March 2004

"Do you have any questions?"

from schools all over Europe and, with the help of our Law teachers, our students chose the best ones and took them to the European Commission in Brussels on the 30th March. There they met Dr. Massimo Gaudina, from the General Secretariat of the European Commission - Task-Force "Future of the Union and institutional issues",
asked him the questions and he answered them.

Here you can read all the questions we received from the schools:

1) EU enlargement will cost more than originally planned, according to a survey. How shall the increased amount of money be raised? Will a new EU tax be levied to pay for the extra costs?

2) According to an IMAS-survey the majority of Austrians expects a split of Europe into a core Europe and a rest group. What effects could such a split have on the motivation of countries that are not part of the core Europe?

3) How big are the chances that agreement will be reached on a EU constitution?

4) There is a lot of talk about democracy within the EU. Why has there been no referendum on EU enlargement in the member states?

5) Turkey wants to become a member of the EU. This raises the question on where the real borders of Europe are. What problems will be the most difficult ones for an accession of Turkey?

6) Many people fear an increase in the crime rate after EU enlargement. Are these fears justified? What can be done to calm down these fears?

7) In January the EU Parliament decided to raise the EURATOM-Budget from 4 to 6 bn euros. What will be done with this extra money? Do we have to fear that new atomic power plants will be built with that money?

8) How long will it take new EU member states to fulfil the environmental criteria of the EU and which measures have been taken to assist these countries in doing so?

9) The moratorium for genetically altered substances has expired. Does that mean that every EU-member state has to allow genetically altered food on its soil? Will it be possible to keep some regions, like Upper Austria free of genetically manipulated plants?

10) The transit contract between the EU and Austria has expired. Will new regulations really take environmental costs into account? What will that mean for Austria? *

..... here is one of our questions that stirred interest the moment a nine-year-old girl from our school told her teacher a 'family secret':
" M'am, we've got one hundred euros, all ours. Will wealth discrepancies in the United Europe die out by the time we are fully grown up?" *

* The girl's name is Adina *

Here are a few details about the school:

"there are about 250 children attending our school in one of the town's crowded district; the great majority of the children belong to common people families with great social problems; there are at least 6 parents in each class working in Italy, Spain, Portugal or Germany; there are situations when both parents are away, the children being looked after by neighbours or relatives; there is also a considerable number of children from gipsy families who create supplementary problems in school, I mean their poverty is reflected in their behaviour; we do our best to help each of them with the help of the Church or other families in town but steel industry almost collapsed here in town and there are no working places."

School:
General School nr 10 Resita, Caras-Severin, Romania
Teacher:
Sonia Piroi
soniap@gmx.net

How does your country contribute, like a UE member, to guarantee the defence of peace (for UE members and for candidate countries)?

School:
Palatul Copiilor si Elevilor Braila - Romania
Teacher:
Luca Georgeta
ate_luca@yahoo.co.uk
Contact person:
Atena Luca - chemistry teacher

Will all the states of Europe join the European Union in the future? Even Russia?

School:
Gaure Main Scool - Taurage
Teachers:
Ona Naujokiene (History, English)
Salomeja Buksiene (History)
Rita Katauskiene (Lithuanian, English)
gauresmokykla@takas.lt

1. Quali sono le difficoltà e i parametri per l'approvazione della Costituzione europea?
2. Cosa ne pensa della riforma dell'istruzione italiana?
3. Come si muoverà la Commissione europea dal punto di vista scolastico? Ci saranno dei programmi comuni per tutte le scuole degli stati interessati all'Unione Europea?
4. I problemi dei paesi meno sviluppati europei vengono considerati ugualmente a quelli dei paesi più sviluppati o in modo diverso?
5. Quali sono i vantaggi e svantaggi dei paesi che entreranno a far parte dell'U.E.?
6. Come mai l'U.E. ha deciso di confermare l'entrata agli altri 10 stati che sono meno sviluppati di quelli che compongono attualmente l'Unione Europea?
7. C'è la possibilità che un giorno nasca un esercito europeo?
8. Come scegliete gli Stati che possono diventare membri dell'UE?
9. Cosa comporterà l'entrata nell'Unione dei nuovi dieci Paesi e che effetto può provocare a livello monetario questa nuova entrata?

School:
ITI "A. Malignani" - Udine
Teacher:
Nicoletta Leone
Contact person:
Caterina Gasparini

1. Are our neighbours going to use the Euro soon?
2. Will the numbers of stars on the European Union flag be enlarged?
3. What is going to happen with the value of the Euro after the enlargement?

School:
Lycée Astura, Mansilla de las Mulas, León, Spain
Teacher:
Maria Angeles Alvarez
mariannealvarez@yahoo.es

1. Will Lithuanian teachers earn salaries of the same size as the teachers in the EU get, after Lithuania joins the EU?
2. What about the situation with the farming in Lithuania after it joins the EU? Will small farms get bankrupt?
3. Will taxes and prices get up after Lithuania joins the EU?
4. How it will be possible to reduce corruption in Lithuania after it joins the EU?
5. What status will Lithuanian language gain after Lithuania joins the EU?
6. Why has the EU offered Lithuania to join it?

School:
Alytus Panemunes Secondary School, Lithuania
Teacher:
Stase Nedzinskiene
nest@panemune.alytus.lm.lt 

1. Will the new constitution of the European Union take into consideration the gap, both economic and social, deeply felt by the school, a gap which exists at this moment among the current member countries and future member countries?
2. By the real actions the Romanian school system is taking on its whole in order to join the European Union, today the school is ahead of other institutions or social subsystems (political, economic, juridical). Do you think this effort will be realistically perceived and accurately materialized at the moment of the adheration? Or will the bad reputation of the political-economic systems be reflected in a negative way in the Romanian school system?

School:
LICEUL "I.H.RADULESCU" - BD.UNIRII, 28 TARGOVISTE, ROMANIA
Teacher:
Rizea Barbos Iuliana Cornelia
iuliana_rizea@yahoo.com

1. Quali sono dalla prospettiva dei Paesi membri i costi economici dell'integrazione per i Paesi che stanno per aderire all'U.E.?
2. In quali direzioni possono essere mobilizzati i fondi comunitari per l'integrazione dei morti Paesi?
3 . I cittadini dell'U.E. ritengono che l'esistenza delle differenze culturali, religiose possono rendere difficile il processo di integrazione dei nuovi Paesi?

School:
"Constantin Noica"  High School - Alexandria - Romania
Teacher:
Guna Mariana
gunamariana@yahoo.com

These are the questions to the EU from our younger learners (aged  10-12):
  1. Will we be able to choose a secondary school outside Poland and if so, will our parents have to pay for it?
  2. Are there any plans to reform the Polish system of education?
  3. Will we have to learn as much as we do in Polish schools now?

We are also sending four questions from our senior students (aged  13-16).
  4. Is it possible to export Polish traditional food like "oscypek" or "obwarzanek" to other countries of the EU?
  5. Is it true that according to the results of an inspection carried out by the EU, Poland is the worst prepared country to the annexation?
  6. If we enter the EU, will we get any money for repairing Polish roads?
  7. What is going to happen to Polish farming and building grounds? Is there a risk that they will be sold out to the other members of the EU?

School:
Zespol Szkol w Zielonkach - Poland
Teacher:
Grazyna
gkason@interia.pl

1. Presuming that finally, all Europe will be united, what would be the fate of national identity?
2. How will a History Textbook look like?
3. Who would be wise enough and so entitled to speak on behalf of so many different nations?
4. What would be the criteria of choosing a leader in such a greedy world?
5. It is well known that in case of an external conflict, the EU will function as a whole and defend its interests. What if an internal conflict arises? Who will mediate it?
6. Who would represent Europe in case of an Alien Encounter?
7. How can one person know the needs of billions of people? Tricky job, isn't it?
8. Can human benevolence overcome the thirst for power?

School:
"Alexandru Odobescu" High School - Pitesti - Romania
Teacher:
Camelia Cioaca
ag98alc1967us@yahoo.com

1. The recent events from Madrid horrified the whole world. The threat exists everywhere, each continent facing this fact. It seems that there is an ideological problem that separates two worlds, and this creates a real tension inside the civilized societies. The question is: 'What can the European Union do in connection with this fact?'
2. Romania is a candidate country to UE. From the educational point of view how and when do we feel the positive effects of this adherence?

School:
Avram Iancu Secondary School - Satu Mare - Romania
Teacher:
Corina Mandi
mandi_corina@yahoo.com

1. What is your opinion about integrating Romania in the E.U.?
2. Do you agree with Romania joining the E.U.?
3. Do you think that East-European countries can accomplish the criteria for joining the E.U., imposed by the E.U.?
4. Do you think that accepting new countries will influence the living standard in the old members of the E.U.?
5. Integrating the new countries will create financial and political problems to the old members of the E.U., so that it will lead to delaying the integration of Romania and Bulgaria?
6. Do you support Romania in joining the E.U.?

School:

Teacher:
Roxana
roxana_teo@rdslink.ro

1. Do members of the EU appreciate our country as their equal partner? What is their attitude to our country? Aren't Slovak people only cheap employees for them?
2. Would German, English and other people of the EU be satisfied with the same money Slovak people get for the same work? (Average wage is 300-350 EUROS per month).
3. Gypsies are one of the problems in our country. What will the EU do with this group of people? How will the EU solve this problem, if these people don't want to work, they don't want to look for a job, either, and they are without money?
4. What is the average charge per year for Slovak students who want to study at the universities in the countries of the EU? Will degrees from Slovak universities be accepted in the EU, too?
5. How will new members of the EU (and their delegates) be controlled? (We think we'll be using EURO funds that EU will provide to new members).
6. What attitude has the EU to cruelty to animals (for example bad conditions in transport of animals from country to country)?
7. What are the punishments in the EU for cruelty to animals?
8. What attitude has the EU to various tests on animals?
9. We are 13-14 year old pupils. Do we have any possibility of helping animals in other countries of the EU, too? If yes, which way?

School:
Basic school - Povazska Bystrica - Slovakia
Teacher:
akovacikova@eskola.sk

I believe that the enrlagement of Europe is a very important event.
I would like to ask if we could help the residents of the last countries in the Europian Union, who are not on the same financial level as ours,to approach us and finally manage to reach us.

School:
1st high school in Vyronas, Greece
Student:
1ï ÃõìíÜóéï Âýñùíá - Dionisis (3rd Class)
mail@1gym-vyron.att.sch.gr

1. How can a real cooperation between the states exist if some countries still have the poverty problem?
2. How can the U.E. protect the countries against the terrorist attacks?
3.How can the individual face globalization?

School:
Ion Mincu -Deva - Romania
Student:
Bulei Irina - Romania - Grup Scolar de Arte si Meserii
irina_bulei_28@yahoo.com

I think that entering the EU has good and bad sides. Some peope will have better conditions for life, unions will be open, but some companies will have bad conditions. A lot of people won't have jobs. (NEjc,8.b)
I think that the entrance of Slovenia in the EU will bring good things. But for some people (like custom officers) this isn't good because they will lose their jobs. My opinion about the EU is that people will get jobs more esasily and I think that everything will be better.(Kaja,7.d)
For me, the new laws and studying in foreign countries will be better. But getting used to a new currency is bad. (Jernej,7.d)
Some people think that as we go to the EU everything will be cheaper, the working force will be cheap and a lot of people won't have a job. Slovenia will have to take care of borders. We will be able to study in other countries. I think the Eu brings to us worse life, fewer jobs (if you want to have a job, you must be a good student), there will be less money, everything will be more expensive. (Valentina,8.b)
This are some thoughts abut the entrance of Slovenia in the EU.
A nice day wish you pupils from Slovenia.

School:
Jesenic-Koroska Bela
Teacher:
Sandra Simic
simic_sandra@hotmail.com

1. Will the "Enlargement " benefit the E.U. to become stronger?
2. Do you believe that the culture of each country will be altered by the multicultural European Union?
3. Greece is surrounded by Balkan countries which are not members of the E.U. Do you believe that the entrance of those countries such as Bulgaria, in the E.U. will benefit our country, Greece? Why?
4. Do you believe that the entrance of Turkey in the E.U will provide positive co-operative relationships for both Greece and Turkey?
5. What is your opinion about the entrance of Cyprus in the E.U.? Can the whole island which is divided in two parts, become a member of the E.U, under this status?
6. Do you believe that K. Anan's plan is the best possible solution to both sides, Greek-Cypriots and Turkish-Cypriots?

School:
2nd High School of Komotini
Teacher:
Dora Kordokonidou
dokordo@in.gr

1. Will the European Union enlargement bring more scholarship in Europe?
2. Will the E.U. pay special attention to the new member countries?
3. What are your future plans after all states join the Union?

School:
"Grigore Moisil" High School - Bucharest - Romania
Teachers:
Alexandra Sfarlogea and Corina Petcu
madalina_sf@yahoo.com