WRITTEN QUESTION E-1681/98

by Kirsi Piha (PPE) to the Commission

(29 May 1998)

Subject: Utilization of PHARE appropriations in Poland

Educational cooperation is one of the most important forms of grass-roots cooperation between the EU Member States and the candidate countries.

Of the PHARE appropriations intended for Poland, how much was utilized in 1997 for such cooperation and what proportion of these appropriations did it represent?

Joint answer

to Written Questions E-1678/98, E-1679/98, E-1680/98 and E-1681/98 given by Mr van den Broek on behalf of the Commission

(8 July 1998)

The Community attaches importance to the development of quality education and the implementation of a vocational training system in all the candidate countries of central and eastern Europe. Phare funds have been allocated since 1992 to improve the education systems in those countries. In particular, the Tempus programme has substantially contributed to the achievement of the goals of higher education reform and has created the basis for cooperation between higher education institutions in the three Baltic States and Poland and those of the Community. Reforms are currently being undertaken in all three Baltic States and Poland at all levels of the education and vocational training system in order to further adapt them to the needs of a democratic society and to the market economy The Community has opened programmes such as Leonardo and Socrates to participation of these countries.

In 1997, the following Phare allocations were made to education:

- Estonia

Information systems in education. ECU 1,7 million to support the national Estonian programme for information technology in education by improving the access to networks, administration systems, teaching methods and to develop native language information services.

Higher education & science reform programme. ECU 0,6 million to improve the two recently established interdisciplinary centres of strategic competence for stimulating the integration of teaching and research and the dialogue between the educational sector and the industry - funded from Phare 1996.

Language training for non-Estonian speakers. ECU 1,4 million to promote the integration and naturalisation of Russian speaking minorities).

Tempus. ECU 1,2 million. The allocation to education amounting to ECU 4,9 million represents 15 % of the overall budget for Estonia in 1997.

- Lithuania

Higher education. ECU 0,7 million to support new management structures at universities to encourage their participation in Community programmes such as Socrates and Leonardo and to improve management and information systems of higher education institutions).

Vocational education and training reform. ECU 1,0 million continuation of earlier Phare-funded programmes supporting post-secondary vocational schools to improve institutional reform in the area of vocational education and training.

Tempus. ECU 2,8 million. The allocation for education amounting to ECU 4,5 million represents 10,4 % of the overall budget for Lithuania in 1997.

- Latvia

Vocational education and training reform. ECU 1,5 million continuation of earlier Phare funded programmes aiming at the harmonisation of vocational education and training programmes with Community qualification standards including curricula development.

Preparation for participation in Community programmes. ECU 0,15 million to support the setting up of necessary structures for participation in Community programmes.

Language training for non-Latvian speakers. ECU 0,5 million to promote the integration and naturalisation of Russian speaking minorities.

Tempus. ECU 1,8 million. The allocation for education amounting to ECU 3,95 million represents 10,5 % of the overall budget for Latvia in 1997.

- Poland

Tempus. ECU 20 million. The allocation to the Tempus programme represents 20,9 % of the overall budget for Poland in 1997.