WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2296/96 by Elmar BROK to the Commission. Funding for the ERASMUS programme
Date: 1996-08-27
Institutions: BROK, European Parliament
Subjects: EU aid, EU national, education grant, foreign student, higher education













EUR-Lex - 91996E2296 - EN






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91996E2296

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2296/96 by Elmar BROK to the Commission. Funding for the ERASMUS programme  


Official Journal C 365 , 04/12/1996 P. 0104 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-2296/96 by Elmar Brok (PPE) to the Commission (27 August 1996)Subject: Funding for the ERASMUS programme1. Does the Commission have data on the trend in ERASMUS programme funding and the number of students given support since it was introduced?2. Is it correct that since the beginning of the ERASMUS programme the level of grants has been falling constantly?3. If so, can information be given on the amount by which the average ERASMUS grant has fallen?4. In view of the funds available, is it still possible to achieve the goal of the ERASMUS programme, namely to encourage 10% of all European students to study abroad for at least one semester?5. Is the Commission aware of the significance of the ERASMUS programme and the associated SOCRATES framework programme?6. If so, will the Commission be able to maintain this position during the forthcoming revision of the budget for the SOCRATES and ERASMUS programmes?Answer given by Mrs Cresson on behalf of the Commission (25 September 1996)1. The Commission is directly transmitting to the Honourable Member and the Secretariat-General of the Parliament two tables concerning the budget allocated to Erasmus Action 2 (student mobility grants) and the number of students supported between 1988 and 1995.2. As can be seen from the figures in Annex I, the level of Erasmus grants has been falling steadily since 1989 (except for 1992/93, when the EFTA countries entered the programme with a supplementary budget). This trend is due to a constant increase in demand based on a global budget that has remained more or less the same.3. The average monthly grant at European level for approved mobility has fallen by approximately 50% since 1988. It was ECU 127 in 1988/89, but down to only ECU 67 in 1995/96.4. Ensuring the mobility of 10% of European students is one of the general objectives of Community policy. However, the number of students that has to be supported to achieve this objective has been growing steadily, since the student population has also been rising apace. Even if the objective of 10% mobility can only be achieved in cooperation with the Member States, it is obvious that Erasmus cannot play its assigned part unless it is allocated the necessary resources.5. - 6. The Commission is perfectly aware of the significance of the Socrates programme, one of whose cornerstones is the higher education chapter (Erasmus). However, when the programme was adopted the approved financial package fell considerably short of the amount considered necessary by the Commission to achieve the objectives in full. In compliance with the joint statement by the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission ((OJ L 132, 16 June 1995. )) concerning the decision establishing the Socrates programme, the Commission has a clear mandate to submit proposals notably concerning the programme's funding. The Commission will submit proposals in this domain in the second half of 1996.