92000E2282

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2282/00

by Elizabeth Lynne (ELDR) to the Commission

(29 June 2000)

Subject: European Schools

To date, 15 European schools have been established with a view to educating the children of EU civil servants at vast expense to EU taxpayers. Each year, many of these children are sent on European holidays, again funded by the EU taxpayer. Would it be possible for all children in Europe to have an annual holiday abroad paid entirely out of the EU budget? Could the Commission justify their reasons for providing free holidays for these children? Could the Commission justify the general and often excessive costs of these schools?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(27 July 2000)

The European schools were set up to provide an education for the children of the staff of the European Institutions from all Member States, thereby facilitating the operation of those Institutions. Other children may, however, be admitted. In accordance with the Convention of 12 April 1957, the schools, of which there are currently ten not fifteen situated in six Member States, are run by a board of governors which is an intergovernmental body that is made up of the Ministers of the Member States responsible for education and/or foreign cultural relations. A Commission representative also sits on the board.

Pupils at the European schools are not sent on holiday at the expense of the European taxpayer. As in the national education systems, the schools organise trips designed to enable pupils to acquire new knowledge and widen their experiences. Such trips are, however, school activities with clear educational objectives. They are prepared for, and used, as a basis for educational activities during lessons. They are arranged for a particular class or around a particular subject and not as an annual holiday. The board of governors approved the guidelines for school trips at its meeting on 27/28 April 1999.

The question of whether all children in Europe could be given a free annual holiday abroad is a matter for the Member States, not the Commission, since it is Member State governments which have responsibility for the education of the children of their countries.

The general costs of the European schools are set out in the budget for the schools, approved each year by the board of governors. The representative of the board of governors sends the President of the Parliament a copy of the budget as soon as the board adopts it each year. The Council and Parliament set the Commission grant to the European schools each year when they adopt the Community budget.