Opposition to temporary school in Berkendael

EU officials in Brussels are to tell their bosses tomorrow (14 July) that they are opposed to a temporary European school being located at Berkendael, near Forest in the south of the city.

The Belgian federal government decided last Friday (7 July) to offer the Berkendael site to the EU institutions.

The temporary school is supposed to deal with overcrowding in the current three European schools in Brussels which will become particularly acute from September 2007. A fourth European school is planned for Laeken in north Brussels but will not be ready to take in pupils until 2009 at the earliest.

Parents had hoped that the temporary school could be located at least in the direction of the Laeken school to make pupil transfers to the school easier when it opens. Alain Kruys, president of the Parents' Association of the European School in Uccle, said the decision was "unbelievable" and that the Berkendael choice was made because it was the cheapest option.

Parents have now been invited to discuss it with the Commission.

The European schools were set up to instruct the children of EU officials in their national languages and culture and are located in various member states with most situated in Brussels and Luxembourg. Pressure on these schools increased after EU enlargement in 2004.

EU officials in Brussels are to tell their bosses tomorrow (14 July) that they are opposed to a temporary European school being located at Berkendael, near Forest in the south of the city.