WRITTEN QUESTION E-1857/97 by Marjo Matikainen-Kallström (PPE) to the Commission (30 May 1997)

Subject: Mobility of the young

The European Union's Socrates education programme and its Erasmus subprogramme have been among the EU's most successful programmes. The number of applications for places under them is constantly growing. However, even now the number of applications is so large that the grants students receive are too small to cover their costs.

What will the Commission do to increase the funding of the Socrates programme and ensure that the relative share of funding allocated to Erasmus within Socrates is not reduced?

Answer given by Mrs Cresson on behalf of the Commission (16 July 1997)

The Commission shares the view expressed by the Honourable Member, that Socrates and its Chapter 1 (Erasmus) are among the most successful Community programmes. The number of students for whom mobility grants are requested under Erasmus, has risen consistently ever since the adoption of the first Erasmus programme in 1987. In the academic year 1997/8, the Commission has received such requests for around 180 000 students. The budget available for the programme has not kept pace with this rising demand. It should be recalled that the Commission had originally proposed a financial framework of 1,005 MECU (Community of 12) for the programme for the period 1995/6. The amount eventually adopted, 850 MECU, had to cover the Community of 15 as well as additional activities introduced during the negotiations.

In accordance with the joint statement issued by the Parliament, the Council and the Commission on 14 March 1995 upon conclusion of the conciliation procedure, the Commission adopted, on 14 March 1997, a report on the first two years of the programme's implementation ((COM(97) 99 final. )), together with a proposal to increase the financial framework for 1995/9 by 50 MECU to a total of 900 MECU. This proposal is currently before the Parliament and the Council. On 12 June 1997, the Parliament voted at first reading an amendment raising the additional amount to 100 MECU. The Commission, for reasons of budgetary rigour, has not taken account of this amendment in its modified proposal, adopted on 25 June 1997. On 26 June 1997, the Council reached unanimous agreement on an increase of 25 MECU but did not formally adopt its Common Position.

The Decision establishing the programme stipulates that a minimum of 55% shall be spent on Chapter 1 of the programme. During the first two years, the proportion was 56.9%. It should be noted that higher education institutions are also eligible under other parts of the programme, such as those for the promotion of language-learning (Lingua) and of open and distance learning. In the event of an additional amount being allocated to Socrates on the basis of the Commission's above-mentioned proposal, at least 55% of this additional sum would be spent on Erasmus. It should, however, be noted that the Socrates programme also contains innovative measures addressing other sectors of the educational community, notably the school sector and adult education. Adequate financial provision must therefore also be ensured for these, in order to maintain the overall balance envisaged by the legislator.