Brussels, 28/03/2000 (Agence Europe) - As requested by the Extraordinary Summit of Lisbon, EU Education Ministers must begin an in-depth reflection on the future of education systems in view of contributing to the Luxembourg process (employment) and Cardiff process (structural reforms). It is indeed vital for Europe to reduce its deficit vis-a-vis the United States in the field of digital technologies and take advantage of the formidable potential for jobs linked to this. To achieve that goal, one has to go through education, i.e., it is essential that everyone acquires a digital culture at school and that lifelong learning be developed.
In this context, and welcoming the "clear will expressed by the European Council of Lisbon for European galivanisation to enter the new economy based on innovation and knowledge head on", the European Commissioner in charge of education, Viviane Reding said that she was going to "submit concrete proposals in the coming weeks and months to EU Education Ministers both on adapting education to digital techniques (e-Learning initiative) and means to provide a strong impetus to lifelong learning.