Brussels, 12/09/2011 (Agence Europe) - Three hundred MEPs have hitherto lent their support to the initiative by Vincent Peillon and Françoise Castex (S&D, France), calling for the European Commission to set up Euro-Mediterranean Erasmus and Leonardo da Vinci schemes. They propose, by this means, to encourage student exchanges and vocational training in Europe for young people. “Currently only 200 students per year from the southern Mediterranean take part the Erasmus Mundus scheme”, says Peillon, noting that “no arrangements exist for vocational training” and that, in this, “Europe must do more and better”.
“It is our duty to help the Arab countries along the path to democracy by offering robust initiatives which meet the needs of these countries and demonstrate solidarity between the two shores of the Mediterranean. Setting up Erasmus and Leonardo de Vinci schemes for the whole of the Euro-Mediterranean area chimes very well with preparation for the post-Arab spring period”, Peillon added. He said he was “hopeful” that, within the week, when the time for signing the initiative runs out, the number of signatories would exceed the 369 (half the number of MEPs), needed to make it an official Parliament statement. (F.B./transl.rt)