WRITTEN QUESTION P-1594/01 by Luckas Vander Taelen (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Gare du Luxembourg, Brussels, and the free movement of services.
Date: 2001-05-21
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Brussels region, award of contract, freedom to provide services, invitation to tender, railway station, urban renewal

16.5.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 115 E/3

and provide for the following concerning foot and mouth disease:

(cid:21) that holdings/areas of origin of the animals to be slaughtered in order that their meat is exported to

the Community have been FMD-free for a certain period of time;

(cid:21) de-boning and maturation of meat, which has been shown scientifically to ensure that should any
FMD virus be present it would be destroyed by this process. This has been shown to be effective in
practice over the last 30 years.

In addition the Commission (Food and Veterinary Office) carries out on-the-spot missions in these
countries to ensure that these provisions are properly implemented.

The outbreak was confirmed in a pig farm near Durban in South Africa on 17 September 2000 and the
Commission was informed on 18 September 2000. A detailed report was received from the Veterinary
Authorities of South Africa on 20 September 2000 which was forwarded to the Chief Veterinary Officers
of the Member States.

In spite of the fact that imports of pig meat are not authorised from South Africa export certification of all
fresh meat from susceptible species was immediately and automatically suspended as the veterinary
certification laid down in Commission Decision 1999/283/EC could no longer be signed by the Veterinary
Authorities of South Africa.

There was no delay.

(1) OJ L 302, 31.12.1972.
(2) OJ L 146, 14.6.1979.
(3) OJ L 179, 22.7.1993.
(4) OJ L 110, 28.4.1999.

(2002/C 115 E/003)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1594/01

by Luckas Vander Taelen (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(21 May 2001)

Subject: Gare du Luxembourg, Brussels, and the free movement of services

The Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Belge (SNCB) has awarded a contract to the AEL-GROUP
T-Tractabel consortium to draw up designs relating to the ‘Gare du Luxembourg’ in Brussels in connection
with construction of the projected D4 and D5 buildings in the Place du Luxembourg. The SNCB, acting in
its capacity as owner, has applied to the Region of Brussels (cid:21) Capital (municipality of Ixelles) for a
planning certificate authorising the station renovation works (application registered on 28 April 1998) for
which it is the contracting authority.

Council Directive 92/50/EEC (1) of 18 June 1992 relating to the coordination of procedures for the award
of public service contracts must be respected by all contracting authorities within the meaning of Directive
71/305/EEC (2) and any obstacles to the free movement of services must be avoided.

Can the Commission establish whether the SNCB issued an invitation to tender for the provision of
services concering design and renovation work for the Gare du Luxembourg in accordance with the
provisions of Directive 92/50/EEC?

(1) OJ L 209, 24.7.1992, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 185, 16.8.1971, p. 5.

Supplementary answer
given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(14 January 2002)

According to the information transmitted by the Belgian authorities and the parties involved, the SNCB
was not one of the signatories of the design contract for renovation work at the ‘Gare de Luxembourg’ in
Brussels, as this was concluded between the SA Forum Leopold (private developer) and Tractabel. Whilst it

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Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

16.5.2002

is true that the SNCB was present when this agreement was concluded, it was acting in its capacity as the
owner of the land involved in order to provide those producing the designs with certain technical
information concerning access to the station. The SNCB’s involvement was not therefore that of either a
contracting authority or a client. Nor will it be involved in financing the designs in question.

Since therefore this was an agreement concluded between two legal persons under private law, to which
the SNCB was not party, Council Directive 92/50/EEC of 18 June 1992 relating to the coordination of
procedures for the award of public service contracts (1) was not applicable in this case.

(1) OJ L 209, 24.7.1992.

(2002/C 115 E/004)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1606/01

by Juan Naranjo Escobar (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(1 June 2001)

Subject: Student numbers in universities

In recent years, European universities have seen a gradual decrease in student numbers, to the point where
some are now experiencing negative growth.

So far, this reduction has had a greater impact on degree studies, and has hit State universities hardest, but
in the future it could lead to fewer jobs for teachers as a whole.

This situation reflects the falling birth rate and the increasing tendency of young people to follow studies
that are vocational in nature, rather than the kind of courses offered by universities.

Can the Commission confirm the existence of such trends in undergraduate and postgraduate university
education throughout the European Union? If so, does the Commission consider it necessary to give higher
prominence to vocational training for those students wishing to learn a particular profession? If these
trends are confirmed, how does the Commission intend to tackle the changes occurring in the university
sector?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(3 September 2001)

The Commission bases its statistical analysis at European level on the statistics available from Eurostat. The
most recent data available to Eurostat on the number of students enrolled in tertiary education relate to the
academic year 1998/1999.

The Eurydice publication ‘Key data on education in Europe 1999/2000’ was published in the year 2000
based on Eurostat statistics. It covers the period from 1975 to 1997. This is the most recent Europe-wide
analysis of the number of students enrolled in tertiary education. A striking finding from the Eurydice
study is the fact that the number of students in tertiary education has more than doubled over the last 20
years. The increase was particularly rapid in Greece, Spain, Ireland and Portugal. Only in France and the
Netherlands did the number of students in tertiary education tend to decrease slightly.

Eurostat statistics on the number of students in tertiary education for the academic year 1998/1999
confirms this trend in increases in student numbers, even for France, which previously showed a decrease.

The number of students in higher education institutions is very much dependent on the system of higher
education in the various Member States. Selection procedures and limits on the numbers of places
available, such as the ‘numerus clausus’ system, are factors which affect the size of the student population.
One of the reasons for independent selection procedures is consideration of labour market needs, but
many other variables have an influence as well.