PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL DECISION AMENDING DECISION 84/636/EEC ESTABLISHING A THIRD JOINT PROGRAMME TO ENCOURAGE THE EXCHANGE OF YOUNG WORKERS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY
Date: 1990-03-13
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: action programme, cultural relations, labour mobility

COMMISSION  OF  THE  EUROPEAN  COMMUNITIES 

C0MC90) 79 final 

Brussels, 13 March  1990 

Proposal for a 

COUNCIL DECISION 

amending  Decision 84/636/EEC  establishing  a third  joint  programme 

to encourage  the exchange of young workers within the 

Community 

YOUNG  WORKERS*  EXCHANGE  PROGRAMME 

REPORT  1988-1989 

(presented  by  the  Commission) 

- 2 -

P X P L A HA  T O RY  Jt p M Q R A Iff _U H-M 

•Ehe third joint programme to encourage the exchange of young workers within 
the Community is the latest version of the oldest youth exchange programme 
launched by the EBC Commission  (1964).  Several other programmes for young 
people have been introduced, especially in the 1980s, also directly aliced 
at young people or in support of the main activities that are proposed and 
supported,  (OQMETT, ERASMUS, PEKRA, and most recently, UNGOA).  The  Youth 
for Europe action programme adopted in 1988 for three years, of which the 
first year of implementation has just ended seeks only to promote exchanges 
of young people living in the Member States of the Oommunity. 

The Commission communication to the Council, education and training in the 
European Octramunity - medium-term guidelines:  1989-1992 (O0M(89) 236 final) 
with respect to the third programme to promote exchanges of young workers 
and the Youth for Europe Action Programme states that "the Commission 
intends to examine the scope for simplifying the presentation of the 
opportunities available to the youth public by these two programmes and 
also to streamline their administration.  For this reason, the phasing of 
two schemes will be synchronized to permit a more coordinated approach in 
future by the Commission to youth exchanges of all kinds.  For any new 
arrangements to be introduced in good time for an integrated scheme, the 
Council will have to decide on the Commission's proposals not later than 
(June 1991." 

Generally speaking, it would be useful to recall that young people 
throughout the Community should be seen in the light of certain common 
factors, whatever their relative demographic weight, namely: 

-  the young population is the most seriously affected by the eoonomio 
recession (1 in 4 young men and 1 in 3 young women are unemployed and/or in 
a precarious social economic situation); 

-  most Member States are faced with problems linked to the existence on 
their territory of a growing number of young people who are not nationals 
of the country and are frequently of non-Coranunity origin, whose de facto 
position in our 

- 3 -

societies cannot i>3 called into question on historical, ideological or 
legal grounds, and whose cultural contrilxition is an asset for our 
countries; 

-  the young people are is the key to European construction, hence the 
importance attached to their education, vocational training and enhancing 
their awareness of Europe which will Increase their sense of responsibility 
towards the building of Europe in which they live and which they will carry 
forward. 

In this general context, and more particularly with a view to completion of 
the internal market in 1993, sufficient time must be allowed the Commission 
to make an overall assessment and formulate coordinated proposals regarding 
programmes for exchanges of young people.  This assessment of proposals 
will in particular concern: 

-  the role of the Community as a promoter of exchanges, 

-  development of the effects of programmes of exchanges of young people, 
especially with regard to the principle of subsidiarity and therefore 
national undertakings in this field, 

-  the access of young people as a whole to exchanges organized with 
Community support; 

-  an administrative and financial framework providing a coherent approach, 
a realistic policy and fair access to Community activities for young 
people. 

To this end, it is therefore important to extend by one year the period of 
validity of the programme and the review by the Council of the exchange 
programme for young workers until 31 December 1991.  The  Commission will 
prepare an assessment by this date and proposals relating to the two 
programmes in accordance with the above considérations. 

4 -

Proposal for a 

COUNCIL DECISION 

amending  Decision 84/636/EEC  establishing  a third  joint  programme 

to encourage  the exchange of  young workers  within the 

Community 

THE OOQNCn. OP THE EORÛPEAN OCMMDNTTIES, 

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economio Community, 
and in particular Article 235 thereof, 

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament1, 

Having regard to the opinion of the Economio and Social Committee2, 

Whereas the Community is called upon to take practical measures to help 

young workers; 

Whereas it is the responsibility of the Member States, under Article 50 of 
the Treaty, to encourage the exchange of young workers within the framework 
of a joint programme; 

-  5 -

Whereas  Council  Decision  84/636/EEC 

establishes  a  third  joint 

programme to encourage  the exchange of  young workers within the 

Community; 

Whereas the Council also adopted the action programme, Youth for Europe 
under Council Decision 88/348/EBC ; 

Whereas the European Council on 28 and 29 «June 1985 adopted the conclusions 
of the ad boo Committee for a People's Europe recommending the promotion of 
youth exchanges within the Community and the establishment of a genuine 
network of exchanges in each Member State and between the Member States; 

Whereas there is a need to enable young people to envisage and carry out 
exchanges in a coherent framework, and thus for the Commission to present 
possibilities for exchanges under the fourth exchange programme for young 
workers and the Youth for Europe action programme in this context; 

Whereas it Is necessary to extend for one year the validity of the 
programme of exchanges for young workers to make possible this synchronized 
and coherent development, 

HAS UHWIJW) AS FOLLOWS: 

Sole  A r t i c le 

A r t i c le  12  of  Decision  84/636/EEC  is  repUe-ed  by  the  f o l l o w i n g: 

The  Council shall review this Decision, on a proposal from the Commission, 
by 31 December 1991." 

" A r t i c le  12 

Done at 

For the Council 

f 

Ï 
f 
l 
i 
i 
\ 

30J  No L 331, 19.12.1984, p. 36. 

40J  No L 158, 25.6.1988, p. 42. 

6 -

(no changes are made to the body of the basic decision) 

1.  Budget item and title of the operation 

B-G630 
B-G630 
Third w 
Third joint programme to encourage the exchange of young workers within the 
Community 
dnnnnuTid t v. 

2. 

Iiftgftl.  frtftin 

Article 8 of Council Decision 84/636/EEC of 13 December 1984. 
Article 235 of the EEC Treaty. 

3. 

P r o p re  classification 

Non-obligatory expenditure 
Kon-dissooiated appropriations 

4.  Description 

Objectives:  to encourage the exchange of young workers within the 
Community 

Target group:  young workers aged 18 to 28 years. 

tftifitlfloation 

5. 
Under Article 50 of the EEC Treaty, the Member States are responsible, 
within the framework of a joint programme, for promoting ttoe exchange of 
young workers to enable them to extend, in a Member State other than their 
country of residence, their vocational training, cultural and linguistic 
skills and knowledge of human nature. 

- ? -

6.  Financial impact of the programme on operational appropriations 
6.1.  The appropriations considered necessary to extend the programme through 

1991 will be included in the future appropriation  for this  financial 
year in the framework of the present  financial prospects  for 1988-1992, 
jointly agreed by the three institutions in June 1988, and their 
development. 

6.2.  Nature of expenditure 

Flat rate weekly contribution per trainee, contribution to the cost of 
language courses and travel, technical assistance for the administration of 
the programme. 

Average subsidy per participant per week is BCD 115 (1989).  The flat rate 
weekly contribution per participant was raised by BCD 10 in 1989. 

These are short periods of training (three weeks to three months) or longer 
periods (4 to 16 months). 

6.3. Calculation:  average cost  per participant and total budgetary  impact 

- Short courses (per participant  : 1.496.77)  : 3.700.000 ECUs 
- Long courses (per participant  : 2.359.73) : 1.800.000 ECUs 
- Technical assistance, assessment 

500.000 (see point 10) 

out of a total indicative amount of 6.000.000 ECUs in 1991. 

7.  Fiscal Implications 

None 

8.  Type of monitoring 
(a) Financial control is assured by the competent Commission departments 
with respect to the conformity of expenditure and execution of the budget; 

(b) technical control is provided by the competent Commission departments, 
especially the Task Force for Human Resources, Education, Training and 
Youth. 

9.  Financial implications on staff and operating appropriations 

- 8 -

None 

10.  Technical assistance 

The Commission has drawn up a technical assistance contract with an outside 
organization to be responsible for the following tasks: 

(a) to assist the Commission in the development and monitoring of detailed 
criteria for making grants; 

(b) to prepare, in all the Community languages, Information and 
documentation on the operations in question; 

(c) to prepare working documents in selected Comssunity languages to assist 
the Commission in developing and reviewing policy orientations; 

(d) to prepare seminars, workshops, information and other meetings on 
insl^cuctions from the Commission, including meetings of AâviBory groups; 

(e) to provide such clerical, translation and secretarial assistance in the 
operation of this programme as the Commission may deem necessary; 

(f) to assist, on instructions from the Commission, with the development by 
Hsnber State authorities of effective mechanisms for the implementation of 
Community policies in this sector; and to monitor the effectiveness of such 
mechanismsl 

(g) to process enquiries as to the availability of grants; to analyse 
apïûioations and to provide advice to the Commission in the scrutiny of 
such applications as are received; 

(h) to operate, on instructions from the Commissi on, a payment system for 
such grants as the Commission shall determine; 

(i) to assist the Commission with 1&e development and application of 
evaluation processes; 

(J) to assist the Commission with the development of working materials for 
the "European'' dimension of the programme; 

(k) to advise the Commission on the potential impact of the extension of 
the programme to cover young people in other occupations (e.g. vocational 
training, e t c ). 

-  9  -

IMPACT CM gUFgriTIVENKSS  AND  Bffl/KMHET 

I.  Wat  Is  the m1n  jiifrMfioation  for  tlift moa/Mro? 

To promote  the  exchange  of  young  workers  within  the  Community  (about  3  00 
participants  per  year). 

I I. 

nvwvintffplBtios  of  the  firms  oonoerpflfl.  In  partl.oulftr: 

(a)  Are many small  businesses  involved? 
All  enterprises  are  concerned. 

(b)  Have any  concentrations  been  observed  In  regions 

.  eligible  for  regional  aid  from  the  Member  States? 
.  eligible  under  the  ERDF? 

No. 

I I I.  fflyrt,  flbillgfttflmff  fvrft  tilmrtrly  Imjmyi  m  pr***? 

None. 

IV. 

yhftt,  (MlfffttrlfTOfi  my frft Ifflllrfitttly  ligpasefl  on  firms  vjft  the  loo*! 

None 

v.  Are  tforcre  any  ppoolftl  romfnrrffi  for  m i ll  latfrtnRfyyyf?  Describe  them 

None 

- 10 -

VI.  What  is  the foreseeable effect on 

(a) the competitiveness of firms? 

The reoeption by firms of young trainee workers who are nationals of other 
Member States will lead to a broadening of horizons and will develop 
practical knowledge about technioal developments, vocational training and 
the labour market at European level. 

(b)  employment? 

The  language  and occupational  s k i l ls  acquired  during  a  training  period  In 
another  Member State  will  have  a  positive  Impact  on  the  stability  of  the 
Individual's  employment  and  on  the  s k i l ls  of  workers  in  general. 

VII.  Have the  two  sides  of  industry  been  consulted?  What are  their 

yjLswjs? 

No. 

-  11 -

ANNEX 

YOUNG WORKERS' EXCHANGE  PROGRAMME 

REPORT 1988-1989 

INTRODUCTION 

The Third  Joint  Programme  to encourage  the exchange  of young workers was 
adopted by the Council  in its decision of  13 December  1984 and  covers the 
period  1985-1990. 

( 

In general  terms, this programme  of exchanges for young workers is intended 
to provide an opportunity  for participation  in a  Community  scheme offering 
experience  of  living  and  working  conditions  in  other  Member  States, 
fostering  the skills necessary  for adult  and working  life -  including the 
development  of  vocational  knowledge  and  practical  skills as well as the 
skills of interpersonal  communication  between  individuals  from different 
cultural backgrounds  - and  enabling participants to find  interests in common 
with young people  from  other Member  States and,  above all,  to develop an 
awareness of a shared  European  identity. 

The Commission  sets the  rules and guidelines of the scheme, but  the running 
of  individual  projects  is  mainly  the  responsibility  of  the  exchange 
organisers. Any organisation can apply for grants for Young Worker Exchanges 
so  long as these comply with  the guidelines. In each Member  State there is a 
government  representative  who  acts  as  a  national  coordinator  for the 
exchange  programme. 

EXCHANGE  ORGANISERS 

(  . 

Being entrusted with the  responsibility of  organising  and  implementing the 
exchanges, the  exchange organisers  remain the most  important  element in the 
structural  framework supported  by  the Commission.  The  relationship  between 
the  Commission  and  each  organiser  is governed by contracts covering the 
individual  exchange projects.  These  contracts  define  the  conditions for 
implementing  the  exchanges, the  obligations of  the body or group involved 
and  the financial  responsibilities. 

The programme  is open to young people between  18 and  28 years  of age, who 
are either employed  or available for employment  and who have completed basic 
vocational  training or have  similar work experience. 

The exchanges range from  the short-term,  lasting  3  weeks to  3 months and 
which include  study visits,  work placements  and a brief experience of the 
working environment, to the  longer term,  lasting 4  to 16  months and which 
are mainly work placements preceeded by a language and orientation course. 

- 12 -

have  acquired 

The  majority  of  exchange  organisers  fall  into  two  categories -  those 
operating  at European  level and  those  operating primarily  at national  level 
but  which 
a  Community  dimension.  The  organisers  are 
principally  involved in exchange programmes, vocational  training  programmes 
or a  variety of  social, cultural  and  educational projects aimed at  target 
groups from particular professional  or  industrial  sectors which  have  been 
networking  for  the purpose  of developing  exchanges of  young people. This 
wide  range of  organisations  has  greatly  contributed  to  the  variety  of 
sectors in which exchanges have been  run within the programme. 

In 1989  a total 
Exchanges. 

of 29  organisations have  received grants for Young  Worker 

In  1988/89, there were three meetings 
the programme  : 

with exchange  organisers involved  in 

-  23  March  1988  : 

-  24/27  September  1988 

-  26/27 October  1989 : 

c 

NATIONAL  COORDINATORS 

a  one  day  meeting 
existing 
exchange  organisers. 

administrative 

in  Brussels  to  clarify  the 
with 
procedures 

a  "brainstorming  meeting"  at  Lago  Maggiore, 
Italy,  with  the  purpose  of  gathering  together 
both  representatives  of  the  main  organisers  and 
a  number  of  outside  experts  to  discuss  : 

*  options  for  the 
programme  and 

long-term  development  of  the 

*  guidelines 
Third  Programme. 

for  the  two  remaining  years  of  the 

a two-day  meeting  in  Brussels  to  discuss  the 
administrative  and  financial  aspects  of  the 
programme  for  1990, to  consider the statistical 
evaluation  of  the programme  carried out by  the 
Commission  and  to exchange points of view on the 
context  and  scope of the fourth programme. 

The Commission  is particularly anxious  that  exchange organisers  liaise with 
coordinators  to discuss exchange plans  and  that  a  copy  of  each project 
submitted  to the Commission be sent  to  the pertinent  national coordinator. 

A meeting  was held with the national  coordinators in Brussels on 24 October 
1388 to inform them of developments and  to  outline the  perspectives of  the 
fourth programme. 

No meeting  of the national coordinators was held in 1989; a next meeting  is 
planned  for the beginning of 1990. 

- 13 -

PRACTICAL RESULTS 1988-89 

From  1987 to 1988 the annual budget for  the programme  remained at  4.5 mio 
ECUs  and  in  1989  there  was  an  increase of 500.000 ECUs to 5 mio ECUs. 
Despite this situation, the number of  participants has  increased from 2304 
in 1987 to 2676 in 1988 and approximately 2995**>  in 1989. It should also be 
noted that in 1989 the flat-rate contributions per participant per week were 
increased by  10 ECUs  allowing for an increase in the grant per participant 
per week. 

The average cost per participant per week in 1988 amounted  to 141  ECUs and 
in 1989  this amount  has increased  to 154  ECUs and  the average grant per 
participant per week increased from  117 ECUs in 1988 to  125 ECUs in 1989. 

The slight increase in both average cost and grant reflects, on the one hand 
the ability  of organisers to reduce costs and, on the other, the ability of 
some organisers - essentially  those new to the  programme -  to secure other 
sources of income and thus reduce the grant required. 

Projects are  in principle  approved on  a biannual basis - at the beginning 
of and in June each year. This system  has the  advantage of  allowing for a 
mid-year  funding  review.  Organisers  inform  the Commission of any under-
utilization of  monies  granted;  excess  funds  can  therefore  be recouped 
immediately and allocated to another project. 

SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM EXCHANGES 

As the  Council Decision provides, exchanges are divided  into short-term and 
long-term programmes, each having  its own  particular objectives  within the 
overall guidelines. 

In  1988  and  1989  there  was  a decline in long-term exchanges. This is a 
result of several factors : 

-  Increasing  difficulty  of  finding  work  placements 

in  general  and 

particularly for foreign nationals in the different Member States. 

-  Reluctance  of  young  people  who  are  employed  to  leave jobs, albeit 

temporarily, to participate in the Programme. 

-  An increase of "medium-term" exchanges, usually of  13-16  weeks' duration 
and often  preceded by  a very  short language  course. These combine the 
objectives of short-term  and  long-term  exchanges,  while  many  of the 
difficulties involved in the long-term programmes are eliminated. 

(1) 

The 1989  figure is based on planned participant numbers of detailed 
applications and not, as  for the  preceding years  on final, actual 
numbers* 

- 14 -

The Commission  will, of  course, continue  to promote both types of exchange 
while ensuring  that the  programme is  open to  the maximum  number of young 
people  possible  and  that  a  relative  balance  is maintained between the 
economic  sectors  in which exchanges take place. 

GEOGRAPHICAL  DISTRIBUTION 

There  is  still  a  degree  of  over-concentration  at  the  centre  of the 
Community;  however, 
imbalance  are  proving 
successful, and one of the priorities of the  programme  is  to encourage the 
participation of young people from peripheral  or disadvantaged  regions. 

efforts  to  redress  this 

The Commission  endeavours to ensure a general balance between the number of 
young workers  received  and those sent abroad on  exchanges from  each Member 
State. This  principle of balance operates for the majority of exchanges and 
the Commission  is anxious that it  continues  to  underpin the  basic aims of 
the programme wherever feasible. 

SECTORAL  DISTRIBUTION 

Although  in  earlier  years  of  the  programme,  the primary and secondary 
sectors dominated exchanges, the development  of  the tertiary  sector of the 
Community's  economy  is reflected in the Young Worker Exchange Programme, and 
this sector is now the largest in the programme. 

PROFILE OF  PARTICIPANTS 

C 

Since unemployed  young people  were  made  eligible  to  participate  in the 
programme,  the  proportion of unemployed  participants has increased  steadily 
from 46X in  1987 to 47% in 1988  and 49X  in  1989,  i.e. almost  half of the 
participants  in the programme are job-seekers. 

Another priority  of the  Third Programme  is to offer equal opportunities to 
men and women. The Commission has endeavoured  to  ensure that  young men and 
women are  equally  represented  and that women are encouraged to participate 
in exchanges in new technology areas. In both  1988 and  1989, this  aim was 
i.e.  equality  was  complete  and  young  women  represented 
achieved, 
approximately  50X of all participants in the programme. 

TRAINING CONTENT OF THE PROJECTS 

The Third  Joint  Programme  is  not  intended  to  offer  the  young person 
concerned basic vocational training and experience in another Member State 

.- 15 -

but  rather  provides  a  complement  to the training and experience  already 
acquired  in his/her own country. The Commission continues  to believe  it is 
crucial  that even short-term  exchanges should have a genuine work  experience 
content and that the  work  experience  provided  during  long-term  projects 
should be  of sufficiently  high quality  and value to encourage  employers and 
workers alike to participate  in  the scheme. 

FUNDING OF THE  PROGRAMME 

Both in 1988 and  1989, the  Commission had  to refuse  funding  for  a  large 
number  of  exchange  projects  for  budgetary  reasons.  The  Commission's 
financial support of the exchange  programme  was always  intended  to  act as 
an  incentive  to  the  development  of  young  worker  exchanges within the 
Community.  It was never intended  to cover the entire costs  of each  exchange 
project, although this is in fact  the case in the majority  of the exchanges. 
This situation obviously  leaves much  to  be desired  as it  ultimately  means 
that  the  number of young people who can participate  in the programme  is not 
as high as it might otherwise  be. 

If we are to extend the programme  and  make it  less dependent  on  Community 
funds  it  is  vital  for  exchange  organisers, in cooperation with national 
coordinators, to explore all possible  sources  of complementary  funding, be 
they governmental, regional, local or private. The Commission  considers  that 
the Member States should continue  their support at national  level  and  their 
action if the programme  is to have  a real impact  on young workers  throughout 
the Community. 

The Commission will  continue  to  encourage  new  exchange  initiatives via 
subsidies  other  than  the  existing  flat-rate  weekly  contribution. This 
practice will make it possible  to achieve partially the aim  of  co-financing 
exchanges, since  the subsidy  system  requires that the organisers seek other 
sources of funding. 

CONCLUDING  REMARKS 

As mentioned earlier, there has been a progressive increase in the number of 
participants  eventhough  there  has  only  been  a  limited  increase  in the 
budget. The Commission  is also happy  to note  the constant  increase  in the 
number of  new exchange organisers  (in 1989 19 new organisations applied  for 
a grant, 10 of these received  grants). 

The impact of the information materials disseminated since  1988 is becoming 
evident  and  it  should  also  be  noted that requests for information  from 
individuals, as well as  from organisations,  are still  increasing. In 1989 
an in-depth  evaluation of  the programme  took place, inter alia to prepare 
the way for the 4th Programme. 

ISSN 0254-1475 

COM(90) 79 final 

DOCUMENTS 

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