The new Staff Regulations, which came into force on 1 May 2004, no longer provide for the refunding of costs from participation in winter sports classes, open-air classes, seaside classes and similar activities ¹.

As this change in the rules concerning the education allowances took place during the 2003/04 school year, it gives rise to a difference in treatment between winter sports classes, open-air classes, seaside classes and similar activities which took place before 1 May 2004 and those which were planned and organised for the same school year but took place after that date.

The Administration has accordingly decided to reimburse the costs arising from participation in winter sports classes, open-air classes, seaside classes and similar activities which took place from 1 May 2004 to the end of the 2003/04 school year in accordance with the rules that were in force up to 30 April 2004 ².

If you have dependent children who were in this situation, you are invited to submit an application in writing for reimbursement of these costs with the relevant department for your place of employment:

• Brussels :
   
  Serving staff:
  PMO/1- Education allowances Help desk - B-28 1/42
  
  Pensioners:
  European Commission
  Unit PMO/4
  Office B-28 05/150
  B-1049 Brussels
   
• Luxembourg:  PMO/5 - Education allowances Office - JMO A1/108
   

• JRC:                 PMO/6 Ispra – Education allowances – TP 063

Please enclose original supporting documents (certificate of participation issued by the school, proofs of payment, etc.). Complete applications will be processed as soon as possible.
It should be noted that the costs arising from participation in winter sports classes, open-air classes, seaside classes and similar activities can be covered by the education allowance on condition that:

1. the classes were organised by the educational establishment as part of its teaching programme;
    
2. they were organised outside the school holidays;
    
3. during participation in these classes, the child was accommodated outside the family home;
    
4. any similar activities satisfied the condition of half-time schooling, i.e. the continuity of the teaching programme was ensured by attendance at classes given under the responsibility of teachers from the same educational establishment and by participation in outside activities which supplemented the theoretical concepts imparted in class (to that end, a detailed programme of activities, going beyond standard certificates, must be supplied).

Signed
Claude Chêne
Director-General for Personnel and
Administration

Brussels, 17-03-2005
____________________
FOOTNOTES

¹Article 3 of the Commission Decision of 7 April 2004 laying down general implementing provisions on the granting of the education allowance (Article 3 of Annex VII to the Staff Regulations)

²Commission Decision of 10 July 1998 laying down general implementing provisions amending the general implementing provisions for granting the education allowance.