Ministers ask Commission to reconsider cuts to programmes for poor, elderly, disabled

Fears that a number of EU-funded programmes for the poor, elderly, disabled and the family would have to be closed because of the freezing of funds eased somewhat yesterday, after Budget Ministers asked the Commission to reconsider their legal status.

Ministers also agreed to unfreeze four budget "lines" that were regarded as particularly "politically sensitive" - action against violence on the Internet, actions against violence to women and children, election monitoring, and human rights work. Outside the meeting some 200 supporters of social non-governmental organisations protested at what they consider the Commission's overzealous response to a ruling from the European Court of Justice which curbed Commission discretionary spending.

Having frozen 100 budget "lines" totalling over £700 million in June, the Commission on Tuesday announced the partial or total unfreezing of some 75 and promised to keep paying those other groups which had "legitimate expectations" that they would receive money this year.

Still most vulnerable to cuts this year and next, however, are those working in the field of social exclusion.

The Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Mr Martin Cullen, supported by the Belgian minister, yesterday successfully pressed the Commission to re-examine whether such lines could be considered "preparatory actions", laying the basis for programmes that will be set up when new provisions in the Amsterdam Treaty come into force. It they are, funding can be resumed.

Mr Cullen told fellow ministers that all the frozen lines should be restored, and it was wrong to discriminate in favour of those considered "politically sensitive".