In the past, challenges have been met by pooling ideas, widening national debates to include other Member States, identifying common objectives and agreeing joint action at various levels. The joint opinions of the social partners have also provided a reference point at EU level for both sides of industry to develop their approaches to vocational training. There are many exchange and dissemination activities at national and European level in respect of vocational training. The completion of the first Leonardo da Vinci programme and the launch of its successor provide an excellent opportunity to consider establishing a more systematic approach to the analysis, monitoring and reporting of issues surrounding the learning process the what, when, where, and how of learning. These issues are central to the development of the vocational training system, they are being profoundly affected by economic and social change and are at the heart of the debate on lifelong learning.
Vocational training is a key part of the European employment strategy.
Developments in it are reported in the procedure for monitoring this. However, the employment strategy is not a policy framework for vocational training, nor is it intended to be. At this important time in the development of vocational training, there is a need for a clearly focused policy framework at European level encompassing all the key issues to serve as a reference point to support Member States in their efforts to reform national systems. Establishing such a framework at EU level could perform a number of important functions, as comparable action is doing in other areas of policy. It could identify the key policy issues which are common to Member States and help focus attention on them.