WRITTEN QUESTION E-0967/00

by Colette Flesch (ELDR) to the Commission

(31 March 2000)

Subject: New technology training

Meeting in Brussels in March 2000, leading IT-sector companies emphasised the growing shortage of workers properly trained in the use of new technologies. They also stressed the need for policies that would encourage businesses to take risks and innovate. If immediate action is not taken at the European level, research findings showing that 1,7 million jobs would remain unfilled in 2003 owing to inadequate training could be borne out in reality. Will the Commission say what urgent action it intends to take to respond to these two major challenges posed by the new economy?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(19 June 2000)

The Commission, together with the Member States, has already taken concrete action to address the two challenges mentioned by the Honourable Member, in particular in the run-up to the Lisbon European Council on 23-24 March 2000.

There are signs that the skills available in some Member States no longer suit those required by many new jobs. Recent private industry estimates show that, for instance, some 0,5 million job vacancies in the information technologies sector were unfilled in 1998. This labour shortage is expected to grow to about 1,23 million by 2002.

The mismatch between labour supply and demand is due, partly to strong economic growth in some sectors, but largely to insufficient information and communication technologies (ICT) skills being offered by working-age individuals, who are unable to adapt to ongoing techonological and organisational shifts in production patterns. Moreover, transition towards activities increasingly based on knowledge and innovation also means that ever more jobs depend on access to and use of ICT-related technologies and skills.

Closing the skills gap is essential, especially in Member States with high unemployment rates. This calls for rapid action to be taken by Member States and others, notably the social partners. The Commission communication on Strategies for jobs in the information society(1) sets out concrete targets for action, for instance on the promotion of access to ICT tools in schools and their integration into the learning process and for the appropriate training of workers, particularly in traditional sectors.

The Lisbon European Council has set an ambitious action plan with concrete targets and timetables to both foster ICT-related activities while providing the Community labour force with adequate ICT-related skills. Under the e-Europe initiative(2), available instruments will be reviewed to stimulate early stage financing with the objective of tripling it by the end of 2003, innovative forms of raising capital will be proposed, and the remaining obstacles to the creation of a pan-European risk capital market should be removed by the end of 2003. Full liberalisation of telecommunications markets will be completed by the end of 2001, notably by opening up to competition the still protected market segments. Finally, closer ties will be promoted between research, businesses and investors.

(1) COM(2000) 48 final.

(2) COM(1999) 687 final.