WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1360/97 by Maren GÜNTHER to the Commission. Shortcomings in the implementation of the Erasmus programme
Date: 1997-04-21
Institutions: European Parliament, GUENTHER
Subjects: EU programme, EU publication, European Commission, administrative supervision, exchange of information, higher education, student mobility, teaching, university

10. 2. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 45/21

(98/C 45/25)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1303/97

by Jose· Apolina·rio (PSE) to the Commission

(11 April 1997)

Subject: Destruction of a vessel belonging to the firm of ACTAPESCAS in Guinea-Bissau

In the night of 5 to 6 October 1996 the freezer trawler (cid:145)Curaca(cid:146) belonging to the firm of ACTAPESCAS was
dragged  off  by  a  storm  and  began  listing,  so  that  part  of  the  vessel  became  submerged.  The  firm  sought
compensation from the relevant insurance company, apparently to no avail.

Will the Commission say whether it is aware of this problem which has already been reported in the Portuguese
press, and what steps the Community authorities can take?

Answer given by Mrs Bonino on behalf of the Commission

(27 May 1997)

The freezer trawler (cid:145)Curaca(cid:146), which was wrecked in the night of 5 to 6 October 1996 in Guinea-Bissau, was the
subject of a transfer to that non-member country under a joint venture project pursuant to Article 21b of Council
Regulation (EEC) No 4028/86 of 18 December 1986 on Community measures to improve and adapt structures in
the fisheries and aquaculture sector (1).

The Commission was informed of the shipwreck at the time the application for payment of the balance of aid for
the project was submitted. That application is currently under examination.

However, the dispute between the shipowner and its insurance company is outside the Commission(cid:146)s field of
competence.

(1)  OJ L 376, 31.12.1986.

(98/C 45/26)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1360/97

by Maren Gu¤ nther (PPE) to the Commission

(21 April 1997)

Subject: Shortcomings in the implementation of the Erasmus programme

I have received personal reports from students on the Erasmus programme that its implementation in the host
countries is often unsatisfactory. There is a lack of coordination (in some cases, it is alleged, there is no local
Erasmus coordinator), and many students break off their Erasmus studies owing to difficulties such as lack of
flexibility in the choice of subject options and problems with recognition by their universities at home.

Does  the  Commission  intend  to  introduce  rules  to  eliminate  these  and  other  shortcomings,  and  does  the
Commission monitor the way in which the programmes are implemented?

Answer given by Mrs Cresson on behalf of the Commission

(6 June 1997)

The Commission feels that certain difficulties encountered by Erasmus students in their host countries are due to
the  lack  of  appropriate  information  for  students  and  teachers  on  differences  in  the  organisation  of
higher-education courses (content, examinations, etc.) in the various Member States.

The  new  phase  of  Erasmus  as  part  of  the  Socrates  programme  and  in  particular  the  covering  of  the  cost  of
mobility  implementation  by  the  central  administrations  of  universities  from  September  1997  ((cid:145)institutional
contracts(cid:146)),  will  allow  the  Commission  to  intervene  in  the  event  of  any  failure  to  respect  agreements  signed
between universities receiving Community funding for student mobility.