WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2196/98 by Dominique SOUCHET to the Commission. Use of the French language
Date: 1998-07-10
Institutions: European Parliament, SOUCHET
Subjects: European language, France, Portugal, cultural event, equal treatment, official language

C 50/134

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

22.2.1999

The nursery and primary departments, which were opened in September 1995, are running smoothly and
currently take 69 Finnish pupils. The secondary department will be set up in stages over the next few years as the
number of pupils at this level justifies the addition of new classes and the secondment of teachers.

Since few Finnish pupils are currently attending the secondary school (11 in all), the setting up of classes to cover
the full seven-year period is not warranted. The pupils in question are enrolled in the English section and attend
language courses for Finnish as their mother tongue (their first language), English being viewed as their second
language.

As regards the fear voiced by the Honourable Member that pupils will have difficulty in studying in a language
which is not their mother tongue, it should be pointed out that the 11 Finnish pupils in this position in
Luxembourg have just successfully completed the school year without failing in any subject.

(1999/C 50/194)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2196/98

by Dominique Souchet (I-EDN) to the Commission

(10 July 1998)

Subject: Use of the French language

The Joint Seminar ( Commission (DG XIV ) › European fishing industry › European Parliament(cid:146)s Committee
on Fisheries) on the future of the common fisheries policy after 2002 has just been held in the European Union(cid:146)s
pavilion at the World Exhibition in Lisbon from 25 to 28 June.

Those taking part in the seminar were shocked by the fact that there was absolutely no communication in the
French language or in most of the working languages of the European Union inside that pavilion.

Can the Commission specify whether its call for tenders for the pavilion precluded the use of the French
language?

Answer given by Mr Oreja on behalf of the Commission

(11 September 1998)

EXPO (cid:146)98 the world fair currently being held in Lisbon, operates under the rules of the Bureau international des
expositions (BIE). EXPO (cid:146)98 made the decision that the official languages of this exhibition are Portuguese,
Spanish and English. The Community, as an official participant, follows these rules.

However, it has to be stressed that the French language is not excluded from the pavilion. There are some texts in
French throughout the pavilion.

The call for tender did not exclude the use of the French language.

All the Commission(cid:146)s staff on site are fluent in French as indeed are a number of the temporary hosting staff.

(1999/C 50/195)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2208/98

by Ulrich Stockmann (PSE) to the Commission

(16 July 1998)

Subject: Community aid for the German Land of Saxony-Anhalt during 1997

What amounts of Community aid for the German Land of Saxony-Anhalt were approved and cancelled for which
measures and under which programmes for 1997:

1.

2.

the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)?

the European Social Fund (ESF)?