WRITTEN QUESTION E-3428/02 by Roberta Angelilli (UEN) to the Commission. Utilisation by the Municipality of Fiumicino of appropriations from EQUAL, the ESF and the IVth Action Programme on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men.
Date: 2002-12-02
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU programme, Latium, action programme, equal treatment, gender equality, project evaluation, project management

12.6.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 137 E/205

(2003/C 137 E/230)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3428/02

by Roberta Angelilli (UEN) to the Commission

(2 December 2002)

Subject: Utilisation by the Municipality of Fiumicino of appropriations from EQUAL, the ESF and the

IVth Action Programme on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men

In September 2002 the monitoring committee of the Italian Ministry of Finance published a statement
showing expenditure of funds provided by the EU.

The outcome of the survey gave particular cause for concern regarding the slowness and inefficiency of
local authorities in selecting projects with funds earmarked for the year 2000 amounting to only 2 % of
total CSF appropriations.

The Commission also has repeatedly expressed serious concern regarding the inadequate take-up of
European funds by local authorities.

Given that it is particularly important for certain local authorities, for example, the Municipality of
Fiumicino, to utilise Community funding for professional training and employment, equal opportunities
and social integration, can the Commission provide the following information:

1. Has the Municipality of Fiumicino submitted projects under the Equal Programme, the ESF and the

IVth Action Programme on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men?

2. Was the Municipality of Fiumicino awarded funding for these projects?

3. Were the funds in question utilised?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(23 January 2003)

Within the framework of the Structural Funds for the period 2000-2006, the Commission approved the
Objective 3 Operational Programme for the Lazio Region on 21 September 2000. The budget available is
EUR 884 million (45 % European Social Fund, 44 % national resources and 11 % regional resources), of
which EUR 90 million (10,3 %) are earmarked for equal opportunities.

Few projects have been selected at this early stage of the programming period, which explains the low rate
of completion. Nevertheless, during the 2000-2001 period, 740 projects were submitted under the equal
opportunities heading, of which 188 were approved and funded.

The EQUAL initiative, which is also financed by the European Social Fund, enables experimentation with
new approaches to tackling the discrimination and inequality suffered by employed persons and jobseekers
alike. EQUAL comprises nine thematic fields, one of which is equal opportunities for women and men.
The Municipality of Fiumicino is acting as a partner in the project entitled ‘Study and testing of integrated
territorial social and health services’, presented to the Lazio Region by a geographical
models of
development partnership.

The total cost of intervention is EUR 1 115 035. The activities related to action 2 of the EQUAL initiative
have just been launched and the data in question are not yet available.

The Municipality of Fiumicino has not received any funding under the Fourth Action Programme on Equal
Opportunities for Women and Men.