Community Action Programme to Combat
Social Exclusion 2002-2006
Most Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the role of the European Union in the fight against
social exclusion and poverty?
At the Lisbon European Council in March 2000, Member States took
a major step forward by considering the fight against social exclusion and
poverty as one of the central elements of the modernisation of the European
social model. It was also agreed that Member States’ policies for combating
social exclusion should be based on an open method of co-ordination combining
common objectives, national action plans and an action programme presented
by the Commission to encourage co-operation in this field. This initiative
follows the introduction under Article 136 and 137 EC by the Amsterdam Treaty
of the fight against social exclusion among the social policy
provisions.
2. What is the action programme against social exclusion
?
The programme is part of the open method of co-ordination and aims
at supporting cooperation between Member States by: 1) improving the understanding
of social exclusion and poverty with the help in particular of comparable
indicators; 2) organising exchanges on policies which are implemented and
promoting mutual learning in the context of national action plans; 3) developing
the capacity of actors to address social exclusion and poverty effectively
and to promote innovative approaches, in particular through promoting networking
and dialogue with all the stakeholders.
3. Who is in charge of the action programme?
The Commission is responsible for the direct implementation of the
Community actions covered by the programme. To this end, it is assisted by
a Programme Committee made up of government representatives from the EU Member
States. Its role is to provide political guidance to the Commission on the
implementation of the Programme, and to act as a partner to the Commission
in matters of policy against social exclusion.
4. What are the activities envisaged under the
programme?
Article 4 and the annex of the Programme Decision provide
useful indications on the activities envisaged under this programme. The
overall aim is to reinforce and add value to the EU's Open Method of
Co-ordination on poverty and social exclusion. It thus aims to reinforce
the common objectives on poverty and social exclusion agreed at the
Nice European Council, to support the implementation of the National Action
Plans (NAPs/incl) developed by Member States and to take forward issues
identified in the context of the Joint Report on
Social Inclusion
and the report on common indicators on poverty and social exclusion.
All these activities will be strictly transnational.
5. Who are the actors eligible to take part in the
programme?
These actions should involve, on a European scale, the widest possible
range of players, in particular Member States' administrations, local and
regional authorities, the agencies in charge of combating social exclusion,
the social partners, organisations providing social services, non-governmental
organisations, universities and research institutes, national statistical
offices, the media and actual or potential victims of exclusion.
6. What is the consistency and complementarity between this programme
and other interventions from the Commission in the social
field?
The action programme complements EU social policy, and in particular
the activities of the European Social Fund, the Community initiative
EQUAL and other action programmes such as the programme to combat
discrimination, the programme for gender equality and the actions
and the EU disability strategy. Contrary to the
European Social Fund,
the programme is not meant to financially support activities carried out
on the ground but rather is meant to support exchange activities. Hence its
overall funds are limited in comparison to the structural funds.
7. What is the difference between this programme and the programme
to combat discrimination?
The anti-discrimination programme was launched on 1 January
2001 and will run until end of 2006. The activities are quite similar to
the social exclusion programme but the emphasis is on discrimination that
certain target groups referred to in Article 13 of the Treaty may experience.
The programme is designed to promote measures to prevent and combat
discrimination based on racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability,
age or sexual orientation.
8. What is the difference between this programme and the Community
initiative EQUAL ?
The EQUAL initiative builds on the work of the Community
Initiative ADAPT and EMPLOYMENT - Now, Horizon, Integra, Youthstart (1994-1999)
to become the major Community initiative to be run by DG Employment and Social
Affairs as a complement to the European Social Fund. The European Union's
contribution to the Initiative amounts to 3,000 million Euro for the period
2000-2006 and this will be matched by national funding. The two criteria
which make it different from ESF actions are : 1) an emphasis on innovation
; 2) a requirement of transnationality. EQUAL funds a large number of projects
on the ground which are selected by regional/national authorities.
9. Are candidate countries and countries from the European economic
area (EEA) eligible to take part in the programme ?
The programme decision opens the possibility for candidate countries
and for countries belonging to the European economic area to take part in
the programme. The arrangements for their participation are defined in accordance
with the European agreements established between the EU and these countries
and are subject to bilateral discussions between the Commission and countries
that have expressed their interest. These discussions should be carried out
in the first semester of 2002. In the meantime, the costs incurred by any
form of cooperation with these countries are not eligible in the framework
of this programme.
10. How to find partners with a view to transnational
exchanges?
A large number of actors are involved in the fight against social
exclusion and poverty. A certain number have already had the opportunity
to carry out cooperation projects through the preparatory measures to
the programme. Networks of NGOs established at EU level are also active in
the field.
11. Where to find examples of good practice?
The national action plans and the joint report describe and analyse
a wide range of measures in place or planned in the Member States. The preparatory measures to the programme also provide a useful source of information
on more precise topics. Furthermore, various databases on local initiatives
are available on various sites, in particular the site of the Community
initiative EQUAL and the site of the Directorate-General for
Research.
12. How to get further information?
The internet pages devoted to the programme should answer most of
your questions. All the activities envisaged in this context will be published
there in good time. To contact us directly, you may also write to us at the
following address:
empl-e2@ec.europa.eu
