European voluntary service for young people: Community action programme 1998-2002

The Committee welcomes the Commission proposal. Voluntary service, by providing young people with special opportunities for integration into active life and the acquisition of specific vocational and workplace experience could contribute to action designed to combat exclusion and unemployment among the young, while generating Community added value and the desired multiplier effects for the Member States' youth policies. The Committee also feels that it should be able to participate in monitoring the programme's progress and assessing the results. With the aim of strengthening partnership schemes, the Committee requests the Commission to ensure that cooperation with NGOs encompasses charitable associations as well as involving regional and local authorities. The Committee reiterates the need to avoid any distortion of the labour market. The Committee hopes that it will be financially possible in future to extend the programme further to non-EU countries. �