eunbil · GT0N1259 · 2006-05-12 00:00:00 — THE EUROPEAN UNION , 2005/0179 (COD) CODEC 342 INTRODUCTORY NOTE from : General of the Council to : (Part 1) No. doc.: 15748/05 EDUC 194 SOC 513 CODEC 1183 No. : 12639/05 EDUC 136 SOC 360 CODEC 796 - COM(2005) 450 final Subject : Proposal for a Recommendation of Parliament and of mobility within the Community for education and training purposes: European Quality Charter for Mobility General approach 1. On the Commission forwarded to Parliament and to the Council the above draft recommendation on a European Quality Charter for Mobility, the main aim of which is to establish a common set of principles aimed at greater effectiveness in all types of organised mobility for learning purposes. on previous achievements in this area, particularly Recommendation 2001/613/EC on mobility within the Community and the work done by the expert group set up under this Recommendation and subsequently endorsed by education ministers at their informal gathering in in 2004, the proposed Charter consists of ten practical and easily accessible guidelines covering the period prior to departure, during the stay and after the person"s return. On 14 February 2006 the Economic and delivered its opinion , while that of is still pending . As for Parliament, its opinion is unlikely to be available before the end of 2006. For its part, the Council"s has examined the draft recommendation on several occasions since October 2005, with the aim of agreeing a general approach at the forthcoming . Delegations will find attached the text as it currently stands following the Committee"s most recent meeting on 28 and 29 2006. Although a broad consensus has now been reached on the text, there remain two parliamentary scrutiny reservations from DK and UK, as well as a number of interrelated reservations from the Cypriot delegation, which is concerned about the financial and logistical implications associated with implementation of the proposed Charter. In response to this delegation"s concerns, the Presidency - backed by reassurances from the and supported by the Commission - has emphasised that the proposed Charter forms part of a recommendation and that it has been designed as a basic reference document which takes account of national situations and respects Member States" individual competences. is therefore invited to address this outstanding issue with a view to enabling the Council to agree a general approach on the draft RECOMMENDATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on transnational mobility within the Community for education and training purposes: European Quality Charter for Mobility (Text with EEA relevance) THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing Community, and in particular Article 149(4) and Article 150(4) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission , Having regard to the opinion of Economic and , Having regard to the opinion of , Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty , Mobility in education and training is an integral part of the freedom of movement of persons - a fundamental freedom protected by the Treaty - and one of the main objectives of Unions action in the field of education and vocational training; indeed, it is an essential tool for creating a European area of education and training and for developing European awareness. Intensifying European mobility and exchanges for education and training purposes, and events such as the 2006 European Year of Workers" Mobility , have a key role to play in achieving the goal of making Europe the most innovative and competitive knowledge-based economy by 2010. A first Recommendation of Parliament and of the Council was adopted in 2001 with the aim of facilitating Community action to encourage mobility. The work of the group of experts set up by the Commission in accordance with point III.a) of the above Recommendation, and the first follow-up report, while showing the progress made both at national and at European level as regards mobility for education and training purposes, demonstrate the need to focus not only on increasing mobility but above all on improving its quality. This objective can be achieved by adopting, in the form of a Recommendation, a Quality Charter for mobility, laying down a set of principles in this field, to be implemented on a voluntary basis. Because this Charter incorporates the underlying principles of educational mobility, it constitutes a reference framework which will help increase exchanges, develop recognition of study periods and help to establish mutual trust between the authorities, the organisations and all the stakeholders in mobility. (6a) This Charter is intended to complement, and not replace, the specific provisions outlined in the . The advantages of mobility strongly depend on the quality of the practical provisions: preparation, support and recognition. The people and organisations involved can considerably improve its value by careful planning and suitable evaluation. (7a) is a particularly useful instrument for developing transparency and recognition in order to aid mobility. It is desirable that the principles in question cover not only the period of mobility itself but also the period preceding and following it. A learning plan should be drawn up in advance. General preparation of the participants is also necessary. All questions related to finance, in particular what financial support is available and who bears the costs, should be solved before departure. For the period spent abroad, the quality of mobility can be enhanced by the [.] provision of schemes such as mentoring for participants. (11a) A detailed and clear description of any courses and/or training followed in [.] the host country, including the duration, should help to facilitate recognition on returning to the home country. Transparency and good administration call for a clear definition of the stakeholders responsible for each stage and action of the mobility programme. In order to ensure the overall quality of mobility, it is desirable to apply as far as possible the above-mentioned principles and recommendations to all types of mobility for learning or professional development purposes: education or training; formal or non-formal learning including youth volunteering; short or long mobility periods; for school, higher education or job-based learning; for young or adult learners. In view of the diversity of the nature and duration of mobility activities, Member States may adjust the implementation of the Charter according to circumstances, i.e. to adapt it to specific situations and programmes; to make some of the points compulsory and to consider others as optional. As the objectives of the present Recommendation, extending to all Member States, can be better achieved at Community level, the Community can take measures, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity provided for in Article 5 of the Treaty. To also respect the principle of proportionality, such as stated in the same Article, the present Recommendation does not exceed what is necessary to achieve these goals. HEREBY RECOMMEND: that Member States endorse and promote the use of the attached European Quality Charter for mobility and, as from the second year following the adoption of the present Recommendation, report on this and any complementary measures they may choose to undertake in their national contributions to the "Education and Training 2010" work programme. HEREBY INVITE the Commission to: encourage the use of the Charter by the and other organisations working in the field of mobility; continue to cooperate with the Member States and the social partners, so that useful information and experience concerning the implementation of the measures advocated in this Recommendation may be exchanged; consider the present Recommendation as forming a whole with Recommendation 2001/613/EC of Parliament and of the Council and therefore to include its requested biennial reports in the general reports of the "Education and Training 2010" work programme. For Parliament For the Council European Mobility Quality Charter Strengthened by the Mobility Action Plan of 2000 and the Recommendation of Parliament and 2001 , mobility has always been of considerable interest to stakeholders. That Recommendation was broad in scope, addressed a whole range of important questions associated with mobility and was targeted at anyone who might benefit from a period of learning abroad (formal and non-formal); including students, teachers, trainers, volunteers and people undergoing training. The present Recommendation, of which this Charter constitutes an integral part, has the same scope but focuses on the quality aspects of mobility, as proposed by an expert group established following the first Recommendation . It should help to ensure that participants have a positive experience, both in the host country and in the country of origin once they return. This Charter offers guidance for mobility undertaken by individual young people or adults, for the purposes of formal and non-formal learning and for their personal and professional development. It has been designed as a basic reference document, which takes account of national situations and respects Member States" competences. Its scope and content may be adapted to suit the duration of the mobility and the particularities of the various educational, training and youth activities as well as the needs of the participants. Although primarily addressing mobility for learning purposes, it is felt that this guidance could also be useful for other types of mobility, such as mobility for work. Potential candidates for mobility should have access to reliable sources of information and guidance on opportunities for mobility and the conditions in which it can be taken up. Before undertaking [.] mobility for education or training purposes, a learning plan should be drawn up and agreed by [.] the sending and hosting organisations and the participants. A learning plan is particularly important in the case of long-term mobility and may also be useful in that of short-term mobility. The plan should outline the objectives and expected learning outcomes, as well as how these would be achieved and implemented. significant modification of the learning plan should be agreed by all parties. When drawing up the learning plan, the issues of reintegration into the home country and evaluation should be borne in mind. Mobility undertaken for education or training purposes should fit in as much as possible with the personal learning pathways, skills and motivation of the participants, and should [.] develop or supplement them. Prior preparation of the participants is advisable, and should be tailored to their specific needs. It should include linguistic, pedagogical, [.] administrative, legal, personal and cultural aspects, and information on financial aspects, as necessary. Language skills are important for effective learning, intercultural communication and a better understanding of the host country"s culture. Participants, and their sending and host institutions, should pay special attention to appropriate linguistic preparation. Wherever possible, mobility arrangements should include: before departure, language assessment and the opportunity to follow courses in the language of the host country and/or the language of instruction, if different; in the host country, linguistic support and advice. Where necessary, logistical support could be provided to the participants. This could include information and assistance with arrangements, insurance, or work permits, social security, accommodation, and any other practical aspects, including safety issues relevant to their stay, as appropriate. The hosting organisation (educational , youth organisation, company, etc.) should provide schemes such as mentoring to advise [.] participants and help with their effective integration into the host environment, as well as [.] act as a contact point [.] for obtaining ongoing [.] If a study or placement period abroad is an integral part of a formal study or training programme, this fact should be stated in the learning plan, and participants should be provided with assistance to facilitate recognition and certification, where appropriate. In the learning plan the sending organisation should undertake to recognise any successful period of mobility. For other types of mobility, and particularly those in the context of non-formal education and training, an appropriate document should be issued so that the participant is able to demonstrate his or her participation and learning outcomes in a satisfactory and credible way. In this context, use of the "" should be encouraged. On return to their home country, particularly after long-term mobility, participants should be given guidance on how to make use of competences and skills acquired during the stay. Where necessary, [.] help with reintegration into the social, educational or professional environment of the home country should be made available to people returning after long-term mobility. The experience gained should be properly evaluated by participants, together with the organisations responsible, to assess whether the aims of the learning plan have been met. The responsibilities arising from these quality criteria should be agreed by the sending and hosting organisations and the participants. They should preferably be confirmed in writing, so that responsibilities are clear to all concerned. Recommendation 2001/613/EC of Parliament and of 2001 on mobility within the Community for students, persons undergoing training, volunteers, teachers and trainers, OJ L 215, , p. CESE 235/2006, SOC/222 Draft Opinion: CdR 34/2006 rev.1, dated 14 2006 Bold, bold underline and [.] indicate changes to the Commission proposal (doc. 12639/05). OJ C [. ], [. ], p. OJ C [. ], [. ], p. OJ C [. ], [. ], p. OJ C [. ], [. ], p. CY queries this reference, which it feels could have important practical implications (e.g. social security cover, etc.). It argues that mobility for student and workers should be treated separately. CLS expressed the view that the reference was harmless, while Cion said the reference was simply intended to emphasise the importance of mobility in general, rather than imply a link with related Directives on social security, etc. strategy, European Council Conclusions, doc. SN 100/1/00 REV 1. Recommendation 2001/613/EC of Parliament and of 2001 on mobility within the Community for students, persons undergoing training, volunteers, teachers and trainers, OJ L 215, , p. An implementing measure of the programme. CY reservation, on the grounds that all of the areas referred to have significant logistical and financial implications, particularly for smaller Member States with reduced capabilities. 13 CY reservation, on the grounds that all of the areas referred to have significant logistical and financial implications, particularly for smaller Member States with reduced capabilities. CY: include the phrase "in accordance with national legislation and practice". Resolution of the Council and the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council, of , concerning an action plan for mobility, OJ C 371, 23.12.2000. OJ L 215, , p. Report on the follow-up to Recommendation 2001/316/EC - COM(2004) 21. CY reservation: problems for Member States with reduced logistical and financial capabilities. Suggests replacing "should" by "could" wherever possible. CY reservation: problems for Member States with reduced logistical and financial capabilities. Suggests replacing "should" by "could" wherever possible. BE, CY, [. ], FR linguistic reservations. CY reservation: problems for Member States with reduced logistical and financial capabilities. Suggests replacing "should" by "could" wherever possible. 8356/06 GN/ag DG I LIMITEEN 8356/06 GN/ag DG I EN 8356/06 GN/ag EN