Brussels, 08/05/2002 (Agence Europe) - On a proposal by Commissioner Neil Kinnock, the Commission adopted a decision on Wednesday setting up a new staff training policy based on improving the skills of European officials and updating the contents of training courses. This decision is in line with the Commission's internal reform process and the commission's preparations for EU enlargement. The Commission is setting itself a less ambitious but more realistic goal than ten years ago: by 2005, each member of the staff will have to have devoted an average of 10 working days a year to training activities, of which an average of 5 days of general training (courses, lectures, etc.) and an average of 5 days for language training of perfecting (supervision, tutorials, attending work situations..). For that, the Commission has earmarked a budget of 71 million euro over five years (from 9 million in 2001 to 20 million in 2005). The Commission stipulates that the goal, set in 1991, of 12 days of training a year could not be attained for "lack of adequate resources". The "Personnel and Administration" and "Budget" DG are called upon to consider the creation of an internal team of trainers, responsible for taking on the activities that would be inappropriate or unprofitable to sub-contract to external bodies. In annex to the decision, the Commission has published guidelines for training, placing emphasis, notably, on: course for entry into service; - training intended for categories B, C and D staff; - perfection of supervisory staff; - external training and learning missions; - the creation of a new administrative culture; - language training; - the challenge of enlargement.