++++

COUNCIL RESOLUTION

OF 11 JULY 1983

CONCERNING VOCATIONAL TRAINING POLICIES IN THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY IN THE 1980S

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES ,

HAVING REGARD TO THE TREATY ESTABLISHING THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY ,

HAVING REGARD TO THE DRAFT RESOLUTION SUBMITTED BY THE COMMISSION ,

HAVING REGARD TO THE OPINION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ( 1 ) ,

HAVING REGARD TO THE OPINION OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE ( 2 ) ,

WHEREAS , BY DECISION 63/266/EEC ( 3 ) , THE COUNCIL LAID DOWN GENERAL PRINCIPLES FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A COMMON VOCATIONAL TRAINING POLICY ; WHEREAS THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON VOCATIONAL TRAINING HAS EXPRESSED ITS VIEWS ON THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THAT POLICY ;

WHEREAS THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL , AT ITS MEETING IN MARCH 1982 , INDICATED IN ITS CONCLUSIONS THAT IN ORDER TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE PROGRESSIVE DEFINITION OF A EUROPEAN SOCIAL POLICY MEMBER STATES SHOULD TAKE MEASURES CONCERNING MORE PARTICULARLY THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING OF YOUNG PEOPLE AND , AS A FIRST STEP , STRIVE TO ENSURE OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS THAT ALL YOUNG PERSONS ENTERING THE LABOUR MARKET FOR THE FIRST TIME RECEIVE VOCATIONAL TRAINING OR INITIAL WORK EXPERIENCE WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF SPECIAL YOUTH SCHEMES OR CONTRACTS OF EMPLOYMENT ( 4 ) ;

WHEREAS AT ITS MEETING IN JUNE 1982 THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL ASKED THE JOINT COUNCIL ( MINISTERS OF FINANCE , ECONOMIC AFFAIRS AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS ) TO ADOPT FIRM DECISIONS ON A PROPOSAL FROM THE COMMISSION REGARDING SPECIFIC COMMUNITY MEASURES TO COMBAT UNEMPLOYMENT , PARTICULARLY IN THE CASE OF YOUNG PEOPLE ( 5 ) ;

WHEREAS , AT ITS MEETING IN DECEMBER 1982 , THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL ACCORDED PRIORITY TO CREATING MORE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND PROFESSIONAL TRAINING POSSIBILITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO PERMIT A FULFILMENT OF THEIR JUSTIFIED ASPIRATIONS ( 6 ) ;

WHEREAS AT ITS MEETING IN MARCH 1983 THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL AGREED IN PARTICULAR THAT ALL THE MEMBER STATES AND THE COMMUNITY MUST NOW TAKE EFFECTIVE ACTION TO IMPROVE THE EMPLOYMENT SITUATION OF YOUNG PEOPLE ( 7 ) ;

WHEREAS THE COUNCIL , AT ITS MEETING ON 27 MAY 1982 , ADOPTED A RESOLUTION ON COMMUNITY ACTION TO COMBAT UNEMPLOYMENT UNDERLINING THE PRIORITY WHICH THE COMMUNITY SHOULD GIVE TO THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING OF YOUNG PEOPLE ( 8 ) ; WHEREAS AT THE SAME MEETING IT APPROVED A FURTHER COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAMME ON THE PROMOTION OF EQUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR WOMEN , 1982 TO 1985 ( 9 ) ;

WHEREAS , AT ITS MEETING ON 16 NOVEMBER 1982 , THE JOINT COUNCIL ( MINISTERS OF FINANCE , ECONOMIC AFFAIRS AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS ) REAFFIRMED ITS COMMITMENT TO ENSURE , OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS , THAT YOUNG PEOPLE ENTERING THE LABOUR MARKET FOR THE FIRST TIME SHOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF VOCATIONAL TRAINING OR A FIRST EXPERIENCE OF WORK ;

WHEREAS , AT ITS MEETING ON 2 JUNE 1983 , THE COUNCIL ADOPTED A RESOLUTION CONCERNING VOCATIONAL TRAINING MEASURES RELATING TO NEW INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES ( 10 ) , IN WHICH IT MADE PROVISION FOR MEASURES IN VOCATIONAL TRAINING TO BE TAKEN AT THE LEVEL OF MEMBER STATES AND OF THE COMMUNITY WITH A VIEW TO PROMOTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF A JOINT APPROACH FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF NEW INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES WHICH MIGHT SATISFY ECONOMIC AND TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS , WHILE TAKING ACCOUNT OF THE SOCIAL EFFECTS TO WHICH THESE TECHNOLOGIES GIVE RISE ;

HAVING REGARD TO THE RESOLUTIONS OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT OF 22 APRIL 1982 ON YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT ( 11 ) AND OF 28 APRIL 1983 ON THE PROBLEM OF UNEMPLOYMENT AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE ;

CONSCIOUS OF THE NEED FOR CLOSER COOPERATION AMONG COMPETENT ADMINISTRATIONS , IN PARTICULAR ON EDUCATION AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING , IN ORDER TO FACILITATE THE TRANSITION OF YOUNG PEOPLE FROM EDUCATION TO WORKING LIFE AND THUS IMPROVE THE PART PLAYED BY VOCATIONAL TRAINING POLICY IN COMBATING YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONCLUSIONS OF THE COUNCIL ( LABOUR AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS ) AND OF THE COUNCIL AND OF THE MINISTERS FOR EDUCATION , MEETING WITHIN THE COUNCIL , AT ITS JOINT MEETING ON 3 JUNE 1983 ;

EMPHASIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF VOCATIONAL TRAINING POLICIES IN ORDER TO MASTER AND EXPLOIT THE POTENTIAL OF THE NEW INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES , PARTICULARLY WITH A VIEW TO SUPPORTING POLICIES DESIGNED TO PROMOTE JOB CREATION , INDUSTRIAL RESTRUCTURING AND INNOVATION , AND THE REVITALIZATION OF DEPRESSED AREAS ;

REAFFIRMING THAT VOCATIONAL TRAINING IS A BASIC ELEMENT OF AN EMPLOYMENT POLICY DESIGNED TO PERMIT EACH INDIVIDUAL TO DEVELOP AND TO REALIZE HIS OR HER POTENTIAL THROUGHOUT ADULT LIFE AND IN PARTICULAR TO PROMOTE EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEN AND WOMEN ;

CONFIRMING THAT FURTHER STEPS SHOULD BE TAKEN IN LIAISON WITH BOTH SIDES OF INDUSTRY AT NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY LEVEL TO STRENGTHEN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A COMMON POLICY ON VOCATIONAL TRAINING ;

WELCOMING IN THIS CONTEXT THE COMMISSION'S COMMUNICATION RELATING TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF VOCATIONAL TRAINING POLICIES IN THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY IN THE 1980S AND TAKING NOTE OF THE GUIDELINES CONTAINED THEREIN ,

HEREBY ADOPTS THIS RESOLUTION :

I . GENERAL OBJECTIVES

ON THE BASIS OF THE PRINCIPLES ALREADY ADOPTED BY THE COUNCIL IN DECISION 63/266/EEC , AND IN VIEW OF THE SITUATION AND STRUCTURE OF UNEMPLOYMENT IN THE COMMUNITY , THE COUNCIL AGREES THAT VOCATIONAL TRAINING POLICIES IN THE COMMUNITY IN THE 1980S WILL BE DEVELOPED ESPECIALLY AS :

- AN INSTRUMENT OF AN ACTIVE EMPLOYMENT POLICY DESIGNED TO PROMOTE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND ADJUSTMENT TO THE NEW STRUCTURES OF THE LABOUR MARKET ,

- A MEANS OF ENSURING THAT YOUNG PEOPLE ARE PROPERLY PREPARED FOR WORKING LIFE AND THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES AS ADULTS ,

- AN INSTRUMENT FOR PROMOTING EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL WORKERS AS REGARDS ACCESS TO THE LABOUR MARKET AND ENGAGING IN VARIOUS OCCUPATIONS .

II . MEASURES BY MEMBER STATES

IN IMPLEMENTING THEIR VOCATIONAL TRAINING POLICIES , MEMBER STATES WILL MAKE INCREASED EFFORTS , TAKING ACCOUNT OF THE ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF BOTH SIDES OF INDUSTRY , TO :

- IMPROVE THE QUALITY AND SCOPE OF VOCATIONAL TRAINING FOR WORKERS OF ALL AGES . ALTHOUGH PRIORITY SHOULD BE GIVEN TO YOUNG PEOPLE AND THE LONGTERM UMEMPLOYED , CONSTANT ATTENTION SHOULD BE PAID TO THE TRAINING AND RETRAINING NEEDS OF OTHER WORKERS , ESPECIALLY THOSE MOST AT RISK FROM CHANGES IN THE LABOUR MARKET ,

- IMPLEMENT TRAINING PROGRAMMES ENABLING TRAINEES TO ACQUIRE A WIDE RANGE OF PRACTICAL SKILLS DESIGNED TO FACILITATE THEIR ACTIVE ADJUSTMENT TO TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE , TO IMPROVE THEIR MOBILITY AND , WHERE APPROPRIATE , TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO BECOME SELF-EMPLOYED ,

- PROMOTE ATTAINMENT OF THE OBJECTIVE OF ENSURING THAT TRAINING PROGRAMMES LEAD TO RECOGNIZED QUALIFICATIONS AND THAT SYSTEMS OF CERTIFICATION PROVIDE THE MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY IN ORDER TO FACILITATE IN THE SPHERE OF TRAINING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PROGRAMMES BASED MAINLY ON PRACTICAL WORK EXPERIENCE ,

- INCREASE THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FURTHER TRAINING AND FOR RETRAINING FOR ALL WORKERS THROUGHOUT THEIR WORKING LIFE ,

- PAY PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THE PROBLEMS FACED BY WORKERS OF ANY AGE WHO LACK THE BASIC KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS USUALLY REQUIRED FOR PARTICIPATION IN TRAINING PROGRAMMES ,

- ENCOURAGE WOMEN TO PARTICIPATE MORE IN TRAINING THAT MAKES IT EASIER FOR THEM TO OBTAIN SKILLED JOBS AND PARTICULARLY TO ENTER OCCUPATIONS WHERE THEY ARE TRADITIONALLY UNDER-REPRESENTED ,

- PROMOTE AND ADEQUATE SUPPLY OF TRAINING FACILITIES IN THE FIELD OF BUSINESS MANAGEMENT , PARTICULARLY IN ORDER TO FACILITATE THE DEVELOPMENT AND ESTABLISHMENT OF SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED UNDERTAKINGS , INCLUDING COOPERATIVES , AND TO MAINTAIN AND INCREASE THE LEVEL OF EMPLOYMENT IN THEM ,

- DEVELOP ALSO TRAINING FACILITIES IN CONNECTION WITH LOCAL INITIATIVES TO STIMULATE NEW ECONOMIC ACTIVITY AND TO PROMOTE EMPLOYMENT ,

- IMPROVE THE QUALITY AND SCOPE OF THE TRAINING OF INSTRUCTORS AND OF VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE COUNSELLORS AND TAKE ACCOUNT , WHERE APPROPRIATE , OF THE TRAINING NEEDS OF PERSONS CALLED UPON IN PARTICULAR TO GIVE TECHNICAL ADVICE IN ORDER TO STIMULATE ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES AT A LOCAL LEVEL ( DEVELOPMENT AGENTS ) ,

- INCREASE THE ACTIVE COOPERATION AT NATIONAL AND LOCAL LEVEL OF ALL PARTIES CONCERNED WITH VOCATIONAL TRAINING .

III . SPECIFIC MEASURES TO ASSIST YOUNG PEOPLE

1 . DURING THE NEXT FIVE YEARS , TAKING ACCOUNT OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE TWO SIDES OF INDUSTRY IN THIS AREA , MEMBER STATES :

- WILL DO THEIR UTMOST TO ENSURE THAT ALL YOUNG PEOPLE WHO SO WISH , AND PARTICULARLY THOSE WITHOUT EDUCATIONAL OR VOCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS , CAN BENEFIT OVER A PERIOD OF AT LEAST SIX MONTHS AND IF POSSIBLE ONE YEAR FOLLOWING FULL-TIME COMPULSORY EDUCATION FROM A FULL-TIME PROGRAMME INVOLVING BASIC TRAINING AND/OR AN INITIAL WORK EXPERIENCE TO PREPARE THEM FOR AN OCCUPATION ,

- MOREOVER , WILL PURSUE THEIR EFFORTS , IN THE CONTEXT OF THEIR NATIONAL POLICIES AND PRACTICES , TO SEE THAT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WITHOUT SUFFICIENT QUALIFICATIONS , INCLUDING PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO ARE LOOKING FOR WORK , ADEQUATE OPPORTUNITIES OF VOCATIONAL TRAINING DESIGNED TO IMPROVE THEIR SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE .

2 . IN IMPLEMENTING THE OBJECTIVES REFERRED TO IN THE PREVIOUS PARAGRAPHS , MEMBER STATES SHOULD ENSURE , IN PARTICULAR , THAT THE MEASURES TO BE ADOPTED :

- ARE ACCOMPANIED BY APPROPRIATE INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE SERVICES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND BY THE DEVELOPMENT OF TRAINING FOR INSTRUCTORS AND OTHER SPECIALISTS IN THIS FIELD ,

- ARE IMPLEMENTED IN FORMS AND WAYS WHICH CORRESPOND TO THE NEEDS AND ABILITIES OF YOUNG PEOPLE ,

- TIE IN WITH THEIR GENERAL SYSTEMS OF VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION ,

- MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE AND THOSE RESULTING FROM THE AIM OF CREATING NEW JOBS .

3 . THESE SPECIFIC MEASURES TO ASSIST YOUNG PEOPLE SHOULD HELP TO DEVELOP THEIR SENSE OF INITIATIVE , TO FOSTER AN AWARENESS IN THEM OF THEIR ABILITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES AND TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO BE PREPARED TO UNDERGO CONTINUING TRAINING THROUGHOUT THEIR WORKING LIVES .

IV . MEASURES AT COMMUNITY LEVEL

1 . IN ORDER TO SUPPLEMENT AND BACK UP THE ACTION TAKEN BY MEMBER STATES , THE COMMISSION IS ASKED TO CONTINUE WITH THE ACTIVITIES IT IS UNDERTAKING TO ENCOURAGE INNOVATION AND THE QUALITATIVE IMPROVEMENT OF TRAINING SYSTEMS IN THE MEMBER STATES , TAKING ACCOUNT INTER ALIA OF THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE WHOSE JOB OPPORTUNITIES ARE PARTICULARLY LIMITED AND ESPECIALLY THOSE OF YOUNG PEOPLE :

( A ) BY CONTRIBUTING TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF COHERENT AND PROGRESSIVE COMMON ACTION IN THE FIELD OF VOCATIONAL TRAINING , WHILE RECOGNIZING THE DIVERSITY OF TRAINING SYSTEMS IN THE MEMBER STATES AND THE NEED FOR COMMUNITY ACTION TO BE FLEXIBLE ;

( B ) BY FOSTERING EXPERIMENTATION IN ORDER TO IMPROVE NATIONAL POLICIES AND PRACTICES ;

( C ) BY DEVELOPING EXISTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE DISSEMINATION AND EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION AND EXPERIENCE BETWEEN TRAINING AUTHORITIES AND PRACTITIONERS , PARTICULARLY IN THE CASE OF PROMISING TRAINING INITIATIVES ;

( D ) BY CONTRIBUTING TO GREATER CONSISTENCY BETWEEN , ON THE ONE HAND , VOCATIONAL TRAINING POLICIES AT NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY LEVEL AND , ON THE OTHER , ACTIVITIES IN RECEIPT OF ASSISTANCE FROM THE EUROPEAN SOCIAL FUND .

2 . IN THIS CONNECTION THE COUNCIL ASKS THE COMMISSION TO TAKE THE FOLLOWING ACTION OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS :

( A ) AS REGARDS THE VOCATIONAL PREPARATION AND TRAINING OF YOUNG PEOPLE :

( I ) COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT OF EXISTING PROJECTS IN LINKED WORK AND TRAINING AND , ON THAT BASIS , SUPPORT FOR PILOT PROJECTS , INCLUDING IMPLEMENTATION OF A GROUP OF PROJECTS COVERING THE DEVELOPMENT OF TRAINING/PRODUCTION WORKSHOPS ;

( II ) ASSESSMENT , IN COOPERATION WITH NATIONAL AUTHORITIES AND THE TWO SIDES OF INDUSTRY , IN SPECIFIC AREAS DESIGNATED BY MEMBER STATES , OF PROJECTS UNDERTAKEN TO ENSURE THAT ALL YOUNG PEOPLE LEAVING COMPULSORY EDUCATION ARE OFFERED PREPARATION AND TRAINING ;

( III ) IMPLEMENTATION OF A PROGRAMME OF EXCHANGE VISITS BY TRAINING SPECIALISTS , BACKED UP BY THE CONTINOUS DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE EUROPEAN CENTRE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF VOCATIONAL TRAINING ( CEDEFOP ) OF DOCUMENTATION ON TRAINING SYSTEMS AND INNOVATIONS IN MEMBER STATES ;

( B ) AS REGARDS VOCATIONAL TRAINING DESIGNED TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE DESEGREGATION OF THE LABOUR MARKET AND TO PROMOTE GREATER EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY :

( I ) IMPLEMENTATION OF A SET OF PILOT PROJECTS DESIGNED TO DEVELOP , IN PARTICULAR BY IMPROVING BASIC SKILLS , THE CHANCES OF EMPLOYMENT OF THE LONG-TERM UNEMPLOYED AND OF WORKERS THREATENED WITH UNEMPLOYMENT AS A RESULT OF INDUSTRIAL REDEVELOPMENT ;

( II ) SUPPORT FOR SMALL-SCALE INNOVATORY PROJECTS , DESIGNED IN PARTICULAR TO PROVIDE BETTER INFORMATION ON THE TRAINING FACILITIES AVAILABLE TO WOMEN WITH A VIEW TO INCREASING THEIR PARTICIPATION IN GENERAL TRAINING PROGRAMMES AND FACILITATING THEIR ACCESS TO OCCUPATIONS IN WHICH THEY ARE TRADITIONALLY UNDERREPRESENTED ;

( III ) DRAWING-UP A PROGRAMME OF SHORT STUDY VISITS FOR VOCATIONAL TRAINING SPECIALISTS ;

( C ) AS REGARDS TRAINING TO PROMOTE EMPLOYMENT AT LOCAL LEVEL :

( I ) INTENSIFYING EXCHANGES OF VIEWS , WITH MEMBER STATES WHICH SO WISH , ON PLANNING AND ASSESSING THEIR TRAINING PROVISION AT LOCAL LEVEL AND , AS APPROPRIATE , IDENTIFYING NEEDS FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ;

( II ) SUPPORT FOR EXPERIMENTAL AND PILOT PROJECTS TO DEVELOP TRAINING , IN PARTICULAR IN THE REGIONS OR AREAS IN WHICH TRAINING IS LEAST DEVELOPED AND/OR WHICH ARE PARTICULARLY BADLY HIT BY UNEMPLOYMENT , ON THE BASIS OF A COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT OF EXISTING PROJECTS AT LOCAL LEVEL ;

( III ) ANALYSIS OF THE TRAINING REQUIREMENTS OF TRAINING AND GUIDANCE SPECIALISTS , AND WHERE APPLICABLE DEVELOPMENT AGENTS , INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS OF JOB CREATION AT LOCAL LEVEL , LEADING WHERE NECESSARY TO MEASURES PROVIDING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR TRAINING .

3 . COMMUNITY FINANCING FOR THE INITIATIVES SET OUT IN POINT 2 WILL BE DECIDED ON WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE BUDGETARY PROCEDURE AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LEGAL COMMITMENTS ENTERED INTO BY THE COUNCIL .

COMMUNITY FINANCING OF THE STANDARD PROJECTS REFERRED TO IN POINT 2 WILL BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FINANCING CAPACITY AND RULES OF THE SOCIAL FUND .

V .

THE COUNCIL WILL EXAMINE THE PROGRESS MADE IN IMPLEMENTING THIS RESOLUTION AND THE RESULTS OBTAINED ON THE BASIS OF AN INTERIM REPORT AND A FINAL REPORT TO BE SUBMITTED TO IT BY THE COMMISSION BEFORE 30 JUNE 1987 AND 31 DECEMBER 1989 RESPECTIVELY .

THE COMMISSION IS ALSO ASKED TO PREPARE A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE PROGRESS MADE BY MEMBER STATES ON SPECIFIC MEASURES TO ASSIST YOUNG PEOPLE , IN TIME FOR SUBMISSION DURING INTERNATIONAL YOUTH YEAR IN 1985 .

( 1 ) OPINION DELIVERED ON 17 MAY 1983 ( NOT YET PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL ) .

( 2 ) OJ NO C 124 , 9 . 5 . 1983 , P . 9 .

( 3 ) OJ NO 63 , 20 . 4 . 1963 , P . 1338/63 .

( 4 ) BULLETIN OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES , 3-1982 , 1 . 3 . 5 .

( 5 ) BULLETIN OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES , 6-1982 , 1 . 5 . 3 .

( 6 ) BULLETIN OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES , 12-1982 , 1 . 2 . 3 .

( 7 ) BULLETIN OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES , 3-1983 , 1 . 5 . 3 .

( 8 ) OJ NO C 186 , 21 . 7 . 1982 , P . 1 .

( 9 ) OJ NO C 186 , 21 . 7 . 1982 , P . 3 .

( 10 ) OJ NO C 166 , 25 . 6 . 1983 , P . 1 .

( 11 ) OJ NO C 125 , 17 . 5 . 1982 , P . 74 .