On the basis of the considerations outlined above, we are voting against a European voluntary service for young people.

The Community action programme 'European Voluntary Service for Young People' has excellent objectives.

Mr President, the European voluntary service for young people is an important step towards a Europe for the people.

One cannot help but think that despite all the good intentions, programmes like the European Voluntary Service for Young People smack of tokenism.

The establishment of the Community action programme "European Voluntary Service for Young People' is essential and must be welcomed as a very important initiative.

I must congratulate Mrs Nicole Fontaine on her report on the Commission's proposal for a European voluntary service for young people, a Community action programme.

Mr President, I should like to thank Mrs Fontaine for her excellent work on questions relating to the action programme 'European Voluntary Service for Young People'.

As the youngest Member of the European Parliament, I would naturally like to give my full support to Mrs Fontaine's report on European voluntary service for young people.

We are already familiar with the European Voluntary Service for young people, and we need similar programmes for all age groups, particularly for the growing numbers of retired people who are active, healthy and experienced.

Mr President, we have finally arrived at the final stage of the long and laborious process that will result in the adoption of the first multiannual programme for European Voluntary Service for Young People.

European voluntary service for young people is an initiative of the European Commission, and more particularly of Mrs E. Cresson, which the European Parliament enthusiastically supported with regard to its baptismal funding.

My intention is primarily to express my support for the potentially powerful instrument of the European voluntary service for young people in creating a European civic awareness, through the formative experience of rendering services to society in a transnational context.

The allocation of ECU 47.5 million to the European Voluntary Service for Young People is, it is true, the minimum required and much less than the European Parliament wanted, but at least it enables the project to continue.

Mr President, I agree with the previous speakers that the European Voluntary Service for Young People is a well thought out and important programme, but, as Mrs Fontaine has said, its future is uncertain as a result of the political short-sightedness of the Council.

The Commission should include without fail in its report its opinion on the future of the Youth for Europe and 'European Voluntary Service for Young People' programmes, and on the possibility of a Children's Europe programme in future, as proposed by organizations for the under-15s.