WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2239/98 by Franco MALERBA to the Commission. Measures to safeguard against the risk of 'asteroid collision'
Date: 1998-07-10
Institutions: European Parliament, MALERBA
Subjects: European Space Agency, astronomy, environmental risk prevention, public health, report, space policy, use of outer space

C 386/170

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

11.12.98

for the last year at the foreign university in question which awards them their diploma. However, owing to
constitutional provisions which ban the establishment of private universities, these diplomas are not recognized;
this has recently been confirmed by a decision of the Council of State.

Will the Commission shed light on this confused issue and state whether:

1. Educational matters, especially relating to the public or private nature of higher education, fall within the

jurisdiction of the Member States?

2. Decisions by the body in question (Dikatsa), taken on the basis of the Greek Constitution and the decision of

the Council of State, constitute part of Community legislation for the recognition of diplomas?

3. These diplomas which are not recognized in Greece are valid in the other countries of the European Union,

given that the universities are listed in the Directive on the equivalence of diplomas?

Answer given by Mrs Cresson on behalf of the Commission

(16 July 1998)

The Commission is collecting the information it needs to answer the question. It will communicate its findings as
soon as possible.

(98/C 386/237)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2239/98

by Franco Malerba (PPE) to the Commission

(10 July 1998)

Subject: Measures to safeguard against the risk of (cid:145)asteroid collision(cid:146)

Although the collision of a large asteroid with the earth is a rare event, the documented identification of more than
150 craters produced by the impact of asteroids in areas of the planet not covered by sea and the extremely large
number of craters that can be seen on the moon are a reminder that such events occur all the time in the region of
space in which the earth orbits. The collision of a large asteroid (about 10 km in diameter) with the earth could
lead to the extinction of many plant and animal species, but if its trajectory were identified very early on it is quite
likely that a catastrophe could be successfully averted. However, the detection and monitoring of asteroids is not
easy because they are relatively small and hence their luminosity is low.

On 20 March 1996, the Council of Europe approved the Lorenzi resolution 1080/96, which invites the countries
of Europe to fund research into protecting the planet from asteroids within a framework of international
cooperation.

Although various research centres in Europe carry out research into asteroids, a request for funding for research
into NEOs (Near Earth Objects) submitted in January 1997 to DG XII of the European Commission by 9 groups
from 8 EEC countries has been rejected, whereas in the United States $10 million has been invested in three
research programmes that are already up and running: Spacewatch, Loneos and NEAT.

How does the Commission intend to deal with the global risk of collision with asteroids, what research work and
programmes does it intend to support and what international collaboration does it consider necessary?

Answer given by Mrs Cresson on behalf of the Commission

(8 September 1998)

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its answer to written question E-1578/98 by Mr Ford (1).

(1)

See page 150.