Brussels, 30/01/2002 (Agence Europe) - Viviane Reding, Education and Culture Commissioner, presented her priorities for the year 2002 to the EP Committee on Culture, chaired for the first time by Michel Rocard (French Socialist). Thus, in the field of education, Ms Reding above all announced that the Commission would propose, in February, an amendment to the Socrates decision, in order to clarify and simplify the system of subsidies allocated to thousands of schools and adult education establishments, as well as, during the second half of 2002, proposals of cooperation with third countries in higher education matters. She noted that, in 2001/2002, "over 1800 universities and 10,000 schools will take part in the programme" and "that, during the next academic year (2002/2003), we shall be able to celebrate the one millionth Erasmus student!" The Commission will also support a series of "projects to help universities develop and optimise European qualifications, introduce mechanisms for supporting mobility such as the Diploma Supplement or extend the credit transfer system (ECTS) to areas other than education and training". In the sector of lifelong learning, the Commissioner pointed out that the two main priorities for 2002 would be, first of all, recognition of qualifications and competences (with the development of new approaches on the basis of transparency, confidence and voluntary quality standards), and then, secondly, vocational guidance with the establishment expected for end 2002 of a European internet portal on European learning possibilities.
Regarding linguistic diversity and language learning, Viviane Reding pointed out that a "2002 discussion paper" would be established as a "basis for consultation", hoping to make it possible to put forward concrete proposals for action in these fields in 2003. Regarding the "youth" issue, she announced among other things the pilot projects to be carried out in the South East Europe region, participation in the crossborder "people to people" plan to facilitate integration of the accession countries, as well as actions against racism and xenophobia.
Regarding sport, the Commissioner insisted on the need to place emphasis on the educational value of sport and its contribution to social integration. A decision on the "European Year for Sport - 2004" is to be adopted by autumn this year according to codecision procedure in order to launch preparation actions in 2003 (preparation for enlargement, intercultural dialogue, fight against inequality, and promotion of tolerance). The Commission is expected to propose a Community programme to combat doping this autumn. The main lines of the programme could be: improving cooperation between the States and the sports organisations, strengthening coordination in the field of scientific research, stimulating education, information and preventive actions.
Ms Reding pointed out that the implementation of Media Plus would be continued and that pilot projects foreseen by the Media Plus decision would be launched (digital cinema, archives, on-line distribution). In the same way, the specific line voted by the EP to facilitate access by companies of the audiovisual sector to the i21 initiative launched by the EIB would be implemented.
In the field of culture, Viviane Reding assured there would be continuity in the implementation of "Culture 2000" and that studies on the mobility of artists would be available in March. In cooperation with the Spanish Presidency, the Commission will conduct reflection on cultural patronage, in which Ms Reding hopes to involve actors on the ground (donors and beneficiaries).
Finally, with regard to television without borders, Ms Reding stressed that "discussions on the future of the directive come into a double dimension: a) horizontal dimension: Should the scope be limited to television? or Do technological and economic developments extend the scope with consideration of the content rather than the method of broadcasting? b) vertical dimension: Should one rethink complementarity between regulation, co-regulation and self-regulation, and at what levels? (See also EUROPE of 19 January, p.13) and 30 January, p.15).