Brussels, 03/12/2007 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has decided to suspend its infringement cases concerning national measures that restrict the free movement of university students in Austrian and Belgian universities. Both countries have been given five years to submit supplementary data to the Commission, which will then be able to judge whether the national measures in question are justified.
In January 2007, the Commission sent "letters of formal notice” to Austria and Belgium regarding restrictions of access to universities, mainly in the field of medical and veterinary studies, by holders of secondary education diplomas from other member states. According to the Commission, these measures infringe the principle of free movement for these persons. Austria introduced a quota system for medicine and dental studies on 9 June 2006, whereby 75% of places would be reserved for holders of Austrian diplomas, 20% of study places for holders of secondary education diplomas awarded in other member states, and 5% for holders of third country diplomas. Belgium implemented a similar system in June 2006 for a certain number of medical studies when it imposed a quota of 70 % for students who are resident in Belgium. These two member states informed the Commission that the influx of students from bordering countries necessitated the adoption of such measures, and that if they had not introduced such measures their public health system would be threatened by a shortage of professionals in their own countries. The Commission has not rejected these arguments but wants the two countries to provide more complete and detailed data to justify that the measures imposed are necessary and proportionate. (I.L.)