21. 3. 83 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 77/7 
Opinion on the vocational training and new information technologies: new Community 
initiatives during the period 1983 to 1987 
The text referred to the Committee has not yet been published in the Official Journal of the 
European Communities. 
A. LEGAL BASIS FOR THE OPINION 
On 22 June 1982 the Council referred the above matter to the Economic and Social Committee 
in accordance with Article 128 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 204th 
plenary session held in Brussels on 26 and 27 January 1983. 
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 128 
thereof, 
Having regard to the request made by the Council of the 
European Communities on 22 June 1982 for an opinion 
on the document entitled 'Vocational training and new 
information technologies: new Community initiatives 
during the period 1983 to 1987', 
Having regard to the decision taken by its Bureau on 
29 June 1982 instructing the Section for Social 
Questions to draw up an opinion and a report on the 
matter, 
Having regard to the opinion adopted by the Section for 
Social Questions at its meeting on 13 January 1983, 
Having regard to the report submitted by the rapporteur, 
Mr Nierhaus, 
Having regard to the discussions on 26 January 1983 
during the 204th plenary session held on 26 and 
27 January 1983, 
HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING OPINION 
with no votes against and three abstentions: 
The Committee takes note of the Commission's 
document and wishes to make the comments set out 
below. 
1. General comments 
1.1. The Committee has noted the Commission's 
communication to the Council with great interest. It 
basically accepts the Commission's proposals subject to 
these comments. 1.2. The Committee would stress the great 
importance of the potential productivity of the new 
information technologies. It is necessary to exploit this 
potential in order to increase competitiveness, but this 
procedure may also make it possible to take account of 
restructuring requirements and the need for 
improvements in the working environment and enhanced 
job satisfaction. The application of the new technologies 
does, however, have social consequences of considerable 
political import at both national and Community levels. 
Community-level solutions must therefore be found to all 
the problems attendant upon technical change; these 
solutions must have regard to both economic and social 
considerations. 
1.3. The dramatically high level of unemployment, 
resulting from a wide range of factors, cannot be reduced 
in the short term by the increased use of the new 
information technologies. It is, however, imperative to 
keep pace with the leading industrial countries (USA and 
Japan), so as to safeguard existing jobs. But in the 
medium- and longer-term information technologies could 
have positive repercussions on the employment situation. 
Such possibilities must be exploited. 
1.4. For these reasons the barriers to the development 
and application of new information technologies should 
be identified and overcome. 
1.5. At the present time efforts to promote innovation 
in Europe are being concentrated on keeping up with the 
most advanced international technology. Attempts are 
being made to involve small and medium-sized businesses 
to a greater extent in this process of innovation by 
promoting the transfer of technology. 
1.6. With the increased promotion of information 
technologies, it is, however, necessary to pay attention to 
the problems experienced by workers and trade unions in 
No C 77/8 Official Journal of the European Communities 21. 3. 83 
accepting the changes. Problems arise here, on the one 
hand, because there will be a reduction in the demand for 
labour. On the other hand, it has been scientifically 
demonstrated that a lack of appropriate skills on the part 
of both workers and management is impeding the 
introduction of new information technologies. There is 
also concern that technological change will make skills 
obsolete, have a polarizing effect and lead to a situation 
where unskilled workers find themselves competing with 
skilled workers for the same jobs. 
1.7. It would appear that neither the suppliers nor the 
users of the new technologies are able satisfactorily to 
overcome the skill barriers to the introduction of new 
information technologies (see paragraph 1.6). There is 
therefore a need for short-term adjustment aid for 
training and retraining both at plant and inter-plant 
level. 
1.8. In some countries the first steps have been taken 
at plant and inter-plant level to overcome the problems 
attendant upon the introduction of the new technologies 
(e.g. by means of retraining schemes, career guidance and 
agreements to safeguard employees against the 
consequences of rationalization). 
1.9. In view of the fact that the new information 
technologies will also bring about social changes in the 
medium and longer term, there is a need to adopt a more 
comprehensive approach embracing the educational and 
training system as a whole. 
1.10. Generally speaking, progress to-date has not 
gone beyond the initial step of arranging of 'training 
policy dialogue' between politicians responsible for 
education and employers' and workers' representatives, 
despite the fact that if existing information technologies 
are widely used they will prepare the way. for an 
'information society', the requirements and effects of 
which we are as yet unable to assess. 
2. General guidelines for the new Community 
initiatives 
2.1. In the Committee's view the increased emphasis 
placed on promoting research, development and 
innovation in respect of the new information technologies 
at national and Community level makes it necessary for 
the institutions concerned to assess the social 
consequences which the new technologies have helped to 
trigger off, so as to enable them to take preventive steps in 
good time to counter the undesired effects of technical 
change. 
2.2. In view of the extent and intensity of the social 
changes brought about by the new information technologies, there is a need for an appropriate training 
strategy which can be managed in a sufficiently flexible 
way to take account of unforeseeable developments. 
2.3. In the light of the above requirements the draft 
resolution contains a number of concepts which the 
Committee welcomes, for example: 
— provision of a broadly-based multi-skill training, 
— inculcation of transferable skills, 
— establishment of specific basic and further training 
programmes ('units of study') to enable workers and 
executives to keep pace with technical progress, 
— possibility for workers to play an active role in the 
introduction of the new information technologies as a 
result of the training which they have received, 
— statutory or contractual guarantees in respect of 
further training and retraining assistance for persons 
affected by technical changes (time off, financial). 
2.4. The Committee shares the Commission's view of 
the need to encourage also collaboration between public 
authorities and both sides of industry in the work on 
designing training programmes. At the same time the 
Committee would point out that there must be talks 
between both sides of industry, especially at plant level, 
prior to the introduction of any form of new technology, 
in order to draw up contracts and agreements. These 
discussions would be designed to identify the measures to 
be taken when new technologies are introduced, 
particularly measures with regard to training 
programmes, and to ensure that workers acquire the skills 
they need to meet new job requirements or to find another 
job. 
2.5. If these guidelines were already being followed, 
the problems with regard to: 
— the integration of unemployed young people into the 
world of work and 
— the lack of the necessary skills among male and female 
employees and, above all, teachers and instructors 
would not be so acute. 
2.6. The Committee considers that a flexible training 
system requires on-going cooperation between the public 
authorities, and both sides of industry. 
3. Action by Member States and action at Community 
level 
3.1. The Member States are asked to take measures to 
tackle the abovementioned problems, incorporating the 
21. 3. 83 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 77/9 
basic proposals put forward by the Commission. Such 
measures have already been introduced to some extent. 
3.2. The measures proposed by the Commission will 
result in the establishment of a 'network of demonstration 
projects' which is to operate on an experimental basis 
from 1983 to 1987 and is to provide the basis for further 
resolutions. 
3.3. The Committee welcomes the proposed 
procedure which will enable the Community to benefit 
from national experiences. The transferability of these 
experiences needs to be tested (transfer of information on 
education and training). 
The Committee thinks it essential to make an immediate 
start on these projects. As soon as findings are available, 
efforts should be made to put them to practical 
application in the Community. 
3.4. The general liaison group proposed by the 
Commission must not only be concerned with utilizing 
the lessons learned from the groups of projects; it must 
also be involved at an earlier stage in selecting and 
designing the demonstration projects and setting out 
priorities. The proposed liaison group must include 
representatives of both sides of industry and 
representatives of the bodies which provide training. 
3.5. The European Centre for Vocational Training 
(Cedefop) should be involved in the elaboration and 
assessment of the proposed demonstration projects. 
3.6. Regrettably the current draft resolution does not 
make it clear which specific demonstration projects could 
be involved. 
3.7. The new information technologies in respect of 
which skill bottlenecks have to be identified and removed, 
are only very generally divided up into the fields of 'data 
processing electronics and information technology'. It is 
just as essential to set out more specific technologies with 
regard to the demonstration projects (e.g. CNC, CAD 
and CAM technologies in the manufacturing sector and 
voice, text and image communication technologies in the 
administration and service fields) as it is to identify all the 
jobs for which training will be required as a result of the 
rise of such technologies. 
3.8. The target groups for these demonstration 
projects are: 
— small and medium businesses (including leading 
agricultural enterprises), 
— unqualified, unemployed young people, 
— older skilled workers. 
An analysis of the initial techniques used by large 
undertakings to solve skill bottlenecks impeding the 
introduction of new technologies could provide useful 
information as to the appropriate solutions in respect of the target groups mentioned above. The Committee 
considers that the analysis should not be restricted to 
large undertakings in the service sector. 
3.9. Informing the public in an objective way as to the 
opportunities and risks inherent in the use of the new 
information technologies would appear to be a welcome 
first step towards helping social groups to accept 
technical progress. However, this presumes the provision 
of well-founded information about the consequences of 
the new technologies, so that all those affected thereby 
can have a clear picture of what the future holds in terms 
of requirements and changes. 
3.10. Furthermore, the Committee proposes that 
parallel investigations be carried out into the psychosocial 
and psychosomatic effects of the new information 
technologies on those trained and employed in this 
field. 
3.11. The Committee sees the proposed measures 
primarily as being directed towards providing skilled 
personnel. This objective is not queried. 
3.12. The Committee further recommends that, in 
order to be able to secure acceptance of new technologies, 
equal attention also be given to the problems of people 
affected by technical changes. 
4. Specific comments 
4.1. The Committee would point out that almost all 
branches of the economy are affected by skilled-labour 
problems as a result of the rise of the new technologies, 
but special attention needs to be paid to the problems of 
small and medium businesses and hybrid forms of such 
businesses (e.g. cooperatives). 
4.2. It is not just large undertakings in the service 
sector which are pushing ahead with automation; large 
enterprises in the manufacturing sector are following the 
same course. The Committee therefore proposes that 
demonstration projects also be carried out in this sector, 
so as to provide practical information for small and 
medium manufacturers. 
4.3. The Committee welcomes the proposal to 
consider, on an experimental basis, the possibility of 
using new information techniques as teaching aids, 
especially for the training of unqualified, unemployed 
young people. 
4.4. The Committee regards it as excessive to limit the 
target group of 'older skilled workers made redundant as 
a result of restructuring' to workers who have been 
employed in the traditional manufacturing industries, 
particularly the steel industry. Similar problems exist in 
the traditional service sectors. These sectors should also 
be covered by the demonstration projects. 
No C 77/10 Official Journal of the European Communities 21. 3. 83 
4.5. Specific problem groups of women workers 
should be included in the Commission's list of target 
groups for the demonstration projects, especially those 
whose jobs have been particularly affected by 
technological developments or those who have been made 
redundant through technical change and wish to get a 
new job. 
4.6. The Committee considers that the drive for 
improved Community-wide technology qualifications 
must lead to the introduction of job descriptions and 
curricula which are sufficiently flexible to meet future 
requirements. 
5. Final comments 
5.1. The Committee welcomes the Commission's 
proposal to make use of the Social Fund in order to carry 
out the pilot and demonstration projects. The 
Commission's ideas should also be taken into account 
when the European Social Fund is reformed in order to 
enable previous shortcomings in EC social policy dealing 
with the social consequences of the new information 
technologies to be ironed out in future. 
5.2. The Committee supports the objectives of the 
draft resolution. The Committee has considered whether it would be possible to underscore the urgent need to find 
a solution to the problems raised by recognizing that the 
aims of the proposal require not only a resolution but 
conceivably also Directives or Regulations. The latter 
course of action would, however, appear to be premature 
at the present time. 
5.3. One possible example of a starting point in this 
field may be provided by the need for cooperation 
between the ministries responsible and both sides of 
industry with regard to training in the use of new 
information technologies. 
5.4. For these reasons there is a need to explain the 
standpoint to be adopted by the Council when it examines 
'progress and results with regard to the implementation of 
this resolution on the basis of information and reports' 
(page 6). As it stands the draft resolution is not 
sufficiently binding in the Committee's view. 
5.5. In order to clarify the position as to whether more 
binding recommendations or Regulations on the 
improvement of vocational training can be successfully 
introduced and, if so, to determine the form which they 
should take, the Committee proposes that an 
international comparison of the legal bases for such 
provisions be carried out in connection with the 
demonstration projects. 
Done at Brussels, 26 January 1983. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Francois CEYRAC 
APPENDIX 
to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee 
Rejected amendment 
The following amendment, presented in accordance with the Rules of Procedure, was rejected by the 
Committee in the course of the discussion: 
Page 3, point 1.6 
Delete. 
Reason 
The drafting is too subjective. 
Voting 
For: 5, Against: majority, Abstentions: