8.ERASMUS WORLD
(23709)
11274/02
COM(02) 401
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Draft Decision establishing a programme for the enhancement of quality in higher education and the promotion of intercultural understanding through co-operation with third countries (Erasmus World) (2004-2008).
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| Legal base: | Article 149 EC; co-decision; qualified majority voting
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| Department: | Education and Skills
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| Basis of consideration: | Minister's letter of 6 April 2003
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| Previous Committee Report: | HC 63-v (2002-03), paragraph 4 (18 December 2002)
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| To be discussed in Council: | 5 May 2003
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| Committee's assessment: | Politically important
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| Committee's decision: | Cleared, but further information requested
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Background
8.1 The draft Decision aims to extend the existing Erasmus
scheme, which is currently concerned with exchanges of students
between universities and other higher education (HE) institutions
in Member States, to promote intercultural understanding and co-operation
with countries outside the European Union. The new programme would
run for five years (2004-2008).
8.2 When we last considered the document (in December),
we shared the Government's concern that funding for the programme
was expected to come from the margins of the current budget (already
under pressure) and that the programme ran beyond the current
financial perspective. We decided to keep the document under scrutiny
until we had the revised proposal which we understood the Commission
to be preparing, with the updated information which the Minister
of State for Lifelong Learning and Higher Education (Margaret
Hodge) had undertaken to provide.
The Minister's letter
8.3 The Minister has now written to update us on the
position. She says that there have been no substantial changes
to the original proposal.
8.4 With regard to the funding position, the Minister
reports that Treasury officials have advised that the Commission's
proposed budget for the programme could be accommodated within
the relevant budget line in the current financial perspective
(i.e. up to 2006). However, a higher budget ceiling for category
3 (internal policy) expenditure (as suggested by the European
Parliament) would put pressure on the margin under the financial
perspective.
8.5 According to the Minister, the position is more problematic
for the next financial perspective. However, a possible solution
is being canvassed. This would involve the insertion of a review
clause in the programme which would ensure that it could not be
automatically extended without a full evaluation by the Commission
and approval by both the Council and the European Parliament.
8.6 The Minister tells us that, at official level, the
UK and a number of other Member States are pressing for such a
clause (for which there are precedents) to be added to the document.
The Commission is not averse to this proposal; it has also undertaken
to review the current budget profile which puts the majority of
the expenditure in the next financial perspective.
8.7 Finally, the Minister reports that the Education
Council will be discussing the document at its meeting on 5 May.
She broadly supports the educational and wider merits of Erasmus
World and does not wish to delay its introduction. She therefore
hopes that we will clear the document.
Conclusion
8.8 Our chief concern about Erasmus World proposal
was the lack of clarity about how it was to be funded. Given the
Minister's assurance that there have been no substantial changes
to the original proposal, and her apparent confidence that some
kind of review clause will be inserted, we are now content to
clear the document.
8.9 We shall, however, expect her to tell us whether
such a clause was agreed when she reports on the outcome of the
May Education Council.
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