WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1454/98 by Christof TANNERT to the Commission. Large system-built estates in applicant countries
Date: 1998-05-11
Institutions: European Parliament, TANNERT
Subjects: Eastern Bloc countries, German Democratic Republic, building, building safety, prefabrication, social well-being

C 354/100

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

19. 11. 98

Answer given by Mrs Cresson on behalf of the Commission

(15 June 1998)

The organisation of university studies, including registration fees, is the responsibility of the Member States.
The Community is responsible for promoting cooperation between universities.

This being the case, access to higher education in a Member State by Community students from another Member
State is subject to Community law.

In this regard, the Court of Justice has ruled on several occasions on problems associated with admission. For
example, the Court has ruled that the principle of equal treatment laid down in Article 6 of the EC Treaty forbids
the demanding of registration fees from university students from other Member States which are not required
from nationals. This principle also applies to the award of study grants where these serve to fund registration
fees, excluding grants intended to cover maintenance or other costs not directly linked to admission.

(98/C 354/158)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1454/98

by Christof Tannert (PSE) to the Commission

(11 May 1998)

Subject: Large system-built estates in applicant countries

In  the  former  eastern  bloc  countries,  including  the  GDR,  over  170  million  people  live  in  large  system-built
estates. These estates will be needed for decades to meet the demand for housing, but they present serious risks
both as buildings and in social terms. What is the Commission doing to cope with these problems which the EU
will face in acute form with future enlargements?

The  German  National  Habitat  Commitee  designated  the  Berlin-Hellersdorf  estate  project  as  a  (cid:145)best  practice(cid:146)
model  and  for  dealing  with  the  problem  presented  it  in  Istanbul  in  1996.  In  October  1997  120  experts  from
25 central  and  eastern  European  cities  met  in  Sofia  and  called  on  the  EU  to  address  the  problem  of  large
system-built estates (Sofia declaration on the future of large system-built estates in central and eastern Europe).
Has the Commission reacted, and if so, how?

Does  the  Commission  have  relevant  data  on  the  subject  from  these  countries  and  especially  those  seeking
accession to the EU? Is it prepared to present, initiate or participate in a programme for on-going development in
estates of this type, and if so in what form?

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek on behalf of the Commission

(9 June 1998)

The pre-accession strategy for the candidate countries, as set out in Agenda 2000 (1) and in the conclusions of the
European Council held in Luxembourg in December 1997, is intended to enable all the applicant states of Central
and Eastern Europe eventually to become members of the Community and, to that end, to align themselves as far
as possible on the Community acquis prior to accession.

Housing policy is not an integral part of the Community acquis and is a matter which can most efficiently be
decided at a local, regional or national level. Hence the Commission does not have a direct role in relation to the
future  of  prefabricated  housing  in  Central  and  Eastern  Europe  and  has  no  specific  comments  to  offer  on  the
matters raised by the Honourable Member.

(1)  COM(97) 2000 final.