WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1392/98 by Richard HOWITT to the Commission. Disability actions (pilot project)
C 386/122 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 11. 12. 98 The evaluation of the third Community action programme to assist disabled people (Helios II) was the subject of a recent Commission report (3). The issues arising under the new Article 13 of the Treaty of Amsterdam on combating discrimination based on sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation are being examined by the Commission with equal regard to all those facing discrimination. The Commission remains firmly committed to the promotion of equal opportunity for disabled people. (1) COM(98) 131 final. (2) COM(97) 2000 final. (3) COM(98) 15 final. (98/C 386/166) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1392/98 by Richard Howitt (PSE) to the Commission (7 May 1998) Subject: Disability actions (pilot project) Could the Commission confirm its intended timetable for implementation of this budget line for 1998, including the issuing of guidelines, deadline for receipt of applications, likely date for issuing decisions and for first payments to be made? How does the timetable compare with 1997 for the same actions? Can the Commission confirm that it intends to maintain a further year of pilot disability actions in 1999? If not, why not? Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission (5 June 1998) The Commission wishes to draw the Honourable Memberís attention to the fact that two calls for proposals ásupport for exchange and information actions on equal opportunities for disabled peopleí and ásupport for non- governmental representative European coordination organisations for disabled peopleí (1) have been published in the Official Journal. To sum up, applications for the first call must be sent by 12 June 1998 at the latest. The final selection of applications is fixed for 24 July 1998. Only actions initiated on 1 October 1998 at the earliest and by 31 December 1998 at the latest are eligible for Community cofinancing. As for the second call, requests covering the annual operating budget of a non-governmental organisation (NGO) from 1 April 1998 must be submitted by 29 May 1998 at the latest. The Commission will take its final decision on 26 June 1998. These dates roughly correspond to the dates decided for the 1997 calls for proposals. The first payments will not be made until after the contracts have been signed. In the preliminary draft budget for 1999, the Commission proposed the entry of appropriations for support to representative European coordination NGOs for disabled people and innovative measures to raise public awareness of the rights of disabled people. (1) OJ C 103, 4. 4. 1998