WRITTEN QUESTION E-4031/03 by Michl Ebner (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Language programme for minority languages.
Date: 2004-01-12
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: action programme, language policy, minority language, multilingualism, official language, regional language

27.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 78 E/681

(2004/C 78 E/0725)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4001/03

by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(7 January 2004)

Subject: Transfers of students

Thousands of EU citizens study at universities outside the countries of which they hold citizenship. These
higher education institutions are State bodies, may be inside or outside the European Union and, naturally,
are recognised by the authorities of the states in which they are established.

If statutory regulation were to be put forward in an EU Member State giving the opportunity to students
studying in such universities to be transferred to universities in their country of origin (obviously under
certain conditions, such as having obtained excellent marks in the two first years of their studies etc.),
would this be incompatible with Community legislation?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(2 February 2004)

The question raised by the Honourable Member touches on how the Member States organise their
education systems. Under Article 149 of the EC Treaty, the Community fully respects the responsibility of
the Member States for the content of teaching and the organisation of education systems. This matter is
therefore outside the Community’s sphere of competence.

The Bologna Process, designed to create a European Higher Education Area, introduced a series of reforms
(two cycles, transparency instruments, promotion of quality) with the aim of making the higher education
on offer more accessible and attractive.

to encourage
The Bologna reforms enable the competent authorities (ministries, universities, etc.)
transparency and the recognition of diplomas. The power to take decisions will remain with these
authorities.

(2004/C 78 E/0726)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4031/03

by Michl Ebner (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(12 January 2004)

Subject: Language programme for minority languages

In July 2003, the Commission published a call for proposals (GD EAC/45/03) to prepare the ground for
the implementation of the Action Plan on language learning and linguistic diversity (1).

One of the aims explicitly mentioned in the call for proposals was to disseminate information and raise
awareness on the potential of existing programmes and activities to promote regional and minority
languages. Following the deadline for the submission of project proposals at the end of September(!), seven
of the thirty-three project proposals received were accepted.

How many of the 33 project proposals submitted were specifically concerned with the promotion of
regional and minority languages, which, as reflected by the Action Plan’s inclusive approach, contribute as
much to linguistic diversity as the official languages of the European Union?

How many of the seven project proposals selected are specifically concerned with the promotion of
regional and minority languages, which, as reflected by the Action Plan’s inclusive approach, contribute as
much to linguistic diversity as the official languages of the European Union?

(1) OJ C 180, 31.7.2003, p. 34.

C 78 E/682

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

27.3.2004

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(5 February 2004)

Call for proposals EAC/45/03 aimed at funding:

(cid:1) projects to disseminate information and raise awareness of the potential of existing programmes, and

(cid:1) activities to promote regional and minority languages as well as to set up networks to prepare the

implementation of the future Action Plan on language learning and linguistic diversity.

The Commission received a total of 33 project proposals. A large majority of projects did not target
specific languages. However, 10 proposals were specifically concerned with the promotion of regional and
minority languages.

Out of the seven project proposals selected, three were aimed specifically at promoting regional and
minority languages:

(a)

‘Cramlap (cid:1) Celtic, Regional and Minority Languages Abroad Project’ (University of Belfast).

(b)

(c)

‘Network of European Language Planning Boards (cid:1) Developing a structure for co-operation’ (Welsh
Language Board, Cardiff).

‘ADUM (cid:1) Working together to promote regional and minority languages in Europe’ (Open University
of Catalonia).

The remaining four projects do not aim to promote specific languages.

Information about the seven selected projects is available at the following website: (http://europa.eu.int/
comm/education/programmes/calls/languages/selection.pdf).

(2004/C 78 E/0727)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-4059/03

by José Ribeiro e Castro (UEN) to the Commission

(8 January 2004)

Subject: Large families

There is a whole range of essential goods and services which larger families need to use but which cause
them to suffer on account of the more costly pricing, charging, and rate systems.

This applies to the payment of road tolls, which are particularly high for larger families because they have
to use bigger vehicles.

Another example is water consumption: the scaling policy normally applied does not allow for the number
of persons making up a family unit and thus serves to impose penalties for consumption which, as far as
larger families are concerned, is in no way excessive and does not constitute a luxury.

There is no doubt that overconsumption or sheer carelessness should carry a penalty, but the water
consumption of a large household does not correspond to the situation which scaling is designed to
counteract and simple justice consequently demands that
it be exempted from such punishment.
Correctives should be applied when enforcing the scaling policy. Systems whereby household consumption
charge scales are calculated per head (cid:1) or acting as a similar corrective (cid:1) are the only means of
remedying this serious social injustice.

In addition to the cases described above, there are other instances of manifest failure to allow for family
size.