WRITTEN QUESTION E-2719/03 by Margrietus van den Berg (PSE) to the Commission. Follow-up question on the problems of frontier students.
Date: 2003-09-11
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU programme, European cooperation, competitiveness, cooperation policy, cultural pluralism, education policy, language teaching, learning, teaching, teaching quality

6.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 58 E/201

Member State level to reduce the potential for criminal misuse of Rohypnol. These include reformulating
the medicine to make it more difficult to administer covertly and informing healthcare professionals and
the public of the risk of misuse.

(2004/C 58 E/216)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2716/03

by Kathleen Van Brempt (PSE) to the Commission

(11 September 2003)

Subject: Radar detectors

A whole range of detector systems for speed checks are available on the European market. One of these is
the British RoadPilot, a new high-tech GPS receiver which warns motorists when they are approaching an
unmanned camera and tells them whether or not they need to reduce their speed. Unlike all other
detectors, the RoadPilot is not banned in Belgium because it does not detect police radar which is illegal in
Belgium. However, Belgians can acquire police radar detectors in the Netherlands where they are legal. As a
result, many motorists are driving around with radar detection systems.

Road safety experts have drawn attention to the dangers of detection systems of this kind. They point out
that there are drivers who brake suddenly when they receive a signal and then speed up again once they
have passed the speed detection device.

What is the Commission’s attitude to radar detectors?

Is the Commission aware of the commercial success of these speed camera detector systems?

Does it not agree that radar detectors are dangerous for road safety?

Does it intend to draw up European regulations on this matter?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(21 October 2003)

The Commission is collecting the information it needs to answer the question. It will communicate its
findings as soon as possible.

(2004/C 58 E/217)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2719/03

by Margrietus van den Berg (PSE) to the Commission

Subject: Follow-up question on the problems of frontier students

(11 September 2003)

From its answer of 27 August to Written Question E-2534/03 (1), it appears that the Commission does
have the authority to encourage cooperation between Member States in the area of education and the
organisation of education systems. What steps is it prepared to take in this sphere?

(1) OJ C 33 E, 6.2.2004.

C 58 E/202

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

6.3.2004

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(10 October 2003)

While Member States remain fully responsible for the content of teaching and the organisation of
education systems, the Commission currently fulfils its role of encouraging and supporting European
cooperation on school education by means of two main tools.

The first of these is the Socrates Programme, and specifically the Comenius actions for cooperation in the
field of school education. These actions target all actors in the school education community, including not
only pupils and teachers, but also education authorities,
inspectors, parents’ groups, community
associations, and teacher training institutions, amongst others. The overall objectives of Comenius are to
enhance the quality and reinforce the European dimension of school education, and to promote the
learning of languages and intercultural awareness. Further information on the Comenius actions, including
details of the type of mobility activities supported, can be found on the following Commission website:
(http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/programmes/socrates/comenius/index_en.html).

The other principal framework in which cooperation on school education is taking place at European level
is through the ‘objectives process’ on the concrete future objectives of education and training systems (1), in
which the Commission plays a coordinating role. These objectives provide a basis for Member States to
work together at European level to contribute to the goal defined at the Lisbon European Council meeting
of March 2000, namely that of making Europe the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based
economy in the world. The Honourable Member will be interested to note that the goals of increasing
mobility and exchange and strengthening European cooperation are amongst those being addressed in this
process.

Through the Community Initiative Interreg III funding can be provided, in terms of projects and depending
on the assessment of the regions concerned of the needs, to co-operation of the public authorities in the
field of education as well as to cross-border learning of e.g.
languages. Though targeted projects can
provide only short-term funding, the outcomes of such projects may have a long-term impact providing
solutions to problems encountered.

(1) See the ‘Detailed work programme on the follow-up of the objectives of education and training systems in Europe’

adopted by the Council on 20 February 2002, document 6365/02 EDUC27.

(2004/C 58 E/218)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2747/03

by Paul Rübig (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(15 September 2003)

Subject: Discrimination against Austrian building contractors in the provision of services on German

building sites

Austrian firms and organisations representing the construction industry complain increasingly that, on the
basis of the German law on the posting of workers, the German authorities are restricting competition and
hindering the posting of workers for the provision of services on building sites in Germany by not
recognising allowances, bonuses and extra payments for posted workers from other Member States as part
of the minimum wage, as they do in the case of employees of German firms.

The situation will worsen after 1 September 2003, when a further and considerable increase in the
minimum wage took effect under the above German law, bringing it far above the Austrian collectively
agreed minimum wage (not taking into account additional allowances, bonuses and extra payments that
are required by law or under contracts).