WRITTEN QUESTION E-1530/02 by Jorge Hernández Mollar (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Promoting the study of physics among young people.
Date: 2002-06-03
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU programme, EU research policy, education policy, public awareness campaign, scientific education

C 301 E/170

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

5.12.2002

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(26 June 2002)

The level of self-sufficiency of beef in the Union varied in the period 1999-2001 between 101 % and
108 %. Whereas most of the beef production was destinated for internal Union consumption, part of it was
exported to third countries (between 500 000 and 870 000 tonnes per year).

As a result of the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE)-crisis, several measures were taken with a view
to restore the market balance. Around 250 000 tonnes were put into public storage. Furthermore, several
exceptional support measures were adopted that allowed considerable quantities of beef to be taken off the
market, i.e. 240 000 tonnes under the Purchase for Destruction Scheme; 205 000 tonnes under the Special
Purchase Scheme; 185 000 tonnes under various BSE and Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) culling schemes.

(2002/C 301 E/182)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1530/02

by Jorge Hernández Mollar (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Promoting the study of physics among young people

(3 June 2002)

There is an alarming decrease in the number of science students and the public seems not to be aware of
the gravity of the problem. Why are there increasingly fewer students choosing physics and mathematics
at university level?

The lack of physics students is a particularly important problem because it applies to almost all the
European Union countries. Therefore expects have agreed that investigations should be carried out in the
Member States to provide solutions for combating the current low levels of interest in physics within the
Community.

Can the Commission indicate if it considers it would be able to promote far-reaching measures and
programmes at Community level to motivate our young people to take up the study of physics at school
and at university, thus resolving the problems caused by the ever-decreasing decline of interest in the
subject which affect all Community economies?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(31 July 2002)

The decline in the number of people wanting to study science subjects in Europe was discussed at an
informal joint meeting of Education and Research Ministers in Uppsala in March 2001, where a broad
consensus was established on the need to motivate young people, and girls in particular, to study science
subjects and take up careers in science. Students’ motivation plays an important role in their levels of
success in scientific disciplines, and the image which they form of science when they are young is decisive
when it comes to choosing a career in this area.

The February 2001 Education Council adopted, for the first time in the history of the Europe of education,
a report on the concrete future objectives of education and training systems to be attained by 2010 (1). The
Stockholm European Council of 23 and 24 March 2001 identified mathematics, sciences and technology
as a priority area.

Within the framework of the open coordination method, a group of experts composed of representatives
of the 15 Member States has started work aimed at increasing the numbers opting for scientific and
technological subjects, and they will be using instruments such as indicators and performance calibration.
Physics is obviously one of the science subjects in the expert group’s sights.

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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Particular attention will be paid to methods of encouraging young people to choose scientific and technical
subjects and to ensure a steady supply of qualified teachers in these subjects. An initial report from this
group will be available by the end of 2002.

The experts’ conclusion to which the written question alludes relates to a study conducted by the Spanish
Presidency, which the Commission will examine along with others and will submit for examination to its
group of experts.

Within the framework of the Community’s research policy, initiatives have been supported under the Fifth
Framework RTD Programme aimed at reviving young people’s interest in science subjects. In particular,
‘Physics on Stage’
(supported by the Commission as part of the European Science and Technology
Week 2001) is an initiative specifically concerned with attracting people to physics and the teaching of
physics. The Sixth Framework RTD Programme and the Science and Society Action Plan adopted by the
Commission in December 2001 (2) provide for measures to promote ways of teaching science that will be
more attractive to young people, as well as an initiative to pinpoint science training needs in Europe.

It must be said, however, that encouraging young people to study physics is a matter primarily for the
Member States rather than for the Community.

(1) Report of the Education Council to the European Council on the concrete future objectives of education and

training systems (cid:1) Document No 5980/01 EDUC 18 of 14 February 2001.

(2) COM(2001) 714 final.

(2002/C 301 E/183)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1533/02

by Giovanni Pittella (PSE) to the Commission

(3 June 2002)

Subject: Hesse law against bilingualism

Knowing that:

(cid:1) In force in the German Land of Hesse is a law which was adopted on 17 June 1992 by the SPD-Grüne
government for the purpose of maintaining standards in schools. Amongst other things, that law has
served to promote bilingualism.

(cid:1) A new law has recently been proposed which will have the effect of depriving foreign children of the
right to preserve their language of origin and under which their mother tongue and their potential
bilingualism will cease to be regarded as a resource to be exploited.

(cid:1) Notwithstanding authoritative studies which demonstrate how important maintaining the language
and the culture of origin is to personal development and to the integration process, the Hesse
government wishes the countries of origin to assume financial responsibility for the task. This would
place an excessive financial and organisational burden on consular representatives, lower the prestige
of the languages concerned and weaken the legal position of those languages in schools.

(cid:1) At the Convention on integration and opportunities for immigrants in Hesse which the government
‘We are in
organised on 26 November 2001 in Wiesbaden, the Chief Minister, Mr Koch, said:
Germany. Here, there is only one language: German. At home, foreign families can speak whatever
language they like but, in the street and at school, German alone will be spoken. Only this will lead to
integration’.

(cid:1) The new law would lead to serious problems:

if children were required to learn German before
starting school, foreign parents would be blamed for any failure by their children to learn the
language. However, immigrant families often lack money with which to pay for language courses.

(cid:1) Furthermore, the draft law in question would infringe Council Directive 77/486/EEC of 7 July 1977

and also the Charter of Fundamental Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights.

Will the Commission do all it can to prevent the adoption of a law which blatantly contravenes European
legislation and the German Constitution itself and which is likely to result in a long legal and political
dispute?