WRITTEN QUESTION E-0287/98 by Mirja Ryynänen (ELDR) to the Commission (17 February 1998)

Subject: Status of the Student unions' umbrella organization ESIB as an expert on education matters in the EU

In preparing its future operations (including new training and retraining programmes) the Commission is seeking to work together both with the Member States' authorities and (among others) with national organizations representing the operators' target groups. In the Member States university students are represented by a national union of students which in most cases represents the whole student body and whose status is based on national legislation. The umbrella organization for these national student unions is ESIB (The National Unions of Students in Europe, formerly the European Student Information Bureau). ESIB represents 27 national unions and over 6 million European university students. In view of their status and representativeness at national level, the ESIB and, through it, its member NUSs, should be accorded a special role in the preparation of education policy and programmes.

The Commission has invited student organizations to its institutional fora and hearings and has asked for opinions from various student organizations. However, at the same time the student unions' umbrella organization ESIB, which has been accorded an official status at national level, has been neglected.

1. What status is the Commission giving in its preparation work to the student unions' umbrella organization ESIB, which is comprehensively representative and enjoys official status at national level?

2. What is the Commission doing to ensure that ESIB is regularly consulted in the preparation of the EU's decisions?

Answer given by Mrs Cresson on behalf of the Commission (8 April 1998)

In the preparation of the Community's future actions in the area of education, the Commission always considers carefully the point of view of those concerned.

In this spirit, the Commission adopted in November 1997 the communication 'Towards a Europe of knowledge' ((COM(97)563 final. )) setting out the guidelines for its future actions for the period 2000-2006 and aiming to stimulate discussions at all levels involving organisations representing teachers, students, universities, and social partners. These discussions will help the Commission in elaborating its proposals for the new generation of Community programmes in the areas of education, training and youth.

Aware of the important role student associations can play in the implementation of Community programmes in the education field, the Commission has during the first ten years of the Erasmus experience encouraged the creation of sectorial students associations (bringing together students of a given study subject area across Europe) and the cooperation of European associations with universities in activities such as welcoming Erasmus students from other Member States.

Moreover, according to Article 5 of Decision No 819/95/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 14 March 1995 establishing the Community action programme Socrates ((OJ L 87, 20.4.1995. )), 'the Commission ... consults the social partners and the competent associations in the field of education at European level and informs the programme committee of their opinions'. All non governmental organisations (NGOs) with a European dimension dealing with education, including the European students information bureau (ESIB), took part in the last consultation (9-10 February 1998).

The Commission intends to continue reinforcing the students participation in the programmes as well as the dialogue with student associations. Nevertheless, at present the Commission does not envisage any formal status to any NGO involved in the field of education nor to any student organisation. It will continue to consult all relevant associations on a equal basis according to Article 5 of the above mentioned Decision.

Given the leading role of the ESIB, its comments on present and future Community programmes would always be welcomed by the Commission.