RO    RO  COMISIA COMUNIT ĂŢILOR EUROPENE 
Bruxelles, 21.2.2007 
COM(2007) 61 final 
  
COMUNICARE A COMISIEI 
Un cadru coerent de indicatori şi criterii de referin ţă pentru urm ărirea progreselor 
înregistrate în ceea ce prive şte obiectivele de la Lisa bona în domeniul educa ţiei şi al 
formării 
 
RO 2   RO COMUNICARE A COMISIEI 
Un cadru coerent de indicatori şi criterii de referin ţă pentru urm ărirea progreselor 
înregistrate în ceea ce prive şte obiectivele de la Lisa bona în domeniul educa ţiei şi al 
formării 
1. INTRODUCERE  
Policies for Education and Training form an important part of the EU’s Lisbon strategy. 
Heads of States and Government asked for "not  only a radical transformation of the European 
economy, but also a challenging programme […] for modernisation of social welfare and 
education systems"1. In 2002, they set the objective of "making [European] education and 
training systems a world quality reference by 2010"2. 
As their contribution to the Lisbon Strate gy, Ministers for Edu cation adopted common 
objectives for the improvement of education an d training systems and a work programme to 
achieve these objectives, known as th e Education & Training 2010 programme3. It is 
implemented through the open me thod of coordination and indicat ors and benchmarks play an 
important monitoring role and provide support  to the exchange of  experiences and good 
practices. 
Thus a comprehensive set of indicators and benchmarks4 has been developed and constantly 
improved as a basis for the prep aration of annua l progress reports5 as well as the Joint 
Commission/Council reports to the Spring European Councils6. This set of indicators 
complement the structural indicators7, which monitor progress towards the overall Lisbon 
objectives. 
The Council in May 20058, made the following request to th e Commission, with an invitation 
to report back by the end of 2006:  
– "[To] assess progress made towards the es tablishment of a coherent framework of 
indicators and benchmarks for following up on the Lisbon objectives in the area 
of education and training, incl uding a reconsideration of the suitability of existing 
indicators for monitoring  progress." (op. cit.) 
                                                 
1 Presidency conclusion, Lisbon, paragraph 2.  
2 Presidency conclusions, Barcelona, paragraph 43. 
3 Joint Interim Report of the Council and the Commission: “Education & Training 2010: the success of 
the Lisbon strategy hinges on urgent reforms (2004) 
4 Council Conclusions of 7 May 2003. 
5 Latest issue was published in May 2006, SEC(2006) 639. 
6 See 2006 Joint Education Council/Commission Report on the implementation of the Education & 
Training 2010 work programme OJ C79/1 - 1/4/2006. 
7 SEC(2004) 1285-2. 
8 Council conclusions of 24 May 2005 on New Indicators in Education and Training (2005/C 141/04). 
 
RO 3   RO The Commission was further invited to report on the development of new indicators in areas 
such as the impact of ICT on teaching and l earning, the labour market  outcomes of mobility, 
and the social background of tertiary students . 
This Communication accordingly proposes a fram ework of indicators and benchmarks for the 
follow-up of the Lisbon objectives in the area of education and tr aining, which is coherent and 
for the first time fully reflects the more deta iled objectives within Education & Training 2010 
(section 2). In addition, it also covers objec tives related to the convergence of higher 
education structures within  the "Bologna process", and the "Copenhagen process" in 
vocational training. It outlines a statistical infr astructure from which the indicators can be 
derived (section 3). It invites the Council to adopt the framework as a basis for providing 
strategic guidance and steering to the Edu cation & Training 2010 strategy (section 4). 
2. THE FRAMEWORK OF INDICATORS AND BENCHMARKS FOR MONITORING 
PROGRESS TOWARDS THE LISBON OBJECTIVES . 
Indicators and benchmarks ar e key elements of evidence-based policy making and the 
monitoring of progress essential to the Lis bon process. They provide the tools for: 
– Statistical underpinning of  key policy messages;  
– Analysing progress towards Lisbon objectives , both at the EU and national levels; 
– Identifying examples of good performance wh ich could be subject to peer review 
and exchange; 
– Comparing EU performance with that of  third countries, such as the US and 
Japan. 
The present framework of 29 i ndicators (annexed below) and 5 benchmarks has served to 
monitor progress towards 13 detailed objec tives during the period 2004 - 2006. However, 
there have been ongoing changes to the framework, both to improve  its quality and to reflect 
the development of the strategy. 
There is now a need to identify a new framework which fully reflects the political priorities of 
the Education & Training 2010 strategy as it has developed. It is proposed  that for the future 
indicators and benchmarks are st ructured by reference to eight key policy domains identified 
within the strategy. These are: 
2.1. Improving equity in e ducation and training;  
2.2. Promoting efficiency in education and training;  
2.3. Making lifelong learning a reality;  2.4. Key competencies among young people;  2.5. Modernising school education,  2.6. Modernising vocational education and training (the Copenhagen process);  
 
RO 4   RO 2.7. Modernising higher educati on (the Bologna process);  
2.8. Employability.  
This new framework will be supported by a more concentrated set of 20 core indicators and 
indicator areas (see table at th e end of this section) supported,  as before, by additional context 
indicators where necessary. This will mean that th e core indicators will in the future operate at 
a higher level of generalisation than before. However, by using context indicators where 
needed, there should be no apprec iable loss of detail in assessing progress as compared with 
the existing framework. The proposal draws on the work of the Eurydice European Unit, 
Cedefop and CRELL of the Joint Research centre in Ispra9 as well as the advice of the 
Standing Group on Indicators and Benchmarks.  
2.1. Improving equity in ed ucation and training.  
The need to ensure that European educati on and training systems are both efficient and 
equitable was recently reiterated by the 2006 Spring European Council10. As emphasised in 
the Communication of Efficiency and Equity, to investigate equity in education and training 
means to analyse the extent to which “individua ls can take full advantage of education and 
training, in terms of opportunities,  access, treatment and outcomes.”11 The Council adopted a 
benchmark on early school leavers, thereby ac knowledging the central importance of this 
equity dimension for the effective partic ipation in lifelong learning and in today’s 
increasingly competitive societies. Moreover, sp ecific issues such as the promotion of gender 
equality, the integration of ethnic minorities, the inclusion of disabl ed persons, the reduction 
of regional disparities etc. need to be monitored. 
The core indicators  participation in pr e-school education (1) 12, special needs education (2) 
and early school leavers  (3) will be used to monitor prog ress. Besides this, the equity 
dimension will be analysed by breaking down data by sex, age and socio-economic background of learners. A composite indicator on stratification of ed ucation and training 
systems (13) based on qualitative data from Eurydice will be used to analyse the impact of the 
structure and institutional differentiati on of education and training systems. 
13 Work on the 
development of a composite indicator on equity will be initiated. Core indicators for this policy area: 1, 2, 3, and 13.  
2.2. Promoting efficiency in education and training.  
The importance of making best use of resource s has been expressed in the Communication on 
investing efficiently in e ducation and training (2003),
14 the Joint Interim Report (2006)15 and 
                                                 
9 Centre for research on lifelong learning – based on indicators and benchmarks (Ispra, I) The Joint 
Research Centre. 
10 European Council 23-24 March 2006, Presidency Conclusions, par.23 
11 Communication from the Commission to the Council and to the European Parliament. Efficiency and 
Equity in European education and training systems Com (2006) 481 
12 Please refer to table at the end of section 2. 
13 EURYDICE, Key Data on Education in Europe 14 Com (2002) 779 final of 10 January 2003 
15 Modernising Education and Training in Europe: a vital contribution to prosperity and social cohesion in 
Europe, Official Journal C 79/1 of 1 April 2006. 
 
RO 5   RO the Council Conclusi ons of March 200616. Most recently, the Communication "Efficiency and 
equity in European educ ation and training systems"17 showed that improving efficiency does 
not have to compromise the equity of educati on systems, but that improvements of efficiency 
and equity can go hand in hand. 
The global indicator on investment in education and training  (19) remains important. Special 
attention will be paid to private and public i nvestment and to investment in higher education 
which is relatively under-funded compared to global competitors .  
However, investment indicators alone do not cover efficiency of  investment, which has to do 
with the ratio of input to out put or outcomes. Methodological and conceptual developments 
with the aim of creating composite indicators on efficiency of investment will be undertaken in cooperation with CRELL. Core i ndicator for this policy area: 19. 
2.3. Making lifelong learning a reality.  
Lifelong learning is crucial,  not only for competitiveness, employability and economic 
prosperity, but also for social  inclusion, active citizenship a nd the personal fulfilment of 
people living and working in the knowledge-based economy
18. 
Participation in education and training takes pl ace in a variety of e nvironments and through a 
variety of means including ICT. To complete at  least upper secondary ed ucation is considered 
indispensable for a professional career and for full participation in lifelong learning. The 
Council has adopted a benchmark for at l east 85% of young people to complete upper 
secondary education by 2010. Up-dating and im proving the skills of adults were also 
highlighted by the Council by the adoption of a benchmark of 12.5% of the adult population 
to participate in lifelong learning by 201019.  
Monitoring progress in making lifelong learning a reality will be cove red by core indicators 
on participation of adults in lifelong learning  (16), and on adult skills (17), which will allow 
for the analysis of access and participation levels  as well as the skills levels for various age 
groups of the population. The indicator on upper secondary completion rates of young people  
(9) will monitor the European Benchmark and th e preparedness of young people to participate 
in lifelong learning. Core indicators for this po licy area: 9, 16 and 17. 
2.4. Key competences among young people20.  
In 2000 the Lisbon European Council concluded th at a European framework should define the 
new basic skills as a key measure in Europe’s response to globalisation and the shift to knowledge-based economies. The Barcelona European Council
21 reiterated the need to 
                                                 
16 Brussels European Council 23/24 March 2006, Presidency Conclusions, 
http://www.consilium.europa.eu/ueDocs/cms _Data/docs/pressData/en/ec/89013.pdf 
17 Op.cit. COM (2006) 481. 
18 Presidency Conclusions, Lisbon, 23/24 March 2000 
19 Council conclusions of 5/6 May 2003 on Reference Levels of European Average Performance in 
Education and Training (Benchmarks). (2003/C 134/02).http://europa.eu.int/eur-
lex/pri/en/oj/dat/2003/c_134/c_13420030607en00030004.pdf 
20 Key competences are here understood as those co mpetences, which all individuals need for personal 
fulfilment and development, active citizen ship, social inclusion and employment. 
21 Presidency Conclusions, Barcelona 15/16 March 2002, 
http://ue.eu.int/ueDocs/cms_Data/ docs/pressData/en/ec/71025.pdf 
 
RO 6   RO improve the mastery of basic skills. In 2002 the Council adopted a Resolution on Lifelong 
Learning22 and “the new basic skills”. The Comm ission has adopted a Recommendation on 
Key Competences for Lifelong Learning23 which identifies eight competences as most 
relevant for life and work in a knowledge-based society24.  
Acknowledging the importance of acquiring basic skills, the Council adopted a specific 
benchmark in this field, namely to decrease the percentage of low- achieving 15-year-olds in 
reading literacy in the European Union by at least 20% compared to the year 2000. 
Core indicators cover the following key competences: literacy in reading, mathematics and 
science  (4), language skills (5), ICT skills (6), civics skills (7) and learning to learn skills  (8). 
Core indicators for this policy area: 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. 
2.5. Modernising school education.  
The Lisbon conclusions identified curriculum25 and organisational matters26 as key issues to 
be addressed within the Lisbon strategy. The Counc il suggested that tools such as school self-
evaluation are important and underlined the need to support tr aining in the management and 
the use of such instruments. 27  
Improving the quality of initial Teacher Educat ion and ensuring that all practicing teachers 
take part in continuous profe ssional development have been identified as key factors in 
securing the quality of school education28. 
Monitoring progress in this field wi ll be covered by core indicators on early school leavers 
(3), school management (10), schools as multi-purpose local learning centres (11), and the 
professional development of teachers and trainers  (12). Information on organisational 
structures of school education will be provided by Eurydice29. Core indicators for this policy 
area: 3, 10, 11 and 12. 
                                                 
22 Council Resolution on lifelong learning of 27 June 2002, Official Journal C163/01 of 9.7.2002 
23 Proposal for a Recommendation of th e European Parliament and of th e Council on key competences for 
lifelong learning; COM(2005) 548 final of 10. 11.2005 
24 Communication in the mother tongue, communication in the foreign languages, mathematical 
competence and basic competences in science and tec hnology, digital competence,  learning to learn, 
interpersonal, intercultural and so cial competences and civic competen ce, entrepreneurship and cultural 
expression 
25 A European framework should define the new basic skills provided through lifelong learning – 
Presidency Conclusions (Lisbon 2000). 
26 Schools and training centres, all linked to the Inte rnet, should be developed into multi-purpose learning 
centres accessible to all. Presid ency Conclusion Lisbon (2000). 
27 Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 February 2001 on European 
cooperation in quality evaluation in school edu cation .(Official Journal L 60 of 01.03.2001). 
28 See Common European Principles for T eacher Competences and Qualifications : 
http://ec.europa.eu/education/policies/2010/doc/principles_en.pdf 
29 See for instance Key Data on Education in Europe 2005. 
 
RO 7   RO 2.6. Modernising vocational education and training.  
The Copenhagen process30 for enhanced co-operation in vo cational education and training 
suggests that reform and investment should be  focused on (among othe r issues): improving 
the image and attractiveness of the vocational route for employers; increasing participation in VET; and improving quality and flexibility of  initial vocational education and training.  
Monitoring progress in this area will be covered by the core indicator on  upper secondary 
completion rates of young people  (9) (broken down by the vocationa l stream). The point at 
which initial vocational educati on and training is available within the structure of the 
education and training system will be  analysed through the indicator on stratification of 
education and training systems  (13). The context indicator on part icipation in continuing 
vocational education and training will allow for the analysis of the role of enterprises as regards the participation of their employees  in continuing vocational training and its 
financing. Core indicators for this policy area: 9 and 13  
2.7. Modernising higher education.  
Modernising higher education is crucial to the EU’s objective of becoming a competitive 
knowledge-based economy
31.  
The Commission has emphasised that the European  higher education s ector is relatively 
under-funded compared with our global competitors32. Given the important role of 
universities in European rese arch, the EU's goal of inves ting 3% of GDP in R&D by 2010 
would imply higher investment in university-based research33. The Commission has also 
proposed a benchmark to devote at least 2%  of GDP (including bot h public and private 
funding) to a modernised higher education sector  by 2015." 
The Council has set as a European Benchmark an increase of 15% in the number of maths, 
science and technology graduates by 2010. 
The Bologna process plays an important role. The objective of the Bologna process is the 
creation of a European Higher Education Area (an objectiv e set for 2010) in which the 
mobility of university students and workers with higher educational attainment levels will be 
made easier as a consequence of a common Bach elor – Master – PhD degree structure.  
Monitoring progress in this field will be covered by core indicators  on higher education 
graduates (14), cross-national mobility of st udents in higher education  (15) and investment in 
education and training  (19). Core indicators for this policy area: 14, 15 and 19. 
                                                 
30 European Commission Achieving the Lisbon goal: the contribution of VET: Final report to the 
European Commission 1-11-04 . http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/policies/2010/studies/maastricht_en.pdf 
31 Informal European Council in Hampton Court (October 2005); Communication “European values in the 
globalised world – contribution of the Commission to the October Meeting of Heads of State and Government” COM (2005) 525. 
32 Mobilising the brainpower of Europe: enabling universities to make their full contribution to the Lisbon 
Strategy” COM (2005) 152. 
33 See "More research and innovation – investing for growth and employment: a common approach", 
COM (2005) 488 of 12 October 2005. Part of investments in R&D goes to the overall investments in 
higher education institutions. 
 
RO 8   RO 2.8. Employability.  
Increasing employment rates is among the most  important success criteria within the Lisbon 
strategy34. Concrete goals have been set by c onsecutive European Councils on overall 
employment rates, employment rates of olde r workers, and employment rates of women35. 
The importance of employment was strength ened in the re-launch of the strategy36 
Educational level and key competences, whic h include entrepreneur ship, are the main 
determinants of an individual’s employa bility an adaptab ility throughout life37. A key 
indicator for monitoring progress in the field of employability will be educational attainment 
of the population (18) and adult skills  (17). These indicators will be analysed in conjunction 
with returns to education and training (20).  Further data are foreseen on entry of young 
people into the labour market38. Work on the construc tion of a composite indicator will be 
initiated. Core indicators for this policy area: 17, 18 and 20. 
2.9. Conclusion 
The above section of this Comm unication has led to the identific ation of 20 core indicators, 
which are coherent with identified political priorities within the Education & Training 2010 
strategy. The Council is i nvited to adopt these 20 indicators  for providing strategic guidance 
and steering for the strategy.  
20 Core indicators for monitori ng progress towards the Lisbon objectives in education and 
training  
1) Participation in pre-school education  
2) Special needs education 
3) Early school leavers 
4) Literacy in readi ng, mathematics and 
science 
5) Language skills 
6) ICT skills 
7) Civic skills 
8) Learning to learn skills  
9) Upper secondary completion rates of 
young people  
10) School management  12) Professional development of teachers 
and trainers  
13) Stratification of education and 
training systems 
14) Higher education graduates 
15) Cross-national mobility of students in 
higher education 
16) Participation of adults in lifelong 
learning 
17) Adults’ skills 
18) Educational attainment of the 
population  
19) Investment in education and training 
                                                 
34 Presidency Conclusions, Lisbon (2000). 
35 See for instance Presidency  Conclusions, Lisbon (2000) 
36 Presidency Conclusions, Brussels (2006) 
37 European Higher Education in a world-wide perspective SEC(2005) 518. 
38 Ad hoc module of the Labour Force Survey in 2009 
 
RO 9   RO 11) Schools as multi-purpose local 
learning centres  20) Returns to education and training 
Nine core indicators (1), (3), (4), (9), (14), (15), (16), (18) and (19)  already exist and have 
been used in monitoring the follow-up of  the Lisbon objectives in education and 
training.  The remaining 11 core indicators refer to areas where developmental work is 
ongoing. Consequently, the coherent framework of indicators is still in the process of being 
set up. This tool is complemented by the following five European benchmarks for 2010 
adopted by the Council, which will continue to be essential tools for monitoring progress of 
the Lisbon objectives in the fi eld of education and training39. Several of these benchmarks 
play an important role as targets under the EU employment strategy.  
1) No more than 10% early school leavers  
2) Decrease of at least 20% of  the share of low-achieving pupils in reading literacy 
3) At least 85% of young people should have  completed upper-secondary education 
4) Increase of at least 15% in the number of graduates in mathematics, science and 
technology, with a simultaneous de crease in gender imbalance 
5) 12.5% of the adult population should participate in lifelong learning  
3. DATA SOURCES SUPPORTING THE COHERENT FRAMEWORK OF INDICATORS AND 
BENCHMARKS  
Data supporting the above framework of indicato rs and benchmarks comes from the European 
Statistical System (ESS) (section 3.1) and, as requested by the Council, from new surveys to 
be launched or from other in ternational surveys where Eur opean data needs have been 
considered (section 3.2). 
The ESS adheres to the European Statistics  Code of Practice as referred to in the 
recommendation of the Commissi on on the independence, integr ity and accountability of the 
national and Community statistical authorities40. It is desirable that all data used in the 
coherent framework comply with  the provisions in this code. 
3.1. Indicators based on data provided by the European Statistical System (ESS) 
The statistical infrastructure  needed for the production of  data within the ESS is a 
combination of several data sources (surveys  and administratively collected data) and 
common instruments and methodol ogies (manuals, classificati ons, registers, definitions, 
concepts etc.). Appropriate national infrastructu res which are able to deliver harmonised data 
are essential for ensuring comparability as th e EU statistical producti on relies on the national 
statistical systems. 
                                                 
39 Op.cit. Council Conclusions (2003). Indicators to support these five benchmarks are integrated in the 
coherent tool of 20 indicators outlined in the Communication  
40 Com(2005)217 The European Statistical Code of Practice is based on 15 principles. Government and 
statistical authorities in the EU commit themselves to  adhering to the principles fixed in this code 
covering the institutional environment, statistical processes and outputs.  
 
RO 10   RO There are a number of specific sources at EU  level which provide information on education 
and training, which can be divided into two groups.  
Firstly, there is the annual UNESCO/OECD/Euros tat (UOE) collection of data related to the 
formal education systems in the Member States (enrolments, graduations, personnel, education finance, etc.); the 5-yearly Con tinuous Vocational Training Survey (CVTS) which 
collects information on training at enterprise le vel; and the 5-yearly Adult Education Survey 
(AES) which will provide information on adult learning patterns (household survey) covering 
the following indicators of the framework: participation in pre-school education (1), ICT 
skills (6), higher education graduates (14), Cross-national mobility of students in higher 
education ( 15), participation of adults in lifelong learning ( 16) and investment in education 
and training (19). 
Secondly, these specific surveys are complemented  by general sources of information such as 
the Labour Force Survey (LFS) and the EU Su rvey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC, 
forthcoming). Such surveys provide informa tion on education and training which can be 
linked to socio-economic variables. Furtherm ore, ad-hoc modules linked to the surveys 
explore information on education but  at more irregular intervals . Other specific sources (ICT 
household and enterprises survey s) provide data on specialised topics or as background 
elements. These sources provide data for the indicators: early school leavers (3), ICT skills 
(6), upper secondary completion rates of young people (9), participation of adults in lifelong 
learning ( 16), educational attainme nt of the population (18) and returns to education and 
training (20). The possibility to collect data on special needs education  (2) will be explored.  
Moreover, ESS sources provide a large number of  indicators describing educational systems 
in terms of inputs, processes, outputs and outco mes. Such contextual indicators give a more 
detailed and complete picture of country perf ormance and are used for further enhancing the 
analysis. They are published at regular intervals by Eurostat. 
Eurostat and the ESS are always concerned to maintain the quality of statistics, notably 
through the recognition and identif ication of fields where impr ovement and further work are 
needed. The UOE data collection is currently unde rgoing a quality review that will lead to a 
multi-annual planning for improvements. 
In order to secure the provision and quality of  data for the production and development of 
statistics on education and lifelong learning the Commissi on has proposed a regulation
41. This 
framework regulation sets out th e domains to be covered, quality requirements as well as 
some implementing measures. As soon as this regulation is adopted, the Commission intends 
to initiate specific Commission implementing act s covering the UOE data collection and AES. 
There is a rapidly increasing interest in getting internationally comparable data at national 
level. A number of countries ar e therefore developing statistical  infrastructures in terms of 
register systems and/or longitu dinal/panel/cohort survey instruments to be better able to 
produce information at school and st udent level including over time. 
Such developments are followed at the European  level with the objective of eventually being 
able to use the information coming from such  national systems at an aggregate level. At 
student level, such new developments would al low a better follow up of  students "career", and 
                                                 
41 Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and the Council concerning the production and 
development of statistics on education and lifelong learning – COM(2005)625 
 
RO 11   RO at the level of educational establishment (includi ng school, universities, et c.), it could improve 
the possibilities for establishing reliable sampling frames as well as serving as a source for some basic information about school systems whic h could be used at an  aggregate European 
level. These initiatives within the ESS are to  be encourage by the Commission in the context 
of the indicators: school management  (10), schools as multi-purpose local learning centres  
(11), professional development of teachers and trainers  (12), and stratification of education 
and training systems  (13).  
3.2. Indicators based on data produced outs ide the European Statistical System  
The ESS cannot provide the statis tical infrastructure for all the indicators demanded in the 
Council conclusions of 24 May 2005 or for the framework of indicators and benchmarks 
presented in this Communication
42. 
The Eurydice43 action and Cedefop produce contextual  data and indica tors supporting the 
framework presented in this communication. This data is produced in cooperation with 
Eurostat.  
OECD is constructing indicators on  literacy in reading, ma thematics and science  (4) through 
the PISA survey44 and is co-ordinating developmental work on a number of new indicators 
(see below). 
Specific surveys are presently being prepared  by the Commission in tw o distinct areas: 
foreign language skills  and learning to learn skills  of young people. In both cases the Council 
requested detailed survey proposals to be presented to the Council. 45 
– In the area of  language skills (5) , the Commission has proposed the modalities for 
the development of tools to gather data to feed the European Indicator of Language Competence
46. On the basis of this Communication and the 
Conclusions of th e Council (May 2006)47, the Commission has se t up an Advisory 
Board of national representatives.  
– In the area of learning to learn skills (8),  the “European Network of Policy-
Makers for the Evaluation of Education Systems” has evaluated the feasibility of implementing existing methodologies in a cross-country pilot survey. A Recommendation on the development of a survey instrument has been submitted to the Commission. The Commission will now  set up the appropr iate management 
structures for the development of the surv ey instrument and for the pilot project, 
expected to take place in 2007. 
As requested by the Council in its Conclusions  of May 2005, the Commission has set up co-
operation arrangements with international organisations in a number of areas.  
                                                
 
42 OJ (2005/C 141/04) 10.6. 2005.  
43 The European Eurydice unit and the network of national Eurydice units. 
44 Programme for International Student Assessment. 45 Op. cit. Council conclusion (May 2005). 
46 “The European Indicator  of Language Competence” COM (2005) 356  1/8 2005. 
47 Council conclusions on the European Indicator of Language Competence (2006/C 172/01). 
 
RO 12   RO – In the area of the professional development of teachers (12) , the Commission is 
co-operating with the OECD, which is currently preparing a survey on teachers, which will cover their professional development.  
– In the area of adults’ skills (17) , the Commission has, in close co-operation with 
Member States identified EU data needs. At present it is being examined whether 
these data needs could be covered by a survey focused on adults’ skills measurement which is under preparation by the OECD, or whether a new EU survey should be developed.  
– In the area of civic skills (7), the Commission is co-operating with Member States 
to identify data needs a nd to prepare a European module in the forthcoming 
International Civics and Citizenship Education Study (ICCS), which will be carried out in 2008/09 to cover the n eeds relating to education for active 
citizenship. 
It is clear that the coherence of the statistical  infrastructure and the possibility of ensuring 
comparable data across countries depend on the pa rticipation of all Member States in surveys 
co-ordinated by other interna tional organisations. Insofar as  feasible, the Commission will 
ensure that data are produced in accordance with the European Statistics Code of Practice 
guidelines that will also be used in assessing the resulting data quality.
 
  
4. CONCLUSIONS  
The Council is invited to: 
– Endorse the framework of indicators fo r measuring progress towards the Lisbon 
objectives and in particular 
– To express a continuing full support to the development of the new indicators 
needed within the coherent framework  
– To encourage the improvement of the ESS data collections which should continue 
in close cooperation with Member States through the relevant statistical working 
groups. 
Member States are invited to: 
– Participate fully in surveys for the development of new indicators identified 
within this framework and to cooperat e with the Commission to ensure the 
implementation of these surveys. 
The Commission will: 
– Present detailed survey propos als to the Council before  the launch of major new 
surveys. 
– Report back to the Council in early 2007 on progress made in preparing for a 
European survey on Foreign Language co mpetences of young people in view of a 
Council conclusion on next steps. 
 
RO 13   RO – Report back to the Council in 2008 on the implementation of the coherent 
framework of indicators and on the par ticipation of Member States in the 
development of new indicators to satisfy EU data needs. 
– Launch work in co-operation with Member States on the feasibility of defining a 
EU benchmark on devoting at least 2 % of  GDP to a modernised higher education 
sector by 2015.  
– Report back to the Council before 2010 on the follow-up in the EU and by the 
Member States of the five European be nchmarks for 2010 together with proposals 
on the role of benchmarks beyond 2010.  
 
RO 14   RO ANEXĂ  
LIST OF 29 INDICATORS USED FOR MONITORING PROGRESS IN THE FIELD OF 
EDUCATION AND TRAINING UP TILL NOW (2003-2006) 
(The indicators for measuring the 5 education benchmarks are in bold) 
 
1. Age of teachers (% of teachers aged over 50 by primary, secondary) 
2. Number of young people 3. Ratio of pupils to teaching staff 
4. Completion of upper secondary education  
5. % of students with low reading literacy proficiency (PISA)   
6. Performance in reading of 15 year olds (PISA)  7. Performance in mathematics of 15 year olds (PISA)  8. Performance in science of 15 year olds (PISA)  9. Participation in education and trai ning of initially low qualified people 
10. Students enrolled in MST as  a proportion of all students 
11. Graduates in MST as a % of all graduates  12. Total number of tertiary MST graduates (growth)  
13. Number of graduates in  MST per 1000 inhabitants 
14. Public expenditure on education 15. Private expenditure on educational institutions 
16. Enterprise expenditure on continuing vocational training 
17. Total expenditure on educationa l institutions per pupil, in PPS 
18. Total expenditure on e ducational institutions pe r pupil, compared to GDP 
19. Participation in lifelong learning, population 25-64, all, low  
20. Participation in continuing voca tional training, all enterprises 
21. Participation in continuing vocati onal training, training enterprises 
22. Participation rates in e ducation, students aged 15-24 
 
RO 15   RO 23. Share of early school leavers in population 18-24  
24. Distribution of pupils by number  of foreign languages learned 
25. Average number of forei gn languages learned per pupil 
26. Inward/outward mobility of teachers and trainers, Erasmus+ Leonardo 27. Inward/outward mobility of Erasmu s students and Leonardo trainees  
28. Foreign tertiary studen ts as a % of all student s enrolled, by nationality 
29. Percentage of the students of the country of origin enrolled abroad