WRITTEN QUESTION E-3675/00 by Ursula Schleicher (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Special scheme for access to Portuguese universities for the families of EU officials.
Date: 2000-11-27
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European official, European school, Portugal, access to education, application of EU law, competence of the Member States, equal treatment, university

19.6.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 174 E/111

On 26 June 2000 the Council adopted a Resolution on the improvement of road safety (1) which enlarges
upon the priorities indicated by the Commission in the communication it submitted in March 2000 in the
context of the second Community action programme promoting road safety in the European Union for the
period 1997 to 2001.

In its Resolution, the Council invited the Commission to submit seven legislative proposals as quickly as
possible and to continue work on a number of investigative and information measures. The legislative
measures include the one referred to by the Honourable Member, namely to amend Directive 71/127/EEC
in such a way as to increase the field of lateral and rear visibility of vehicles, thus reducing blind spots.

The Council is awaiting a proposal from the Commission along those lines and will certainly accord that
proposal due priority.

(1) OJ C 218, 31.7.2000, p. 1.

(2001/C 174 E/114)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3675/00

by Ursula Schleicher (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(27 November 2000)

Subject: Special scheme for access to Portuguese universities for the families of EU officials

In its answer to my Written Question, No E-2898/98 (1), the Commission stated on 30 November 1998
that pursuant to an amendment to the law (1998) there is no longer any special preferential scheme for
access to Portuguese universities for the families of EU officials.

Is it true that this legal situation has been changed once more to the detriment of school-leavers from the
European School who do not have a parent employed by the European Union? If so, in the light of the
principle of equal opportunities laid down in European law, what is the Commission(cid:146)s opinion with regard
to this situation as it affects both the Portuguese citizens who are the victims of this discrimination and
school-leavers from the European School who are nationals of other EU Member States?

(1) OJ C 135, 14.5.1999, p. 135.

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(6 February 2001)

With regard to Portuguese universities(cid:146)
treatment of school-leavers from the European Schools, the
Commission would like to refer to the declaration by the Schools(cid:146) Board of Governors of 15 October
1997, pertaining to Mr Machado(cid:146)s petition No 263/96. According to this declaration, the European
Baccalaureate awarded by the European Schools is the same qualification for all pupils, with no breakdown
into categories.

Article 5-2 of the Convention of 12 April 1957 states that holders of this qualification enjoy all the
benefits associated with the possession of a secondary school leaving certificate or diploma in their own
country and may apply for admission to any university on the territory of the contracting parties with the
same entitlements as nationals of that country with equivalent qualifications.

In general, it should be remembered that the organisation of education systems, including the recognition
of qualifications and university admission criteria, is a matter for the Member States. As a consequence,
and in strict compliance with Article 12 of the EC Treaty, which prohibits any direct or indirect
discrimination on the grounds of nationality, the competent authorities are entitled, in principle, to make
admission to universities dependent on obtaining academic recognition for qualifications acquired in
another Member State.

C 174 E/112

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

19.6.2001

Member States are allowed to conclude bilateral agreements with other Member States if they consider that
the latter(cid:146)s qualifications fulfil the national requirements. This is the case with the Convention of 12 April
1957.

It is also incumbent upon Member States to decide whether to compel interested parties with an equivalent
qualification (cid:129) European Baccalaureate or other (cid:129) to undergo the same selection procedures as holders of
national qualifications with a view to admitting them to particular study areas or educational establish-
ments.

With regard to the rules applicable to persons holding a Portuguese secondary school leaving certificate,
the Commission must point out that this is a purely internal matter that does not come under Community
law.

It would also like to point out that, under the Statute of the European Schools, the Board of Governors is
responsible for applying the Convention that created the European Schools and for representing them
legally. However, so that this matter can be dealt with more quickly, the Commission will be contacting
the Board of Governors with regard to the amendment to the law mentioned in the Honourable Member(cid:146)s
question, so that the Board can seek information from the Portuguese authorities. The Commission was
not informed about this amendment.

(2001/C 174 E/115)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3679/00

by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(29 November 2000)

Subject: Export aid for milk surpluses

The recent aid or refunds payable in respect of milk powder and/or butter exports to non-member
countries may have distorted the markets in southern Europe because milk will have found its way to
other countries which export dairy products.

Can the Commission say which Member States have been receiving the above aid and what amounts have
been granted? What is the nature of the products concerned, what quantities are involved, and to what
uses have they been put?

Can the Commission also say how long the aid will continue to be paid and what amounts will be
granted? What specific measures and operations will be eligible, and, assuming that the aid is to remain in
existence, what purposes will they ultimately serve?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(12 January 2001)

Provisional figures on export refund expenditure for skimmed milk powder and butter for the budget year
2000 are indicated on the table which is sent direct
to the Honourable Member and Parliament(cid:146)s
Secretariat. The table also indicates the quantities of both products exported in the period January-
September 2000.

In providing these data, the Commission should like to underline that the payment of an export subsidy in
a particular Member State cannot be considered as an indication of the origin of the goods exported nor of
the domicile of the operator exporting them. Since export licenses may be used in any Member State and
goods may be moved freely to any part of the Community, exporters may request payment of the export
refund in the country where the goods are put on board a ship.

As regards skimmed milk powder, the main export destinations for the 304 800 tonnes (t) indicated below
were Algeria (50 379 t), Mexico (50 013 t), Indonesia (25 151 t), the Philippines (24 688 t) and Thailand
(17 263 t). In the case of butter/butteroil, the main export destinations of the 115 100 t indicated below
were Russia (18 520 t), Saudi Arabia (11 865 t), Egypt (7 762 t) and Morocco (6 812 t).