WRITTEN QUESTION E-1320/01 by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Exclusion of private vocational training institutes from the operational programme for education and basic vocational training in Greece.
Date: 2001-05-03
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, Greece, operational programme, private education, restriction on competition, vocational training

C 350 E/122

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

11.12.2001

important benefits for businesses. In addition, the macro-economic framework deriving from EMU has led
to significant achievements (see: (cid:145)EMU: The First Two years(cid:146), Euro Papers No 42) which are of benefit to
businesses, such as the reduction of interest rates.

(1) Euro paper No 13.
(2) Euro paper No 21.

(2001/C 350 E/132)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1320/01

by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(3 May 2001)

Subject: Exclusion of private vocational training institutes from the operational programme for education

and basic vocational training in Greece

The new operational programme for education and basic vocational training in Greece excludes private
vocational training institutes from receiving EU funding for the programmes, which is contrary to previous
proposals put forward by the Ministry of Education and the original agreements between that Ministry and
the Commission to maintain open procedures in the award of contracts for basic vocational training.
Furthermore, the exact opposite applies to the operational programme for further vocational training in
which the competent bodies (cid:129) public and private vocational training institutes (cid:129) once certified, are
eligible to submit offers to run programmes put out to tender by the responsible authority.

1. Why do different funding arrangements apply to basic and further vocational training when the
circumstances are fundamentally the same?

In the Commission(cid:146)s view, do these provisions ensure competition between public and private

2.
vocational training institutes?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(9 July 2001)

The Commission would like to point out that Community assistance is intended as support for or
a contribution to national measures. The European Social Fund thus supports Member States(cid:146) activities to
develop the labour market and human resources.

It should also be noted, for the specific sector of vocational training in Greece, that the operational
programme for education and basic vocational training provides for a study to be carried out, as part of
the mid-term evaluation, on the conditions for the possible participation of private vocational training
centres. According to the results of this study, the possibility of allowing private vocational training centres
to participate in the programme(cid:146)s actions on the basis of open procedures will be examined in agreement
with the Greek authorities.

Consequently, the new operational programme for education and basic vocational training, which was
approved by the Commission on 14 March 2001, is in keeping with the spirit of the third Community
support framework (CSF) and will contribute significantly to the Greek authorities(cid:146) attempt to modernise
the education system.