Brussels, 04/01/2001 (Agence Europe) - The report by the Dutch conservative MEP Marieke Sanders-ten Holte on the Commission's Recommendation concerning European cooperation in assessing the quality of school education which will have its second reading at the EP on 15 January, was approved in its first reading in the July session. In the report, Parliament stresses the importance of high quality education as a social cohesion tool to help people find their place in society and as a solution to the problems of unemployment. Parliament also stressed the complementarity of assessment systems, the identification of good practices at all levels and the exchange of information and experience using modern information and communications technology. The Commission accepted virtually all the EP's amendments and Council endorsed the Commission's draft proposal with a few slight amendments. Speaking to the European Parliament's Education and Culture Committee last December, Marieke Sanders-ten Holte said she was "happy with the fruitful collaboration between Council, Commission and Parliament", adding that "this Recommendation will certainly contribute to strengthening high quality education" (see also EUROPE of 13-14 December 1999 and 29 January 2000).