WRITTEN QUESTION P-2448/99 by Ilkka Suominen (PPE-DE) to the Council. Future of the EU's Youth programme and of the Council of Youth Ministers.
1. 8. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 219 E/165 Reply (31 January 2000) An Evaluation Report on the Humanitarian Situation in Northern Iraq of June 1999, commissioned and financed by the European Commission, gives an overview of the humanitarian situation in Kurdish controlled areas of northern Iraq. It is clear from the report that there are numerous necessary and urgent basic humanitarian needs that must be attended to, such as mine clearance, malnutrition and rehabilitation of water plants. To these necessary activities must be added study and assessment of the effects of chemical and other weapons of mass destruction on the overall living conditions in northern Iraq. The implementa- tion of the oil-for-food programme needs to be speeded up and streamlined which requires the full cooperation of the Iraqi government. An effective implementation of humanitarian assistance would also be facilitated by an improvement of the political situation in northern Iraq. The recent normalisation measures agreed between the two main Kurdish Parties are important in this context. The Council, assisted by the Secretary General/High Representative for the CFSP, will continue to closely monitor the situation in Iraq, including the northern provinces, and contribute to ensuring an adequate response from the European Union when circumstances so permit to the needs of the Iraqi people. (2000/C 219 E/209) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2444/99 by John Cushnahan (PPE-DE) to the Commission (16 December 1999) Subject: Early retirement scheme Has the Commission made a decision as to when farmers will be paid compensation following the 5,055 % reduction in the Early Retirement Pension Scheme arising from the introduction of the Euro in January 1999 to participants who joined the scheme prior to 1998? Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (21 December 1999) The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its answer to written question No E-2170/99 by Mr McCartin (1). (1) See page 110. (2000/C 219 E/210) WRITTEN QUESTION P-2448/99 by Ilkka Suominen (PPE-DE) to the Council (13 December 1999) Subject: Future of the EUís Youth programme and of the Council of Youth Ministers Putting the EUís youth programme into practice has been one of the Finnish Presidencyís major objectives. However, it now appears that the implementation of the youth programme, which was intended to be launched at the beginning of next year, may be postponed owing to intervention by some Member States in the programmeís budget. In his report, the Secretary-General of the Council proposes the holding of Council meetings on an irregular basis and the abolition of the Council of Youth Ministers. This formation of the Council has brought about significant programmes which have noticeably improved the freedom of movement of young people in Europe, and this in turn has actively helped ensure that ácloseness to the citizení has found a place on the European Unionís agenda. C 219 E/166 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 1. 8. 2000 What measures does the Council propose to take to guarantee the implementation of the EUís youth programme according to the planned timetable? Does the Council propose to ensure that the Council of Youth Ministers can continue its work? Reply (31 January 2000) Regarding the future Youth programme the honourable member will be aware that according to the Treaty (Article 251 ü codecision procedure) the Council has three months in which to approve or not approve the European Parliamentís second reading amendments, and thereafter, in the case of non-approval, six weeks within which to convene the conciliation committee. It must, however, be stressed that it is very much the Councilís wish that this programme be adopted as soon as possible in the new year. As far as the future of the Youthí Council is concerned, it should be pointed out that the general question of the future organisation of the Councilís work was on the agenda of the Helsinki European Council, and that though the European Council decided to reduce to a maximum of fifteen the number of Council formationís, no firm decisions have yet been made as to which compositions of the Council will or will not continue to meet. Nonetheless, it should be made very clear that initiatives concerning the youth sector at European level will continue to be given their due place on the agenda of the Council, irrespective of the composition of the Council concerned. (2000/C 219 E/211) WRITTEN QUESTION P-2450/99 by Mathieu Grosch (PPE-DE) to the Commission (13 December 1999) Subject: Community action programme for youth the Commission submitted a proposal for a European On 28 August 1998, Parliament and Council Decision establishing the Community action programme for youth for the period 2000-2004. After the second reading by the European Parliament on 28 October 1999, that Decision was submitted to the Council for second reading. If the negotiations fail to culminate in an acceptable compromise, the programme will not be able to begin, as provided for, on 1 January 2000. (COM(1998) 331) (1) Should the Council and the European Parliament 1. to reach agreement, will a transitional programme be implemented in place of the real programme, or will the organisations and young people concerned be left in limbo? fail If a transitional programme were to be implemented, would it follow the guidelines of the old action 2. programme or of the new one? (1) OJ C 311, 10. 10. 1998, p. 6. Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission (17 December 1999) At this stage, a final compromise has not yet been reached between the Council and Parliament concerning the Youth programme. It is planned to hold the first meeting of the Conciliation Committee on 13 January 2000, under the Portuguese Presidency. The Commission is confident that the new programme will be adopted. Insofar as the conciliation procedure will have to be concluded in the course of the first quarter of 2000, everything has been done to ensure continuity of the programme