WRITTEN QUESTION E-1474/03 by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Language policy at the European Schools and in European education.
Date: 2003-04-30
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European school, diploma, education policy, enlargement of the Union, language teaching, official language, public education, teaching

C 58 E/70

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

6.3.2004

linked to the length of the project
A grace period is agreed with the Borrower for each tranche,
implementation period and the income stream coming on-line, for example, planned commissioning
date + about two years.

(1) See page 66.

(2004/C 58 E/086)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1474/03

by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(30 April 2003)

Subject: Language policy at the European Schools and in European education

In view of the forthcoming enlargement of the EU to a total of 25 participating countries, is there any
proposal, plan or intention to abolish or reduce teaching of the less widespread languages of the Union
(Greek, Portuguese, Finnish, Swedish, etc)
the European Schools, which are
maintained by the Community budget? Has the idea been mooted of creating a ‘European school-leaving
certificate’ for secondary education in the Member States, parallel to the certificate awarded at present?
Is there any intention of establishing a ‘European curriculum’
in Belgian state schools (initially) and
subsequently extending it to the state schools of the other Member States of the Union?

in the curriculum of

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(19 June 2003)

1.
As the Honourable Member may be aware, management of the European Schools is not the
responsibility of the Commission, but rather of the Board of Governors established under the European
Schools statute. This includes representatives of each Member State: the Commission has just 1 vote
among 16. None the less, the Commission can inform the Parliament that, from the very beginning, the
European Schools have taught pupils their native language if it is an official European Union language.
Further, language sections have been established whenever there are sufficient pupils speaking a particular
language to justify this. This principle has been respected following the last three enlargements and will be
respected on entry of the ten new Member States. All official
languages of the European Union will
therefore be taught (provided pupils of category 1 or 2 are enrolled) and there is no intention of abolishing
or reducing teaching of the less widespread languages. Indeed, it is proposed that new language sections be
established in Polish, Czech and Hungarian immediately.

2.
Following Parliament’s Resolution of 17 December 2002 the Board of Governors of the European
Schools has set up a working party to investigate the possibility of offering the European Baccalaureate in
schools that are not part of the European School system.

This group will also be looking at possibilities for co-operation between the European Schools and
national educational establishments.

The introduction of a European certificate alongside the national certificate would require a decision by
each participating Member State.

The content and organisation of education in the Union is the responsibility of the Member States.
3.
The Board of Governors has no authority to launch a European curriculum in State schools. Any decision
to do so would be a matter for the Member States. The Commission for its part has not taken any action
in relation to the creation of a European school-leaving certificate for secondary education or a European
curriculum and has no plans to do so.