Brussels, 08/05/2012 (Agence Europe) - The next Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council will take place on Thursday10 and Friday 11 May in Brussels, under the presidency of Uffe Elbaek for audiovisual, culture and sport issues (Thursday) and Christine Antorini for issues relating to education and youth (Friday). The commissioner responsible for education, culture, youth and sport, Androulla Vassiliou will be taking part in the meeting. The key points in the session will involve the first discussions on the new European Commission programmes on education, youth, sport, culture and audiovisual subjects (excluding budgetary questions, which will be discussed at the end of the discussions on the multiannual financial framework for 2014-2020). The discussions will also help to assess the response to Creative Europe, which brings together under the same umbrella current Culture, MEDIA and MEDIA Mundus programmes, as well as Erasmus for All, which will head current programmes on education, youth and sport, following the initial criticism made by the education and culture committee at the European Parliament. During the preliminary debates in the first reading, MEPs demonstrated a certain distrust of the proposed formula and feared that current programmes may be watered down.
In the cultural field, ministers will also hold discussions on Creative Europe and an initial orientation debate on Europe for citizens. The new programme intends to bring Europe and its citizens closer together so that the latter can understand the European Union's policies and decision-making processes. The Council will also adopt conclusions on the digitalisation and online accessibility of cultural material and digital preservation of audiovisual materials, as well as approving decisions on European Capitals of Culture. One will designate the European Capital of Culture for 2016 and the other the appointment modalities for the two expert members of the selection jury, as part of the Union's action to support the European Capital of Culture initiative. On Thursday afternoon, the Council will look at the issue of sport. It will adopt conclusions on tackling doping and recreational sport, at the end of a public debate on the challenges facing member states in this area.
On Friday, the Council will begin the day with an examination of Erasmus for All, the new programme intended to replace current programmes on education, training, youth and sport. Ministers are also expected to adopt conclusions on the employability of graduates from education and training systems. The Council aims to establish European reference criteria to determine what education and training policies would help increase employment opportunities for graduates and therefore help them to make the transition between education and employment more successful. Points on youth will conclude the Council session on Friday afternoon. Ministers will adopt conclusions for enhancing young peoples' creative and innovative potential, by setting up a thematic group for identifying skills acquired through non-formal or informal learning that can help towards obtaining employment. Ministers will also hold a public debate on the theme of helping young people achieve their potential. This is aimed at identifying measures that can help reduce youth unemployment and help them to use their natural talent through non-formal and informal learning. (IL/transl.fl)