91995E3438

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3438/95 by José Escudero (PPE) to the Council (3 January 1996)

Subject: Second language at school-leaving certificate level

Does the Council intend to take any steps to encourage the study of a second language at school-leaving certificate level in countries where this is not compulsory?

Given that English has turned into the Esperanto of Europe, does the Council believe that the study of a further language should be encouraged amongst younger students? Will it be taking steps in this connection?

Does it plan to take any measures which would be effective in the short term, such as encouraging the teaching of frontier languages in the appropriate schools?

Reply (25 June 1996)

Acting on the basis of Article 126 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, the Parliament and the Council adopted a Decision establishing the action programme 'Socrates' on 14 March 1995; bearing in mind the second paragraph of that Article, which deals with the teaching and dissemination of the languages of the Member States, the Socrates programme's objectives include promoting a quantitative and qualitative improvement of the knowledge of the languages of the European Union. The programme contains many activities along these lines.

Building on the Socrates programme, the Council adopted a Resolution ((OJ No C 207, 12.8.1995, pp. 1 to 5. )) on language learning and teaching on 31 March 1995, which states, as the Honourable Member would wish, that 'pupils should as a general rule have the opportunity of learning two languages of the Union other than their mother tongue(s) for a minimum of two consecutive years and if possible for a longer period'. The Commission was invited to support action by Member States aimed at that objective, and the other objectives mentioned.

It should be noted that neither the Socrates programme nor the abovementioned Resolution specify which particular languages should be studied; however, some stress is laid on the Union languages which are less widely used or less frequently taught.