WRITTEN QUESTION E-2393/03 by Bill Miller (PSE) to the Commission. The Commission's White Paper A New Impetus for European Youth.
Date: 2003-07-21
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Bavaria, hotel industry, open method of coordination, tax exemption, youth policy

C 33 E/260

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

6.2.2004

(2004/C 33 E/269)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2387/03

by Raffaele Costa (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(18 July 2003)

Subject: Creation of workplace health promotion infrastructures

The Union’s public health competences include the promotion of workplace safety.
the
Commission funded a programme for the creation of workplace health promotion infrastructures,
contributing the sum of EUR 985 000 to the Federal Association of Company Health Insurance Funds
(Essen). The objectives of this programme include the development of support infrastructures at national
level in implementation of the Union’s workplace health promotion policy. Can the Commission state
what structures have been created by each of the Member States involved in the programme? Has the
Commission arranged for monitoring of the programme’s results?

In 2002,

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(14 August 2003)

The Honourable Member refers to a grant agreement within the Community Action Programme on Health
Promotion, Information, Education and Training, which is currently carried out in all Member States, the
three European Economic Area (EEA) countries and five candidate countries by the European Network for
Workplace Health Promotion (ENWHP). The objectives of this grant agreement include the development of
supportive infrastructures at national level for the dissemination and implementation of effective strategies
in workplace health promotion and policies.

These supportive infrastructures, which are also, named as national forum for workplace health promotion
form a platform at national level for exchange of knowledge and experiences as well as for joint actions of
all stakeholders in workplace health improvement. Common goals and rules for closely working together
shall be developed, in accordance with national priorities and practices. In most countries participating in
this project the national forum will have an informal status and will decide through consensus building on
a voluntary basis. The national
involve institutional stakeholders such as governmental,
regional and other competent authorities, Social Partners and representatives of social security institutions
and non-institutional stakeholders such as enterprises, professional and intermediate associations and
granting institutions.

forum shall

The members of the European Network for Workplace Health Promotion have started to initiate the
development of an informal national forum for workplace health promotion on their territory. These
initiatives will use already established networks for health and safety at workplace and workplace health
improvements at European and national level as far as possible or will have to create new structures in
form of networks or platforms. The final results of this project,
in particular, the status and working
procedures of the supportive infrastructures at national level in relation to workplace health promotion
will be presented at the 4th European Conference of the European Network for Workplace Health
Promotion on 14-15 June 2004 in Dublin.

(2004/C 33 E/270)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2393/03

by Bill Miller (PSE) to the Commission

(21 July 2003)

Subject: The Commission’s White Paper ‘A New Impetus for European Youth’

Hostels in the Bavarian region of Germany currently impose age limits of 26 years old on visitors in order
for the hostel to be eligible for tax exemption. How will this White Paper affect the current age limit

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Official Journal of the European Union

C 33 E/261

stipulated by the Bavarian region of Germany? Is it legal for them to impose age limits in the first place? It
is currently the only region in Germany to allow age limits in hostels.

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(27 August 2003)

The White Paper on youth (1), ‘A New Impetus for European Youth’ aims at suggesting a new framework
for cooperation in youth policy. This new framework, which includes the open method of cooperation,
was endorsed by the Council in its Resolution of 27 June 2002 (2) and applies to the four thematic political
priorities: participation, information, a greater understanding of youth and voluntary activities.

The White Paper is therefore a first step towards an enhanced cooperation in the youth field and can only
deal with a certain number of thematic priorities identified by young people, thereby fully respecting the
Member States’ subsidiarity in this field. The White Paper aims at giving major political orientations on
youth in Europe and does thus not tackle tax questions.

(1) COM(2001) 681 final.
(2) Resolution of the Council and of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, Meeting within the
Council of 27 June 2002 regarding the framework of European cooperation in the youth field (OJ C 168,
13.7.2002, p. 2).

(2004/C 33 E/271)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2394/03

by Bill Miller (PSE) to the Commission

(21 July 2003)

Subject: Status of the Commission’s White Paper ‘A New Impetus for European Youth’

What is the current status of the Commission’s White Paper ‘A New Impetus for European Youth’ (1)?

(1) COM/2001/0681 final.

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(29 August 2003)

White Papers published by the Commission are documents containing proposals for Community action in
a specific field. If a White Paper is viewed positively by the Council it can lead to the launching of Union
action in the field concerned.

The White Paper ‘A new impetus for European youth’, adopted by the Commission on 21 November
2001, proposes in particular the implementation of cooperation in the youth field, covering four thematic
information, voluntary activity and greater understanding and knowledge of
priorities:
youth’.

‘participation,

The Council took a positive view of the White Paper and adopted the Resolution of 27 June 2002 (1)
regarding the framework of European cooperation in the youth field. This Resolution implements the
proposals set out in the Commission’s White Paper.

On participation and information, the Commission presented a synthesis report (2) and draft common
objectives (3) on the basis of suggestions from the Member States. The Council discussed these Commission
documents in May 2003.