Brussels, 21/11/2008 (Agence Europe) - Education ministers, meeting on Friday 21 November under the chairmanship of French Minister Xavier Darcos, adopted a resolution on “better integrating lifelong guidance into lifelong learning strategies”. “This resolution comes at just the right time,” Education Commissioner Jan Figel said, noting that there were still differences between member states. He said there had to be greater thrust in the four guiding principles, and warned that he expected improvement. Given the rapid changes in society and increasing globalisation in trade and the longer working life, individual skills had to be developed and adapted to new requirements. There was unanimity among member states that developing and implementing career guidance programmes which could react to changes before they happen had become an absolute necessity for the European Union, and they set out the measures they have in place to provide children, students and adults with higher quality and fairer guidance, based on the needs and aspirations of each. In the resolution, member states undertook to incorporate the following guiding principles in their national policies: 1) encourage the lifelong acquisition of career management skills; 2) facilitate access by all citizens to guidance services; 3) develop quality assurance in guidance provision; 4) encourage coordination and cooperation among the various national, regional and local stakeholders. Ministers also promised to improve cooperation through the European Lifelong Guidance Policy Network (ELGPN) that was set up in 2007. (I.L./transl.rt)