WRITTEN QUESTION E-3032/01 by Carlos Coelho (PPE-DE) to the Council. Listing Council officials by nationality and professional category.
Date: 2001-11-05
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Council of the European Union, EU Member State, European official, vocational training

C 134 E/180

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

6.6.2002

This law provides the movements for the conservation of Italy’s ‘traditional’ minority groups (i. e. those
that have seen themselves as such for many years) with the means to improve their situation. In particular,
ITL 2 billion per year is earmarked for national and local projects to study the languages and cultural
traditions of the members of recognised linguistic minorities, ITL 9,8 bn per year for public authorities
wishing to make it possible for the various communities to use the protected languages and ITL 8,7 bn per
year for expenditure incurred by local authorities in meeting the obligations deriving from the law.

As part of action to protect all linguistic minorities, would the Commission seek to ensure that the Sicilian
language is brought within the scope of Italian law in this area, given the importance of Sicily’s social and
cultural traditions and the fact that Sicilian communities are to be found all around the world?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(19 December 2001)

Any action by the Union to support the cultural and linguistic diversity of the Union is mainly governed
by article 151 (ex Article 128) of the EC Treaty which states that ‘The Community shall contribute to the
flowering of the cultures of the Member States, while respecting their national and regional diversity and at
the same time bringing the common cultural heritage to the fore.’ It contains the following limitation:
‘Action by the Community shall be aimed at encouraging cooperation between Member States and, if
necessary, supporting and supplementing their action.’

The Commission therefore has no remit to take action against a Member State to modify national
legislation governing the treatment of linguistic minorities except where such legislation could be said to
constitute an infringement of the basic principles of liberty, democracy, respect for human rights and
fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law common to the Member States within the meaning of Article 6
of the Treaty on European Union.

The Commission has received no information whatsoever to suggest that Italian Senate Bill No 3366 of
26 November 1999 constitutes an infringement of this kind.

(2002/C 134 E/184)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3032/01

by Carlos Coelho (PPE-DE) to the Council

(5 November 2001)

Subject: Listing Council officials by nationality and professional category

Would the Council provide me with a list setting out the total number of officials working in the Council,
by nationality and professional category?

Reply

(14 February 2002)

The data requested by the Honourable Member are given in the attached table.

Listing by nationality of officials at the Council General Secretariat ; situation at 13.11.2001

Officials

Temporary staff

Auxiliary staff

Country

Belgium

Denmark

Germany

A

23

16

36

L/A

53

57

54

B

52

6

22

C

254

64

89

D

48

1

Total

A

L/A

430

143

202

3

1

5

B

9

C

D

Total

A

L/A

B

C

D

Total

12

1

5

Grand
total

442

144

207

%

17,28

5,63

8,09

6.6.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 134 E/181

Officials

Temporary staff

Auxiliary staff

Total

A

L/A

Country

Greece

Spain

France

Ireland

Italy

Luxembourg

Netherlands

Austria

Portugal

Finland

Sweden

United Kingdom

Other countries

A

13

24
(1)

33
(1)

10

32

4

23

10

11

14

16

35

L/A

60

56

30

7

60

1

30

1

58

58

53

51

B

4

15

17

2

37

13

3

7

9

6

12

1

C

88

94

97

42

206

4

37

3

90

58

51

60

1

D

3

12

4

44

2

4

4

3

Total

300
(2)

629

206

1238

125

(1)
(2)

+ Non-cat.
+ 2 Non-cat.

2

3

6

2

5

2

4

2

1

2

1

4

168

201
(1)

181
(1)

61

379

11

107

17

170

139

126

161

2

2498
(2)

B

1

2

3

1

C

D

Total

A

L/A

B

C

D

Total

1

3

5

7

2

8

2

4

2

2

2

1

4

0

Grand
total

171

206
(1)

188
(1)

63

387

13

111

19

172

141

127

165

2

%

6,68

8,05

7,35

2,46

15,13

0,51

4,34

0,74

6,72

5,51

4,96

6,45

0,08

43

0

16

1

0

60

2558
(2)

± 100 %

(2002/C 134 E/185)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3035/01

by José Pomés Ruiz (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(23 October 2001)

Subject: European degrees in psychomotricity

On 17 April 1986, the University of Pau and Pays de l’Adour (UPPA) signed an agreement with the Pau
Institute of Psychomotricity (IPP), whereby students trained at the latter obtained the French State Diploma
in Psychomotricity from the UPPA.

The Colegio Carlos III of Pamploma (Spain) signed an agreement with the IPP and then with the UPPA on
3 October 1990, whereby students might be awarded a university degree (diplomatura)
in psycho-
motricity, within the framework of a European diploma conferred and guaranteed by the UPPA and the
IPP.

At the end of their course of studies, the Spanish students received a certificate as an ‘attestation’
(certificate) and not a ‘diplomatura’ (degree), as a result of which they want to take the Colegio Carlos III to
court, a demand which is seen as not being in the interests of the College. The UPPA and the IPP have
washed their hands of the matter.

What is the Commission’s opinion of the University of Pau and Pays de l’Adour’s action, given the
existence of the agreement signed between the two institutions and of Directives 89/48/EEC (1) and
92/51/EEC (2) which envisage a general system for the mutual recognition of degrees in the Member States?

(1) OJ L 19, 24.1.1989, p. 16.
(2) OJ L 209, 24.7.1992, p. 25.