Brussels, 26/11/2012 (Agence Europe) - The education ministers, meeting in Brussels on 26 November for a further working session chaired by the Cypriot minister for education and culture, George Demosthenous, have postponed discussions on the new education and youth programme, “Erasmus for all”, pending the position of the European Parliament. Its opinion is expected for this 27 November, with a vote of the “education and culture” committee on the report by Doris Pack (EPP, Germany). The Cypriot Presidency, which expected this vote to take place on 6 November and hoped to make substantial progress by the end of the year, had to be content with communicating the state of progress with work and the delegations did not take the floor, with the exception of France and Germany. France took position in favour of the name “Erasmus for all”, which was proposed by the European Commission, and rejected the proposal put forward by the President of the CULT committee, Doris Pack, to instead name the programme “YES Europe”. Erasmus is a name which has become well known, which can be understood in all EU languages, whereas YES (Youth-Education-Sport) is an Anglo-Saxon acronym with no immediate meaning, the French delegation argued. France went on to express its reluctance over the loan guarantee mechanism, a new financial instrument provided by the Commission and designed to help students wishing to study for a masters degree in another European country. This instrument “should remain experimental and avoid any excessive debt for students”, said France. Germany briefly stressed the absolute need to reach an agreement on the forthcoming multi-annual financial framework containing enough money for education and youth.
In her address, the commissioner for education and training welcomed the consensus so far reached at the Council on the broad outlines of the programme. She also said that she was aware of the shortcomings expressed by certain member states (in addition to France) on the loan guarantees, which were voiced at the previous meeting of the Council in May, and announced that she would be writing to the member states in the next few days with explanations and answers to their questions. “I firmly believe that we will soon have a final agreement on this important dossier”, said Vassiliou.
Erasmus bursaries: situation serious: at the press conference following the “education” session, the commissioner raised the “very serious” problem of funding from Erasmus bursaries for the academic year 2012-2013. The national agencies have called for global funding of €220 million for 2012, but the budget has run out for this year, she said. According to Vassiliou, although it is possible to take this money from the funds put aside for 2013, this will only delay the problem and make the situation worse, with funds running short from the second half of 2013. “We need a situation as soon as possible (…) so that young people are not deprived of this magnificent programme”, she said. (IL/transl.fl)