10. 3. 77 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities No C 61/25 
2.1. Finally,  the Committee,  while  recognizing  the 
practical  difficulties  faced  by the  Commission  and 
the need  to adopt  the proposed  Regulation  in good 
time  for the sowing  of the 1977  tobacco  crop,  regrets that the Council  has  consulted  it at extremely  short 
notice  and  not  given  it enough  time  for  such  an 
important  matter. 
Done  at Brussels,  26 January  1977. 
The Chairman  of the 
Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Basil  de FERRANTI 
Opinion  on the draft  Commission  recommendation  on vocational  preparation  for young 
people  who  are  unemployed  or threatened  by unemployment 
The text  referred  to the Committee  has  not  been  published  in the Official  Journal  of 
the European  Communities. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 24 September  1976,  the Commission  referred  the abovementioned  proposal  to the 
Economic  and  Social  Committee  in accordance  with  Article  198  of the  Treaty 
establishing  the European  Economic  Community. 
B. OPINION  OF  THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE 
The Economic  and  Social  Committee  prepared  its opinion  on the above  matter  at its 
145th  plenary  session,  held  in Brussels  on 26 and  27 September  1977. 
The full  text  of the opinion  is as follows: 
THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE, 
Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  establishing  the 
European  Economic  Community,  and  in particular 
Article  198  thereof, 
Having  regard  to the  request  for  an opinion  made 
by the  Commission  of the  European  Communities 
on 24 September  1976, 
Having  regard  to the  decision  taken  by its Bureau 
on 29 June  1976,  instructing  the Section  for Social 
Questions  to draw  up an opinion  on the matter, 
Having  regard  to the opinion  issued  by the Section 
for Social  Questions  at  its  meeting  held  on 
13 January  1977, Having  regard  to the  oral  report  made  by  the 
Rapporteur,  Mr Carroll, 
Having  regard  to the discussions  at its 145th  plenary 
session  held  on 26 and  27 January  1977,  sitting  of 
26 January  1977, 
Whereas  the  Economic  and  Social  Committee  has 
always  emphasized  that  vocational  preparation  is 
useful  and  necessary  for  social,  economic  and 
technical  development  in Europe; 
Whereas  vocational  preparation  is important  for all 
young  people,  of both  sexes,  especially  those  who 
have  left  school  at the minimum  school-leaving  age 
without  an educational  qualification;  and  who  live 
No C 61/26 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 10.3.77 
in depressed  areas  and  areas  with  industries  which 
have  few  job  openings; 
Whereas  special  measures  need  to be taken  so that 
the teaching  of skills  and  abilities  to young  people 
who  have  left  school  is done  with  methods  other 
than  those  used  in school; 
Whereas  the  preparation  of young  people  for  their 
later  working  lives  should  include  equipping  them 
with  basic  knowledge  of  economic  and  social 
organization  and  the  world  of work, 
HAS  ADOPTED  THE  FOLLOWING  OPINION 
by a unanimous  vote: 
1. Introduction 
1.1. The  Commission  recommendation  is concerned 
with  young  people  who  are  unemployed  or 
threatened  by unemployment  because  they  have  not 
received  adequate  vocational  training.  Young  people 
without  adequate  vocational  training  (those  under 
25 years  of age)  account  for  a very  big  proportion 
of the  unemployed  young  people  in the  Community 
who  in the  summer  of 1976  totalled  approximately 
1 742  135  — 925  000  males  and  -817  000  females. 
Though  eligibility  is already  restricted  to the  group 
defined  above,  the  recommendation  assigns  certain 
priorities  by asking  for  precedence  to be given  in 
the schemes  to those  who  have  left  school  at the 
minimum  school-leaving  age  without  an educational 
qualification. 
1.2. The  Commission  wishes  to encourage  the 
provision  of means  and  resources  to enable  young 
people  between  the  end  of  compulsory  school 
attendance  and  the  age  of 25 who  are  unemployed 
or threatened  with  unemployment  to  receive 
appropriate  vocational  preparation.  This  move  is a 
follow-up  to the  previous  action  of the  Community 
in the  vocational  training  field.  The  vocational 
preparation  is  to  consist  of  the  following,  as 
appropriate: 
— vocational  guidance: 
— consolidation  of basic  skills  and  practice  in using 
them; 
— imparting  a basic  knowledge  of economic  and 
social  matters,  including  social  legislation,  the 
respective  roles  of employers  and  trade  union 
organizations  and  organizations  representing 
other  economic  and  social  interests,  the  world  of 
work,  job  safety  and  hygiene,  industrial  relations, 
etc.; — practical  training  in a broad  skills  area; 
— practical  experience  of work. 
1.3. The  Committee  underlines  the  recommen-
dation's  call  for  the  involvement  of the  two  sides  of 
industry  in the  elaboration  of vocational  preparation 
measures  and  the  actual  operation  of vocational 
training  courses. 
1.4. The  Committee  notes  that  job  creation 
schemes  are at least  mentioned  in the 'Basis  of action'. 
Nevertheless,  it calls  upon  the  Commission  to devote 
greater  and  more  urgent  attention  in future  to the 
question  of organizing  job  creation  schemes.  Without 
job creation  schemes  the  ultimate  success  of the 
training  measures  cannot  be  guaranteed.  The 
Committee  wishes  to draw  attention  to the  fact  that 
youth  unemployment  cannot  be solved  by vocational 
training  measures. 
1.5. The  Committee  considers  that  the  young 
people  must  be encouraged  by means  of publicity, 
provision  of financial  support,  etc.  to avail  themselves 
of the  improved  vocational  preparation  which  is 
provided. 
1.6. The  Committee  supports  the  Commission's 
draft  recommendation  and  endorses  the urgency  with 
which  the  Commission  has  carried  out  the 
preparatory  work. 
2. General  comments 
2.1. Basically,  the Committee  feels  that  a Directive 
on vocational  preparation  measures  for young  people 
who  are  unemployed  or threatened  by unemployment 
would  have  been  much  better.  In view  of the 
difficulty  and  time  involved  in passing  a Directive, 
however,  the  choice  of a recommendation  seems 
acceptable  at the  present  juncture. 
2.2. The  Committee  expects  the  Member  States  to 
implement  the  recommendation  as  a matter  of 
urgency  and  to  take  steps  providing  vocational 
preparation  for  young  people  who  are  unemployed 
or threatened  by unemployment. 
2.3. The  Committee  also  hopes  that  a Directive 
dealing  with  the  solution  of the  whole  range  of 
problems  raised  by  youth  unemployment  will  be 
issued  as soon  as possible.  Furthermore,  it is neces-
10. 3. 77 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities No C 61/27 
sary that  steps  be taken  to coordinate  the  policies 
between  the  various  European  Funds  in the  area  of 
youth  unemployment  (e.g.  European  Social  Fund, 
European  Agricultural  Guarantee  and  Guidance 
Fund,  European  Regional  Fund). training  courses  so that  it really  benefits  the  young 
people.  Concrete  incentives  must  be  provided  to 
encourage  employers  to organize  spells  of work 
experience  for young  people. 
2.4. The  basis  of the  present  recommendation  is 
the fact  — to which  the  ESC  has  testified  in many-
opinions  — that  vocational  training  increases  a young 
person's  chances  and  smooths  his entry  into  working 
life. To  have  chances  on  the  labour  market  is 
particularly  important  for young  people,  because  the 
experience  of  unemployment  can  have  quite  a 
disastrous  effect  on young  people's  attitude  to work, 
and — what  is more  important  still  — on  their 
attitude  to democratic  society.  This  important  fact 
should  be  stated  in the  Commission's  document. 
Vocational  training  must  of course  be relevant  to 
actual  openings  on the  labour  market  and  in other 
productive  activities,  having  particular  regard  to the 
likely  future  developments.  This  also  applies  to 
vocational  preparation  measures  as proposed  in the 
recommendation. 
2.5. The  Committee  trusts  that  the  Commission 
will make  use  of all available  facilities  for forecasting 
the future  labour  requirements  of the  various  sectors 
of the  EEC  economy,  so that  the  recommended 
vocational  preparation  facilities  are geared  as closely 
as possible  to the development  of the  labour  market. 
Here  the  Committee  would  recommend  that  the 
Commission  work  together  with  the  occupational 
research  institutes  that  exist  in various  Member 
States,  with  demand  forecasting  institutes,  the 
European  Centre  for the  Development  of Vocational 
Training  in Berlin  and  the  employers'  and  trade 
union  organizations.  It is also  necessary  that  the 
forecasting  work  be done  at regional  level  in liaison 
with  representatives  of economic  and  social  groups. 
2.6. The  Committee  thinks  it important  that 
vocational  preparation  measures  should  enable 
insufficiently  qualified  young  people  later  to choose 
the occupation  they  prefer  out  of a number  of 
different  occupations  within  a given  sector,  and  to 
train  for the preferred  occupation.  In the Committee's 
view,  the question  of the  possibility  of basic  training 
should  be given  consideration. 2.8. The  Committee  is aware  of the  numerous 
difficulties  surrounding  the organization  and  running 
of work  experience  schemes.  Nevertheless,  it does  not 
think  these  difficulties  are insuperable. 
2.9. At  all events,  the recommendation's  provisions 
on consultation  and  participation  of the  two  sides  of 
industry  should  also  include  the possibility  of the two 
sides  of industry  checking  such  work  experience 
schemes,  in line  with  the  various  national  practices. 
2.10.  The  Committee  regards  expert  vocational 
guidance  at an early  stage  as extremely  important. 
It would  also  be  desirable  for  young  people's 
abilities  to be assessed  in the course  of this  vocational 
guidance,  independently  of the  school  record.  This 
could  bring  to light  practical  abilities,  such  as an 
aptitude  for a certain  manual  skill,  which  are not,  or 
only  to a small  extent,  taught  and  exercised  at school. 
The Committee  thinks  that  cooperation  between 
school  teachers  and  vocational  guidance  officers  must 
be improved  as quickly  as possible  so that  the latter's 
recommendations  to young  people  can  be based  on 
prolonged  observation  of their  school  careers.  It 
wonders  on what  basis  such  an assessment  of the 
aptitudes  and  abilities  of young  people  can  be made 
unless  they  have  received  vocational  preparation  at 
school  and  unless  the vocational  guidance  officer  has 
had the  opportunity  of  observing  them  closely 
several  times  during  school.  The  tests  of aptitude  and 
ability  used  in individual  Member  States  would 
probably  be  inadequate  for  such  unquestionably 
important  assessments. 
2.11.  The  possibility  of Social  Fund  assistance  for 
vocational  preparation  schemes  has  been  established 
by the Council  Decision  of 22 July  1975.  The  Social 
Fund  should,  however,  also  have  financial  arrange-
ments  to enable  the  vocational  training  centres  to 
plan  their  work  for  several  years  ahead. 
2.7. The  practical  work  experience  suggested  in the 
Commission's  recommendation  could  be  a useful 
back-up  to  the  other  vocational  preparation 
measures.  Such  work  experience  must  include  special 2.12.  The  training  centres  and  institutes  which  are 
to run  the  vocational  preparation  schemes  must  be 
carefully  selected,  particularly  as regards  the  quality 
of the  instructors.  Because  of the  type  of young 
No C 61/28 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 10. 3. 77 
people  who  will  be attending  the  courses,  very  high 
standards  in teaching  and  psychological  approach 
will have  to be required  of these  instructors. 
2.13.  The  vocational  preparation  measures  should 
be of real  assistance  to the  young  people  concerned 
and should  also  be understood  by them  to be in 
their  interest.  Therefore,  steps  must  be taken  to 
encourage  young  people  to make  the effort  required. 
These  would  include  publicity  and  concrete,  e.g. 
financial,  incentives.  Though  both  these  aspects  are 
mentioned  in the  recommendation,  the  Member 
States  will  have  to translate  them  into  more  concrete 
form. 
2.14.  The  recommendation  leaves  the  final  choice 
of priorities  and  the  final  decision  on  specific 
measures  to  the  Member  States.  However,  the 
Committee  calls  upon  the  Commission  to send  the 
Member  States  a list  of the  measures  that  have 
already  been  taken  in some  countries,  indicating  the 
degree  of success,  so that  the  Member  States  can 
draw  the  appropriate  conclusions.  The  Committee 
expects  that  the  Member  States'  reports  to the 
Commission  a year  after  the issue  of the  recommen-
dation  will  also  be made  available  to all the Member 
States. 
2.15.  The  Committee  regrets  that  the Commission's 
original  plan  to issue  the  recommendation  in the 
autumn  of 1976  could  not  be realized,  but  trusts 
that the  recommendation  will  take  effect  in 1977. 
3. Specific  comments  on individual  sections  of the 
recommendation 
3.1. The  introduction  should  be amplified  as follows: 
'... take  the  measures  set out  below;  it would 
be advisable  to  work  out  the  broad  lines  of 
these  measures  in cooperation  with  the  two  sides 
of industry'. 
3.2 Insert  at the  end  of paragraph  2 (Section  A, 
'Vocational  preparation'): 
'Among  these  young  people,  priority  should  be 
given  to those  who  left  school  at the  minimum 
school  leaving  age  without  a formal  educational 
qualification.' 3.3. Subparagraph  3 d) should  read: 
'Practical  initial  training  in a broad  skills  area 
which  provides  a basis  for  several  occupations 
and which  enables  the  trainees  to do a specific 
job in the  chosen  area  or to undertake  more 
advanced  training  at a later  stage.' 
3.4. Paragraph  4: delete. 
3.5. Paragraph  5 should  read: 
'Vocational  preparation  should  use  modern 
teaching  methods.' 
3.6. Paragraph  7 should  read: 
'The  public  authorities  which  provide  the  funds 
for vocational  preparation  schemes  should  ensure, 
in conjunction  with  the two  sides  of industry,  that 
the training  and  work  experience  are  of good 
quality  and  relevant  to the  needs  of the  young 
people.' 
3.7. The  last  sentence  of paragraph  9 should  read: 
'The  maintenance  allowance  should  be  large 
enough  to ensure  that  young  employed  persons, 
or those  threatened  by unemployment,  attending 
such  forms  of  vocational  preparation  are 
financially  better  off  than  young  unemployed 
persons  or those  threatened  by unemployment, 
who  do not  attend  them.' 
3.8. Paragraph  11,  Section  C, should  be amplified  as 
follows: 
'Use should  be made  here  of the  experience  of 
the occupational  research  institutes  of individual 
Member  States  and  of  the  findings  of the 
European  Centre  for  the  Development  of 
Vocational  Training  in Berlin,  and  the  European 
Foundation  for  the  Improvement  of Living  and 
Working  Conditions  in Dublin.' 
3.9. Paragraph  12,  Section  C (new): 
'The  Member  States  should  provide  detailed 
information,  specifically  directed  at the  young 
people  in question,  about  the  measures  they  have 
taken  and  the  opportunities  opened  up  as a 
result.' 
Done  at Brussels,  26 January  1977. 
The Chairman  of the 
Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Basil  de FERRANTI