WRITTEN QUESTION E-2253/01 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Research into scholastic failure in the European Union.
Date: 2001-07-26
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU programme, backwardness at school, education, research project

4.4.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 81 E/143

The Europol Convention lays down a thorough system of financial controls, which include an
3.
independent financial controller and a joint audit committee, composed of members of the Court of
Auditors. So although the Court of Auditors is not directly competent to supervise Europol, Europol has in
place effective financial controls.

4.
It should be noted that the alleged irregularities referred to in the question of the Honourable
Member of the European Parliament have been discovered by the financial controller. On the basis of his
report the Europol Management Board set up a committee which has further investigated the issue. The
financial controls in the Europol framework have therefore proved to be effective.

The Members of the Council are informed, through their national representatives in the Management

5.
Board of Europol of the findings of this committee.

Given that Europol (cid:129) on the basis of the information that came to light (cid:129) informed the competent
6.
Dutch public prosecutor of the alleged irregularities and that the public prosecutor thereupon has started
criminal investigations against one official of the Staff of Europol, the Council considers it inappropriate to
take any action which might interfere with these investigations.

(2002/C 81 E/168)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2253/01

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: Research into scholastic failure in the European Union

(26 July 2001)

The education and training of young people are of paramount importance as they help them acquire the
ability to develop their personality and potential in full, to play a full and positive role in the development
of the European society. It follows that scholastic failure has tangible personal and social consequences
which far transcend the fields of education and training.

The Research and Technology Development Programme allows funding for studies and proposals relating
to scholastic failure in the Member States of the European Union.

Is the Commission aware of any proposals by research establishments or universities relating to scholastic
failure? Has it initiated the procedure for a comparative assessment of any such proposals? If so, what were
the results?

Answer given by Mr Busquin on behalf of the Commission

(12 October 2001)

The Targeted Socio-Economic Research (TSER) Programme of the Fourth Framework Programme for
research and technological development (RTD) of the Community and the Key Action Improving the
Socio-Economic Knowledge Base of
the Fifth Framework Programme for RTD support European
researchers in the social sciences and humanities and include some research in relation to education and
training issues. Within these activities, there are no projects dedicated specifically to the issue of scholastic
failure. Therefore, there is no possibility to provide a comparative assessment of proposals on this topic
outside the normal procedures of independent evaluation of proposals across the whole Key Action.
However, some projects consider the issue of scholastic failure in relation, for example, to the transition
from education to work, immigration, social exclusion, educational change, education governance, etc.

The most relevant research project in relation to scholastic failure in the Community is entitled A
Comparative Analysis of Transitions from Education to Work in Europe and has been completed recently.
The final report as well as a number of research papers and other publications from this project can be
found at the project(cid:146)s web-site: http://www.mzes.uni-mannheim.de/projekte/catewe/publ/publ_e.html.

C 81 E/144

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

4.4.2002

Other studies have been carried out in the framework of the Socrates programme, two of them are
particularly interesting for the issue of school failure:

(cid:129) (cid:145)Success for all: promoting access of socially excluded children to basic skills(cid:146) (1997/1999) which
analyses the various educational strategies for socially excluded youth in Europe classified in three
categories: equal opportunities, equal treatment or equal outcomes strategies.

(cid:129) (cid:145)Dropping out and secondary education(cid:146)

(1997/1999) which provides on one hand Community
country reports describing the number and distribution of drop-outs in secondary education and, on
the other hand, comparative analysis of drop-outs profiles and their relationships with pre-existing
structures of inequality. The researchers have formulated recommendations for educational policy
makers taking into account that dropping out is a cumulative process, which develops over several
years, and that the structural and cultural-biographical factors need to be apprehended in a integrated
approach.

(2002/C 81 E/169)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2258/01

by Mikko Pes(cid:228)l(cid:228) (ELDR) and Samuli Pohjamo (ELDR) to the Commission

(31 July 2001)

Subject: Reliable information on the predator numbers and cause of death of reindeer calves

We have received numerous reports from the reindeer herding region of Finnish Lapland that there are
now too many predators there for viable reindeer herding. This situation has been affected by a fall in the
number of deer on the Russian side of the border, which forces predators to prey on deer in Finland.
Similar reports have come from the Kainuu region.

Finland is an exceptional country in the EU in terms of the distribution of predators there, and in that it
has a common border with Russia. Consequently a detailed survey of predator numbers ought to be
carried out, e.g. by applying (cid:145)real time research(cid:146), using a helicopter and a radio transmitter to investigate
the cause of death of reindeer calves. However, research of this nature is expensive.

A significant number of reindeer calves are dying for unknown reasons, and these deaths need to be
investigated in the interest of the legal protection of the reindeer industry.

This matter has been made topical by the Commission(cid:146)s comments on Finland(cid:146)s protection of wolves, bears
and lynxes. The Commission has called in writing for Finland to adopt legislation in accordance with the
aims of the habitats directive.

In the light of the above what measures is the Commission taking to ensure that real-time information is
available on the real numbers of predators, and that the actual damage to the reindeer industry can be
ascertained?

Answer given by Mrs Wallstr(cid:246)m on behalf of the Commission

(12 October 2001)

By way of background, the Commission would like to point out that the species (wolf, bear and lynx)
mentioned by the Honourable Members are protected by Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on
the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (1).

Therefore, Commission(cid:146)s task in accordance with Article 211 (ex Article 155) of the EC Treaty is to ensure
that the protection of those species by Finland fulfils the requirements of the Directive (2), in particular that
the conservation status of those species remains favourable. In accordance with Article 11 of the above-
mentioned Directive, Finland has monitored the level of protection of the mentioned species.