(2004/C 33 E/027)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3909/02

by Caroline Lucas (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(14 January 2003)

Subject:   GATS

The UK Government has clearly implied that at least some parts of the public education system do not fall under the exemption clause in Article 1.3 as they are supplied in competition with the private sector.

Especially in the UK, the higher education sector already comprises a mixture of public and private institutions with increasing amounts of funding coming from fees and other private sources.

In light of this, does the EC plan to agree to any requests from third countries which entail the removal of any limitation which would ensure that commitments apply only to privately-funded education?

Can the EC also clarify the term ‘privately-funded education’, in view of the fact that increasing amounts of funding are coming from fees and other sources to all educational institutions?

Answer given by Mr Lamy on behalf of the Commission

(11 February 2003)

The Community has no intention to modify the existing commitment on higher education services which is limited to privately funded services.

The term ‘privately-funded education’ limits the Community commitment only to those institutions whose operation is based on private resources. The fact that some educational institutions receive supplementary support from fees or other private funding does not automatically make them ‘privately-funded’.