Brussels, 20/01/2009 (Agence Europe) - Fully aware of the new challenges created by the economic and financial crisis which is leading states to focus their attention on the economic sector to the neglect of education and culture, on Monday 19 January, the Czech Presidency set out its educational and cultural priorities for the European Parliament education and culture committee. “We take the reins at a critical period. Investment is needed (in education) if we are to be competitive and ensure sustainable growth,” said Czech Minister for Education, Youth and Sport Ondrej Liska. Noting that resources are limited, Liska said that the Presidency would highlight the need to diversify sources of finance for institutes of higher education, because “there has to be continued investment”. “Human resources are our greatest resource and the transfer of knowledge plays a key role,” he went on.
The Czech Presidency has three education priorities: 1) to lay the basis of a new framework for cooperation: the Presidency will encourage member states to continue cooperating within the framework set in 2002 in order to take stock of progress made and redirect priorities for 2010; 2) to improve cooperation between education establishments and employers: a conference to be held in Prague in April will provide the opportunity for preparing the ground for broader cooperation which will include schools in the process, the objective being to better understand employers' needs; 3) to pursue the Bologna quality in higher education objectives: after a conference of all 46 member countries of the Bologna Process, to be held in Louvain, the Czech Presidency will assess progress in, for example, credit transfer and cooperation in the area of quality, and will draft priorities for 2010. In the youth sector, there are also three priorities: 1) evaluating the existing framework for cooperation and preparing the outlines of a new framework; 2) continuing the implementation of the European Youth Pact; 3) supporting mobility for young volunteers in line with the Council of Ministers recommendation of November 2008. A conference will be held in Prague on 12-13 March on this issue. In sport, Liska called on member states to work together more on tackling doping, violence, the issue of the transfer of under-age footballers, in line with the White Paper and the Pierre de Coubertin Action Plan.
After the minister set out the Czech priorities, Doris Pack (EPP-ED, Germany) wondered if the Presidency had not set its sights too high. She felt that the key points on which to concentrate were to set up a Year of Volunteers in 2011, further assist the mobility of young people and make progress on lifelong education. María Badía Cutchet (PES, Spain) expressed her concern that, with the focus on the demands of the labour market, employers might be able to dictate to universities what is to be taught, to the detriment of arts and culture. Daniel Petru-Funeriu (EPP-ED, Romania) would like to see continued the work begun by France on assessing universities. Katerina Batzeli (PES, Greece) called for greater effort to speed up recognition of awards and mobility for young people from secondary school age.
At the behest of Culture Minister Vaclav Jehlicka, the Czech Presidency wants to develop the role of culture as a catalyst for creativity as part of the European Year of Creativity and Innovation 2009. A “Forum for Creative Europe” to be held in March will give consideration to the role of creativity for society, education and the economy. Jehlicka's aim is the adoption of conclusions on this issue at the next Council. Carrying on the work on the European heritage label is another of his priorities. He wants to make the French project a reality and involve more countries (there are currently 19 states). In the audiovisual sector, the minister, working with service providers, will continue efforts to increase user awareness of piracy and legal supply and on product placement as part of the transposition of the new audiovisual media services without borders directive. Jehkicka also wants to see non-EU countries involved in European audiovisual projects. He will launch the debate at the next Council as part of “Media Mundus”. Following the presentation, Doris Pack said that, in the period under Czech Presidency, member states should be much more worried about budget cuts for culture, for example for things like the European Capital of Culture. Ruth Hieronymi (EPP-ED, Germany) warned that Czech priorities for creativity and innovation could only be successful in a digital age with a regulation on copyright, and she said, too, that she hoped Media Mundus would be adopted and launched under the Czech Presidency. Marie-Hélène Descamps (EPP-ED, France) called for more information on the digital library, tackling piracy, copyright and an agenda for Media Mundus. Erna Hennicot-Schoepges (EPP-ED, Luxembourg) was more concerned with the European heritage label, which had, she said, to transmit the history of Europe. (I.L./transl.rt)