WRITTEN QUESTION E-2934/02 by Jorge Moreira Da Silva (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Application of the European Convention on the Academic Recognition of University Qualifications (ETS 32).
Date: 2002-10-17
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European convention, diploma, recognition of diplomas, university

C 110 E/128

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

8.5.2003

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(28 November 2002)

Since August 2002, the Commission has been examining complaints according to which certain provisions
of Greek law 3037/2002 infringe Articles 28-30 of the EC Treaty on the free movement of goods. The
above mentioned legislation seems to introduce a complete ban as from 1 August 2002, on the installation
and operation of all electric, electronic and electromechanical games, amusement-technical games and all
games used by means of computers included, in all public or private places except for casinos and it could
therefore be considered as a measure having an effect equivalent to quantitative restrictions on imports,
prohibited by Article 28 of the EC Treaty.

Furthermore, the measure appears to be disproportionate as to the aims of law 3037/2002 and does not
seem to be justified under the grounds provided by Article 30 of the EC Treaty or the mandatory
requirements accepted by the European Court of Justice.

A letter of formal notice has been sent to the Greek authorities drawing their attention on the above
mentioned observations.

The current approach does not prejudice possible further action by the Commission on the basis of other
European law instruments

(2003/C 110 E/146)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2934/02

by Jorge Moreira Da Silva (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(17 October 2002)

Subject: Application of the European Convention on the Academic Recognition of University Qualifications

(ETS 32)

If a State signatory to the European Convention on the Academic Recognition of University Qualifications
(ETS 32) withholds equivalence of (non-vocational) qualifications from a graduate because certain parts of
the syllabus concerned do not meet its requirements, thereby requiring all graduates from another State
signatory to retake all or part of their syllabus, can this be considered as contravening the aforementioned
convention?

Does Article 4 of the convention oblige the authorities competent to deal with issues of equivalence,
including the education ministries of the States signatory, to notify applicants for equivalent status of the
subject areas of the syllabus that fail to meet their requirements? Must they also provide holders of foreign
university qualifications with a list of the examinations they must pass?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(29 November 2002)

The Commission is aware of
the questions raised by the European Convention on the Academic
Recognition of University Qualifications (ETS 032), which the Honourable Member mentions, and by the
other conventions concluded within the Council of Europe on this subject. However, the Commission is
not the authority responsible for ensuring that the conventions in question are applied nor, therefore, for
deciding whether the measures taken by one or several States signatory are compatible with Convention
ETS 032.