WRITTEN QUESTION E-2853/97 by Bárbara Dührkop Dührkop (PSE) to the Commission (11 September 1997)

Subject: Criticism expressed by 33 univerities concerning the management of the Socrates programme

The 'Coimbra Group', consisting of 33 European universities, has criticized the management of the Socrates programme and the lack of funding available, which is frustrating for the universities given that they have had to put in a considerable amount of preparatory work for the projects.

Can the Commission provide guarantees as to the future of the programme and ensure that sufficient funding is made available to carry the projects through?

What is the Commission's response to the Coimbra Group's criticisms?

Does it agree with the points raised by the Group? What steps does it intend to take? Does it believe that an increase of ECU 50 million for two years is enough to remedy these shortcomings?

Answer given by Mrs Cresson on behalf of the Commission (28 October 1997)

The Commission is aware of the criticism of the universities and consortia of universities such as the Coimbra Group regarding the levels of funding available for the transnational cooperation activities under the Erasmus institutional contracts within the Socrates programme.

The budget for this action has in fact increased slightly in overall terms compared with the previous year. However, in the past the grants were disbursed via the coordinating university of each cooperation activity, which then had the responsibility of distributing them to the various partners. Consequently, only 300 coordinating establishments received Community aid which was destined for all the partner establishments. In 1997, for the first time, each of the over 1,500 universities participating in Erasmus is receiving an overall grant to contribute towards funding the whole range of its Erasmus activities. This has rendered the Community support much more visible for each institution. The institutional approach highlights the responsibility of each partner university to contribute to the success of the cooperation activities, using the grant it receives from Socrates-Erasmus to complement its own resources and other sources of funding.

Nevertheless, the average grant of ECU 17 000 is indeed modest, and the total budget available represents only some 10% of the amount requested. The Commission is aware of the inadequacy of funding for the Socrates programme as whole, for which it had proposed a budget in excess of the figure finally adopted. In accordance with the procedures agreed upon at that time, the Commission has proposed an increase of MECU 50 to the financial framework for the programme in 1998 and 1999. This sum is considered by the Commission to be the minimum necessary to restore the programme's capacity to meet its stated objectives. In a more favourable budgetary climate, the Commission would have had no hesitation in proposing a higher figure, in line with its original proposals. The Commission's proposal to increase the budget is currently under discussion in the Parliament and Council. The Parliament has proposed at first reading an increase of MECU 100 over the two years in question. The Council has reached political agreement on an increase of only MECU 25.