WRITTEN QUESTION E-2803/02

by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(7 October 2002)

Subject: Language teaching at the European Schools in Belgium

According to some reports, not all the European Schools in Belgium have Dutch-language sections. Apparently, the primary sections at the European Schools only offer French, German and English as second languages. It is only at secondary level that pupils can opt to learn Dutch as a third language. Yet many Europeans living in Belgium send their children to Dutch-speaking nursery schools.

What are the reasons for this phenomenon?

Will the Commission at least accelerate the integration of many Europeans in their host region by providing language teaching in Dutch at the European Schools (both primary and secondary sections) in Belgium, bearing in mind that Dutch is the language of a majority of the population?

Does the Commission acknowledge that, by not establishing Dutch-language sections at the European Schools in Belgium, it is potentially influencing later voting patterns among pupils and their parents in Belgium by systematically ignoring Dutch?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(3 December 2002)

Under the Convention of 21 June 1994, the European School system is a sui generis system, the purpose of which is to educate together children of people working for the European Communities. This system constitutes a form of co-operation between the Member States and between them and the European Communities while fully acknowledging the Member States' responsibility for the content of teaching and the organisation of their educational systems, and for their cultural and linguistic diversity.

In order to promote the unity of a School, to bring pupils in the different language sections closer together, and foster mutual understanding certain subjects are taught to joint classes of the same level. The Board of Governors is the intergovernmental body responsible for these Schools and it consists of representatives from all of the Member States and one representative of the Commission. The Board decided in accordance with the powers vested in it by the Convention that English, French and German should be used as the working languages in these joint classes. The decision was taken unanimously.

Four European Schools have been established by the Board of Governors in Belgium (Brussels I, Brussels II, Brussels III and Mol). Of those schools, only Brussels I does not have a Dutch-language section. The Board of Governors considers that the number of pupils currently enrolled in the Dutch-language sections at the other two Brussels Schools (a total of 533: 266 at Brussels II, and 267 at Brussels III) does not warrant the opening of a new section for this language.

All applications for enrolment in the two Dutch-language sections in Brussels of children entitled to be admitted to the European Schools have been accepted by these Schools.

The Commission does not see any rational or objective argument to support the Honourable Member's view that the absence of a Dutch-language section at Brussels I could influence future voting patterns of pupils and their parents in Belgium. Voting decisions plainly are, and will rightly remain, entirely a matter for individual citizens in a democracy.

The Dutch language is certainly not being ignored in the European Schools in Brussels, systematically or otherwise. It is clear that the Dutch-language sections at Brussels II and Brussels III are capable of meeting, and do meet, all demand from entitled pupils.