WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1862/97 by Carlos PIMENTA to the Commission. Entrance to medical specializations in the European Union
Date: 1997-05-30
Institutions: European Parliament, PIMENTA
Subjects: EU Member State, European Union, administrative formalities, competence of the Member States, exchange of information, higher education, physician

22. 1. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 21/105

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(cid:146)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.

(1)  COM(97) 99 final.

(98/C 21/212)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1862/97

by Carlos Pimenta (PPE) to the Commission

(30 May 1997)

Subject: Entrance to medical specializations in the European Union

What administrative formalities are required for a graduate in medicine to embark on a medical specialization
(e.g. in surgery) in each of the EU Member States, with particular regard to the entrance examinations and the
existence or otherwise of a requirement to take a test in the language of the Member State concerned?

Answer given by Mrs Cresson on behalf of the Commission

(15 July 1997)

The  administrative  formalities  which  are  required  for  a  graduate  in  medicine  to  embark  on  a  medical
specialisation differ from one Member State to another, since they relate to the organisation of systems of study
and therefore fall exclusively within domestic jurisdiction.

The Honourable Member may, if he wishes, contact the national academic recognition information centres in the
Member States of the European Union and the European Economic Area comprising the NARIC network, for
which  a  list  of  contact  points  is  being  sent  direct  to  the  Honourable  Member  and  to  the  Secretariat  of  the
Parliament.

(98/C 21/213)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1863/97

by Francesco Baldarelli (PSE) to the Council

(27 May 1997)

Subject: Plan for Italian fishermen to diversify out of certain fishing activities

On 29 April 1997, the Council of the Union adopted, on the basis of the Commission proposal (COM(96) 682) (1)
and having regard to the opinion delivered by the European Parliament on 24 April 1997, a specific measure to
encourage Italian fishermen to diversify out of certain fishing activities known as spadare (drift-net fishing).  In
approving the proposal with the amendments adopted, Parliament asked to be reconsulted if the Council made
substantial  changes  to  the  Commission  proposal.  The  text  which  was  adopted  and  published  in  the
interinstitutional edition No 96/0308 (CNS) of 28 February 1997 departs significantly and substantially from that
proposed by the Commission on which Parliament delivered its opinion: it adds a tenth recital and a second part
to Article 5, banning the accumulation and granting of aids deemed unjustified.

Does the Council not consider that these additions:

›  are  a  flagrant  breach  of  Article  43  of  the  Treaty  since  they  ignore  the  authority  of  the  Commission  and

Parliament?

›  Undermine  the  legitimacy  of  Parliament  which  delivered  its  own  opinion  on  a  proposal  substantially

different from that adopted by the Council?