Luxembourg, 09/10/2001 (Agence Europe) - On the margins of the 8 October Social Council in Luxembourg, Commissioner Anna Diamantopoulou discussed the funding of the European Social Fund with the French Employment Minister, Elisabeth Guigou. The funding has changed from being based on advances of Community funds (the 1994-1999 programme) to a system of reimbursing certified national expenditure (2000-2006 programmes). The meeting aimed to ensure that as soon as the necessary commitments have been made by the competent authorities, the Commission will not have any objections to interim payments which have the necessary guarantees, explained Elisabeth Guigou in a press release. She added that despite problems encountered when the new Regulation was first put into action, the regions have to date programmed 2,440,000 FF in the new cycle, and under the Community's EQUAL programme (fighting against discrimination and inequality with regard to the job market), more than 650 dossiers have been transmitted and are in the process of being approved.