WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2542/97 by Panayotis LAMBRIAS to the Commission. Measures to safeguard the right to learn Greek in Germany
Date: 1997-07-24
Institutions: European Parliament, LAMBRIAS
Subjects: Germany, Greece, child of migrant, competence of the Member States, language teaching, mother tongue, teaching curriculum

C 76/124

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

11. 3. 98

If so, how can the articles and obligations deriving from Directive 90/220/EEC which are not used cease to be
valid?

If so, how is the application of conditional articles ensured?

(1)  OJ C 96, 24.3.1997, p. 9.
(2)  OJ C 60, 25.2.1998, p. 5.
(3)  OJ L 292, 12.11.1994, p. 31.
(4)  OJ L 117, 8.5.1990, p. 15.

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-2535/97, E-2536/97, E-2537/97, E-2538/97,
E-2539/97, E-2540/97 and E-2541/97
given by Mr Santer on behalf of the Commission

(4 September 1997)

The Commission regrets that the Honourable Member is not satisfied with the answer to seven written questions.
It also regrets that the same questions have simply been asked again. The Commission takes the view that it has
answered the questions conscientiously and correctly.

Some of the questions are addressed to the Parliament((cid:145)what was Parliament(cid:146)s opinion of these principles and
rules?(cid:146)).  Others  are  put  in  such  a  way  that  the  Honourable  Member  can  hardly  expect  a  reply  ((cid:145)why  did  the
Commission contravene Article 145 of the EC Treaty in Decision 97/730/EC?(cid:146)).

The Commission is keen to fulfil its duty under Article 140 EC Treaty to reply to oral and written questions. It
answers questions from members who like the Honourable Member ask more than 100 questions in a year (1996)
or even 46 questions in one day (9 June 1997). It is however up to the Commission to decide upon the content of
its replies.

(98/C 76/237)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2542/97

by Panayotis Lambrias (PPE) to the Commission

(24 July 1997)

Subject: Measures to safeguard the right to learn Greek in Germany

Despite the efforts of Community policy to preserve the education and culture of each Member State and ensure
that all citizens can learn their mother-tongue, the Greek primary school in the large industrial City of Dortmund
in Germany is closing down. Greek children in the first year of primary school are being sent to a German school
where they will receive only five hours a week of Greek language tuition, while no classroom is available for the
elder children.

Will the Commission say what measures it intends to take to ensure that Greek citizens in Germany can exercise
their right to learn their mother-tongue properly and to enjoy access to their national culture?

Answer given by Mrs Cresson on behalf of the Commission

(19 September 1997)

In accordance with Article 3 of Directive 77/486/EEC of 25 July 1997 on the education of the children of migrant
workers (1), Member States shall, in cooperation with States of origin, take appropriate measures to promote, in
coordination with normal education, teaching of the mother tongue and culture of the country of origin for the
children of migrant workers.

The Socrates programme features a specific action aimed at promoting cooperation between Member States as
regards teaching of the mother tongue and culture of the country of origin, and several projects with this aim have
been funded.