Key Benefits:
President of the Republic,
On the report of the Prime Minister and the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Development,
Considering the Constitution, in particular articles 52 to 55;
Vu le Decree No. 53-192 of 14 March 1953 amended on the ratification and publication of international commitments undertaken by France,
Decrete:
The agreement between the Government of the French Republic and the Government of the Italian Republic on the double grant of the Bachelor's degree and the Diploma of the Esame di Stato, signed in Rome on 24 February 2009, will be published in the Official Journal of the French Republic.
The Prime Minister and the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Development are responsible, each with respect to him, for the execution of this decree, which will be published in the Official Journal of the French Republic.
AGREEMENT
ENTER THE GOVERNMENT OF THE FRENCH REPUBLIC AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE ITALIAN REPUBLIC RELATING TO THE DOUBLE DELIVRANCE OF THE BACCALAUREAT DIPLOYMENT AND STATO ASSESSMENT, SIGNED TO ROME ON 24 FEBRUARY 2009
The Government of the French Republic and the Government of the Italian Republic,
The following is called "Parties";
Considering the Cultural Convention between France and Italy signed on 4 November 1949, including article 6, paragraph 2;
Considering the Protocol signed on July 17, 2007 between the Minister of National Education of the French Republic and the Minister of Public Instruction of the Italian Republic on educational, linguistic and cultural devices, school partnerships and training of personnel, including article 4 (changes and cooperation on themes of common interest) referring to the creation of a binational secondary school completion examination that leads to a double grant of the Baccalaureate
Animated by a common desire to continue to promote cultural cooperation, to deepen and strengthen the close existing relations, in particular in the educational field, through initiatives aimed at establishing links between the educational systems of the two states;
Desirous of strengthening the teaching of the language and culture of the other Country, currently provided in some schools of the two states and of cooperating in this field;
One in the desire to offer students the opportunity to simultaneously acquire the two national diplomas of end of secondary education which open the same right to the holders of these diplomas in France and Italy to access to higher education, higher education and professional activity;
Convinced to make such an important contribution to European cooperation and integration;
The following provisions were agreed:
Article 1
Purpose of the Agreement
The objective of this Agreement is to establish an educational cooperation framework for the simultaneous issuance of the diploma of the General Baccalaureate and the diploma of the Esame di Stato to the students of the two Countries who have completed an integrated training course as defined below and in accordance with the following provisions.
Article 2
Obtaining diplomas and conditions of issuance
Parties establish a three-year integrated training course for French and Italian schools preparing to graduate from Baccalaureate and Esame di Stato.
These two diplomas open the holders with legal access in both countries to university and non-university higher education under the conditions laid down in the legislation of each of the two Parties.
Each Party shall issue its national diploma to candidates who have been granted the national diploma of the other Party, provided that they have obtained at least the average for the specific part of the examination.
Article 3
Integrated training courses
The Parties incorporate into the integrated training course the disciplinary content considered essential so that students can obtain the double grant of the Baccalaureate and Esame di Stato diplomas.
In particular, both Parties agree on:
- the contents of the two specific disciplines taught in the language of the Partner Country: language and literature, and non-language discipline (DNL);
- the hourly volume of teaching disciplines of the integrated training course;
- teaching and teaching principles, as well as evaluation criteria for both disciplines.
The teachings of this integrated training course must allow students to reach, in the language of the Partner Country, at least the level "independent user" (B2) of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
When this Agreement comes into force, the non-Linguistic Discipline (NOL) retained by both Parties is history.
Article 4
Tests of the specific disciplines of the integrated training course and evaluation modalities
The integrated training course gives rise to a specific examination part, consisting of:
- a language and literature test, which gives rise to a single note, obtained from a written assessment and oral evaluation;
- a written test on non-language discipline, which gives rise to an assessment by the Country organizing this test and only by it.
The overall rating for the specific part of the examination results from the arithmetic mean of the notes obtained from the two specific tests. Weighting coefficients may be used for the determination of this overall rating.
The tests constituting the specific part are substituted for those provided for in the Baccalaureate exam and are integrated with those of Esame di Stato.
For each of the tests of the specific part of the examination, the educational authorities of the two countries jointly establish an evaluation grid for equalization.
The weight of the assessment for the specific part of the examination cannot exceed 40% of the total of the final assessment of the candidate.
Article 5
Establishments concerned by the integrated training course
The integrated training course prepared for the double grant of the diplomas of Baccalaureate and Esame di Stato is located in the establishments of both Countries, in accordance with the regulations in force and Article 11 of this Agreement.
At the beginning of each school year, the updated list of institutions involved in the integrated training courses is sent to the Partner Country by diplomatic means.
Article 6
Follow-up to the integrated training course
Parties, through the relevant services of both countries, including inspection bodies, shall, in accordance with the legislation in force in both countries, assess the implementation and results of the integrated training path. Parties may propose modifications and amendments to the Bilateral Technical Commission as defined in Article 8 of this Agreement.
Article 7
Teachers
The educational authorities of both countries collaborate, depending on the importance of demand and the available budget, for the training of French and Italian teachers involved in the implementation of the integrated training course.
Article 8
Bilateral Technical Commission
A bilateral technical commission shall be established to define the points mentioned in Articles 3 and 4 of this Agreement:
- contents of specific disciplines;
- hourly volume;
- teaching and teaching principles;
- final tests of specific disciplines;
- criteria for evaluating specific disciplines.
The Commission may also propose to Parties changes and adjustments to the integrated training course, including the introduction of new non-language disciplines (DNL).
The Commission is composed of:
- for the French Ministry of Education :
- the Dean of the General Inspectorate of National Education or his representative;
- the Director General of School Education (DGESCO) or his representative;
- Director of European and International Relations and Cooperation (DREIC) or his representative.
- for the Italian Ministry of Instruction, University and Research:
- Head of the Department of Instruction or his representative;
- the Director General of School Education or his representative;
- the Director General of International Affairs or his representative;
- the Director General of the School Staff or his representative.
- for the French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs:
- the cultural advisor of the French Embassy in Italy or its representative.
- for the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
- the cultural advisor of the Italian Embassy in France or its representative.
The Bilateral Technical Commission meets as necessary, alternately in France and Italy. In the event of an emergency, the Bilateral Technical Commission may make its decisions through mail exchanges.
Article 9
Provisions relating to the Val d'Aoste
To claim to obtain the Baccalaureate and Esame di Stato, in accordance with section 4 of this agreement, the students of Val d'Aosta support, as part of the French test provided for in Regional Law No. 52 of 3 November 1998, the specific language and literature test. The passation of the non-language discipline (DNL) test is also mandatory.
Article 10
Settlement of disputes
Disputes arising from the interpretation or implementation of this Agreement shall be settled by consultation and negotiation between the Parties.
Each of the two Parties may denounce this Agreement by notifying this decision to the other Party. This denunciation takes effect twelve months after this notification.
Students participating in the integrated training course provided for the double issuance of the diplomas referred to in this Agreement at the time of termination shall be given the opportunity to continue their training until the examination.
Article 11
Entry into force and transitional phase
This Agreement, which may be amended at any time by mutual consent of the Parties, shall enter into force on the date of the last notification by which the Parties shall inform themselves with respect to the fulfilment of the provisions of their respective laws.
The integrated training course is based on the school year following the definition by the Bilateral Technical Commission of the points mentioned in Article 8 of this Agreement and the publication of the programmes by the Parties.
The first session of the examinations leading to the double grant of the Baccalaureate and Esame di Stato is organized after the implementation of this course.
During a transitional phase of two years following the entry into force of this Agreement, both diplomas may be issued under the conditions defined in Article 2:
- the first year to the students who followed the third year of the integrated training course;
- in the second year, students who followed the second and third year of the integrated training course.
The list of establishments admitted to the transitional phase is prepared by the Bilateral Technical Commission referred to in Article 8 of this Agreement.
As the two Parties agreed, the agreement was signed in Rome on 24 February 2009, in duplicate, in the French language and in the Italian language, both texts being equally authentic.
For the Government of the French Republic:
XAVIER DARCOS
Minister of National Education
For the Government of the Italian Republic:
MARIASTELLA GELMINI
Minister of Education, University and Research
Done on 20 October 2014.
François Hollande
By the President of the Republic:
The Prime Minister,
Manuel Valls
Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Development,
Laurent Fabius
