Brussels, 26/05/2005 (Agence Europe) - In its adoption of the report by Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou (EPP-ED, Greece) on 26 May, on the modification of action programmes on equality between men and women, the European Parliament is calling on the Commission to provide clear and adequate budgetary provisions under the new financial perspectives 2007-2013 for the equal opportunities programme and for the action programme to promote organisations active in this field at European level. The Commission, the rapporteur pointed out during the debate, has proposed a framework programme for the funding of actions in the social and employment fields (Progress), which will cover the same period 2007-2013, and which aims to simplify the budget structure by merging all existing community action programmes in the two areas. For the transition period until the Progress framework programme is adopted, the Commission is proposing to extend the two programmes until the end of 2006, which Ms Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou welcomes. The sum of 11.5 million EUR earmarked for 2005, the Parliament stresses, will represent an increase of 1.5 million EUR for the programme on gender equality, and an increase of 1.1 million EUR for the programme on the promotion of organisations active at European level.
During the plenary, the president of the committee on women's rights and equal opportunities, Anna Zaborska (EPP-ED, Slovakia) appealed to the Commissioner for Equal Opportunities, Vladimir Spidla, to ensure that “all NGOs are eligible for funding, irrespective of their size of experience”, adding: “I hope the Commission's services will extend the opportunities for the granting of financial support to many NGOs. Equality between the genders will never be won by large centralised organisations but by the actions of NGOs which are close to the ground and to the citizens”.