appropriate,
in the Commission’s view, to continue with its information campaign on our
institutions, our values and our policies, targeting the citizens of Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova (cid:1) in their
official national languages (cid:1) who will, in the short term, also be our immediate neighbours in an enlarged
EU?

Within what time-frame is the Commission prepared to increase the number of information offices and
networks in these three European countries and to how many?

(1) http://europa.eu.int/comm/relays/ipe/index_en.htm.
(2) http://europa.eu.int/comm/relays/edc/index_en.htm.
(3) http://europa.eu.int/comm/relays/carrefours/index_en.htm.
(4) http://bre.cec.eu.int.
(5) http://europa.eu.int/comm/relays/teameurope/index_en.htm.

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(27 September 2002)

The Commission welcomes the positive view expressed by the Honourable Members that knowledge and
understanding of the policies pursued and projects implemented by the Union are gaining ground thanks
to the information and dissemination networks in the Member States, the applicant countries and third
countries.