WRITTEN QUESTION E-2805/99 by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE-DE) to the Commission. EQUAL Community initiative.
3. 10. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 280 E/135 (2000/C 280 E/146) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2805/99 by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE-DE) to the Commission Subject: EQUAL Community initiative (18 January 2000) Over the period 2000-2006 measures on new technologies and employment are to be covered by a single Community initiative, EQUAL, thus reducing the number of Community initiatives from 13 in the 1994-1999 budgetary period to 4 in the period 2000-2006. EQUAL, a Community initiative which seeks to achieve transnational cooperation in the promotion of new ways of combating instances of discrimination and inequality relating to the labour market, has emerged as a result of past experience. Can the Commission say how this initiative will be coordinated so as to cover all factors influencing the labour market, what its eligibility criteria will be, and how Member States should go about submitting proposals for a Community initiative programme? Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission (10 February 2000) The proposal for a Communication on the Community initiative EQUAL (1) is currently being examined by the Parliament. By creating development partnerships, EQUAL aims to involve public- and private-sector organisations, level, which can provide innovative solutions to the problems which exist in the mainly at territorial labour market. The eligibility criteria will be laid down in the respective national operational programmes. However, the Commission intends to ensure the participation of small-scale promoters in the development partnerships which will be set up. In accordance with the provisions of Article 21 of Council Regulation (EC) 1260/1999 of 21 June 1999 laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds (2), the Member States should present their proposals which should be developed in line with the guidelines adopted by the Commission. Each Member State will ensure, by means of concrete proposals in its operational programme, that these guidelines are applied to the reality of the national labour market and, in particular, that key employment issues are selected as priorities in the context of the initiative. (1) COM(99) 476 final. (2) OJ L 161, 26. 6. 1999. (2000/C 280 E/147) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2808/99 by Yasmine Boudjenah (GUE/NGL) to the Commission Subject: European legislation on labelling of LPG vehicles (18 January 2000) Professional fire-fighters in France have reported that, in a fire, LPG-fuelled vehicles present greater dangers. France is now aware of the need to inform the public of the particular dangers inherent in this type of fuel