CELEX: 51977PC0253
Language: en
Date: 1977-06-13
Title: Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION modifying the Decision 75/458/EEC concerning a programme of pilot schemes and studies to combat poverty (submitted to the Council by the Commission)

ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES
DE LA COMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEE DES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM (77) 253
Vol. 1977/0089
 ---pagebreak--- Disclaimer
Conformément au règlement (CEE, Euratom) n° 354/83 du Conseil du 1er février 1983
concernant l'ouverture au public des archives historiques de la Communauté économique
européenne et de la Communauté européenne de l'énergie atomique (JO L 43 du 15.2.1983,
p. 1), tel que modifié par le règlement (CE, Euratom) n° 1700/2003 du 22 septembre 2003
(JO L 243 du 27.9.2003, p. 1), ce dossier est ouvert au public. Le cas échéant, les documents
classifiés présents dans ce dossier ont été déclassifiés conformément à l'article 5 dudit
règlement.
In accordance with Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 354/83 of 1 February 1983
concerning the opening to the public of the historical archives of the European Economic
Community and the European Atomic Energy Community (OJ L 43, 15.2.1983, p. 1), as
amended by Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1700/2003 of 22 September 2003 (OJ L 243,
27.9.2003, p. 1), this file is open to the public. Where necessary, classified documents in this
file have been declassified in conformity with Article 5 of the aforementioned regulation.
In Übereinstimmung mit der Verordnung (EWG, Euratom) Nr. 354/83 des Rates vom 1.
Februar 1983 über die Freigabe der historischen Archive der Europäischen
Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft und der Europäischen Atomgemeinschaft (ABI. L 43 vom 15.2.1983,
S. 1), geändert durch die Verordnung (EG, Euratom) Nr. 1700/2003 vom 22. September 2003
(ABI. L 243 vom 27.9.2003, S. 1), ist diese Datei der Öffentlichkeit zugänglich. Soweit
erforderlich, wurden die Verschlusssachen in dieser Datei in Übereinstimmung mit Artikel 5
der genannten Verordnung freigegeben.
 ---pagebreak---  COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
                                                    COM(77)253 final.
                                                    Brussels , 13 June 1977
                          \ .
                            (
                       \
                                  Proposal for a
                                 COUNCIL DECISION
              modifying the Decision 75/458/EEC concerning
     a programme of pilot schemes and studies to combat poverty
               I
              ( submitted to the Council by the Commission)
                                                  \
                         \          V^A
            Y    \
                   A       ^ \ EH
                               ^  .r                           /
COM(77 ) 253 final .
                              •                                     I
 ---pagebreak---                              EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
               In its Resolution of 21 January 1974 concerning a social action
 programme the Council adopted as a priority measure " the implementation * in
 co-operation with the Member States , of specific measures to combat poverty by
 drawing up pilot schemes ". The Commission accordingly developed a proposal setting
 out the objectives for a programme of pilot schemes and studies , the criteria for
 selecting projects and the modalities for Community support , which was the basis
 for the Council Decision of 22 July 1975 . This Decision authorised the Commission
to provide financial assistance to " schemes " ( i.e. action-research projects as
 defined in Article 1 of the Decision ) and to assist or carry out studies " within
the limits of the relevant appropriations entered in the budget of the Communities
 for 1975 and 1976".
               A list of 21 schemes and 2 trans-national studies was approved by
 the Commission on 27 November 1975 and contracts for the first year 's work were
 signed on 1 December 1975 . A further series of contracts was   signed on 1 December
 1976 covering the period to 1 December 1977 . On 17 January 1977 the Commission
presented to the Council a report on the progress of the programme based on reports
 from the individual projects received in October 1976 .
               The first publications resulting from the work of the projects will
 appear during the course of 1977 .
 Practically ail the schemes plan to continue work beyond 1 December 1977 . The
 Commission 's report indicates that , with the exception of 2 schemes in Luxembourg
where the Luxembourg government withdrew financial support before t|ie projects
started work , all the schemes are well established and can be expected to produce
useful results . Widespread favourable comment has appeared in press^ radio and
television .
                                                       /
               The present proposal to modify the Decision of 22 July 1975 seeks
first of all to remove the two year limit on the programme now that it has demonstra­
ted its effectiveness . The total      financial support which the Commission could
                                                          »
give to schemes would henceforward be determined each year within the framework
of the overall Community budget . An amount has already been agreed for the pro­
gramme in the " 977 budget by the budgetary authorities in November 1976 ,
 ---pagebreak---                       The second proposed modification seeks to remove the closing date
for the submission of schemes by the Member States which was fixed at 1 July 1976 . This
would enable new schemes to be introduced to give balance to the programme ( e.g. to give
a better territorial spread ) and provide greater flexibility in financial arrangements
( e.q . it was imoossible to introduce a new scheme in the later part of 1976 to take up t
money released by the abandonment of the Luxembourg projects ).
                     Finally the date for the first report of the Commission to the Counc -
is no longer relevant and this clause is to be dropped . The Commission intends to report
regularly to the Council on the progress of the programme but it is proposed that the ser
ces of the Commission should be free to determine the most appropriate date for the subn
sion of reports in the light of the rhythtnof activity in the projects .
 ---pagebreak---                                COUNCIL DECISION
          modifying the Decision 75/458/^^ concerning a programme
               of pilot schemes and. studies to combat poverty
The Council of the European Communities
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community , and in
particular Article 235 thereof;
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission;
Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament ;
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee ;
Whereas in its Decision 75/458/EEC of 22 July 1975 concerning the programme of
pilot schemes and studies to combat poverty(l ) the Council empowered the
Commission to promote or provide financial assistance for pilot schemes to test
and develop new methods of helping persons "beset "by or threatened with poverty
and to promote , cariy out or provide financial assistance for pilot studies to
improve understanding of the nature , causes , scope and mechanics of poverty in
the Community , within the limits of the relevant appropriations entered in the
budget of the Communities for 1975 an(i 1976 ;
Whereas the Commission has established a programme of 19 projects proposed "by
the Member States and 2 cross–national studies and has submitted a report to
the Council on 17 January 1977 on "the successful progress of this programme ;
Whereas none of the projects proposed by the Member States has been completed
before the end of 197^ and it is desirable that the projects be supported
until such time as results are available from which concrete information can be
drawn as well as that a limited number of further projects may be financed ;
Whereas it is necessary to modify the Decision 75/458/sEC so as to follow
through with the action described above ,
Has decided as follows :
( 1 ) OJ No L 199 of 30.7.1975 , p. 34
 ---pagebreak---                                        - 2 -
                                      Article 1
            Hie Decision' 75/ 458/EEC shall be modified as follows s
                                                             i
( a ) Article 1 , first part of paragraph 1 to read :
       " To provide concrete information for the Member States and the Community ,
         the Commission may, within the limits of the relevant appropriations entered
         in the budget of the Communities " ( the remainder to rest unchanged ).
< b ) Article 6 to re«d :
       " The Commission shall submit reports to the Council and the European
         Parliament on the available results of operations carried out with financial
         assistance from the Community".
 < c ) The second sub-paragraph of the present Article 7 to be deleted .
                                      Article 2
            This Decision shall enter into force on the fifth day following that
of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities .
                                                     (
 ---pagebreak---                              FINANCIAL STATEMENT
A         c:-;s : INTERVENTION CREDITS
1 . Budget line : : 3060
2 . Title of Budget line : Pilot projects to combat poverty
2 . Juridical basis : Council Decision of 21.1 . 1974 and 22 . 7« 1975
                          ( valid for the budgets 1975 and 19?6)«
    New decision submitted to the Council in 1977 »
4 . Description , objective(s ) and justification of the action t
    4.0 Description of the action : persons concerned t
   4.0.0 . Description :
            Pilot projects to combat poverty in specific neighbourhoods or district ^
            concerning specific categories of people or as regards the creation or
            improvement of services concerned with the problems of poverty ; also
 •          research projects and studies ; eventually the evaluation of progress and
            results .
            Tnese projects , which are of particular interest to the Community , will
            experiment with new methods of approach to the problem of poverty.
   4.0.1 Persons concerned ( outside the Commission ) :
   4.0.1.0 .    Category : People so deprived of resources as to be excluded from the
                             normal patterns of living (" the fourth world ").
   4-0.1.1 .    Nuraber : undetermined
   4.0.1.2 .    Geographical location : all Member States of the Community.
4.1 Objectives of the actipn
   4„i„0 . General objective :       a3 set out in the Resolution of the Council of
                                     21.1.1974 , i.e. "to realise , in co-operation with
                                     the Member States , specific measures to oombat poverty by
                                     preparing pilot Scheines "«
 ---pagebreak---                                 -2-
     4 . 1.1 . The more tspecific objective of the action and its contribution
 • ,,           to the general objective : the conduct of experiments within
                dilforent Member States and adapted to differing conditions
   *
                of poverty will permit the development of effective strategies
                which the Member States say adopt , possibly with support
                from the Community , within the context of their overall
                policies to combat poverty .
     4.1.2 . For this purpose the Council adopted a Decision on 22.7.1975
                authorising the Commission to give financial support to &
                programme of schemes as set out in the budgets for 1975
                and 1976 . On the basis of the experience gained the new
                proposal attached provides for an extension of the programme .
4.2 . Justification for the action chosen to attain the objectives .
         The specific advantage of a Community programme is that it permits
         the co-ordination of projects at an international level , the
         systematic disemination of results and the identification of
         fundamental elements in common problems . Bearing this in Hind
         the action of the Member States through the medium of the
         Community may well be more effective than the simple cumulation
         of their separate efforts and facilitate a noro rapid solution
         to this important human and social problem .
5 - Credits ( see table attached )
5.1 . Phasing of expenditure :
         The phasing of expenditure will be governed by contractual
         arrangements . Consequently the pattern of expenditure will bo
         approximately as follows :
         - about 10# of the available amount will be spent during the
            first year ;
         - about 60# of the sum allocated in each budgetary year will be
            spent in the second year ;
         - the balance will be spent the following year .
5.2 . Method of calculation :
         The estimated expenditure covering 25 schemes ist 9 couatriea aeouats
          to 7 fauc for 1977 , of this && asHouxt of 3*5        is provided far
          support fross the Ccsnsissieu , that is aa average subvention
          + 1 40 v 000 11 c* •
          The estit&Ai.fd expenditure for 2" 3 c   *3 :.<s v                        t»
          10 ÎÛUC for 1S76 .
          Of this &a. ii/ coat    3 ta'ac la                 ' r'*'        vos.'-iai«j$.4.0i4
 ---pagebreak---   • • -that is an average subvention of +. 150,000 uc with a provision
        of 50,000 e.u.a for evaluation expenses .
According to the data at present available the expenditure for 1979
and 1980 should remain constant in real teras at the level for 1978 .
6.     System of Control :
 * 6'. 0 . Each scheme will fee carried out on the basis of a contract which
           will provide for possible site inspections ( files , books ,,
           and other accounting documents ).
   6.1 . The progress of the schemes will be subject to regular rvports .
           The Commission will also develop appropriate systems for
           the evaluation of action-research schemes in consultation i
           with the competent authorities .
   6.2 . Government and independent experts will be consulted en all
           important problems arising from the operation of the programme ,
           in particular as regards evaluation of the results of thi> schemes
           and studies and co-operation and co-ordination between th®
           private and public bodies concerned .
 ---pagebreak---                               EXPENDITURE AND FORECAST OF THE CREDITS REQUESTED FOR THE PROGRAMME TO COMBAT POVERTY
                                   ( All figures are quoted i* uc uatil the end of 1977 and im eua from 1978 )
Ï
|
ï
            r^a^eTrents.                 1975              1976    jI
                                                                               Paymcats
                                                                                1977                  1978         1979           1980
                                                                                           i
!          1975         2.500.000     462.000         1.784.000              180.000
î
i                    –
           1976         2.485.000                                          1.491.000            99^.000
                                                                                                             S
                                                                       C i              i
           1977         2.500.000
                  (1)     + 44.000                                           400.000          1.860.000        1.240.000
                                                                           -  44.000 ( 1 )                               Γ
           1978         5.000.000                                                               640.000        2.616.000   | 1.7H.000
                                                                                                           l
                                                                                                                           i
 f-'-"*"""   """■                                                                           i    f
 | 1979
 «
                                                                                            i
 »*
 | 1980
                   ( 1 ) Carry over submitted to the Council