Brussels, 22/11/2012 (Agence Europe) - At the upcoming Education, Youth and Sport Council in Brussels on 26 and 27 November, talks will continue on the next education and youth programmes (Erasmus for All) and media and culture (Creative Europe) amidst the great unknown of how big the budget will be for the two programmes. In addition to these major issues, the economic crisis is still affecting the ministers' work and there will be a conclusions document on how education and training can lead to economic recovery, the adoption of a resolution on structured dialogue with young people (the first victims of the crisis), which will focus on inclusion of all young people across the board. When it comes to sport, talks will focus on combating cheating and manipulating the results of sporting matches and the benefits of sport for health. The meeting will be chaired by Cypriot education and culture minister George Demosthenous and will be attended by EU Education, Culture, Youth and Multilingualism Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou. Education, culture and audiovisual will be on the agenda on Monday 26, with Tuesday 27 taken up with youth and sport
Education. At the last Education Council on 10 and 11 May 2012, EU27 education ministers adopted a partial general guideline on “Erasmus for All” (education and young people), in other words an agreement on everything except the budget question (while awaiting the negotiations with the European Parliament on the new multiannual financial framework). The pending measures are the total budget for Erasmus for All, the breakdown among the various sectors and the bond system for masters students. The Cypriot Presidency had initially hoped to achieve substantial progress before the end of the year in the talks with the Parliament, but the Education and Culture Committee didn't adopt the text on time (scheduled for 6 November, voting on the report has been postponed to 27 November), which has put back the negotiations until after the vote. The Council will issue a conclusions document on literacy with the aim of encouraging the introduction of more effective programmes to improve reading and writing skills, which is one of the targets set for the EUROPE 2020 Strategy in the field of education. Ministers are expected to agree in principle on a recommendation to the member states to validate both formal and informal learning. Ministers will hold a public debate on how to improve the quality of teachers and their teaching skills.
Audiovisual and culture. After deciding on an initial partial general guideline for the new Creative Europe programme at the last Council meeting (in May), which makes no mention of the budget, the ministers will try to decide on a second partial guideline by agreeing on a guarantee mechanism to improve access to finance for small businesses in the culture and creative industries. The Council will issue a conclusions document on cultural governance (in order to help governments implement joined-up policies for culture within public policy) and a European strategy for a more child-friendly internet to replace the “Safer Internet” programme next year.
Youth. Ministers will issue a resolution giving an overview of structured dialogue with young people on how young people can participate in democratic life in Europe. They will also adopt a 2012 report on implementation of the renewed framework for European cooperation in the domain of youth (2010-2018) and a conclusions document on the participation and social inclusion of young people, particularly young migrants.
Sport. For sport, the Council will issue conclusions on three issues - drawing up a sports policy for the European Union; introducing a strategy to fight the manipulation of sports results; and promoting physical exercise to improve health. The Council will designate three EU representatives for the world anti-doping agency.
Over lunch on 26 November, education ministers will discuss the Copenhagen Process, which aims to encourage countries in Europe to work with the social partners (employers and trade unions) to develop innovative professional training programmes. Before the youth part of the meeting, the ministers and Vassiliou will meet representatives of various youth organisations as part of the “structured dialogue” with young people. The sports section of the meeting will be preceded by a working lunch of ministers of the past, present and future presidency countries (Denmark, Cyprus, Ireland and Lithuania) and representatives of the sports world. (IL/transl.fl)