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(2004/C 65 E/249)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2867/03

by Brice Hortefeux (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(26 September 2003)

Subject:   Higher education lagging behind

In recent years, the difficulties encountered in ensuring that the stability and growth pact is respected have become very obvious. The major European political and economic guidelines have failed as far as growth is concerned.

What is more serious, however, is that the EU is not laying the foundations for tomorrow's growth: we are collectively lagging behind in higher education, research and innovation to an alarming degree. While the Americans devote 3 % of their GDP to higher education, Europeans allocate only 1,4 %. While the USA spends 2,8 % of its national revenue on research, the EU spends only 1,9 %, and all the indications are that for each euro spent, we get a less-effective return. While the Americans are engaged on building a ‘knowledge economy’, we content ourselves with hoping for future success. The immediate prospects are therefore not, as the heads of state proclaimed at Lisbon in spring 2000, of a Europe bouncing back, but a Europe falling even more behind, on a par with its growth.

Does the Commission intend to present a fresh action plan to reverse these negative trends?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(31 October 2003)

The Commission shares the Honourable Member's concerns regarding the Union's investment deficits in both higher education and research and innovation but does not believe it can safely be concluded that the European Broad Economic Policy Guidelines (BEPG) have failed as far as growth is concerned.

Various recent Commission Communications (1) have expressed the Commission's concerns regarding the inadequate levels of expenditure on education and research in Europe. They show that while the USA is investing significantly more heavily (as % of GDP) in these fields, the gap is mainly due to underinvestment by the private sector in Europe. They conclude that public expenditure in these fields needs to be increased selectively and made more efficient, but also that a regulatory environment more favourable to private investment needs be established.

These Communications also emphasise the risks inherent in this situation and point out that the Member States are responsible for avoiding situations of under-funding which could jeopardise the quality and relevance of their own education and research systems and the attainment of the Union's internal goals and its international competitiveness. However, despite recognising these risks it should not be forgotten that the medium-term growth prospects are favourable, in particular thanks to the macro-economic strategy reflected in the BEPG.

The Commission is aware of the need for reforms and for bolder investment in order to remedy this situation and will continue with its efforts to motivate Member States in this direction. It has already proposed an action plan (2) to increase investment in research and development and to reach the target of 3 % of GDP fixed by the Barcelona European Council by 2010. More recently, it has proposed a set of measures to boost growth through investment in networks and knowledge. Nor will it shirk from pointing out (notably in the report due to be presented to the Spring 2004 European Council on the implementation of the ‘Programme of work on the objectives of education and training systems’ (3)) the need to invest more and better in higher education. Greater emphasis is being placed on mobilising the Structural Funds and EIB Funds (in particular via the Innovation 2010 initiative) towards the Lisbon objectives, and the future generation of Community programmes should also evolve in this direction.

In the Spring of 2004 the Commission will be publishing its conclusions drawn from the responses to its Communication ‘The role of the universities in the Europe of knowledge’. At this stage, it is not yet possible to say whether these will take the form of a specific action plan or a reinforcement of the various convergent actions mentioned above.

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(1)  Towards a European research area, COM(2000) 6 final; More research for Europe/Towards 3 % of GDP, COM(2002)499 final; The European research area: providing new momentum, COM(2002)565 final; Investing efficiently in education and training: an imperative for Europe, COM(2002) 779 final; The role of the universities in the Europe of knowledge, COM(2003) 58 final.

(2)  Investing in research: an action plan for Europe, COM(2003)226 of 30 April 2003.

(3)  Detailed work programme on the follow-up of the objectives of education and training systems in Europe, OJ C 142, 14.6.2002.

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