Prospects for a European School in Strasbourg

Doc. 11098

15 November 2006

Prospects for a European School in Strasbourg

Written question No 491 to the Chairman of the Committee of Ministers

Reply from the Chairman of the Committee of Ministers on 10 November 2006

I. Written Question No. 491 by Mr Schreiner (Doc. 10917 rev.)

In its Resolution 1357 (2004) on “realising Strasbourg’s potential as a European capital”, adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly on 26 January 2004, the Assembly regretted that the French Government had not “pursued the idea of a European school, particularly with the creation of a “Euro district”, in order to make it possible for the various levels of education to be included and for the school to have the European status that seems essential”, and launched the following appeal: “for Strasbourg to develop, educational facilities catering for the children of diplomats, civil servants, company heads and executives, who, increasingly, are English-speaking, must also be established”.

In a number of parliamentary questions to the Chairman of the Committee of Ministers (in June 2002, June 2003, January and June 2004 and January and June 2005), the Parliamentary Assembly reaffirmed its support for a plurilingual and multinational education system geared to fostering a European and global perspective. It also expressed its understanding for the difficulties encountered by the children of members of permanent delegations and Council of Europe staff, increasing numbers of whom board buses every day for the nearest European School in Karlsruhe.

While acknowledging the efforts expended by the Secretary General in his contacts with the French Minister for Foreign Affairs, the City of Strasbourg, the European Commission and the Board of Governors of the European Schools, and while welcoming the decision by the City of Strasbourg to conduct a feasibility study of European schooling under the three-year contract for 2003-2005 “Strasbourg – a European City” (this decision having been renewed for the period 2006-2008), we now consider that the good intentions that have been expressed for several years must be put into practice. As the author of the report that led to the adoption of the aforementioned resolution and as a parliamentarian who is more attached than others to Strasbourg’s European destiny, I am prepared to provide my support for all efforts expended to this end, in co-operation with all the parties concerned and the Committee of Ministers.

Consequently, we ask the Chairman of the Committee of Ministers:

Whether the Committee of Ministers as a body and the Council of Europe member States which it represents are in a position to endorse the importance of a European School in Strasbourg/Kehl and, more particularly, to closely monitor the progress of the French government-funded feasibility study, taking account of the opportunities provided by the presence of a European School in Karlsruhe;

Whether the relevant members of the Committee of Ministers could bring this matter as quickly as possible to the attention of their respective ministers of education and foreign affairs and of the European Commission, particularly under its current debate on the future of European Schools and the high-level conference to be held next May in Noordwijk, the Netherlands, at the joint invitation of the Vice-President of the European Commission, Siim Kallas, and the Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science, Maria van der Hoeven.

Signed:

SCHREINER, Bernard, France, EPP/CD

II. Reply by the Committee of Ministers

1. The Honourable Parliamentarian raises important questions linked to the prospects for a European school in Strasbourg, home to the Council of Europe, the European Parliament, the European Ombudsman, EuroCorps, an ever-growing community of diplomats with families from nearly 50 countries, as well as an increasing number of foreign researchers and private-sector employees. The Chairman of the Committee of Ministers commends the Honourable Parliamentarian’s sustained interest in this matter and thanks him for his active support for the efforts aimed at putting into practice the intentions expressed over several years.

2. The Chairman of the Committee of Ministers underlines the importance he and his country attach to the need to have truly international and European education in Strasbourg, which is currently lacking. To devise a practical strategy to achieve this aim, he hosted, as the Honourable Parliamentarian is aware, a working lunch with a number of relevant stakeholders on 12 September.

3. He applauds the efforts made by Terry Davis, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, to provide a real choice of schooling for parents and children of the international community and to follow closely the developments on this matter in his contacts with the French government, the City of Strasbourg, the European Commission and the European Schools. He encourages the Secretary General to pursue such efforts. He also welcomes the recent reactivation by the Strasbourg Academy of a working group on “international education” with the aim of developing an appropriate institutional and educational solution for the introduction of an offer of English-language based schooling, if possible for the 2007/2008 school year.

4. The Chair notes with interest the Conclusions of the Conference on the Future of European Schools (Noordwijk, May 2006), “that it is necessary to think beyond the current ES System composed of 13 existing European Schools, and to consider a more flexible concept: a ‘European Schooling System’ with clearly defined criteria which could apply to different types of schools according to the local conditions.” He notes moreover that the Secretary General wrote to Mr Sim Kallas, Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for European Schooling on 14 April and 27 July 2006 expressing his support for the high-level process of reflection initiated by the European Union and asking for involvement in the further reflections.

5. In the light of the above, the French government is called upon to facilitate and ensure access for, and integration of, non-French speaking children into the public system of international sections, of which the number should be increased, in the state school structures (in particular by increasing the number of courses taught in English). In order to increase the range of possibilities open to families to choose from, it would also be advisable to explore new solutions, which could, for example, enable integration into the network of European schools on the basis of these international sections, or the introduction of a curriculum leading to an International Baccalaureate.

6. The reply will be forwarded to the Ministries of Education and Foreign Affairs of member states in order to draw their attention to the need for their support in establishing European schooling in Strasbourg as a matter of urgency.