22.10.2004
Open letter to Mr David O’Sullivan
Secretary General of the European Commission
As from 1st January 2004, all Commission staff have been paying a special levy which we were told would be used to "finance social policy, better working conditions and European Schools".
However, since the introduction of this levy the European Schools have not benefited financially and indeed, quite the opposite has happened, the Commission has substantially cut its subsidy to the school canteens and has ceased to reimburse the school trips. For parents this has meant a substantial rise in the cost of school meals, unfortunately accompanied by an equally substantial reduction in their quality. For parents of children in 5th year primary, it has meant trying to find the sum of almost € 1000 in order to allow their child to participate in the "classes de neige" in Bardonnechia in January next year – a trip whose pedagogical and social value have never been questioned. For other parents it has meant explaining to their child that they won’t be accompanying their classmates as the trip is quite simply too expensive.
We hear much in the media about creating a "social Europe" – should not the Commission be leading the way instead of creating a two-tier system in the European Schools: those children whose parents can afford to send them on school trips and those children whose parents do not have this possibility?
Staff now learn that this special levy is, in fact, just entered into the general budget of the Commission and is thus obviously not used for any social purpose whatsoever. Staff now feel that they have been misled by unscrupulous politicians and obviously this endangers the relationship between them and the new Commission.
On behalf of all Commission staff, we request that this special levy be used for its original purpose so that all staff and their children may benefit, and more urgently, that school canteens receive the necessary subsidies and that school trips are reimbursed in order to allow children of all officials to participate.
We have also learned that the European Parliament reimbursed the "classes de mer" which took place in May/June this year. This reimbursement was refused by the Commission.
We would like to meet you to discuss this matter in detail and will be contacting you shortly.
Giorgio Lebedef
Signé
Political Secretary of A&D