Brussels, 15/11/2006 (Agence Europe) - As well as tackling the revision of the television without frontiers directive (EUROPE 9306), EU ministers for education, youth and culture meeting up for the Council on 13-14 November adopted conclusion on the digitalisation and on-line accessibility of cultural materials and its digital conservation, in the perspective of implementing the European digital library project. They then designated the following cities as European cultural capitals in 2010: Essen in Germany, Pécs in Hungary and Istanbul in Turkey. Ministers also highlighted the importance in investing in culture as a contribution to implementing the Lisbon objectives. The Council also proceeded to an exchange of views on policies for elaborating in view of greater understanding and knowledge of young people.
On Tuesday, the Council chaired by the Finnish minister of education, Antti Kalliomäki, adopted conclusions on priorities for reinforcing European cooperation in education and vocational training and efficiency and fairness in education and training systems. Finally, ministers proceeded to an exchange of views on modernisation of higher education and how to set up the European Institute of Technology (EIT). Jan Figel, European Commissioner for education and training, explained that modernising higher education meant opening up the universities to businesses and creating more synergies to improve the capacity for innovation at the European Union. All the different delegations recognised the fundamental character of such a modernisation, despite certain reservations expressed about the opacity of the objectives and funding for the EIT. The detailed report on the work of the Council can be consulted at the following address: http: //http://www.consilium.europa.eu/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/educ/91666.pdf. (ym)