Brussels, 29/05/2002 (Agence Europe) - The Education Council will be meeting in Brussels on 30 May, chaired by Pilar Del Castillo Vera and followed by the Youth Council, chaired by Gerardo Camps. Viviane Reding will be representing the European Commission.
The Education Council will focus on the following matters:
The follow-up of the Barcelona European Council. The ministers will exchange views on the follow-up of the education and training objectives. The Presidency has proposed to structure the debate around four questions - What measures should be adopted to give professional training the role it merits and achieve transparency in terms of mutual recognition of diplomas and qualifications? What decisions should Member States take to improve their citizens' language learning? What measures should be adopted to assess the achievement of objectives concerning future education and training systems within the given deadlines? How to ensure the quality of European education and training systems?
Lifelong education and training. Responding to the Barcelona Summit, the Council will adopt a resolution affirming that it is necessary to ensure convergence between the Commission's Communication and the work programme on following up the education and training objectives; lifelong education and training have to be supported by action and policies drawn up in the framework of the European strategy for employment, the skills and mobility action plan, the EC Socrates, Leonardo and Youth programmes, the eLearning initiative, etc.
European Sports Year 2004. Following the vote in first reading at the EP plenary (see EUROPE of 18 May, p.16), the Council will discuss the draft decision to set up a European Year of Education Through Sport 2004 with the aim of reaching political agreement. Since the Treaty does not contain any measures directly concerning sport, the question of which legal basis to use has been posed - a Council Communication notes that in order to highlight the educational aspects of sport the Commission referred to Article 149 of the Treaty (which means qualified majority voting and codecision).
Extension of Tempus III (2000-2006). Following the EP opinion (see EUROPE of 18 may, p.16), the Council will try to reach political agreement on the extension of this trans-European higher education project to Mediterranean countries.
Changing the Socrates programme. Ms Reding will present ministers will her proposed technical changes to the Socrates education programme, aiming to simplify the joint funding procedures for projects by scrapping the specific obligation to provide proof of at least 25% cofunding for projects.
Summit of EU and Latin American heads of state. The Presidency will inform the Council of the outcome of the summit held in Madrid on 17/18 May.
In the afternoon, the Youth Council will adopt a resolution on European co-operation in the domain of youth projects and will exchange views on young people's involvement in exercising active citizenship (a White Paper priority area).