# CE2004084EN.01064401.xml

| 3.4.2004 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | CE 84/644 |
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3.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

CE 84/644

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(2004/C 84 E/0725)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0636/04

by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission

(3 March 2004)

Subject:   Europe and the future of young people

Subject:

In 2001, a 24-year-old Italian student obtained a degree in mechanical engineering at Milan Technical University. At the beginning of 2002, he was awarded a scholarship at UNED University in Madrid, where he produced the dissertation required to complete the second stage of tertiary education. On 31 January 2003, he submitted a request to the Ministry of Education and Culture of Madrid for official approval of his first degree, providing for this a huge amount of documents. A year later, the Ministry is still not in a position to set a date for the approval to be granted. Both the Vice-Chancellor of UNED and the Italian Consulate in Madrid have expressed an interest in the case, without receiving a definite response from the Ministry. The student, meanwhile, has been unable to take part in competitive examinations or to study at UNED and has not had his scholarship renewed.

| 1. | Does the Commission know whether these delays are due only to bureaucratic obstacles? If so, can it take steps to ensure that these are overcome? |
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1.

Does the Commission know whether these delays are due only to bureaucratic obstacles? If so, can it take steps to ensure that these are overcome?

| 2. | Does not the Commission consider that obstacles of this type are the result of a deplorable collaboration between the ministries responsible for education in Member States, flying in the face of all the solemn declarations on common cultural heritage and on the future of young people in Europe? |
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2.

Does not the Commission consider that obstacles of this type are the result of a deplorable collaboration between the ministries responsible for education in Member States, flying in the face of all the solemn declarations on common cultural heritage and on the future of young people in Europe?

| 3. | How does the Commission respond to the scepticism provoked among young research students forced to waste a year of their future because of ministerial delays in officially approving a degree? |
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3.

How does the Commission respond to the scepticism provoked among young research students forced to waste a year of their future because of ministerial delays in officially approving a degree?

| 4. | What kind of Europe must they believe in? |
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4.

What kind of Europe must they believe in?

| 5. | What are the prospects open to someone who, believing in European cooperation, sought to broaden his cultural education at a different European university to that in which he gained his first degree? |
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5.

What are the prospects open to someone who, believing in European cooperation, sought to broaden his cultural education at a different European university to that in which he gained his first degree?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(13 April 2004)

(13 April 2004)

The Commission is aware of the difficulties that remain as regards the academic recognition of diplomas in some countries, including Spain. It agrees with the Honourable Member that delays of this kind, and in particular obstacles such as those described, can lead to a certain amount of scepticism among young research students wishing to experience mobility. Community action in the field of education is in fact specifically intended to facilitate such mobility.

For this reason, following complaints and petitions, the Commission has initiated infringement proceedings under the provisions of Article 226 of the EC Treaty.

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