European Funding To Assist The Rehabilitation Of Landmine Victims

EDM number 1547 in 1997-98, proposed by Paul Burstow on 13/07/1998.

That this House is concerned by the European Commission's decision to freeze funding that directly affects work with some of the poorest and most vulnerable communities both in Europe and in the developing world as a result of a ruling by the European Court of Justice on a challenge by the UK Government of the Commission's funding of demonstration projects in the field of poverty and social exclusion; further notes that funding affected by the ruling includes projects to rehabilitate landmine victims, combating child pornography on the Internet, promoting the integration of older people and disabled people, work to protect human rights, poverty programmes in developing countries, and initiatives to combat racism; and calls on the Government to ensure that the Council of Budget Ministers on 17th July achieves an agreement that will allow existing work to continue, introduce a flexible arrangement for limited spending on actions in line with the EU's objectives, devise a framework for supporting the work of NGOs in the social and development fields where this accords with the EU's objectives, and ensure appropriate consultation with the relevant NGOs.

This motion has been signed by a total of 42 MPs.