Combating social exclusion and encouraging solidarity: programme of support 1994-1999

This communication presents the medium-term action programme for combating exclusion and promoting solidarity, 1994-9, together with a report on the implementation of the Poverty 3 programme. The proposed programme aims to highlight, over and above the diversity of national situations, the structural nature of the phenomenon of social exclusion. As a priority, it seeks to ensure the necessary continuity to enrich partnership and participation in the programme and the adoption of global strategies. It also aims to move further along this road by placing greater emphasis on multiple-objective integrated research strategies and to implement model measures at national, regional and local level (particularly in urban and rural environments), while creating transnational project networks. The link between the new programme and the Structural Funds will be strengthened to take account of the importance attached to exclusion from the labour market under the new ESF Regulation. Finally, the Commission proposes doubling the finance allocated to this programme to ECU 121 million. �