President. − The next item is the report by Jean-Marie Cavada, on behalf of the Committee on Culture and Education, on the European Schools’ system (2011/2036(INI)) - (A7-0293/2011).

  Jean-Marie Cavada, rapporteur. − Madame la Présidente, Monsieur le Commissaire, chers collègues, à cette heure un peu avancée de la journée, les élèves dorment, je le souhaite, les enseignants ne vont pas tarder à en faire autant, mais nous, nous veillons. En s'appuyant sur le dernier rapport de la Commission, sur le système des écoles européennes, notre rapport vise à améliorer le concept des écoles européennes qui doit être adapté aux nouvelles exigences économiques et aux mouvements de la société.

Ce concept doit rester un modèle d'inspiration pour les systèmes scolaires nationaux, valorisant la citoyenneté européenne et favorisant le développement de la mobilité, ainsi que l'apprentissage des langues des pays membres, les langues des pays d'Europe.

Voici les points principaux de ce rapport: d'abord, il contient une série de priorités politiques pour améliorer ce modèle d'enseignement en Europe, notamment en l'asseyant sur une base juridique adéquate, selon le traité de fusion. L'actuel statut juridique a atteint ses limites et nécessite un changement profond qui serait de nature à permettre à l'Union de mener des actions pour appuyer, coordonner ou compléter l'action des États membres, sans pour autant, évidemment, se substituer à leurs compétences, mais aussi d'adopter des actes juridiquement contraignants au sens des articles 2 et 6 du traité de fusion.

Je considère que l'article 165 du traité pourrait constituer une base juridique tout à fait appropriée. Les écoles européennes doivent servir d'exemple d'enseignement en se fondant sur la diffusion de la culture, des valeurs, de l'intégration européenne et des langues européennes. Il est donc essentiel que les États membres coopèrent lors du développement de leurs programmes scolaires nationaux en mettant à profit l'exemple simple, et qui a fonctionné merveilleusement jusqu'à présent, des écoles européennes sur le plan pédagogique.

L'ouverture des écoles de type 2 et de type 3 doit être absolument encouragée. C'est dans cet esprit que le rapport insiste sur le fait que les titulaires du baccalauréat européen puissent solliciter leur admission dans toute université de l'Union une fois pour toutes, avec les mêmes droits que les ressortissants de cet État ayant des titres équivalents, car il est essentiel que ce baccalauréat soit reconnu automatiquement dans tous les États membres de l'Union.

En cette période difficile, j'ai voulu souligner la nécessité absolue de rationaliser les coûts de gestion de ces écoles, sans qu'il soit question de remettre en cause les principes fondamentaux sur lesquels repose ce concept, et notamment l'enseignement dans la langue maternelle par des locuteurs natifs, afin de préserver la qualité de cet enseignement. De même, il me paraît essentiel de maintenir des conditions égales et équivalentes d'enseignement pour les enfants de toutes les communautés linguistiques des écoles européennes.

C'est donc dans un souci d'équité que le rapport souligne, conformément à l'article 4 de la Convention portant sur le statut des écoles européennes, que l'on envisage de généraliser le recours aux langues dites véhiculaires pour l'enseignement de toutes les matières non fondamentales, sans que cela se fasse, bien entendu, au détriment des élèves dont la langue maternelle n'est pas une de ces langues véhiculaires.

Il faut également, pour une bonne gouvernance des écoles européennes, que soit prise en compte très sérieusement la carence en personnel détaché. Elle doit être compensée par le recrutement local de chargés de cours dont les rémunérations devraient être prises en charge par les écoles. Il faut donc que le Conseil supérieur veille à ce que les États membres qui ne contribuent pas financièrement par des détachements de professeurs versent, ainsi qu'ils en ont l'obligation, une contribution équivalente au budget des écoles.

J'ai tenu à réaffirmer par ailleurs que, surtout en ces temps difficiles, la prise en charge des élèves aux besoins éducatifs spécifiques reste une priorité, et j'ai demandé à cet égard au Conseil supérieur de veiller à ce que les coefficients soient appliqués à cette catégorie d'élèves lors du calcul de la taille des classes afin de préserver leur pleine intégration.

Enfin, je réitère, Madame la Présidente, Monsieur le Commissaire, ma demande au Conseil supérieur de s'attacher à trouver des alternatives pour permettre aux élèves qui ne parviennent pas à demeurer dans la filière de trouver des filières professionnelles. Je ne voudrais pas terminer cet exposé sans remercier la Commission, sans remercier mes collègues, sans remercier les rapporteurs fictifs et rapporteurs, mais aussi les syndicats de parents notamment, qui nous ont permis de trouver un consensus propre à faire avancer cette question. Pardon de vous avoir volé 45 secondes.

  Elena Băsescu (PPE). - Salut discutarea raportului redactat de colegul Cavada în contextul europenizării sistemelor de învăţământ naţionale. Acest sistem facilitează mobilitatea forţei de muncă în viitor, precum şi menţinerea legăturilor culturale cu ţara de origine. Avantajul major al acestora este menţionat în articolul 40. Aici este prevăzută predarea disciplinelor secundare în limbile de lucru ale instituţiilor europene. De asemenea, crearea de clase pentru elevii vorbitori de limbi rare elimină barierele de comunicare din cadrul acestei metode educaţionale.

Subliniez că în România s-a iniţiat reforma sistemului de învăţământ într-un mod similar. De la 1 septembrie există mai multe şcoli cu predare în limba maghiară, cum este cazul în Sighet, dar şi în ucraineană, în instituţii precum liceul Taras Sevcenco din judeţul Maramureş. Susţin dezvoltarea reţelei de şcoli europene în statele membre şi schimbul de bune practici cu şcolile naţionale.

  Katarína Neveďalová (S&D). - V našej práci nesmieme zabúdať na deti, ktoré v zahraničí so svojimi rodičmi žijú a ktorých rodičia pracujú v európskych inštitúciách, v zastupiteľských úradoch a podobne, a tieto majú možnosť študovať na európskych školách. Tieto školy im umožňujú nielen študovať vo svojom rodnom jazyku a nestratiť tak väzbu s domovom, ale aj študovať iné európske jazyky a dostávať európske vzdelanie na špičkovej úrovni, v multikultúrnom a mnohojazyčnom prostredí.

Som proti znižovaniu rozpočtu na tieto školy, ale skôr za hľadanie nových riešení. Hľadanie alternatívnych finančných zdrojov, napríklad zo súkromného sektora, alebo prijímanie detí rodičov, ktorí pracujú v iných medzinárodných inštitúciách.

Taktiež vyzývam členské štáty, aby si plnili svoj záväzok finančného príspevku pre európske školy a vysielanie učiteľov na výučbu materinského jazyka. Takisto vyzývam na 100 % uznávanie európskej maturity vo všetkých členských štátoch a vyzývam európske univerzity na jednotný prístup v hodnotení absolventov stredných škôl bez rozdielu.

A na záver by som rada poďakovala pánovi spravodajcovi Cavadovi a takisto predstaviteľom Európskej komisie za výbornú spoluprácu.

  Barbara Matera (PPE). - Signora Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, le scuole europee rappresentano una necessità per più di 20 000 figli del personale delle Istituzioni europee.

Non si tratta di un lusso, ma semplicemente di offrire la possibilità, a chi è chiamato a lavorare e a vivere all'estero, in un ambiente culturale diverso, di accedere all'istruzione nella propria lingua madre per i propri figli. Sono favorevole allo sviluppo del modello di scuola europea in tutta l'Unione e non solo nelle sedi lavoro delle Istituzioni europee. Ritengo infatti che questo sistema educativo specifico permetta agli alunni di studiare in un ambiente multiculturale e multilingue pur mantenendo la propria lingua materna. Inoltre, sono convinta che questo modello contribuisca a valorizzare la cittadinanza europea e a promuovere la mobilità nell'Unione stessa.

Concludo dicendo che il modello di scuola europea promuove l'integrazione, in sintonia con lo spirito del motto dell'Unione europea "Uniti nella diversità".

  Vasilica Viorica Dăncilă (S&D). - Într-o Europă în care circulaţia persoanelor este din ce în ce mai dinamică, lucru care determină şi un flux important al elevilor care îşi însoţesc părinţii în altă ţară, conceptul de şcoală europeană trebuie promovat mai mult la nivelul statelor membre. Experienţa şcolilor europene în domeniu ar trebui, totodată, să fie fructificată mai mult în momentul elaborării programelor şcolare din statele Uniunii Europene pentru a realiza o corelare cât mai bună a acestora cu sistemul şcolilor europene, mai ales în ceea ce priveşte bacalaureatul european la finalizarea ciclului liceal.

Pentru aceasta consider benefică realizarea unor proiecte de înfrăţire între şcolile europene şi cele naţionale, încurajarea de schimburi de elevi şi profesori, precum şi instituirea unui program comun la nivelul Uniunii Europene dedicat promovării funcţionării Uniunii Europene, a instituţiilor şi a politicilor sale în rândul tinerilor.

  Marek Henryk Migalski (ECR). - Pani Przewodnicząca! Z większością tych uwag się zgadzam. To, co mówiła pani Băsescu, i to, co mówiła pani Neveďalová, pani Matera, czy pani Dăncilă – ja się z większością tych zdań zgadzam i dziękuję panu Cavadzie za to sprawozdanie. Tam jest kilka rzeczy, które są wartościowe i warte podkreślenia, np. to, że sprawozdanie uznaje pełną odpowiedzialność państw członkowskich za organizację krajowych systemów edukacyjnych. Też to, o czym Pan mówił, to znaczy, że system edukacyjny szkół europejskich powinien umożliwiać naukę wszystkich przedmiotów w języku ojczystym. To też jest dosyć istotne, warte podkreślenia i uwagi.

Natomiast moja grupa polityczna będzie głosować przeciwko temu sprawozdaniu, przede wszystkim dlatego, że znalazły się tam takie trochę ideologiczne sformułowania o ciągłej próbie budowy wspólnej europejskiej tożsamości i z tego właściwie powodu ECR będzie głosowało przeciwko sprawozdaniu. Doceniamy też te rzeczy, które są tam wartościowe i cenne.

  Γεώργιος Παπανικολάου (PPE). - Κυρία Πρόεδρε, θέλω να συγχαρώ και να ευχαριστήσω και εγώ τον εισηγητή μας τον κ. Cavada, και να προσθέσω ότι η έκθεση αυτή συζητείται σε μια σημαντική μέρα: σήμερα είναι η ευρωπαϊκή μέρα των γλωσσών. Ημέρα δηλαδή που μας θυμίζει ότι η Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση θέλει την πολυγλωσσία και την ποικιλομορφία, στηρίζει τη διαφορετικότητα, στηρίζει την πολυπολιτισμικότητα.

Αυτές ακριβώς τις αρχές και αξίες εξυπηρετεί και το Ευρωπαϊκό Σχολείο που αποτελεί πρότυπο εκπαιδευτικό ίδρυμα και μάλιστα με αξιοπρόσεκτα αποτελέσματα. Και σίγουρα η ύπαρξή του δεν αποτελεί πολυτέλεια αλλά δικαίωμα στην ενωμένη Ευρώπη που ζούμε ώστε τα παιδιά των υπαλλήλων της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης, και όχι μόνο, να λαμβάνουν μόρφωση στη γλώσσα τους. Η πορεία εξάλλου του Ευρωπαϊκού Σχολείου τα πενήντα περίπου χρόνια της λειτουργίας του δεν αφήνει αμφιβολίες. Ουσιαστικά, πρόκειται για νέο επιτυχημένο μοντέλο εκπαίδευσης. Βέβαια οικονομικά προβλήματα έχουμε και στο πεδίο αυτό. Όμως, σίγουρα, στο δικαίωμα στη μόρφωση, και μάλιστα στην εκμάθηση της μητρικής μας γλώσσας, δεν πρέπει να δεχόμαστε εκπτώσεις.

  João Ferreira (GUE/NGL). - Senhora Presidente, as escolas europeias têm uma importante missão: ministrar o ensino na língua materna a alunos cujos pais trabalham fora do seu país de origem. É por isso com grande preocupação que assistimos a tentativas de, a pretexto de racionalização de custos, implementar medidas que podem pôr em causa a missão e objectivos das escolas europeias.

Falamos de medidas como o aumento do número mínimo de alunos por turma para as disciplinas opcionais, o agrupamento vertical de turmas de dois ou mais anos distintos, ou a redução do apoio aos alunos com dificuldades de aprendizagem. Algumas destas medidas podem conduzir a situações que, no passado, foram consideradas pelo Provedor Europeu como injustificadamente discriminatórias.

Recusamos qualquer passo atrás neste domínio. Não é aceitável que também nas escolas europeias se ataque o princípio do multilinguismo e que se estenda aqui o estatuto de privilégio de que gozam noutros domínios algumas das línguas da União Europeia, em detrimento e em prejuízo das demais.

  Iosif Matula (PPE). - Extinderea constantă a Uniunii Europene şi creşterea numărului de agenţi ai căror copii urmează cursurile şcolilor europene, dar şi nevoia de a raţionaliza cheltuielile în contextul crizei economice, au făcut necesară regândirea acestui sistem de educaţie.

Adaptarea curriculei la sistemele naţionale de educaţie, spre exemplu, poate facilita reintegrarea rapidă a elevilor la întoarcerea în ţara de provenienţă. De asemenea, restricţiile financiare trebuie contrabalansate de principiul învăţării materiilor în limba maternă, inclusiv în cazul limbilor vorbite de un număr mai mic de cetăţeni, ceea ce contribuie la consolidarea unei identităţi europene comune.

Totodată, includerea în programa şcolară a unui curs dedicat construcţiei UE poate stimula conştientizarea cetăţeniei europene încă de la o vârstă fragedă. La fel de importantă este şi clarificarea statutului juridic al acestor şcoli şi asumarea responsabilităţii depline de către statele membre în ce priveşte gestionarea domeniului prin asigurarea unei finanţări adecvate şi detaşarea cadrelor didactice solicitate. Mulţumesc şi felicitări colegului Cavada.

  Jaroslav Paška (EFD). - Európska únia vytvorila pre deti zamestnancov európskych inštitúcií systém európskych škôl, ktoré majú deťom umožniť vzdelanie v materinskom jazyku aj v mieste, kde sídlia európske inštitúcie. V dôsledku náborovej politiky Únie dochádza k permanentnému zvyšovaniu počtu žiakov týchto škôl, v súvislosti s čím sa objavujú problémy so zabezpečením dostatočného počtu kvalifikovaných pedagógov a lektorov.

Keďže neexistuje účinný mechanizmus vymáhania záväzkov prevzatých členskými štátmi pri zakladaní týchto škôl, stáva sa, že niektoré členské štáty neobsadzujú miesta svojimi vyslanými učiteľmi a vedenie škôl musí improvizovať a nahrádzať chýbajúcich učiteľov lektormi s nie vždy primeranou kvalifikáciou. Preto by bolo dobré dopracovať pravidlá fungovania európskych škôl tak, aby tieto boli schopné zodpovedne plniť svoje poslanie, ako to právom očakávajú ich rodičia. Veď ak dnes Únia potrebuje šetriť, nech radšej šetrí na múzeách, či cestovaní do Štrasburgu, ale nie na výchove svojich detí.

  Monika Flašíková Beňová (S&D). - Súčasťou života Európskej únie je aj vysoká mobilita jej zamestnancov, ktorí sa samozrejme sťahujú aj spolu so svojimi deťmi. Pre každého človeka je dôležité, aby sa mu dostalo vzdelanie v jeho materinskom jazyku a európske školy sú práve v tomto smere jedinečné a ich činnosť je záslužná. Je tiež dôležité a zároveň potešujúce, že európske školy slúžia aj ako dobrý pedagogický model pre ostatné typy škôl.

Rozšírenie modelu európskych škôl plne podporujem. Je to jedna z ciest, ako budovať spoločnú európsku identitu už od ranného veku. V tomto zmysle by som sa chcela zasadiť aj za to, aby sa európskym školám a ich rozširovaniu vytvorili patričné podmienky, či už politické, administratívne alebo finančné. Vzdelaný národ, vzdelaná spoločnosť – to sú aj lepšie pracovné miesta, kvalitnejší život, vyššia životná úroveň. Zároveň je dôležité zabezpečiť, aby sa na všetkých typoch škôl dostávali žiakom a študentom kvalitné informácie, aj také, ktoré zvýšia ich európske povedomie a budú dobrým základom pre spoločnú európsku prosperitu.

  Maroš Šefčovič, vice-président de la Commission. − Madame la Présidente, premièrement, j'aimerais remercier Monsieur Cavada pour son rapport ainsi que pour sa coopération remarquable et son soutien aux écoles européennes. C'est vraiment très important...

I am very glad that almost all the speakers today support the European Schools system. It is very important for me and for the Commission, and I am sure it is very important for the European Schools, because Parliament is a legislator. Its voice will be very important when we discuss budgetary and other issues.

Parliament will be well aware that the European Schools are of high importance to me and to the whole Commission. I fully agree with Mr Cavada when he argues in his report that the European Schools cannot be considered elitist and a luxury, rather than a necessity. They are essential for the European institutions and fundamental for a smooth-functioning public service with a large number of expatriate staff from all over Europe. The Commission welcomes this report on the European School system and is in full agreement with its main orientations.

Firstly, let me mention the opening-up of the system and the European Baccalaureate. The Commission fully supports the extension of the European curriculum in the Member States via the pedagogical accreditation of national schools with a view to developing a European Forum for Schooling and improving professional mobility. In fact, pupils who have spent all or part of their school lives in the multicultural and multilingual environment which the European schools provide begin their working life with an enormous advantage. The holders of the European Baccalaureate go on to study all over Europe. Their openness towards others and their ability to adapt to new environments single them out. This should also be the foundation stone of their future development as European citizens.

Last May, I went to the Council to remind the Member States of this opportunity, and I recently wrote a letter to the ministers for education to encourage them to open up their national systems. The Commission also agrees that the system is currently experiencing some structural shortcomings, and has been for some time. We have to face several challenges in the near future concerning the governance of the system, the infrastructure to be provided by the host Member States, the secondment of teachers by some Member States, the budgetary constraint of the EU budget contribution, and so on. These difficulties can pose serious problems to some schools and parents. I am fully aware of that but we, together with the Member States, and you, the Members of the European Parliament, have to address those questions and find the best practical answers.

Concerning the governance system, the Commission emphasises the need for a solution to the existing deficiencies, but bears in mind that a change to the intergovernmental structure was proposed during the last reform process and was unanimously rejected by the Member States during the negotiations. With the recent experience of the Member States’ reaction to the concept of reform of the governance aspects, and in particular the intergovernmental structure, the Commission is hesitant to reopen a fundamental debate with the Member States on this issue, which could be very long and far from a guarantee for a constructive solution.

The Commission is convinced that the necessary adjustment, notably giving the EU institutions a weight corresponding to their financial contribution, can be made within the framework of the existing Convention, even though this depends on the Member States’ commitment and goodwill, as well.

To give another example, under the current Convention, Member States which contribute less to the system than their quota of seconded teachers in relation to the number of national pupils can compensate for their deficit by way of a financial contribution. In the letter I recently sent to the Member States’ education ministers, I drew the attention of those concerned to the obligation stemming from the agreement on the European Schools.

The report also mentions alternative means of financing that could be explored. The Commission agrees that this is an option to take into account. For example, we could take inspiration from the arrangements made by the European School in Karlsruhe.

As far as the general budget of the European Schools is concerned, the Commission has intensively supported solutions that are cost-efficient in order to keep the evolution of the budget under control. These include adapting seconded teachers’ salaries along the lines followed for the staff of the EU institutions in the 2004 reform and rationalising the practical organisation of studies within the schools, which was decided by the Board of Governors in April of this year.

It remains the Commission’s clear priority that the core curriculum should not be affected by these rationalisation measures. As is mentioned in the report, the Commission fully agrees that the quality of education must be safeguarded. It absolutely essential for the pupils to receive the education required for access to higher education after the European Baccalaureate. As far as pedagogical methods are concerned, the Commission fully agrees with the rapporteur that the European Baccalaureate must be recognised in all Member States and that the pupils must be treated under the same conditions as nationals of each country. The Commission is following this process very closely.

The report also mentions the importance of the support given to pupils with special educational needs, the so-called SEN pupils. Indeed, everything should be done to help SEN children to follow the curriculum as far as they can be integrated in the European Schools, while bearing in mind that the European Schools are ordinary schools and not specialised schools.

In the current context, I am very much in favour of the idea of an external evaluation of the Schools’ pedagogical performances. The best way to do that is to use the PISA study, which the OECD has been carrying out for many years. I am glad to say that one European School – the one in Luxembourg – is already involved, with brilliant results. All the European Schools should participate in this evaluation. The Secretary-General and the Directors agree that this approach is the most efficient way to make an evaluation. The Commission proposed this last June. It should be discussed this autumn so that the Board of Governors can take a decision in December.

To conclude, I would like to thank you for showing an active interest in the European School system and in the future educational possibilities of more than 22 000 pupils and, hopefully soon, of even more European pupils.

  President. − The debate is closed.

The vote will take place tomorrow (Tuesday, 27 September 2011).