WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1674/98 by Kirsi PIHA to the Commission. Situation of foreign students at Tartu University
Date: 1998-05-29
Institutions: European Parliament, PIHA
Subjects: EU national, Estonia, Finland, access to education, accession to the European Union, equal treatment, foreign student, higher education, school fees, university

22.2.1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 50/69

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(15 June 1998)

The Commission is aware that the reception of certain satellite broadcasting services across the Community is
limited for reasons related to contractual arrangements between broadcasters and content providers. It is currently
investigating some of these cases in the light of Community law, and more generally in an ad hoc study.

(1999/C 50/099)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1674/98

by Kirsi Piha (PPE) to the Commission

(29 May 1998)

Subject: Situation of foreign students at Tartu University

At the University of Tartu in Estonia a dispute has arisen between the foreign students (mostly Finnish) and the
university concerning the increase in termly charges and the unfair difference in the level of these charges
between Estonian and foreign students. This dispute has even gone as far as the courts.

What is the Commission(cid:146)s view on these measures taken by the candidate country Estonia, which will result in
termly charges for foreign students being higher than those for Estonian students in future when Estonia is a
Member State of the European Union?

Answer given by Mrs Cresson on behalf of the Commission

(16 July 1998)

Estonia, which is one of the applicant countries for membership, and with which accession negotiations are
currently being conducted, will be adapting its legislation to established EU law as part of the pre-accession
strategy, notably in the areas of higher education and the principle of non-discrimination between citizens of one
Member State and citizens of the other Member States as regards access to education. This principle was
explained to the Estonian delegation at the first meeting for the analytical examination of established EU law,
which was held in Brussels in May. Estonia will therefore have to adopt legislative provisions as soon as possible
in order to comply with this principle. To this end, the Commission will ensure that the Estonian Government
draws up a precise timetable setting out the stages of the legislative process required to transpose this
fundamental principle into Estonian law.

(1999/C 50/100)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1678/98

by Kirsi Piha (PPE) to the Commission

(29 May 1998)

Subject: Utilization of PHARE appropriations in Estonia

Educational cooperation is one of the most important forms of grass-roots cooperation between the EU Member
States and the candidate countries.

Of the PHARE appropriations intended for Estonia, how much was utilized in 1997 for such cooperation and
what proportion of these appropriations did it represent?

(1999/C 50/101)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1679/98

by Kirsi Piha (PPE) to the Commission

(29 May 1998)

Subject: Utilization of PHARE appropriations in Lithuania

Educational cooperation is one of the most important forms of grass-roots cooperation between the EU Member
States and the candidate countries.