COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN CORtolUNITIES 
COM(93) 205 final 
Brussels, 19 May 1993 
Amended proposal for a 
™}ur\i RECOMMENDATION 
on access to continuing vocational training 
(presented by the Commission pursuant to 
Article 149 (3) of the EEC-Treaty) 
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 
1. On 21 April 1993, the European Parliament issued a favourable 
opinion on the proposed Council Recommendation concerning access 
to continuing vocational training, subject to some amendments to 
the text. 
2. In line with the European Parliament's opinion, the Commission 
agreed at a plenary session of the Parliament to fourteen 
amendments, which have been included in the modified proposal. 
3. The Commission shares the Parliament's concern about the need to 
promote training measures of appropriate duration which can lead 
to an initial level of qualification recognized by a diploma, 
notably for all young workers and those with the least 
qualifications. 
In this framework, the Commission agrees to complete the eleventh 
recital as the Parliament proposes and to modify article (x) of 
point II of the Recommendation. 
4. The Commission agrees that particular emphasis should be placed 
on conditions which help to improve the effectiveness of action 
in the workplace designed to promote access to continuing 
training. 
The Commission therefore accepts the amendments drawing attention 
to this objective and proposes to modify articles II (i) and II 
(xii) consequently. 
5. The Commission shares the Parliament's objectives of giving all 
workers the fullest and the most up-to-date information possible 
on conditions of access to continuing vocational training. 
The Commission therefore accepts the amendments which complete 
the elements included in its proposal, and proposes to modify 
articles (i), (iv) and (v) of Point II. 
6 The Commission agrees to accept all the amendments referring to 
optimising the benefits derived from existing actions in the 
framework of a number of Community programmes, and proposes to 
modify Point II article (ii). 
7. To take due account of industrial change, like the Parliament the 
Commission is particularly attentive to actions which promote 
worker access to continuing training and so help meet the 
requirements for greater competitivity among companies and 
sectors undergoing restructuring. 
In this respect, the Commission proposes to modify Point II 
article (viii), to introduce a new article (ib) and to add the 
new recital (ivb). 
-'I 
8. The Commission recognizes with the Parliament the necessity of 
promoting transnational activities and linguistic skills and 
proposes to introduce the new article (ixb) under Point II. 
9. The Commission agrees to take account of amendments designed to 
complete aspects of the proposed Recommendation which are already 
included in the recitals and therefore proposes to modify the 
sixteenth recital and add a new recital eleven b. 
10. The Commission, whilst respecting the opinion of the Parliament, 
has not been able to accept eleven amendments, essentially for 
reasons of a legal nature and relating to the scope of the 
Recommendation. 
11. Taking account of the fact that the Recommendation is made on the 
basis of article 128 of the Treaty of Rome, the Commission cannot 
accept six amendments which introduce means of application that 
too precise (with reference to 20a, new Point I, articles vii and 
xii of point II and the third indent of point III). 
12. The Commission considers that the other amendments proposed often 
go beyond the field of application of this Recommendation and has 
consequently not been able to accept them. 
Proposai modified for a 
COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION 
on access to continuing vocational training 
Original text 
First to third recitals 
Unchanged Amended text 
First to third recitals 
Unchanged 
New fourth recital New fourth recital 
Whereas technological development, the 
associated challenges to the skills of workers 
and the rise in unemployment make it 
necessary to increase the time available for 
training; 
Fifth to tenth recitals 
Unchanged Fifth to tenth recitals 
Unchanged 
Eleventh recital 
Whereas the Economic and Social Committee 
adopted a report on 22 October 1992 on 
vocational training as a means of promoting 
vocational qualifications and a strategic 
instrument for the economic and social 
development of the European Community; Eleventh recital 
Whereas the Economic and Social Committee 
adopted a report on 22 October 1992 on 
vocational training as a means of promoting 
vocational qualifications and a strategic 
instrument for the economic and social 
development of the European Community, 
which states, among other things, that there is 
no guarantee of initial vocational training 
leading to the award of a recognized certificate 
for all yound people immediately after their 
compulsory general education, and that 
continuing training is often only of short 
duration and related to specific aspects; 
-4-
III?vcnlh.recital a (new) Eleventh recital a_(new) 
Whereas the European Parliament adopted on 
April 21. 1993 a resolution on the 
Community's vocational training policy for the 
1990s, in which the subject of access to 
continuing training is considered; 
Twelfth to fifteenth recitals 
Unchanged Twelfth to fifteenth recitals 
Unchanged 
Sixteenth recital 
Whereas demographic trends will significantly 
reduce the number of young people entering 
the Community labour market, which together 
with changes in the working environment, 
must lead to an updating and adaptation of 
skills amoung the working population ; Sixteenth recital 
Whereas demographic trends will significantly 
reduce the number of young people entering 
the Community labour market, which together 
with changes in the working environment, 
must lead to an updating and adaptation of 
skills amoung the working population ; 
whereas, on the other hand, the Commission 
assumes in the 1992 edition of'Employment in 
Europe' that there will be an increase in the 
number of working women; whereas this factor 
must also be taken into account; 
Seventeenth to nineteenth recitals 
Unchanged Seventeenth to nineteenth recitals 
Unchanged 
Point I 
Unchanged 
Point II (i) 
ensure that undertakings give priority to 
improving the quality and skills of their 
workforce, and establish training plans and 
programmes appropriate to their size and 
company objectives. These plans and 
programmes should be established taking into 
account available human resources, the 
organization of work, future skill requirements 
and the need to anticipate industrial and 
technological change ; Point I 
Unchanged 
Point II (0 
raise awareness among undertakings about the 
links between workers'qualifications and the 
competitiveness of undertakings, since this is 
essential in order to ensure that undertakings 
give priority to improving the quality and skills 
of their workforce, and establish training plans 
and programmes appropriate to their size and 
company objectives, making their managers 
aware of requirements in this respect and 
training them accordingly. 
^s-
Point II (i b) new These plans and programmes should be 
established taking into account available 
human resources, the organization of work, 
future skill requirements and the need to 
anticipate industrial and technological change; 
Point' II (i b) new 
promote experiments and the development of 
transnational further and continuing training 
activities for each sector; 
Point II (ii) Point II (ii) 
make provision for specific incentives and 
support measures for small and medium-sized 
undertakings. These should include, for 
example, assistance with regard to advice on 
training and financial and tax incentives. They 
shuold support small and medium-sized 
undertakings in analysing their needs, in 
designing and implementing a training strategy 
and in evaluating it. Those undertakings should 
ensure the continuing vocational training 
necessary for their development, taking 
account of the particular situation of the 
employees of the undertakings, particularly in 
order to promote, where appropriate, the 
measures described below; make provision for specific incentives and 
support measures for small and medium-sized 
undertakings. These should include, for 
example, assistance with regard to advice on 
training and financial and tax incentives. They 
shuold support small and medium-sized 
undertakings in analysing their needs, in 
designing and implementing a training strategy 
and in evaluating it. Those undertakings should 
ensure the continuing vocational training 
necessary for their development, taking 
ount of the particular situation of the 
employees of the undertakings, particularly in 
order to promote, where appropriate, the 
measures described below. To this end, 
instruments enabling SMEs and education or 
training institutes to cooperate should be 
promoted. Advantage should be taken in this 
context of the experience gained by the UETPs 
(University-Enterprise Training Partnerships) 
under the COMETT II programme; 
Point II (iii) 
Unchanged Point II (iii) 
Unchanged 
— h 
Point H (ivj 
develop continuing vocational training in order 
to make it an essential feature of regional 
development. In this context, special attention 
should be paid to rural areas and to the 
specific needs of the workers and undertakings 
concerned. It is also recommended that support 
be given to the establishment of training 
consortia, particularly at regional or local level, 
with the responsability for analysing the 
requirements of undertakings and employees 
and providing information on training 
opportunities in order to coordinate supply and 
demand as closely as possible; Point II (iv) 
develop continuing vocational training in order 
to make it an essential feature of regional 
development. In this context, special attention 
should be paid to rural areas and to the 
specific needs of the workers and undertakings 
concerned. It is also recommended that support 
be given to the establishment of training 
consortia, particularly at regional or local level, 
with the responsability for analysing the 
requirements of undertakings and employees 
and providing up-to-date information on 
training opportunities in order to coordinate 
supply and demand as closely as possible; 
Point II (v) Point II (v) 
ensure that workers are informed, particularly 
at the time of recruitment, about the 
undertaking's continuing vocational training 
policy and programmes. In particular, this 
information should include the rules and 
conditions governing access to continuing 
vocational training within the undertaking 
and/or in partnership with public authorities, 
including those applying to the attendance of 
training courses during working hours, leave of 
absence to take examinations, and training 
leave ; ensure that workers arc informed, particularly 
at the time of recruitment, about the 
undertaking's continuing vocational training 
policy and programmes. In particular, this 
information should include the rules and 
conditions governing access to continuing 
vocational training within the undertaking 
and/or in partnership with public authorities, 
including those applying to the attendance of 
training courses during working hours, leave of 
absence to take examinations, and work release 
for the purpose of continuing vocational 
training; 
Point II (vi)et (vii) 
Unchanged Point II (vi) et (vii) 
Unchanged 
Point 11 (viii) 
encourage access by workers to training of 
appropriate duration leading to recognized 
qualifications. To this end, it should be ensured 
that training is broadly-based and provides the 
means to anticipate and master developments 
in production systems and the organization of 
work, as well as the consequences of 
completing the Single Market, with reference 
to the economic, technological and social 
context of the undertaking. Point II (viii) 
encourage access by workers to training of 
appropriate duration leading to recognized 
qualifications. To this end, it should be ensured 
that training is broadly-based and provides the 
means to anticipate and master developments 
in production systems and the organization of 
work and competitiveness, as well as the 
consequences of completing the Single Market, 
with reference to the economic, technological 
and social context of the undertaking. 
¥-
Point II (ix) 
Unchanged 
Point II (ix) a (new) 
Point II (x) 
enable less-qualified workers, whatever their 
status, to benefit from continuing vocational 
training measures enabling them to achieve a 
basic level of qualification, and give them the 
basis for mastery of new technologies. 
Particular attention should be paid to providing 
access to continuing training for workers who 
have not benefited from training for a certain 
length of time, disabled workers and those who 
are most vulnerable in case of unemployment; 
Point II (xi) 
Unchanged 
Point II (xii) 
encourage access to and participation in 
vocational training for the unemployed. 
Particular attention should be paid to the young 
and the long-term unemployed in order to 
improve their occupational integration and 
reintegration, in particular by developing links 
between initial and continuing training and by 
reinforcing the involvment of undertakings in 
their training; Point II (ix) 
Unchanged 
Point II (ix) a (new) 
support the incorporation of an international 
perspective into national further and continuing 
training policy, with a view to strengthening 
transnational cooperation, contributing to the 
free movement of workers and improving their 
prospects in the European employment market; 
Point II (x) 
enable less-qualified woricers, whatever their 
status, to benefit from continuing vocational 
training measures enabling them to achieve a 
less demanding certificated basic level of 
qualification, and give them the basis for 
mastery of new technologies. Particular 
attention should be paid to providing access to 
continuing training for workers who have not 
benefited from training for a certain length of 
time, disabled workers and those who are most 
vulnerable in case of unemployment; 
• nt II (xi) 
Unchanged 
Point II (xii) 
encourage access to and participation in 
vocational training for the unemployed. 
Particular attention should be paid to the young 
and the long-term unemployed in order to 
improve their occupational integration and 
reintegration, in particular by developing links 
between initial training and the practical 
vocational demands on __them and h• 
reinforcing the involvment of undertakings a. 
their training, in the form of practical training 
periods, for example; 
Point 11 (xiii) Point II (xiii) 
Unchanged Unchanged 
Points III et IV Points III et IV 
Unchanged Unchanged 

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ISSN 0254-1475 
COM(93) 205 final 
DOCUMENTS 
EN 04 
Catalogue number : CB-CO-93-230-EN-C 
ISBN 92-77-55719-2 
Office for Official Publications of the European Communities 
Lr2985 Luxembourg