/ Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης

Conclusions from Council meeting: Education/Youth, 28 May

Date: 29/05/2001
Policy area: Education and youth affairs
News item: Conclusions

FOLLOW-UP OF THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL IN STOCKHOLM - Council conclusions

The Council held an intensive debate on the implications for the education and training sector of the Conclusions of the Stockholm European Council of 23/24 March 2001. During the discussion, Ministers commented on the follow-up to be given to the Report on the concrete future objectives of education and training systems, which was adopted at the last Education Council on 12 February 2001 and was submitted to the European Council in Stockholm. The Report identifies a certain number of concrete objectives for work at European level and asks for the establishment of a work programme for a ten-year period up to 2010.

The debate in the Council centred on concrete measures to bring forward the work initiated by the Report and on the next steps to take in view of the preparation of the follow-up report, which is requested for the Spring European Council in March 2002 in Barcelona. Ministers stressed the importance to start working while proceeding in a pragmatic way, to set up the methodology and to define the instruments (indicators, exchange of good practice, benchmarking, peer review) most suitable for the different areas of work. The use of indicators, quantitative and more importantly qualitative, was generally welcomed; emphasis although was put on choosing preferably indicators which are already used in other fora such as the OECD.

After the debate, the Council agreed on the following Conclusions on the follow-up of the Report on the concrete future objectives of education and training systems, which identify three priority areas to start work with :

"THE COUNCIL
1. Recalls that the Council (Education) adopted the Report on the concrete future objectives of Education and Training Systems on 12 February 2001 for transmission to the Stockholm European Council, following the mandate given by the Lisbon European Council in March 2000, with a very clear message to all those involved in its follow-up that there should be rapid progress in working out how to take its implementation forward, and in selecting priorities.

2. Recalls that the Stockholm European Council underlined that the joint report, which the Council and the Commission will present to the European Council in Barcelona in Spring 2002, should contain "a detailed work programme on the follow-up of the objectives of education and training systems, including an assessment of their achievement in the framework of the open method of co-ordination and in a world-wide perspective".

3. Agrees that the main objectives of the follow-up of the Objectives Report of 12 February 2001 will be to:
§ assess the achievement of the objectives stated in the report so that the Council (Education) can report back to the European Council whenever this is seemed appropriate;
§ provide support for the improvement of education and training policy design and implementation at all levels;
§ promote further development of co-operation and exchange of good practice between Member States, thus enhancing efficiency and effectiveness of this work.
As stated in the Objectives Report consideration will have to be given throughout the follow-up process to other processes at European level affecting the work of the Council (Education).
Similarly, account should be taken within those processes of the follow-up work on the objectives of education and training systems.

4. AGREES upon the following milestones leading up to the Barcelona European Council:
§ A draft work programme, including a further elaborated methodology, to be discussed by the Council at its meeting on 29 November 2001.
§ A joint report by the Commission and the Council containing a detailed work programme to be adopted at the Council meeting on 14 February 2002 and transmitted to the European Council in Barcelona.

5. Emphasises that the work programme should cover in sufficient detail the period up to 2004, the aim being that work should have started by then in all areas contained in the Objectives Report, and also cover in broad terms developments foreseen up to 2010. Similarly, this work programme should aim at a strong general education in order to strengthen lifelong learning in accordance with a permanently evolving society.

6. Further agrees that work will start in the following three areas which were also highlighted in the conclusions of the Stockholm European Council:
§ Basic skills
§ Information and Communications Technology (ICT)
§ Mathematics, science and technology.

7. Underlines that work should start without delay in all three agreed areas so that progress could be accounted for in the joint report by the Council and the Commission to Barcelona.

8. Stresses that indicators, although only one element of the follow-up process, represent an important tool for measuring and comparing performance, and that if the process is to be successful and credible, the indicators need to be underpinned by clearly defined, comparable and, above all, policy-relevant data.

9. REAFFIRMS that the objectives of the follow-up process can only be achieved with active involvement and contribution from Member States i.a. through :
§ provision of the necessary support to the national statistical offices;
§ provision of up-to-date data and, when available, their national forecasts and objectives;
§ information on relevant changes in national policies and instruments, influencing the education and training systems;
§ contribution to all other aspects of the following work, e.g. provision of qualitative information, involvement in studies and nomination of experts to working groups.

10. Recalls moreover that the Commission will be fully involved in all phases of the work. The Commission should therefore take the necessary initiatives to support the process."
 

Youth:
FUTURE EU WORK ON YOUTH ISSUES - Presidency Conclusions

The Council heard an information from Commissioner REDING on the vast consultation process which has taken place during 2000 in view of the reflection on the future European co-operation in the youth area. The presentation by the Commissioner was followed by a broad debate.

During the discussion, Ministers unanimously voiced political support to the elaboration of a meaningful White Paper. They stressed that the outcome of the consultation process, the numerous valuable recommendations put forward also by the young people themselves, should not get lost, and that the process should continue.

Ministers, in their interventions, also gave the Commission some indications on the possible content of such a White Paper. Several mentioned the usefulness of defining a coherent framework for the youth policy at European level. Some highlighted the appropriateness of the open method of co-ordination in this respect and the use of the "rolling agenda".

The President concluded the debate in drawing the following conclusions :

"The members of the Council noted with satisfaction that the extensive and dynamic consultation process for the Commission's forthcoming White Paper on Youth Policy in Europe had now reached its final stage. They reiterated the full support given by ministers responsible for youth affairs and stressed the importance of the involvement of young people in Europe in the course of the consultation process over the past 18 months. Moreover, they noted that these consultations highlighted the need for further co-operation in the youth field, while respecting the principle of subsidiarity. The discussions today have shown that the Council is looking forward to the forthcoming proposals of the White Paper which the members of the Council are ready to comment upon."