WRITTEN QUESTION E-0980/02

by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(12 April 2002)

Subject: The European Schools

Many parents of children at the three European schools in Brussels have complained that recently pupils have been transferred in the middle of the school year from one building complex to another. These transfers have understandably caused consternation and dissatisfaction both among pupils at these schools and their parents who find their schedules completely disrupted by these arrangements.

It should be pointed out that, according to the parents, these changes affect some 200 families with children at the European schools and are the result of decisions taken in an untransparent manner without the parents being consulted. Another matter which affects the quality of education at the European Schools and the health of teachers and pupils and which has greatly alarmed parents and pupils is the presence of asbestos at the European School in Uccle.

What is the Commission's view of this state of affairs? Who makes the decisions to transfer pupils in the middle of the school year from one building complex to another, and on the basis of which criteria? On the basis of which criteria are pupils divided between, and enrolled in, these three schools? Have parents been asked about these transfers? Which EU bodies and agencies fund all the European Schools? Can the Commission confirm that the issue of asbestos at the European School at Uccle has been resolved and that there is no danger for the other European Schools? In view of the forthcoming enlargement of the EU, have any measures been taken to provide high-quality teaching for the significantly larger number of pupils who will clearly have to be admitted to the European Schools? Will all the official languages (new and existing languages) be fully respected in the new teaching schedule to be drawn up?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(12 June 2002)

In response to the questions raised by the Honourable Member concerning the transfer of pupils and consultation with parents, the financing of the European schools, and the teaching of languages, the Commission refers the Honourable Member to the full replies on these matters recently given in its answers to written question E-0944/02 by Mrs Figueiredo(1) and to written questions E-0787/02, E-0788/02 and E-0789/02 by Mrs Schleicher(2).

The Community currently provides 59 % of the budget of the European Schools under an agreement concluded with the intergovernmental Board of Governors, the provisions of which were included in the Convention defining the Statute of the European Schools that was signed by all the Member States and the Communities on 17 June 1994(3). The European Patent Office, under a separate agreement, provides funding for the European School in Munich.

The work to remove asbestos from the Uccle European School building has been carried out as part of the inventory and management programme presented by the competent authorities of the host country, in this case Belgium. As in previous operations, the remaining work will be carried out during school holidays in order to ensure the safety of all those involved.

There is no evidence of the presence of asbestos in any other European Schools, and consequently no related risk to the health of the pupils.

The Board of Governors, which consists of 15 representatives of Member State governments and one representative of the Commission, has set up a special structure to prepare the schools for the enlargement of the Union. The existing infrastructures will be extended with the creation of two new Schools (one in Brussels and one in Luxembourg) and new sections for the languages of the new Member States. In addition, pilot projects will be launched to improve the reception of new pupils and, among other changes, the organisation of teaching and school management will be rationalised.

In order to respect all the official languages in the teaching schedule, the Board of Governors already places strong emphasis on mother-tongue teaching. There is every reason to believe that this existing policy will be continued and strengthened and that, when the new Member States join, the Board of Governors will maintain the approach taken in previous enlargements.

Finally, the Commission would like to point out that, according to the preamble to the Convention of 17 June 1994, the European Schools system fully acknowledges the Member States' responsibility for the content of teaching and the organisation of their educational system, and for their cultural and linguistic diversity.

(1) See page 112.

(2) See page 86.

(3) The Convention has not yet entered into force as it is awaiting ratification by Greece.