WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2254/97 by Amedeo AMADEO to the Commission. European voluntary service for young people
10. 2. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 45/163 (98/C 45/214) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2254/97 by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission (2 July 1997) Subject: European voluntary service for young people The Commission has submitted a proposal for a European Parliament and Council decision establishing the Community action programme European voluntary service for young peopleí (COM(96) 610 final › 96/0318 COD). Will the Commission endeavour to avoid possible distortion of the labour market? In particular, will the Commission bear in mind that: › workersí and employersí organizations should be associated with the programme, in order to ensure that voluntary work does not take the place of normal employment? It is clear that the Commission proposal can be adopted only if there is a guarantee that full employment will not be replaced by voluntary service. › the social partners need to open a dialogue with NGOs involved in humanitarian projects where the assistance of volunteers may be needed? (98/C 45/215) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2255/97 by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission (2 July 1997) Subject: European voluntary service for young people The Commission has submitted a proposal for a European Parliament and Council decision establishing the Community action programme European voluntary service for young people (COM(96) 610 final › 96/0318 COD). By offering young people opportunities for integration into working life and acquiring professional and work experience, the voluntary service could help combat exclusion and youth unemployment, giving Community value added and having a desirable multiplier effect on Member Statesí policies for young people. Will the Commission recognize the need to guarantee young people social protection (sickness and accident insurance, civil liability) during their voluntary service and to ensure that they retain their rights to unemployment benefit and family allowances while undertaking service in another Member State? Joint answer to Written Questions E-2254/97 and E-2255/97 given by Mrs Cresson on behalf of the Commission (5 August 1997) European voluntary service provides young people with a non-formal educational experience. It gives them the opportunity to immerse themselves in another cultural and social context and to familiarise themselves with another language. It also helps to promote their broader personal development by allowing them to take on responsibilities, work as part of a team and contribute to the development of projects in another Member State. The Commission has stressed since the launching of the pilot action of European voluntary service in 1996 that young volunteers should certainly not be regarded as a source of cheap labour or as means of substituting for existing or potential paid jobs. The aims of European voluntary service are educational. The activities in which volunteers are involved help to provide an added value to local projects in the social, environmental or cultural field, or to develop new initiatives in these areas. The Commission carefully considers potential risks of job substitution in its assessment of proposals to host volunteers. It also examines the opinions on each project provided by the national structures responsible for European voluntary service, taking into account the specific national context. The Commission has explained the serious consideration which it gives to this issue in discussions with the Economic and social committee, which has adopted two positive opinions on European voluntary service. The Commission has also strongly encouraged Member States to involve the social partners in committees set up at national level to oversee the selection of projects