A3-0327/93

Resolution on the Commission report on the implementation in the Member States of the Council Recommendation of 13 June 1985 on social protection for volunteer development workers

The European Parliament,

-having regard to Rule 148 of its Rules of Procedure,

-having regard to the report from the Commission on the implementation in the Member States of the Council Recommendation of 13 June 1985 on social protection for volunteer development workers (SEC(92)0951),

-having regard to its opinion of 17 April 1985 on the Commission proposal for a draft Council recommendation on social security for volunteer development workers,

-having regard to its resolutions of 12 September 1986 on the recruitment of stagiaires for employment in EEC delegations to developing countries and of 13 October 1989 on conscientious objection and alternative civilian service,

-having regard to the report of the Committee on Development and Cooperation (A3-0327/93),

1.Stresses that it is vital for developing countries to have access to the human resources they require for their development, and that they have a serious shortage of such resources; believes that deploying European volunteer development workers with the necessary qualifications for the work they are to do can substantially assist in meeting this need;

2.Notes that one of the main genuine obstacles to recruitment of volunteers to work in the Third World is the deficiencies in the social protection afforded to them both while they are overseas and after their return to their country of origin; believes that the Community should without delay eliminate discrimination against volunteers in the field of social protection in comparison with the cover they would enjoy if they were carrying out similar work in their country of origin;

3.Deplores the long delay by the Commission in submitting its report, which according to the recommendation should have been produced within two years of its entry into force;

4.Observes that, although the Commission's conclusions concerning the situation of volunteers in nine of the Member States are largely favourable, progress still remains to be made by some of these Member States, in some cases with regard to major issues;

5.Expresses deep concern at the fact that three Member States - Spain, Greece and Portugal - have still not introduced any specific legislation concerning volunteer workers;

6.Recalls that when consulted on the draft recommendation, it had called for this matter to be dealt with not by means of a non-binding recommendation but by a directive; considers it more necessary than ever to repeat this call;

7.Believes that binding Community legislation is the only means of ensuring that appropriate and non-discriminatory social protection is rapidly and effectively secured in all Member States such as to promote throughout Europe voluntary work in developing countries;

8.Repeats its call for the Commission to investigate ways of establishing and organizing a European volunteer service at Community level;

9.Takes the view that this service should be open in particular to young graduates who have completed their studies and that work carried out for it should be recognized by the Member States as alternative civilian service for the purpose of fulfilling military service obligations and should be taken into account in their curriculum vitae; points out that candidates could be selected by organizations representing the main young people's movements and development aid movements in the Community;

10.Believes that a European volunteer service could use various procedures and comprise various elements; observes that although co-financing with NGOs can only have a limited effect in this respect, this procedure should be formalized so that it can fully constitute one of the elements of a future European volunteer service;

11.Observes that, if it were to be extended and placed on a permanent footing, the programme for national officials and experts training in delegations which was established under budget heading B7-5034 of the 1992 budget could constitute a further element in it;

12.Recalls its call for the Commission to establish a programme of Third World development projects in which conscientious objectors from the Member States could participate as a means of undertaking alternative civilian service;

13.Deplores the fact that in this regard no specific steps have been taken in the context of ACP-EEC cooperation to encourage European nationals to undertake voluntary work in the ACP countries; calls for the mid-term review of the Lomé IV Convention to make good this omission;

14.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council and the governments of the Member States.