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COUNCIL RESOLUTION

OF 2 JUNE 1983

CONCERNING VOCATIONAL TRAINING MEASURES RELATING TO NEW INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES

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 ON 11 SEPTEMBER 1979 THE COUNCIL ADOPTED A RESOLUTION ON A COMMUNITY ACTION PROMOTING MICRO-ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY ( 3 ) , IN WHICH IT INVITED THE COMMISSION TO SUBMIT TO IT SPECIFIC PROJECTS IN THE AREAS OF INDUSTRIAL POLICY AND FURTHER EDUCATION FOR TECHNICIANS AND ENGINEERS ;

WHEREAS THE COMMISSION FORWARDED TO THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL , MEETING IN DUBLIN IN NOVEMBER 1979 , A COMMUNICATION ENTITLED " EUROPEAN SOCIETY FACED WITH THE CHALLENGE OF NEW INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES ; A COMMUNITY RESPONSE " ; WHEREAS ON THAT BASIS THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL ASKED THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS TO STUDY A COMMON STRATEGY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THESE TECHNOLOGIES IN EUROPE ;

WHEREAS IN THE CONTEXT OF AN OVERALL MEDIUM-TERM STRATEGY , ECONOMIC RECOVERY DEPENDS TO A CONSIDERABLE EXTENT ON INNOVATION AND IT IS THEREFORE ESSENTIAL TO REINFORCE PRODUCTION INVESTMENT AT COMMUNITY LEVEL INTER ALIA IN THE AREA OF NEW INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ;

WHEREAS NEW TECHNOLOGIES HAVE AN IMPACT ON EMPLOYMENT AND THERE IS A NEED IN THIS CONNECTION TO ENSURE THAT SYSTEMS OF EDUCATION AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING , BOTH INITIAL AND CONTINUING , TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE POTENTIAL OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN SUCH A WAY AS TO SUPPLY THE LABOUR MARKET WITH THE NECESSARY SKILLED MANPOWER FOR THE FUTURE ;

WHEREAS TRAINING IN THE NEW TECHNOLOGIES SHOULD NOT BE CONFINED TO A SPECIALIST ELITE , BUT SHOULD ENABLE WORKERS TO PLAY A MORE ACTIVE ROLE IN THEIR WORK AND HELP TO ACHIEVE EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEN AND WOMEN ;

WHEREAS , ON A MORE GENERAL LEVEL , IT IS IMPORTANT TO ENSURE A SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE APPROACH TO THE CONTROL OF THESE NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN A SOCIETY THAT IS EXPERIENCING RADICAL AND RAPID ECONOMIC , SOCIAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE WHILE TAKING ACCOUNT OF THE NEEDS OF THE LEAST-DEVELOPED REGIONS AND REGIONS IN INDUSTRIAL DECLINE ;

WHEREAS IN THIS REGARD A CONCERTED APPROACH IS DESIRABLE BETWEEN PUBLIC AUTHORITIES AND MANAGEMENT AND LABOUR IN RELATION TO THE INTRODUCTION OF NEW INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES INTO UNDERTAKINGS ; WHEREAS , MOREOVER , MANAGEMENT AND LABOUR HAVE AN IMPORTANT PART TO PLAY IN THE AREA OF VOCATIONAL TRAINING ;

WHEREAS ACCOUNT HAS BEEN TAKEN OF THE DELIBERATIONS OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON EMPLOYMENT AT ITS MEETING ON 3 NOVEMBER 1981 , ON THE BASIS OF A COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION ON " NEW INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES AND SOCIAL CHANGE IN THE AREAS OF EMPLOYMENT , WORKING CONDITIONS , EDUCATION AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING " ;

WHEREAS THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT , IN ITS RESOLUTIONS OF 15 AND 17 SEPTEMBER 1981 ON SOCIAL POLICY AND ON THE REPERCUSSIONS OF ENERGY PROBLEMS AND TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS ON THE LEVEL OF EMPLOYMENT , CALLED FOR GREATER EFFORTS BY THE COMMUNITY TO PROMOTE FORMS OF TRAINING WHICH TAKE ACCOUNT OF THE MICRO-ELECTRONIC REVOLUTION ;

WHEREAS THE COUNCIL , IN ITS DECISION 63/266/EEC ( 4 ) LAYING DOWN GENERAL PRINCIPLES FOR IMPLEMENTING A COMMON VOCATIONAL TRAINING POLICY REQUESTED THE COMMISSION TO PLAY A PART IN PUTTING THESE PRINCIPLES INTO PRACTICE ; WHEREAS , IN ADDITION , IN COUNCIL DECISION 71/66/EEC OF 1 FEBRUARY 1971 ON THE REFORM ON THE EUROPEAN SOCIAL FUND ( 5 ) , AMENDED BY DECISION 77/801/EEC ( 6 ) , AND IN REGULATIONS ( EEC ) NO 2396/71 ( 7 ) AND NO 2893/77 ( 8 ) , THE NEED TO START VOCATIONAL TRAINING SCHEMES AIMED AT FACILITATING THE ADAPTATION OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF TECHNICAL PROGRESS , INCLUDED WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF PILOT SCHEMES , WAS RECOGNIZED ,

HAS ADOPTED THIS RESOLUTION :

I . GENERAL GUIDELINES

ACTION IN THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING FIELD WILL BE UNDERTAKEN TO PROMOTE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A COMMON APPROACH TO THE INTRODUCTION OF NEW INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES WHICH IS SIMULTANEOUSLY RESPONSIBLE TO ECONOMIC AND TECHNICAL NEEDS AND TO THE SOCIAL EFFECTS SUCH TECHNOLOGIES GENERATE . THIS ACTION WILL BE BASED ON THE FOLLOWING GENERAL GUIDELINES :

( A ) THE NEED TO DEVELOP A BROADLY-BASED FORM OF TRAINING WHICH PROVIDES FOR THE ACQUISITION OF A WIDE RANGE OF SPECIFIC SKILLS SO AS TO FACILITATE ACCESS TO AND CONTINUATION IN EMPLOYMENT THROUGH GREATER OCCUPATIONAL MOBILITY ;

( B ) THE NEED TO MAKE WORKERS AWARE OF , AND TO INTRODUCE THEM TO , NEW TECHNOLOGIES , THEIR APPLICATION AND THEIR SOCIAL CONSEQUENCES , IN PARTICULAR AS REGARDS WORKING CONDITIONS ;

( C ) THE NEED TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIFIC TRAINING NEEDS OF MANAGERIAL STAFF IN THE CONTEXT OF TRAINING PROGRAMMES IN NEW INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES ;

( D ) THE NEED TO ENCOURAGE CLOSE CONSULTATION BETWEEN THE COMPETENT AUTHORITIES AND MANAGEMENT AND LABOUR IN DEVISING PROGRAMMES OF TRAINING IN NEW INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES ;

( E ) THE NEED TO INCORPORATE THE MEASURES TO BE TAKEN WITH REGARD TO TRAINING IN NEW INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES IN EXISTING PROVISIONS FOR FACILITATING THE FURTHER TRAINING OF WORKERS ;

( F ) THE NEED TO IMPLEMENT SPECIAL MEASURES TO IMPROVE THE EMPLOYMENT PROSPECTS OF THOSE WHO ARE UNEMPLOYED , ESPECIALLY YOUNG PEOPLE , BY INCLUDING , WHERE APPROPRIATE , UNITS OF STUDY RELATING TO NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN THEIR TRAINING PROGRAMMES , TAKING CARE TO PROMOTE EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEN AND WOMEN ;

( G ) THE NEED FOR A SPECIAL EFFORT TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT AND IMPROVE THE LEVEL OF TRAINING OF STAFF RESPONSIBLE FOR CARRYING OUT VOCATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMMES IN THE NEW TECHNOLOGIES FIELD .

II . ACTIONS CARRIED OUT AT THE LEVEL OF MEMBER STATES

IN IMPLEMENTING THEIR POLICIES ON VOCATIONAL TRAINING IN NEW TECHNOLOGIES , THE MEMBER STATES WILL GIVE PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THE FOLLOWING AREAS OF COMMON CONCERN , BEARING IN MIND THE PART TO BE PLAYED BY MANAGEMENT AND LABOUR AND THE NEEDS OF AREAS OR REGIONS AFFECTED BY INDUSTRIAL DECLINE AND , IF NECESSARY , OF THE LEAST-FAVOURED REGIONS :

( A ) THE REQUIREMENTS OF UNDERTAKINGS WITH REGARD TO TRAINING IN NEW INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES , ESPECIALLY THE REQUIREMENTS OF SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED UNDERTAKINGS , INCLUDING COOPERATIVES WHERE APPROPRIATE , AND OF LARGE UNDERTAKINGS PARTICULARLY AFFECTED BY THE APPLICATION OF THESE TECHNOLOGIES ;

( B ) HELPING UNEMPLOYED YOUNG PEOPLE , IN PARTICULAR THOSE WHOSE QUALIFICATIONS ARE INADEQUATE OR UNSUITABLE , TO ENTER WORKING LIFE THROUGH SUITABLE MEASURES OF TRAINING IN NEW INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES ;

( C ) HELPING SKILLED WORKERS , WHETHER OR NOT UNEMPLOYED , AND PARTICULARLY OLDER WORKERS WHOSE EMPLOYMENT HAS BEEN OR IS LIKELY TO BE AFFECTED BY INDUSTRIAL RESTRUCTURING , TO REMAIN IN EMPLOYMENT OR TO FIND NEW EMPLOYMENT BY FURTHERING THEIR OCCUPATIONAL MOBILITY ;

( D ) THE DEVELOPMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS IN ELECTRONICS AND DATA PROCESSING ;

( E ) THE RETRAINING OR RE-ENTRY INTO EMPLOYMENT OF WOMEN WHOSE EMPLOYMENT IS THREATENED BY THE INTRODUCTION OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES OR WHO WANT TO TAKE UP WORK AGAIN ;

( F ) INFORMING THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE APPLICATIONS AND CONSEQUENCES OF NEW INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES AS REGARDS EMPLOYMENT AND WORKING CONDITIONS , WITH THE AIM OF CREATING AN ATMOSPHERE FAVOURABLE TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF APPROPRIATE VOCATIONAL TRAINING MEASURES IN THESE TECHNOLOGIES .

III . ACTIONS CARRIED OUT AT COMMUNITY LEVEL

IN ORDER TO COMPLEMENT AND SUPPORT ACTION BY MEMBER STATES :

( A ) THE COMMISSION IS REQUESTED TO IMPLEMENT , IN THE LIGHT OF PROPOSALS FROM THE MEMBER STATES AND IN COOPERATION WITH THE LATTER , A NETWORK OF DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS DESIGNED TO ENCOURAGE THE TRANSFER OF EXPERIENCE AND PROMISING INNOVATIONS AND , BY SO DOING , TO ENLIGHTEN MEMBER STATES ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR POLICIES .

THE PRINCIPAL FEATURES OF THE DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS AND THE WAY IN WHICH THEY ARE TO BE IMPLEMENTED WILL BE DETERMINED IN COLLABORATION WITH THE MEMBER STATES , IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE GUIDELINES IN THIS RESOLUTION AND TAKING THE PROPOSALS SUBMITTED BY THE COMMISSION INTO CONSIDERATION , FOR A PERIOD OF FIVE YEARS , THE FIRST YEAR , 1983 , BEING DEVOTED TO PREPARATORY WORK FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NETWORK OF DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS ;

( B ) THE COMMISSION IS REQUESTED TO ENSURE THE CONTINUOUS EXCHANGE OF IDEAS AND EXPERIENCE RESULTING FROM BOTH THE NETWORK OF DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS AND OTHER INITIATIVES TAKEN BY MEMBER STATES IN THE AREAS OF COMMON INTEREST REFERRED TO IN II ABOVE , WITH PARTICULAR ATTENTION BEING GIVEN TO THE NEEDS OF LESS-DEVELOPED AREAS AND REGIONS AND AREAS OF INDUSTRIAL DECLINE ;

( C ) THE COMMISSION IS REQUESTED TO INCLUDE AN EXAMINATION OF QUALIFICATIONS IN ELECTRONICS AND DATA PROCESSING IN ITS COMPARATIVE WORK ON VOCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS ;

( D ) THE COMMISSION IS REQUESTED TO MAKE PROPOSALS TO FACILITATE THE EXCHANGE BETWEEN MEMBER STATES OF PERSONS RESPONSIBLE FOR VOCATIONAL TRAINING IN NEW TECHNOLOGIES ;

( E ) THE COMMISSION IS ALSO REQUESTED TO STEP UP ITS EFFORTS TO INVOLVE WORKERS AND/OR THEIR REPRESENTATIVES IN THE PROCESS OF INTRODUCING NEW TECHNOLOGIES INTO AN UNDERTAKING OR ESTABLISHMENT , PARTICULARLY AS REGARDS VOCATIONAL TRAINING , TAKING FULL ACCOUNT OF EXISTING PRACTICES AND SYSTEMS IN THE MEMBER STATES .

IV .

THE COUNCIL WILL EXAMINE THE PROGRESS MADE WITH IMPLEMENTATION OF 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 1 JANUARY 1986 AND 1 JULY 1988 RESPECTIVELY .

V .

COMMUNITY FINANCING FOR THE INITIATIVES REFERRED TO IN III WILL BE DECIDED ON WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE BUDGETARY PROCEDURE , AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE COMMITMENTS ENTERED INTO BY THE COUNCIL . COMMUNITY FINANCING OF THE DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS REFERRED TO IN III ( A ) WILL BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FINANCING CAPACITY AND RULES OF THE SOCIAL FUND .

( 1 ) OJ NO C 161 , 20 . 6 . 1983 , P . 24 .

( 2 ) OJ NO C 77 , 21 . 3 . 1983 , P . 7 .

( 3 ) OJ NO C 231 , 13 . 9 . 1979 , P . 1 .

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

( 5 ) OJ NO L 28 , 4 . 2 . 1971 , P . 15 .

( 6 ) OJ NO L 337 , 27 . 12 . 1977 , P . 8 .

( 7 ) OJ NO L 249 , 10 . 11 . 1971 , P . 54 .

( 8 ) OJ NO L 337 , 27 . 12 . 1977 , P . 1 .