Employment and social cohesion: programme Progress for employment and social solidarity, 2007-2013

 The committee adopted the report by KARIN JÖNS (PES, DE) broadly approving the proposal under the 1st reading of the codecision procedure, subject to a number of amendments:

- it should be clearly stated that the financial framework for the implementation of PROGRESS is indicative (pending a decision on the Financial Perspective). Once a decision has been reached, MEPs wanted the financial reference amount to be increased to EUR 854.2 million for the seven-year period starting 1 January 2007;

- the gender mainstreaming principle should be taken into account to a greater extent in all programme sections and actions;

- transnational exchanges and activities should be an important component of the programme and new and innovative approaches should be developed;

- access to the programme should be open to national and regional NGOs;

- disabled people should have full access to the activities and results of the programme;

- new reporting requirements were introduced to ensure that Parliament would be kept properly informed;

- lastly, MEPs stressed the need to ensure consistency and complementarity between action under the PROGRESS programme and the activities of other Commission departments and other relevant European agencies. The Commission should take care to avoid overlapping responsibilities.