Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION ESTABLISHING AN ACTION PROGRAMME FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A EUROPEAN COMMUNITY VOCATIONAL TRAINING POLICY LEONARDO DA VINCI
Date: 1993-12-21
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU financing, action programme, language teaching, school-industry relations, technological change, vocational training

COMMISSION  OF  THE  EUROPEAN  COVIVIUNITIES 

C0M(93) 686  final  - SYN  494 

Brussels, 21 December  1993 

Proposal  for a 

COUNCIL  DECISION 

ESTABLISHING AN  ACTIOS  PROGRAMME 
FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A  EUROPEAN  COMMUNITY 
VOCATIONAL TRAINING POLICY 
L E O N A R DO  DAVlNQ 

(presented  by  the  Commission) 

EXPLANATORY  MEMQPANPUM 

INTRODUCTION 

1. 

2. 

3. 

The  Treaty  on  European  Union  establishes  a  general  objective  of 
contributing  to  the  development  of  quality  education  and training  and to 
the flowering of  the cultures of the Member States, based on  Articles  126 
and  127. 

As  stated  in  the  working  paper  on  guidelines  which  the  Commission 
adopted  on  5  May  19931,  the  essential  aim  of  Community  action  on 
education  and  training  must  therefore  be  the  fulfilment  of  European 
citizens in order to enhance their capacity  for initiative and creativity  and 
allow  them  to  take  a  fully  active  part  in  society  and  the  building  of 
Europe.  This  objective  is  based  on  the gradual  establishment  of  an open 
European  area for  education  and training. 

It is now widely  recognised  that the development of human potential  is a 
precondition  for  attaining  the  economic,  social  and  quality  of  life 
objectives the Community  has set. The quality of human resources and the 
continuous adaptation of manpower skills are a comparative advantage for 
Europe  when  it  comes  to  international  competition.  They  are also  a  key 
factor in the fight against social  exclusion  and unemployment.  Broadening 
out  access  to  education  and  training  should  contribute  to  better  social 
cohesion between the Member States and equality of opportunities between 

Working  paper  "Guidelines  for  Community  action  in  the  field  of  education  and  training" 
COM(93)  183 final. 

people. AH of  which  contributes to building  up a European culture  which 
is forward and outward looking, to putting flesh  on the bones of European 
identity  and  citizenship,  particularly  among  young  people,  and  is  a 
powerful  factor  in  rallying  citizens  around  the  construction  of Europe. 

Education  and training have new roles  to play  in the process of  industrial 
and socio-economic  change  which  Europe  has to  contend  with. This will 
mean  deep-seated  changes  in  the  education  and  training  systems  of  the 
Member States. This ever greater pace and scale of change will bring forth 
the need for  individuals  and workers to  be able to gain access to  lifelong 
education  and  training  to  enable  them  to  be  part  of  society  and  remain 
competitive  within  the  economy.  These  systems  will  therefore  have  to 
come up with fresh  answers which are more flexible and more  diversified 
to cater for  this need. 

In  the  light  of  the  experience  gained  to  date,  the  Community's  future 
policy  on  vocational  training  must  consolidate  and  build  on  the  solid 
achievements of the cooperation programmes in the fields of education and 
vocational training undertaken in recent years if it is to respond to the new 
challenges  facing  it  and its Member States: 

the  competitiveness  of  firms  -

a return to balanced growth and effective  action on unemployment 
presuppose putting together a workforce which is better trained and 
better  educated; 
it is crucial to improve the capacity to keep abreast of changing job 
content  and  qualification  requirements,  particularly  through 
interfaces and cooperation between the different players concerned; 
better access to continuing training and proper linkage with broad-
based  initial  training  are  essential  in  promoting  the  updating  of 
workers'  skills,  sustaining 
particularly  SMEs - and facilitating the organising of work in ways 
which  provide opportunities  for  skill  enhancement; 
the  links  between  research  and training  have  grown  substantially 
and are  a key  factor  in  competitiveness  and  effective  investment; 
and the transfer of technological  innovation - particularly to SMEs 
-  is of  strategic  importance; 
cooperation  between  the  education  and  business  worlds  must  be 
enhanced, particularly  at university  level,  in the interests of quality 
education  and training; 
the  European  dimension  of  education  and  training  must  be 
developed  in order  to  give  young  people  particularly, but also all 
European  citizens,  a sense  of  fitting  into  the  political  perspective 
opened up by the European Union, and to facilitate mobility so that 
they can take advantage of the opportunities opened up to them by 
the single  market. 

On the basis  of  Article  127 of  the Treaty, the  Commission  is accordingly 
putting before  the Council  a proposal  for  a decision  to establish  an action 
programme  to  develop  the  European  Community's  vocational  training 
policy.  The  purpose  of  this  programme  is  to  secure  the  pursual  of 
Community  action in the field of vocational  training, the general principles 
of  which  were  laid  down  by  the  Decision  of  2  April  1963  and  which  is 
now  implemented  through  four  action  programmes:  PETRA,  FORCE, 
EUROTECNET  AND  COMETT2, to enable  it to rise to the challenges of 
the  1990s  and  to ensure  that  it  develops  within  the new  legal  framework 
established  by  the Treaty  on  European  Union. 

This proposal  is set in the general  context  established  by the White Paper 
on  Competitiveness,  Growth  and  Employment  which  has  just  been 
examined by  the European  Council  on  10 and  11 December  1993. 

The  courses  of  action  mapped  out  in  the  White  Paper,  and in  particular 
action  to  promote  employment,  must  be  underpinned  by  increased 
cooperation between the Member States to create a real European area for 
occupational  qualifications  which will provide a decisive push towards the 
upgrading and evolution of skills and qualifications  and a new dynamic in 
employment  systems.  The  action  taken  and  the  clear  objectives  of  the 
Community's  vocational  training  policy  can  have  an  important  catalytic 
effect  and achieve significant  leverage at a time when Member States and 
firms,  in  a tight budgetary  environment,  could  be tempted to curtail their 
investment  in  human  resources  in  favour  of  shorter-term  considerations, 
which  would  be  at  variance  with  the  objectives  laid  down  in  the  White 
Paper. 

See  the  following  texts: 

Council  Decision  63/266/EEC of  2 April  1963 laying  down  general  principles  for  implementing 
a common vocational  training policy  (Official  Journal, English Special Edition,  1963-1964, p.25); 
Council  Decision  91/387/EEC  of  22  July  1991  amending  Decision  87/569/EEC  concerning  an 
action programme  for  the  vocational  training of young people  and  their preparation  for adult and 
working  life  (PETRA)  (OJ  L  214  of  2.8.1991,  p. 69); 
Council  Decision  90/267/EEC  of  29  May  1990  establishing  an  action  programme  for  the 
development  of continuing  vocational  training  in the EC (FORCE)"*(OJ LI56 of 21.6.1990, p. 1); 
Council Decision 89/657/EEC of  18 December  1989 establishing an action programme to promote 
innovation  in  the  field  of  vocational  training  resulting  from  technological  change  in  the  EC 
(EUROTECNET)  (OJ  L  393  of  30.12.1989, p. 29); 
Council Decision 89/27/EEC of  16 December  1988 adopting  the  second phase of the programme 
on  cooperation  between  universities  and  industry  regarding  training  in  the  field  of  technology 
(COMETT  IT) (OJ  L  13 of  17.1.1989, p. 28). 

I 

WHAT COMMUNITY  ACTION  HAS  ACHIEVED  TO  DATE 

Common  political  concerns 

8. 

9. 

its  memorandum  on 
The  Commission's  intention  when  it  published 
vocational  training in the EC in the  1990s3 was to open the broadest  debate 
possible among all the players involved  on the importance and implications 
of vocational training policies in the Member States individually  and at the 
Community  level. 

The criticisms which emerged  from  this debate that the approach  had been 
overly  based on economic  concerns  should  provide a platform  for  opening 
up  the  perspective  and  giving  greater  consideration  to  societal  factors. 
Arguments  and  proposals  for  actions  related  to  competitiveness  and 
economic growth  should  be  linked  with  those on  stemming the rising tide 
of  unemployment  and  social  exclusion.  Even  with  regard  to  skill  and job 
content,  the  methodological,  relational  or  social  aspects  prompt  a 
reassessment  of the objectives  and the  methods of  vocational  training  and 
their  relationship  with  possible  changes  in  the  configurations  of  work 
organisation.  The  interfaces  to  be  established  between  education  and 
training  will  play  a  capital  role  in  this  context. 

10. 

The discussions prompted  by  the  memorandum  have  also  brought  out  the 
major  trends  which  stand  as pointers  for  defining  the objectives  of  future 
Community  action.  These  trends  do  not  reflect  an  identity  of  factors  but 
rather  questions  to  which  the  Member  States  have  to  face jointly4: 

a - reiteiation of the fundamental  importance  of  basic education  and initial 
training  as  a  precondition  for  integration  into  the  labour  market  and  for 
further  vocational  advancement.  The  plight  of  those  who  have  failed  at 
school  and  the  economic  and  social  marginalisation  originating  in  the 
shortcomings  of  initial  training,  along  with  the  need  to  drastically  reduce 
functional  illiteracy,  are  structural  factors  and  account  for  a  substantial 
share  of  public  intervention 
in  all  the  Member  States  to  promote 
integration. 

Commission  Memorandum  on  Vocational  Training  in  the  European  Community  in  the 
1990s - COM(91)  397  final  of  12 December  1991 
Summary report on responses to the memorandum  on  vocational  training - TFRH  - 1993 

b - die need  for training  facilities  to take on  board  the deep-seated  changes 
which are taking  place in skills  and qualifications.  Member  States are hard 
pressed  by  the  changes  needed  in  their  training  systems  in order  to  adapt 
training  to the rapid  and possibly  increasingly  radical  changes taking place 
in job  content.  There  will  have  to  be  growing  emphasis  on  interpersonal, 
methodological  and social skills and on individual  potential for coping with 
ongoing  change,  taking  charge  of  one's  own  development  (learning  to 
learn), and facilitating  transferability  of qualifications,  inter alia within the 
European  area. 

c - increasing  the capacity  to anticipate. The  current economic  uncertainty 
and the variable  effects  of  factors  which  determine  the definition  of types 
of training (e.g. technological  innovation)  are a source of growing concern 
for  all  the  players  concerned.  However,  the  debate  is  wide  open  as  to 
which  methods  and  instruments  will  really  develop  the  capacity  for 
anticipation  which  calls  for  increased  cooperation  at  Community  level. 

d -  the  increased  role  of  firms  and sandwich  training.  Strengthening  the 
links  between  training  and  industry  is  a  constant  and  the  development  of 
sandwich  training  is  the  subject  of  an  agreement  by  the  two  sides  of 
industry. 

e  -  customising  training  supply.  The  individual-centred  approach  to 
problems in terms of analysing requirements, defining learning programmes 
and  syllabuses  and  selecting  the  type  and  method  of  training  which  is the 
most  appropriate,  seems  to  be  gaining  ground  and  elicits  the  question  as 
to financial  arrangements. 

f  -  the  increasing  recognition  of  the  regional  element  In  a  context  of 
widely differing  organisational patterns of training systems, the local means 
of  matching  up  supply  and  demand  for  training  play  an  increasingly 
important  role. 

g  -  recognition  of  the  role  of  the  social  players.  It  is  a sign  of  the  times 
that  there  is  increasingly  widespread  recognition  of  the  plurality  of 
responsibilities  of  the  players  concerned  and  the  need  for  them  to 
cooperate  more  in  establishing  regulations. 

General  principles  and guidelines 

11. 

The  Council  Decision  of  2 April  1963  laying  down  general  principles  for 
a common  vocational  training policy  pursuant  to Article  128 of the Treaty 
of  Rome  is  a  non-binding  reference  text  offering  common  guidelines 
towards  which  the  policies  and  systems  of  the  Member  States  can 
converge. 

12 

The Council  decisions  at the  basis of the current  programmes  establish  for 
each  field  of  action  common  frameworks  of  objectives  or  guidelines 
decided  by  the  Council  and  taken  by  the  Member  States  as  objectives  to 
be  attained  to  their  own  policies: 

for initial  training  of young  people, the objective  is to secure broad-
based  and  recognised  qualifications  for  all  young  people  by 
enabling  them  to  have  one  or,  if  possible,  two  years  of  vocational 
training  after  compulsory  schooling5. 

as regards continuing training, the objective  is to encourage a bigger 
and  more  effective  investment  input  into  continuing  vocational 
training of employees and a better return, particularly  by  developing 
partnerships designed  to make public authorities, firms -particularly 
SMEs  -  the  social  partners  and  individual  workers  more  aware  of 
the  benefits  deriving  from  investment  in  continuing  vocational 
training6. 

- 

as regards training  for the transfer of  technological  innovation, the 
objective 
is  to  use  properly  structured  cooperation  between 
universities  and  industry  to  encourage  the transfer  of  the  results of 
R&D to firms likely  to be able to create high added-value jobs  with 
a strong  technological  content,  inter alia by greater  involvement  of 
higher  education  in  continuing  training7. 

13. 

Article  127  of  the  Treaty  on  European  Union  sets  out  five  specific 
objectives  for  vocational  training,  reflecting  issues  of  capital  importance 
for  the Community, and  giving  it specific  responsibility  in this  connection 
to: 

-  facilitate  adaptation  to 

industrial  changes,  in  particular  through 

vocational  training  and retraining; 

- 

- 

improve  initial  and continuing  vocational  training in order to  facilitate 
vocational  integration  and  reintegration  into  the labour market; 

facilitate  access  to  vocational  training  and  encourage  mobility  of 
instructors  and trainees and particularly  young  people; 

-  stimulate  cooperation  on  training  between  educational  or  training 

establishments  and firms; 

-  develop exchanges  of  information  and experience on issues common to 

the training systems  of  the  Member States. 

see  Decision  91/387/EEC  of  22  July  1993, Art.  1 and  Decision  87/569/EEC, Art. 2 
See Decision  90/267/EEC  of  29  May  1990, Article  5 
See  Decision  89/27/EEC of  16  December  1988, Article  3(1) 

Significant  operational  achievements 

14. 

The  current  action  programmes  are  not  all  at  the  same  stage  of 
implementation,  they  were  launched  at  different  dates  and,  more  to  the 
point, were allocated  different  levels of financing. These  two factors were 
duly  taken  into  account  by  the  Commission  in  a  preliminary  horizontal 
assessment of the programmes and the added value they represent8.  Major 
achievements  can be  identified  with  a view  to the new proposal.  It builds 
on  them  as  regards  networks  which  can  be  mobilised,  the  results  of 
cooperation  partnerships,  exchanges,  understanding  and  knowledge  of 
systems  and  patterns  of  cooperation  between  the  Commission  and  the 
Member States: 

-  various types of  transnational  exchange  and cooperation  networks have 
been  set  up  in  the  wake  of  the  stimulus  provided  by  the  action 
programmes. They  provide continuity  in cooperation  and make it possible 
to capitalise on  the results. 

-  the network  of  PETRA  national  coordination  units which  is responsible 
for the  implementation  and operational  running of  the  programme  in the 
Member  States  has  become  a back-up  tool  for  transnational  cooperation 
and  innovation  in  the  context  of  initial  training  and,  more  generally 
speaking,  the  social  and  vocational 
integration  of  young  people. 
Downstream, the network of trans-European training partnerships for young 
people, or the network of national centres for vocational  guidance, provide 
a preliminary  Community  linkup  which  is extremely  useful  in promoting 
further cooperation. 

-  Thanks to the COMETT programme 205  University-Enterprise Training 
Partnerships  (UETP)  have  been  set  up. These  UETPs  are interfaces,  as it 
were,  between  higher  education  and  industry.  Certain  UETPs  have  a 
in  one 
regional  basis,  others  a  sectoral  basis,  being  specialised 
technological  sector in particular. They cooperate closely  and provide very 
useful  instruments  for  identifying  the best  available  skills  in Europe in a 
given  context  of  training  requirements  for  the  transfer  of  technological 
innovation. Through the UETPs, COMETT has helped to initiate a process 
which was hitherto virtually non-existent: a European university-enterprise 
dialogue in the field of education and training, thus permitting the tailoring 
of training  more closely  to  actual  supply  and requirements. 

-  The  preparation,  fine  tuning,  organisation  and  development  of 
transnational pilot projects have now yielded significant  results in terms of 
experience. 

Report from the Commission  to the Council, the European  Parliament  and the Economic 
and  Social  Committee:  EC  education  and  training  programmes  1986-1992. Results and 
achievements:  an  overview.  COM(93)  151  final. 

-  Under PETRA, over 700 projects,  14 000 teachers or trainers and 85  000 
young  people  have  taken  part  in  the  network's  activities  since  1988  to 
develop  and  try out  new  and innovative  training products. 

-  The 430  FORCE projects  are targeted  at the  training  and  qualifications 
requirements  of  the  firms  which  make  up  the  majority  of  the  3  500 
partners  in  these  projects.  They  pursue  three  lines  of  action  to  adapt  to 
industrial  change  through  training:  training  as  a  means  of  preventing 
unemployment by strengthening  and diversifying  employee skills, training 
as a means of  developing  new  configurations  of  work organisation  which 
are needed  for the survival  or growth  of firms, and training as a means of 
development,  inter alia through  adaptation  to  new  technologies. 

-  EUROTECNET has boosted  the  development  of  flexible  new  solutions 
to  the  problems  of  training  in  order  to  disseminate  them  through  the 
project network:  conceptual  developments  on  current and future trends as 
regards  the  development  of  technologies  (capacity  for  self-teaching,  the 
"learning  organisation" of  work,  key  qualifications/skills),  case  studies to 
illustrate these conceptual  models, study  analyses of training requirements 
based  on  an  inter-sectoral  approach  and  the  development  of  tools  and 
instruments to  disseminate  results. 

-  The  7  000  training  courses  organised  with  COMETT II support  in the 
most  diverse  technology  fields  should  reach  a  public  of  over  200  000 
people,  140  000  of  whom  will  come  from  industry.  The  3000  training 
products  developed  or  under  development  should  reach  over  500  000 
people  in  Europe.  The courses  organised  under  COMETT II have  drawn 
a  wider  audience  than  COMETT  I,  particularly  among  women.  Several 
projects  have  illustrated  the  impact  of  the  use  of  new training  materials, 
notably  multimedia,  as compared  with the traditional methods. 

-  The vocational training action programmes are not mobility programmes 
as such. Exchanges are aimed at strategic populations and provide a back 
up or even  a part of  the  training  process  itself. 

-  20 000 young people have benefitted  from  training placement or a work 
experience  in  another  Member  State  in  1992  and  1993  under  PETRA. 
These  placements  bring  a  real  Community  dimension  into  the  training 
young people  receive  through  the national  systems. 

-  The FORCE programme  encourages  the  mobility  of  trainers and, more 
generally speaking, people responsible for human resources and training in 
firms,  and  social  partners  who  have  responsibilities  in  the  field  of 
continuing vocational training: 400 human resources directors, 430 trainers, 
130 staff  representatives  and 40  members  of  trade unions were mobile in 
1991  and  1992  through  exchange  programmes  designed  to  pass  on 
innovations  rapidly,  to  establish  solid  partnerships  and  to  organise 
continuing  training actions. 

-  The 28 000 placements of students supported under COMETT represent 
only  a  small  part  of  actual  demand  (which  is  approximately  five  times 
higher).  These  training  periods  are  greatly  sought  after  because  they 
provide  young  people  with  an  effective  introduction  to  working  life  and 
considerably  enhance their chances of finding a job. These training periods 
have  also  helped  to  strengthen  cooperation  between  universities  and 
industry.  The  1Ô00 exchanges  of  staff  between  universities  and European 
firms  have  also  helped to  improve technology  transfer  between  the world 
of  academia and that of  industry, inter alia through  the principle of "tacit 
knowledge",  i.e.  the  knowledge  acquired through  experience. 

-  In  order  to  cope  with  the  diversity  of  initial  and  continuing  training 
systenis  and  understand  how  they  work,  a  corpus of  comparable  data  is 
essential to improve exchanges of information and experience between the 
Member States. 

-  FORCE has compiled synoptic tables on the information  available on in-
company continuing training. A statistical survey conducted in conjunction 
with  Eurostat  is  now  in  progress  and  will  for  the  first  time  provide 
information  which  is  comparable  at  the  Community  level  on  training 
actions and costs  in European  firms, and an objective  idea of the quantity 
and quality  of  training  which firms provide  for  their Employees. 

-  Three  sectoral  surveys  (the  retail  trade, the  agri-food  industry  and car 
repairs)  have  made  it  possible  to  gauge  the  situation  as  regards  training 
practices  which  are  significant  in  those  sectors  at the  European  level.  A 
fourth sector (road transport) is currently being launched. All these surveys 
are a start to European sectoral  networks (research institutes, firms, social 
partners)  which  involve  the players  in the twelve  Member States. 

-  The  analysis  of  collective  bargaining  practice  has  made  it  possible  to 
take stock  of joint  actions,  agreements  and collective  consultation  by the 
two sides of  industry  oh  continuing  training. The social  partners can thus 
be involved more closely as players in the vocational training of employees 
throughout'the Community. 

Linkage with  national  actions 

15. 

Assessing  the linkage  with, and impact of,  Community  action on national 
action  has  become  a  question  which  is  central  to  this first phase  of  the 
programmes. In addition to general  considerations to do with subsidiarity, 
this  linkage  could  be  improved  by  putting  greater  emphasis  on  the 
procedures and  structures  set  up. This trend could be gradual: 

-  The programme  committees  and the advisory  committee  have provided 
forums  for  discussing  the  impact  of  Community  actions  and  their 
contribution  to  the  conduct  and  direction  of  national  policies.  In certain 
programmes a number of Member States have, significantly, taken it upon 

themselves  to  pursue  these  discussions  in  national  forums,  and  the 
conferences  organised  at  the time  the memorandum  on vocational  training 
was debated  have  increased  the  interest  of  the  different  players  concerned 
in  these  aspects. 

to  have 

-  The  preparation  of  the  national  reports  on  the  implementation  of  the 
programmes and the development of implementing machinery is the second 
raise 
instrument 
methodological  and logistic problems but they are invaluable in developing 
reference  instruments  for  assessing  underlying  changes  and  trends  in  the 
national  systems  and  in  attuning  Community  actions  to  support  them 
accordingly; 

thus  emerged.  These  procedures  do 

-  "The  bilateral  meetings"  organised  for  planning  and  selecting  projects 
between  the Commission  and  national  representatives  (ministries, national 
technical  assistance  bureaux,  the  two  sides  of  industry)  also  provide  an 
ideal  forum  for  understanding  emerging  trends  and  the  degree  of 
concordance  between  transnational  projects  and  national  priorities. 

10 

II 

A NEW  CONTEXT 

The  competences  established  by  the  Treaty 

16. 

In  a  context  of  shared  responsibility  between  the  Community  and  the 
Member States, Article  127 of the Treaty  brings radical  changes in relation 
to the  legal  situation  defined  in  Article  128 of  the  Treaty  of  Rome: 

-  the  text  stipulates  that  the  Community  is  responsible  for  implementing 
a vocational  training  policy  which  supports  and  complements  the  policies 
of the Member States, while the Community's role hitherto was to establish 
the general  principles  for  a  common  vocational  training  policy; 

-  the decision-making system has been changed, for henceforth the Council 
will  decide  in  this  context  on  the  basis  of  a  qualified  majority,  and  no 
longer by simple majority,  after  a cooperation  procedure with the European 
Parliament; 

the 

text  stipulates  explicitly 

- 
that  Community  action  excludes 
harmonisation  of  legal  and  statutory  provisions  in the Member  States  and 
confirms  their  responsibility  for  the  content  of  programmes  and  the 
organisation  of  their  systems.  The  diversity  of  the  systems  and  the 
responsibility  of  the  Member  States  for  the  organisation  and  content  of 
training  are thus  recognised  as the mainstays  of Community  policy  which 
must permit  increased  cooperation  and convergence  of action  freely  taken 
by  the  different  players  concerned. 

17. 

The Treaty  is based  on  acknowledgement  of  the fact  that the main  role in 
the financing and implementation  of  vocational  training is a matter for  the 
public authorities in  the Member  States and the two sides of industry. The 
Community's role is to provide impetus and innovation. Community  action 
must encourage  voluntary  convergence  and  enhance the effects  of  quality 
and the capacity  for  innovation on the systems. The Community  can, using 
a common  framework  of  objectives,  provide  support  for  the  development 
of  transnational  actions  to  promote  the  coherent  development  of  training 
policies  in  the  Community. 

The  link with other policies 

18. 

19. 

The analysis of the challenges of the  1990s which the Commission  carried 
out in its memorandum has illustrated the complexity  and complementarity 
of  the  factors  at  work.  The  vocational  training  policy  must  therefore  be 
linked  with  other  levels of  Community  action  when  it  is  implemented. 

Vocational  training  must  be  seen  in  conjunction  with  the  labour  market 
policy  (Article  123), and particularly  adaptation  to  industrial  changes - an 
objective  which  is  common  to  Articles  123  and  127,  cooperation  on 

11 

education  (Article  126),  action  on  the  competitiveness  of  industry 
(Article  130), research and technological development policy (Article 130h) 
and freedom  of  movement  (Article  57).  It must help to achieve  combined 
action  and  coherence  between  measures  which  depend  on  the  policies 
concerned, for training must be linked with the objectives of these different 
contexts  if  it is to  be  effective. 

20. 

There is a special  need for operational  synergy  with the Structural Funds, 
including Community initiatives,  and also with the socio-economic chapter 
of  the  4th  framework  programme  for  research  and  technological 
development. 

Complementarity  between education and training 

21. 

22. 

23. 

24. 

The  new  elements  to  do  with  vocational  training  policy  and  the 
introduction  of  a specific  article  on  education  (Article  126)  for  the first 
time  call  for  an  integrated  approach  to  education  and  training  at  the 
Community  level,  even  if  the  levels  of  competence  and  the  procedures 
remain different.  The link  between  these  two fields is as important  as the 
definition  of  the  specific  measures  for  each  of  them;  it  must  make  it 
possible to transcend the previous debates on the border between education 
and training and to develop the new political concept of "lifelong learning" 
as a prospect  for  the  Community  in conjunction  with  the construction  of 
a European citizenship. 

in 

This complementarity  of the two contexts must be reinforced and be given 
tangible  expression 
the  arrangements  and  actions  proposed. 
Operationally speaking, Community-backed actions must strengthen cross-
fertilisation of education and training arrangements through the approaches 
of the institutions concerned. Coordinated actions could be pursued for this 
purpose  on  themes  of  common  interest  to  both  fields,  e.g.  language 
training, open and distance learning, career guidance, lifelong learning and 
the monitoring  of  occupations  and skills. 

The universities are players in the development of continuing training and 
main  players  for  the  transfer  of  technological  innovations,  and  for  the 
objective  of  quality  in  vocational  training  and  cooperation  with  the 
business community.  Complementarity  must be pursued ai other levels  in 
the  education  systems,  whether  we  are  talking  about  occupational  and 
social  integration  of  young  people or the  continuing  training of adults. 

As regards vocational  guidance, the programme must serve as a vehicle for 
introducing  a  European  dimension.  It  will  cover  all  areas  of  vocational 
training  and  permit  significant  broadening  of  the  Community  actions 
pursued so far in this field. This action is presently based essentially on the 
PETRA programme which concerns young people and sets an age limit of 
27 on  participants.  The  new programme  will  make  it possible  to  extend 
this  action  to  all  target  groups: young  people  and adults, employees  and 

12 

25. 

26. 

job-seekers.  It will  then  be  possible  to  develop  career guidance  measures 
to accompany  individuals throughout their occupational  lives and not only 
during  the  first  phase,  and  to  help  them  to  choose  the  most  appropriate 
training channels  in the light  of  labour market requirements and.their own 
occupational  progress,  and  of  the  emergence  of  a  European  training 
market. 

By  implementing  this  programme  the  Community  will  also  help  to 
encourage  open  and  distance  learning  (ODL),  as  advocated  in  the 
Commission  Memorandum  of  December  1991,  the  conclusions  of  the 
Ministers of  Education  meeting within the Council  in June and December 
1992,  and  the  Resolution  adopted  by  the  European  Parliament  in  July 
1993. This  encouragement  will  focus  on  the  specific  advantages  distance 
learning  brings  in  the  pursuit  of  the  objectives  laid  down  in  the  Treaty, 
with particular emphasis on the flexibility  it gives training, its capacity to 
reach  many  users  -  especially  those  who  have  problems  of  access  to 
vocational training -, the enhancement it brings by extending and blending 
in  with  traditional  methods,  the  guarantee  of  quality  it  offers,  and  the 
establishment of training networks enabling citizens to avail themselves of 
the opportunities  it  offers  in  terms of  customised  training.  Which  is  why 
all  actions  may  include  measures  to  encourage  and  promote  the  use  of 
ODL as a method which is particularly suited to the programme's objective 
of disseminating  its  results  as  widely  as possible. 

The problem  of  anticipating  needs  also  warrants  specific  attention  and a 
transversal  approach  within  the  programme.  Identifying  changes  in  skills 
and occupations  is  today  a  necessity  and  the  single  market  is  the  reason 
why  this  requirement  is  a  reality  not  only  within  each  country  but  at 
European level as well. Implementation of the programme will  accordingly 
be made easier by  work on the evolution  of occupations and occupational 
qualifications  in the  Community  in conjunction  with CEDEFOP  in order 
to  ensure  a  better  knowledge  and  better  circulation  of  information  on 
changing occupations.  One of the tasks will  also be to identify  needs, to 
build up a system of technology  monitoring to warn of changes under way 
in job  content  and  their  consequences  for  training,  and  to  facilitate  the 
transfer of forecasting  methods and know-how between the Member States 
and the different  players concerned. 

Subsidiarity 

27. 

The subsidiarity  issue  broached  by  the  memorandum  is dealt  with firstly 
in  Article  127  of  the  Treaty  on  European  Union,  which  rules  out  the 
harmonisation  of  national  systems,  recognises  that  the  Member  States 
themselves  are  fully  responsible  for  the  organisation  and  content  of 
training,  and gives  the  Community  the  responsibility  for  implementing  a 
vocational  training  policy  which  supports  and  supplements  action  by  the 
Member  States.  Implementation  of  these  provisions  must  provide  better 
linkage between  the Community's  innovatory  and catalytic action  and the 

13 

28. 

29. 

national  systems, particularly  by bringing about a greater degree of linkage 
between Community actions and the fundamental elements and determining 
factors  of  change  in  the  Member  States' systems. 

Moreover,  Community  action  must  accordingly  be  centred  on  the 
development  of transnational  cooperation  at all  relevant  levels  in order to 
bring visible  added value  to  action  undertaken  by  the  Member States and 
by  the  players  involved  in  the  training  market.  The  added  value  of 
Community action must be consolidated and strengthened to keep step with 
the  open  European  area  for  vocational  training  and  qualifications  which 
will  gradually  emerge  from  the  completion  and  operation  of  the  single 
market.  The  measures  proposed  support  and supplement  actions pursued 
by  and  in  the  Member  States  and  enable  them  to  use  the  input  from 
transnational  operations  in order to  improve  the quality  and  effectiveness 
of their systems  and arrangements. 

Future  actions  must  demonstrate  a  "positive"  linkage  between  the 
complementary  action  of  the  Community  and  national  training policies. 
Furthermore, at the appropriate levels  in  the field of  training due account 
must be taken of  the  links between  the  public  authorities' mechanisms of 
intervention  and the contribution  of  the  two  sides of  industry. 

14 

30. 

This approach  makes it possible to optimise the effectiveness  of the actions 
and  policies  implemented,  including  those  at  Community  level.  The 
discussions  on  the  Council  Recommendation  on  access  to  continuing 
training9  have  shown  that  by  taking  account  of  the  responsibilities  which 
the  two  sides  of  industry  can  assume  and,  more  broadly  speaking,  of 
vocational 
training 
organisations)  both  at  Community  and  national  levels, Community  action 
can achieve a broader, more realistic and more effective  impact,  improving 
complementarity  and  achieving  synergy  between  public  action  and 
collective  bargaining. 

training  action  by 

the  social  players 

(firms, 

The  institutional  process 

31. 

32. 

33. 

34. 

The  decision-making  procedure  as  regards 
to  be 
implemented  will  be  that  stipulated  in  Article  189  C of  the  Treaty.  This 
gives the European  Parliament  a bigger  say  in  the  adoption  of texts  under 
the  Council  and  European 
the  procedure  for  cooperation  between 
Parliament  for  proposals  based  on  Article  127. 

instruments 

the 

The  Economic  and  Social  Committee  must  be  consulted  on  proposals  on 
vocational  training  and  in  most  cases  it  will  also  be  useful  to  obtain  the 
opinion  of 
the 
responsibilities  of  local  authorities  in  matters  concerning  vocational 
training. 

the  new  Committee  of 

the  Regions 

in  view  of 

The  Advisory  Committee  on  Vocational  Training  (ACVT),  a  tripartite 
statutory  committee,  could  fulfil  a  dual  function  of  monitoring  the 
coherence of the overall  Community  policy  on vocational training, in view 
of the broad  spectrum  of  action  it entails, and  of  monitoring  subsidiarity, 
inter alia in order  to improve  the linkage  between  Community  policy  and 
national  action.  The  Commission  will  therefore  regularly  inform  the 
ACVT of  developments  in  the  programme,  particularly  regarding: 

(a)  general  policy  guidelines  in  the  field  of  vocational  training 
(b)  general  monitoring  of  the  common  framework  of  objectives 
(c)  the  general  report  on  vocational  training  and 
(d)  the  general  assessment  of  the  programme 

The  creation  of  a  Social  Dialogue  Committee  should  make  it  possible  to 
pursue and extend  the very  profitable  work  carried out by the two sides of 
industry  within  the education-training  group  which  started  up in  1989 and 
considerably  improve  the  consistency  of  Community  action  with  the 
process of agreements between the two sides of industry  at European  level, 
in  tine  with  their  agreement  of  31.10.1991. 

Council Recommendation on access to continuing training. 93/404/CEE of 30 June 1993. 

15 

m 

35. 

PRESENTATION  OF THE  PROPOSAL 

training 

programmes 

On  the  basis  of  experience  in  implementing  the  existing  Community 
(COMETT,  PETRA,  FORCE, 
vocational 
EUROTECNET)  and  of  other  actions  and  pilot  projects  in the same  area, 
the  main  aim  of  the  programme  is  to  ensure  the  implementation  of  a 
vocational  training policy  which  will support and supplement the action of 
the  Member  States,  and  to  foster  cooperation  between  Member  States  so 
that an  open  European  area  for  vocational  training  and  qualifications  can 
be gradually  achieved.  To  this  end,  the programme  will  aim to: 

-  contribute  to  the  improvement  of  the  effectiveness  and  quality  of 

systems; 

-  promote  quality  in  methods  and  products; 
-  support  innovation  in  vocational  training; 
-  use  vocational 

training  as  a  vehicle 

disseminating  technological  innovation; 

for  promoting  and 

-  develop  the  European  dimension  throughout  all  levels of training; 
-  encourage  the  intellectual  mobility  of  knowledge,  in  particular 

through  distance  learning. 

36. 

The  draft  proposal  for  a  Council  Decision  respects  the  principle  of 
subsidiarity  and  includes  two  complementary  parts: 

- 

- 

a  common  framework  of  objectives 
to  promote 
development  of  vocational  training  in  the  Community. 

the  coherent 

a set of  Community  measures to  support  and  supplement  action  taken 
by  and  in  the Member  States. 

37. 

38. 

The  common  framework  of  objectives  is  designed  to  promote  greater 
cooperation  between  the  Member  States  so that  a  Community  vocational 
training  policy  can  gradually  be  introduced  and  so  that  coherent 
development of vocational training in the Community  can be ensured. The 
Member  States  will,  on  their  own  initative,  refer  to  this  common 
framework  of objectives in implementing their vocational training policies. 
The  guidelines  of  the  COMETT,  PETRA,  FORCE  and  EUROTECNET 
programmes are incorporated into the common framework  of objectives set 
out  in  the proposal. 

With  regard  to  the  Community  measures,  the  Commission's  proposal  is 
intended  to  simplify  the  multiplicity  of  current  actions,  to  ensure  better 
transparency and better targeting of Community  action, and to improve its 
impact. 

if 

The programme concerns all the players in the field of vocational  training, 
be  it  public  authorities,  private  training  bodies, firms or  social  partners. 
Its aim  is  to  enable  these  players,  whether  in terms of  policy  orientation, 
definition  of  needs  or design  of  measures,  to  improve  their  methods and 
practice  on  the  basis  of  the  results of  transnational  cooperation. 

Three strands of  action,  each  with  its specific  objectives,  are foreseen  for 
the  implementation  of  the  programe's  general  objectives,  leading  to  the 
gradual  emergence  of  an  open  area  for  training  and  qualifications  in the 
Community: 

Strand  1:  measures  to  sustain  the  quality  of  Member  States'  systems, 

arrangements  and policies; 

Strand 2:  measures  to  support  innovative  capacity  in  actions  on  the 

training market; 

Strand  3:  network  and  accompanying  measures  -  promotion  of  the 

European  dimension. 

The  first  strand  is  intended  to  provide  Community  support  for  projects 
which  have  a  direct  impact  on  national  vocational  training  systems  and 
arrangements.  If the quality  of the services dispensed by these systems is 
to be improved, there must be greater efficiency  of  investment and public 
expenditure  committed.  Experience  of  the  previous  programmes,  and in 
particular PETRA for initial training systems, has shown that transnational 
cooperation can help national systems to evolve towards greater efficiency. 
In the context of a tight squeeze on national public budgets, the economies 
of scale and the transfer of innovation  made possible through Community 
action have  an increasingly  important  role to play. 

On themes such as qualifications  or vocational  guidance, which should be 
regarded  as  central  to  this  first  strand,  the  transnational  cooperation 
developed  by  the  programme  makes  it  possible  to  introduce  a  real 
European  dimension  which  is  essential  from  the  point  of  view  of  free 
movement and the mobility of individuals for the purposes of training and 
employment. 

39. 

40. 

The second strand caters for the providers of training activities or products 
on the  market.  All  categories of  players  are concerned:  training bodies, 
firms, social  partners, universities. 

Projects  will  aim on  the one  hand to  promote  and develop  innovation  in 
vocational  training  activities  so  as to  increase  their  effectiveness  and, on 
the  other  hand,  to  promote  and  facilitate  the  transfer  of  technological 
innovations. 

H-

41. 

42. 

43. 

44. 

The  third  strand  is  aimed  at  developing  the  European  dimension  in 
vocational  training by means of Community  support for the rationalisation 
and coordination  of  the  national  bodies  and operational  structures  which 
underpin the construction of transnational  pilot projects and placements in 
another  Member  State; this  will  make  it  possible  to  improve  and  extend 
the  European  network  for  the  promotion  of  transnational  cooperation, 
ensure  that  the  programme  is  transparent  and increase  its induced  effects 
by enhancing the dissemination of products and the results of pilot projects 
to  other  operators,  in  particular  through  the  activities  of  the  European 
network. 

This  third  strand  also  incorporates  the  aspects  of  language  audit  and 
transnational  language  projects  for  firms  and  socio-economic  circles, 
corresponding  to the old  Action  III of  the LINGUA  Programme. 

Special  attention will  go  to balancing  resources and disseminating  results 
between the two strands of the programme. It would indeed be particularly 
counter-productive  for there to be a rigid barrier between strands I and II 
or for a marked imbalance to emerge in the number of projects backed and 
therefore  of  practitioner  interest.  Whatever  the  organisation  of  national 
systems, there  is reason  to believe  that dynamism  and innovation  depend 
on  complementarity  between  the  two  pillars,  i.e.  public  systems  and  the 
market.  Community  action  must  therefore  endeavour  to  encourage  this 
overall dynamism and lower the barriers which have emerged on occasion 
and restricted  the scope  of  transnational  cooperation. 

The  measures  to  be  supported  under  the  vocational  training  programme 
deal essentially  with the preparation of training activities, the development 
of innovative  methods and products and the dissemination of  results.  The 
programme only marginally aims to support the implementation of training 
activities as such.  As a result, expenditure eligible for Community support 
mainly  relates  to the cost  of  design  and preparation  of  measures  and not 
the cost of providing training (payment of trainers or beneficiaries, training 
expenses).  This aspect increases the complementarity  between  the action 
programme  and  financing  from  the  Structural  Funds,  including  the 
Community  Initiatives  which  are  mainly  centred  on  costs  linked  to  the 
implementation  of  training  activities  logically  following  the  preparation 
and design  stages. 

The Community's additional specific actions on vocational training will be 
all the more effective  insofar  as increased transparency, easier access and 
greater  dissemination  of  results  can  be  secured  between  the  different 
vocational training systems, organisations and practitioners in the Member 
States  and action taken by the Community.  It is up to the Member  States 
within  the  proper  exercise  of  their  responsibilities  to  ensure  that  this 
linkage is achieved by taking the necessary rationalisation and coordination 
measures in the light of the experience of the national promotional  bodies 
and  operational  structures  already  set  up  within  the  framework  of 

18 

45. 

46. 

47. 

Community  vocational  training programmes.  At operational  level  and on 
the  ground,  it  will  also  be  necessary  to  ensure  active  complementarity 
between  the  structures  of  the  network  and  operators  covered  by  the 
programme and those responsible  for the implementation of the Structural 
Funds. 

The European vocational  training network  made up of the national bodies, 
the operational  support structures for  projects and operators themselves  is 
a key element of the added value of Community  action.  By going beyond 
support for  innovative but isolated operations, the dynamic  resulting from 
the networking of  activities  and partnerships should be a leading criterion 
for  Community  support,  taking  due  account  of  the  responsibility  of 
Member  States  for  the  organisation  and  coordination  of  operational 
structures  and  authorities.  The  impact  of  the  transnational  nature  of 
operations is reinforced by the fact that innovative action and partnerships 
are integrated in a European network which provides fruitful  opportunities 
for dissemination,  visibility  and impact. 

The Commission  will be assisted for the implementation of this vocational 
training  programme  by  a  programme  committee  comprising  two 
representatives chosen by each Member State and six  representatives each 
from  two  sides  of  industry  as  observers.  This  committee  is  an  advisory 
committee  and will  assist  the  Commission  as regards: 

(i) 

(ii) 

(iii) 
(iv) 

priorities  for  Community  action  and  the  resulting  annual  work 
programme; 
the financial assistance  to  be provided  by  the Community  for  the 
different  measures  (amount,  duration  and  beneficiaries), 
the  breakdown  between  the  different  actions; 
for 
the  arrangements 
arrangements  for  dissemination  and transfer of results. 

selection,  assessment  methods  and 

In  partnership  with  the  Member  States,  the  Commission  will  support 
operational complementarity  between action under the programme and the 
Structural  Funds,  including  the  Community  initiatives  in  the  field  of 
human  resources  in  areas  such  as  dissemination  of  relevant  comparative 
information,  dissemination  of  methodologies,  instruments,  products  and 
experience, conduct of transnational training actions, etc. The Commission 
will  also  support  operational  synergy  with  the  fourth  framework 
programme  for  research  and  technological  development  particularly  in 
order to  promote  the  transfer  of  technological  innovation  and to  enhance 
the  capacity  of  training  and  qualification  systems  to  take  on  board  the 
results of  R&D,  particularly  with  a view  to : 

promoting comparative research on vocational training systems and 
arrangements; 
encouraging the transfer of technological  innovation through high-
quality  vocational  training; 

n 

48. 

49. 

50. 

51. 

52. 

10 

enhancing  the  capacity  of  training  and  qualification  systems  to 
respond to research  findings; 
developing  innovation  in open and distance  learning and training 
approaches. 

In order to  further  the social  dialogue between the social  partners at the 
Community level, the Commission will establish in partnership with them 
appropriate operational links with the programme in order to enable them 
to  make  better  use  in  their  dialogue  of  the  outcome  of  the  different 
measures. 

An overall information  drive on the actions and results of the programme 
will  be  carried  out  in  partnership  between  the  Commission  and  the 
Member  States  in  order  to  meet  the  need  for  greater  transparency  and 
impact of Community action.  To this end also, the Member States will at 
the halfway  stage and at the close of the programme forward  a report on 
the  activities  undertaken  under  the  programme.  The  social  partners,  in 
accordance with national practice, will be fully  associated in the activities 
of monitoring,  preparation  of reports  and  assessment  of the programme. 
The Commission will on this basis submit to the European Parliament, to 
the Council and to the Economic and Social Committee an interim report 
by 31 December  1997 and a final  report by 30 June 2000. 

In accordance with the agreement on the European Economic area (and its 
additional protocol, and in particular Protocol 31) concluded between the 
European  Communities  and  their  Member  States  and  the  countries  of 
EFTA, Community  initiatives, activities, cooperation and programmes in 
the  field  of  vocational  training  will  be  open  from  1  January  1995  to 
participation by EFTA countries which accede to the EEA. 

The  Commission  will  reinforce  its  cooperation  with  the  OECD,  the 
Council  of  Europe,  the  ILO  and  UNESCO,  in  particular  within  the 
framework  of  the  development  of  the  exchange  of  information  and 
experience on issues common to the Member  States' training systems. 

To assist it in the implementation of the programme, the Commission will 
secure  the  support  of  the  European  Centre  for  the  Development  of 
Vocational  Training  under  the conditions  laid  down  in the  Regulation10 
establishing that Centre, and that of the European Training Foundation11 
so as gradually  to develop appropriate  cooperation with the countries of 
central and eastern Europe. 

Council Regulation (EEC)  N°  337/75 of 10 February 1975 establishing a European centre 
for the development of vocational training (OJ N° L39,  13 February  1975) 
Council Regulation (EEC) N°  1360/90 of 7 May  1990 establishing a European Training 
Foundation (OJ N° L131, 23 May  1990) 

20 

Conclusions 

53. 

Community action in the field of vocational training through programmes 
due  to  end  at  the  close  of  1994  has  already  borne  fruit  in  terms  of 
partnerships, pilot projects, exchange of experience and networking. These 
encouraging results have illustrated the worthwhile nature and added value 
of broader and more systematic cooperation.  The rationalisation  advocated 
by the Commission  in  its proposal  in terms of  both  objectives  and  actions 
should  significantly  increase  the impact  and  understanding  of  Community 
action  in this  field  and  its complementarity  with  other  Community  action. 
This  approach  is  all  the  more  important  as  vocational  training  must  play 
a  greater  part  in  giving  a  fillip  to  European  competitiveness  and  in 
reversing  the  rising  tide  of  unemployment.  The  boost  to  the  quality  of 
systems  and  to  the  capacity  for  innovation  which  Community  action  will 
provide  must  be  the  driving  force  in  a  context  dominated  by  severe 
budgetary  constraints  in the Member States. 

1\ 

LINKS BETWEEN CURRENT PETRA, FORCE, IRIS, EOROTECNET AND COMETT AND 

THE THREE STRANDS OF THE NEW VOCATIONAL TRAINING  PROGRAMME 

STRAND  I 

* Design  projects 

Joint  modules 

Projects 

Projects 

PETRA 

FORCE 

IRIS 

EUROTECNET 

COMETT 

* Multiplier  effect  projects 

* Placements  for young  people 
undergoing  initial  training 

Placements 

* Placements  for young  workers 

Placements 

* Exchanges  for  decision-makers 

Study  visits 

Study  visits 

Study  visits 

Study  visits 

* Surveys, analyses,  exchange 

of  comparable data 

Studies-Research 
Strands 
IVT Reports 

Stat. Survey 
Cont. Training 
(CVTS) 
CVT Reports 

Strand  II 

*  "Innovation" design  projects 

Pilot  projects 

Pilot  projects 

*  "Transfer of  innovation" 

design  projects 

* Multiplier  effect  projects 

Pilot  projects 

* Placements  in firms for young 

people undergoing  initial 
training 

* Placements  in firms  for young 

university  graduates 

Pilot  projects 

Continuing 
training  course 

Placements 

Placements 

* Exchanges  for decision-makers 

Exchanges 

* Surveys, analyses, exchange  of 

comparable  data 

Sect,  surveys 
Ana. contract. 
policy 

Studies 

Applied 
research 

STRAND  III 

* National  network 

NCU 

NCU 

NADU 

NADU 

Info. Centre 

* Regional  or sectoral  network 

Regional or 
sectoral UETPs 

J.X 

Proposal 

f or  a 

COUNCIL  DECISION 

ESTABLISHING AN ACTION PROGRAMME 
FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A EUROPEAN COMMUNITY 
VOCATIONAL TRAINING POLICY 
L E O N A R DO  DA VINO 

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  establishing  the  European  Community,  and  in  particular 
Article  127 thereof, 

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission1, 

In cooperation with the European Parliament2, 

Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee3, 

1.  Whereas  the  Treaty  gives  the  Community  the  responsibility  of  implementing  a 
vocational training policy which supports and supplements the action of the Member 
States; 

2.  Whereas this policy needs to be implemented while fully respecting the responsibility 
of the  Member  States  for  the content  and  organisation  of vocational  training,  and 
excludes any harmonisation of the laws and regulations of the Member States; 

3.  Whereas the Council, in its Decision 63/266/EEC, adopted the general principles for 
implementing a common vocational training policy, and application of those general 
principles is the responsibility of the Member States and the competent  institutions 
of the Community4; 

OJ 
OJ 
OJ 
OJ, English  Special Edition  1963-1964, p. 25. 

21 

4.  Whereas the Council, by Decisions  86/365/EEC5 and 89/27/EEC6, adopted the two 
phases  of  the  COMETT  programme  designed  to  strengthen  cooperation  between 
universities and industry regarding training in the field  of technology; 

5.  Whereas  the  Council,  by  its  Decision  89/657/EEC7,  adopted  the  EUROTECNET 
action programme to promote innovation in the field of vocational training resulting 
from technological  change in the European Community; 

6.  Whereas  the  Council,  by  its  Decision  90/267/EEC8,  adopted  the  FORCE  action 
programme  for the development  of continuing vocational  training in the European 
Community; 

7.  Whereas  the  Council,  by  its  Decision  87/569/EEC9  amended  by  its  Decision 
91/387/EEC10,  adopted  and  then  amended  the  PETRA  action  programme  for  the 
vocational training of young people and their preparation for adult and working life; 

8.  Whereas,  according  to  the  evaluation  reports  covering  the  Community  action 
programmes  COMETT, EUROTECNET,  FORCE and PETRA,  as reviewed  in the 
Report  from  the  Commission  to  the  Council,  the  European  Parliament  and  the 
Economic and  Social Committee11,  Community  cooperation  on vocational  training 
injects real added value into the actions conducted in and by Member States; 

9.  Whereas  the  Commission  in  its  recommendation  87/567/EEC  n  on  vocational 
training for women encouraged Member  States to strengthen measures to promote 
the  equality  of  opportunities,  and  in the  Third  Medium  Term Action  Programme 
(1991-1994) on equal opportunities for men and women13 the Commission undertook 
to  pursue  exchanges  of  experience  and  know-how  through  the  IRIS  network  and 
develop  this  network  to  better  identify  the  training  needs  of  women,  promote 
innovative training and develop a European methodology on the  subject; 

10.  Whereas the Council, in its resolution of 11 June  199314, noted the need to improve 
the  quality  of  vocational  training  in  the  Member  States  in  order  to  encourage 
continuing opportunities  for  individuals to develop their knowledge and skills and 
thus  contribute  to  increased  economic  and  social  cohesion  as  well  as  to  the 
competitiveness  of the European economy; 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

OJ No L 222 of 8.8.1986, p. 17. 
O J N o L B of  17.1.1989, p. 28. 
OJ No L 393 of 30.12.1989, p. 29. 
OJ No L  156 of 21.6.1990, p. 1. 
OJ N° L346 of  10.12.1987, p.  31. 
OJ No L 214 of 2.8.1991, p. 69. 
COM(93)  151 final of 5.5.1993. 
OJ No L 342 of 4.12.1987, p. 35 
COM(90) 449 final of 6.11.1990, confirmed  by Council Resolution of 21.5.1991 (91/C  142/01) OJ 
NoC  142/01 31.5.1991,  p.l. 
OJ N° CI86 of 08.07.1993, p. 3. 

24 

11.  Whereas the Council, in its recommendation of 30 June 1993 on access to continuing 
vocational  training15,  recommended  that  Member  States  adjust  their  vocational 
training policies to  ensuring that  every worker  of the Community  be  able to have 
access to continuing vocational training without any form  of discrimination  and to 
benefit  therefrom  throughout his or her working life. 

12.  Whereas  the  Commission,  in  its working paper  on the  guidelines  for  Community 
action in the field  of education and training16, stated that its aim was to rationalise 
and streamline the action programmes  in the vocational training field into a single 
programme, whilst reinforcing those aspects which appear to be most promising in 
terms of the European added value and stimulus they can  offer; 

13.  Whereas the added value of Community action must be consolidated and reinforced 
in  the  course  of  the  progressive  establishment  of  an  open  area  for  training  and 
vocational  qualifications  which  is  linked  with  the  creation  and  operation  of  the 
Single Market; 

14.  Whereas  the  synthesis  of  Member  States'  contributions  arising  from  the 
Memorandum  on  vocational  training  in  the  1990s17 highlighted  the  major  trends 
jointly faced by the Member States in the said open area for training and vocational 
qualifications; 

15.  Whereas the European Council of 10 and 11  December 1993 concluded that because 
of the  institutional,  legislative and contractual  peculiarities  of each Member  State, 
the Community's  action must  focus  on defining  objectives,  while  leaving Member 
States  free  to  choose  the  means  appropriate  to  their  situation  within  a  general 
framework  defined  in common, and mat  in order to strengthen the capacity  of the 
European  economy,  Member  States  should  draw  on  suggestions  from  the 
Commission White Paper on the medium term strategy for growth, competitiveness 
and employment; 

16.  Whereas,  in order to promote  a coherent  development  of vocational  training,  it  is 
necessary  to  establish  a  common framework of  objectives  which  will  serve  as  a 
reference  for Member States' policies; 

17.  Whereas, in order to raise the effectiveness  of Community action, different  types of 
measures  need  to  be  organised  within  three  principal  strands,  the  first  aimed  at 
providing  support  for  the  quality  of  Member  States'  systems,  arrangements  and 
policies, the second at supporting innovation  in actions on the training market and 
the  third  at  the  gradual  implementation  of  a  network  to  support  the  European 
dimension  in vocational training; 

15 

16 

17 

OJN°L181  of 23.7.1993, p.37. 
COM(93)  183 final of 5.5.1993. 
COM(91) 397 final of  12.12.1991 

1$ 

18.  Whereas  the  three  types  of  measures  involved  in  the  programme  (pilot  projects, 
placements, surveys and analyses) are all aimed at transnational  cooperation which 
clearly injects  added value into the actions undertaken by the Member States or by 
the players  in the training market, while respecting the principle of subsidiarity; 

19.  Whereas  there  is  a  need  to  encourage  operational  links  between  the  action 
programme  in  the  vocational  training  field  and  the  intervention  of  the  Structural 
Funds, especially Community Initiative Programmes. 

20.  Whereas there is a need to ensure continuous monitoring and systematic evaluation 
of the  programme  and  measures  in partnership  between  the  Commission  and  the 
Member States; 

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: 

%> 

Article 1 

(Establishment  of the Programme) 

This  Decision  establishes  an  action  programme  for  the  implementation  of  a  European 
Community  vocational  training  policy,  hereinafter  referred  to  as  the  "programme 
LEONARDO da Vinci".  The programme shall enter  into force  on  1 January  1995. 

The .programme establishes: 

1)  a Common Framework of Objectives  for  Community  action, aimed at promoting a 

coherent development of vocational training, described in Annex I; 

2)  a  set  of  Community  measures,  described  in  Article  4  and  in  Annex  II,  to  be 
implemented  on the  basis  of the  Common  Framework  of  Objectives  described  in 
Annex  1, to  support  and  supplement  activities  undertaken  by  and  in the  Member 
States. 

llr 

Article 2 

(Definitions) 

For the purposes of this Decision, the term : 

(a)  "initial vocational training" is used in a general sense to denote any form of initial 
vocational training of non-university level, including technical and vocational training 
and apprenticeship, which enables young people to gain a vocational  qualification 
recognised by the competent authorities of the Member State in which it is obtained; 

(b)  "continuing vocational training" is used in a general sense to denote any vocational 
training  engaged  in  by  a  worker  in the  European  Community  throughout  his/her 
working life; 

(c)  "firm"  is used to denote large, medium-sized and small undertakings, regardless of 
their  legal  status  or  the  economic  sector  in which  they  operate,  and  all  types  of 
economic activity including the social economy; 

(d)  "worker"  is used to denote any person having active links with the labour market, 

including the self-employed; 

(e)  "social  partners"  is  used  to  denote  the  employers'  organisations  and  trade  unions 
recognised  in each Member  State for the purposes of collective bargaining, and/or 
their  inter-industry  organisations  and/or  national  organisations  involved  in  joint 
action. 

(f)  "training  body"  is  used  to  denote  all  types  of  public,  semi-public  or  private 
establishment engaged in vocational training, further training updating or retraining 
activities, regardless of the way in which they are referred to in the Member States. 
The term also covers autonomous economic organisations, in particular chambers of 
commerce and industry and/or their equivalents, and professional  associations; 

(g)  "university"  is  used  to  denote  all  types  of  higher-education  establishment  which 
provide qualifications  or diplomas of that level, whatever they may be called; 

(h)  "open  and  distance  learning  and  training"  is  used  to  denote  any  type  of  non-
traditional  training,  including  the  use  of  new  information  and  communication 
technologies  and  services  and  involving  advice  on  training  and  individualised 
tutoring; 

<2£ 

Article 3 

(Actions to be undertaken at national  level) 

The Common Framework of Objectives  described  in Annex I will serve as a  reference 
for the development of Member States' policies, bearing in mind the internal legal powers 
of  the  parties  concerned  and  the  respective  responsibilities  of  the  competent  public 
authorities, firms and the social partners. 

Article 4 

(Community measures) 

1.  The Commission  shall  implement the Community  measures  specified  in Annex II 

during the period from 1 January  1995 to 31 December 1999. 

2.  Decisions  shall  be taken  in accordance with the procedure  laid  down  in Article  5 

œncerning : 

(a) 

(b) 

the  priorities  in  the  Community  measures  described  in  Annex  II  and  the 
annual work programme resulting from it; 

the financial support to be provided by the Community (amounts, duration and 
beneficiaries); 

(c) 

the breakdown among the various strands; 

(d) 

procedures for selection, evaluation, dissemination and transfer  of results. 

<H 

Article 5 

(Committee) 

The  Commission  shall  be  assisted  by  an  Advisory  Committee  composed  of  two 
representatives  from  each  Member  State  and  chaired  by  the  representative  of  the 
Commission. 

Twelve representatives of the social partners, appointed by the Commission on the basis 
of proposals from the organisations representing the social partners at Community level, 
shall participate  in the work of the Committee as observers. 

The Commission representative shall submit to the Committee the draft  measures to be 
undertaken.  The  Committee  shall  deliver  its  opinion  on the  draft,  within  a time  limit 
which the Chairman may lay down according to the urgency of the matter involved, by 
taking a vote if necessary. 

The opinion shall be recorded in the minutes; in addition, each Member State shall have 
the right to ask to have its position recorded in the minutes. 

The  Commission  shall  take  the  utmost  account  of  the  opinion  delivered  by  the 
Committee. It shall inform the Committee of the manner in which its opinion has been 
taken  into account. 

%> 

Article 6 

(Consistency  and complementarity) 

1.  The Commission shall strive to ensure overall consistency between the programme 

and the Community programme on education. 

2.  The Commission,  in partnership with the Member States, shall foster an element of 
complementarity between the operation of the programme and the intervention of the 
Structural  Funds,  especially  Community  Initiative  Programmes.  It  will  strive,  in 
particular, to ensure that Community measures implemented in this programme shall 
contribute to improving the structural interventions in the field of vocational training, 
with a view to: 

(a)  disseminating and enhancing the relevant comparative information on vocational 

training systems and arrangements; 

(b)  stimulating  the  implementation  of  transnational  actions  related  to  vocational 

training, based on the results of the programme's pilot projects; 

(c)  promoting  greater  synergy  with  policies  to  promote  employment  and  which 
support  equal  opportunities  for  access  to  initial  and  continuing  training  for 
disadvantaged groups. 

3.  The  Commission,  in  partnership  with  the  Member  States,  shall  encourage  the 
coordination  of  activities  between  the  programme  and  the  Fourth  Research  and 
Development Framework Programme. 

4.  The  Commission,  shall  set  up  the  appropriate  operational  links  between  the 
programme and the activities within the Social Dialogue Framework at Community 
level. 

5. 

In implementing the programme, the Commission shall be assisted by the European 
Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP) §. 

'8  Council  Regulation  (EEC) No 337/75  of  10 February  1975  establishing  a  European Centre  for  the 

Development of Vocational  Training -  QJ No  L 39 of  13.2.1975, p.  1. 

Article 7 

(Monitoring, evaluation and reports) 

1.  The programme shall be continuously monitored on a partnership basis involving the 
Commission and the Member States. This shall be done by means of reports drawn 
up by the Member States and of specific activities, thus enabling the programme to 
be redirected in the light of the needs  identified. 

Monitoring, financial management and control of the transnational measures shall be 
the task of the Commission. 

2.  The  programme  shall  be  evaluated  at  regular  intervals  through  a  partnership 

involving the Commission and the Member States. 

The results of Community measures shall be evaluated by outside bodies at regular 
intervals. 

3.  The Member States shall forward to the Commission a report on vocational training 

on 31 December  1995 and every two years  thereafter. 

This shall include: 

any  appropriate  information  on  existing  systems  and  arrangements  in  the 
Member States for promoting and funding  vocational training; 

a description of any activities undertaken to give tangible form to the Common 
Framework of Objectives  described in Annex I; 

a  description  of  any  complementary  operational  links  established  at  national 
level  between  activities  under  the  programme  and  the  interventions  of  the 
Structural Funds, especially Community Initiative Programmes. 

4.  The  Commission  shall  submit  to  the  Council,  the  European  Parliament  and  the 
Economic and Social Committee before 30 June 1998 an interim report on the launch 
phase, and before 30 June 2000 a  report on implementation of the programme. 

Done at 

., 

For the Council 

For the President 

TO-

A N N EX  I 

COMMON FRAMEWORK OF OBJECTIVES 

Bearing in mind that the Member States should pay particular attention to the  following 
measures: 

improving vocational  training  systems.  Continuing training  is,  in particular,  to  be 
facilitated  so  as  to  ensure  ongoing  adjustment  of  skills  to  the  needs  of 
competitiveness and to combating unemployment; 

specific measures œncerning young people who leave the education system without 
adequate training, 

the Common Framework of Objectives  shall combine: 

1.  Facilitating adaptation to industrial changes, especially, through vocational training 

and  retraining 
and, in particular: 

a)  promoting  anticipation  and  forecasting  of requirements  in terms  of  skills  and 

training; 

b)  promoting the acquisition of new qualifications  and key competences; 

c)  developing  continuing  training  with  regard  to  the  results  of  research  and 

technological development programmes; 

d)  encouraging training  of  executives  and  managers  of  SMEs,  focusing  on  the 
mechanisms  governing  internationalisation  of  the  economy,  the  rules  of  the 
single market, the new technologies and their implications. 

2. 

Improving  initial  vocational  training and continuing  training  in order to  facilitate 
integration and reintegration into the labour market 
and, in particular: 

a)  promoting  the  vocational  training  of  young people  and  their  preparation  for 
adult  and  working  life1,  developing  continuing  vocational  training2  and 
supporting  innovation  in  the  field  of  vocational  training  resulting  from 
technological change3; 

Article  1, paragraph  1 of  Council  Decision  91/387/EEC  and Article  2  of  Council 
Decision 87/569/EEC-PETRA 
Article 5 of Council Decision 90/267/EEC FORCE 
Article 4 of Council Decision 89/657/EEC-EUROTECNET 

b)  supporting  the  consolidation  of  vocational  guidance  arrangements  and  the 

diversification  of training courses on  offer; 

c) 

supporting the development of high-quality training for the designers, planners 
and managers of training policies; 

d)  developing the freedom of training bodies to provide services in the Community, 
and exchanges of information and experience on obstacles to the creation of an 
open European area for training. 

3.  Facilitating access to vocational training and encouraging mobility of instnictois and 

trainees, and especially young people 
and in particular : 

a)  providing all young people in the Community, who so wish, with access to one, 
or if possible, two or more years of initial vocational training following on  from 
their  compulsory  schooling  on  a  full-time  basis  and  leading  to  a  vocational 
qualification  recognised  by the  competent  authorities  in the  Member  State  in 
which it is obtained4; 

b) 

implementing common guidelines on access to continuing vocational training, 
the basic principle  being that  every  worker  should  be  able to  gain  access  to 
continuing training without  any  form  of discrimination  and to benefit  from  it 
throughout his or her working life5; 

c)  promoting effective equality of access to continuing training for women thereby 
helping to open up new areas of work to them and encouraging them to return 
to work after  a break; 

d)  developing  the  Community  dimension  in  training  through  transnational 
placements and promoting the mutual recognition and /or validation of the skills 
acquired; 

e)  encouraging  the  development  of  open  and  distance  learning  and  training  to 

facilitate  access to training. 

Article  1 of Council Decision 91/387/EEC-PETRA 
Council Recommendation 93/404/EEC 

5 

3<V 

4.  Stimulating cooperation on training between training establishments and firms 

and, in particular: 

a)  developing  a  European  dimension  into  cooperation  between  universities  and 

firms as regards training in technology, their application  and  transfer6; 

b) 

improving cooperation links between initial and continuing training in order to 
develop an approach based on life-long learning. 

5.  Supporting  exchanges  of  information  and  experience  on  issues  common  to  the 

training systenis of the Member States 
and, in particular: 

providing support to promote applied research into vocational training and to develop 
exchanges of information  and experience on training systems and arrangements and 
on qualification  and certification  systems. 

6  Article 3 of Council Decision  89/27/EEC-COMETT II 

3>s 

ANNEXH 

œMMUNTIY MEASURES 

Part A  : Measures 

The  measures  draw  on  the  experience  gained  in  implementing  the  Community's 
COMETT, EUROTECNET, FORCE, PETRA and IRIS programmes. 

They cover initial and continuing training systems, policies and actions as defined  in the 
Member States, and are based on strengthened cooperation between the various players 
in vocational training, in particular between firms and universities or training bodies. 

These measures are divided between three main strands : 

Strand I:  Measures to support the quality of Member States' systems, arrangements and 

policies; 

Strand II:  Measures to support innovative capacity in actions on the training market. 

Strand III:  Network, Language Knowledge and Support measures. 

-2><o 

STRAND I:  MEASURES  TO SUPPORT THE QUALITY  OF MEMBER STATES' 

SYSTEMS, ARRANGEMENTS AND POLICIES 

This  first  strand  is  designed  to  furnish  Community  support  for  projects  with  a  direct 
impact  on  national  vocational  training  systems  and  arrangements.  The  aim  is  to 
contribute  to  greater  effectiveness  and  quality  of  vocational  training  systems  and 
arrangements  and their ability to respond to the training needs of individuals and firms 
and promote the quality of vocational training methods, processes and tools. 

Projects aimed at supporting the quality of systems shall be submitted to the Commission 
upon a proposal from the Member States. 

They  shall  be  coordinated  by  a  public  operator,  by  a  partnership  involving  private 
operators, public operators or the social partners, or, finally, by a non-public operator with 
direct responsibility  in the  structuring  and development  of the Member  State's system, 
arrangements or policy. 

LI  Transnational pilot projects 

(a)  Design projects 

Assistance in devising, developing and experimenting with transnational vocational 
training pilot projects. 

Community support shall be forthcoming,  in particular, for projects  involving : 

the  improvement  of  initial  vocational  training through  the  implementation  of 
training  programmes  and  modules,  the  recognition  of  acquired  skills  in  the 
national  systems  and  the  training  of  instructors  and  tutors;  the  training  of 
vocational  qualification  specialists  or analysts; the  implementation  of projects 
in the vocational  guidance field, including networking of vocational  guidance 
centres; the training of guidance counsellors and specialists; 

equal opportunities between men and women in vocational training; 

the training of planners and managers of vocational training arrangements; 

the  training  of  socio-economic  players  involved  in  contractual  policy  on 
vocational training; 

Î1 

(b)  Multiplier-effect projects 

Assistance  in dissemination  and transfer  of training methods, products, results and 
tools  arising from the  design projects  into the training  systems  and  arrangements, 
including the setting up of open and distance learning and training drawing on new 
information  and  communication  technologies  and  leading  to  transferable  training 
products, such as those developed  in the context  of the "General  interest telematic 
systems - Flexible and distance  learning" of the Third Framework  Programme  for 
Research and Technological  Development. 

L2  Transnational placement and exchange  programmes 

(a)  Placement programme for young people undergoing initial training 

Assistance  for  transnational  placement  programmes  for  young  people  undergoing 
initial  vocational  training,  with  priority  being  given  to  occupational  sectors  most 
affected  by change, particularly in the context of completing the single market. Such 
placements shall be for short periods, from three to twelve weeks, or for long periods 
from three to twelve months, where the latter form an integral part of transnational 
training agreements including the recognition of acquired skills. 

(b)  Transnational placement programme for young workers 

Support  for  transnational  placement  programmes  for  young workers  or  for  young 
people  available  on  the  labour  market,  aimed  at  equipping  them  with  validated 
vocational experience or an additional qualification.  Such placements shall normally 
last three months, and at most twelve months. 

(c)  Transnational  exchange programme for  decision-makers 

Assistance for exchange programmes for national or regional public decision-makers 
and  organisations  representing  the  social  partners  designed  to  foster  mutual 
understanding of how vocational  training systems and arrangements work,  and the 
transfer  of experience. 
This action shall be integrated into the study visit programme run by CEDEFOP on 
the Commission's behalf. 

L3  Surveys, analyses and exchanges of comparable data 

a)  Surveys and analyses on the quality of training systems and arrangements 

Community support will be provided for work developped on a transnational basis, 
on issues common to the Member States related to implementation of the Common 
Framework of Objectives  set out in Annex I. 

32 

The  aim  here  shall  be  to  help  the  public  authorities  to  raise  the  quality  and 
effectiveness  -  through  a  reference  framework  at  Community  level  -  of  their 
activities in the field  of vocational training. 

It will involve: 

the  setting  up  of  general  systems  for  anticipating  training  and  qualification 
requirements; 

new training methods for SMEs; 

new types  of apprenticeship  or sandwich  courses and of cooperation  between 
firms and training bodies or universities; 

new methods and tools for evaluating the quality of training on  offer; 

new training curricula for training designers and planners; 

the transparency, recognition and validation of vocational  qualifications; 

the development of the right to training (youth credits, etc.); 

the  accounting  of  training  expenditure  in  national  and  corporate  accounts, 
especially from the point of view of investment in training. 

b)  Exchange of comparable data 

In close cooperation with EUROSTATs "Education and Training Statistics" Working 
Party, the Commission shall systematically collect data existing in Member States, 
shall develop comparable concepts on the basis of work done at national level, shall 
consolidate the Community  surveys under way (Labour Force  Survey,  Continuing 
Vocational  Training  Survey,  etc.)  and  draw  up  a  joint  overall  methodological 
framework  which can be used in all Member States. 

Zc\ 

STRAND H:  MEASURES 

TO  SUPPORT  INNOVATIVE  CAPACITY  IN 

ACTIONS ON THE TRAINING MARKET 

This second strand is targeted at vocational training market operators and players  offering 
training measures or products.  The aim is to support  innovation  in vocational  training 
management,  methods  and  materials,  promote  and  transfer  technological  innovation 
through vocational training, improve the capacity of vocational training and qualification 
systems  to  respond  to  change,  and  promote  the  development  of  open  and  distance 
learning and training. 

On proposals from the various players involved in vocational training, firms, the social 
partners, universities and training bodies, projects for supporting innovative capacity shall 
be submitted to the Commission. 

II. 1  Transnational pilot projects 

a)  Design projects 'support for innovation in training" 

Assistance for devising, developing and experimenting with transnational pilot 
projects  promoting  innovation  in  training,  in  terms  of  instruction,  content, 
tutoring,  methods,  tools,  equipment,  and  methods  of  anticipating  needs  and 
assessing training. 

Community  support shall be forthcoming  for: 

the implementation of projects related to adaptation to industrial change and 
changes in production systems; 

- 

- 

- 

the  implementation  of  projects  in  contractual  policy  on  continuing 
vocational training; 

the  implementation  of  projects  in  the  field  of  personal  development, 
individual career plans or skills assessment; 

the implementation  of projects related to anticipation  of needs in terms of 
qualifications,  skills  and  training  within  occupational  or  technological 
sectois; 

the development, via transnational networks and partnerships, of transferable 
methods,  content  and  products  for  continuing  vocational  traimng  of 
employees; 

the implementation of projects related to training of executives of SMEs. 

1*0 

b)  Design projects "training to promote the transfer of technological innovation" 

The emphasis shall be on: 

- 

- 

- 

the  development  of  highly  qualified  human  resources  through  quality 
training based on strengthened cooperation between firms and universities; 

the quality and effectiveness  of innovation and technology transfer  support 
services; 

the  improvement  of  industry's  capacity  to  absorb  new  technologies,  in 
particular SMEs and traditional sectors of industry. 

Community  support  shall take the form  of assistance for  devising,  developing 
and  experimenting  with  transnational  pilot  projects  to  promote  innovation  in 
respect of training instruction, content, tutoring, methods, tools and equipment. 

It shall be forthcoming  for: 

-  projects  for training in technology jointly operated by firms , from at least 
three different  Community Member States, in conjunction with universities, 
in fields related to new technologies and their applications; 

- 

joint  projects  for  management 
technologies; 

training  on  transfer  of 

innovative 

arrangements for open and distance learning and training making use of new 
training technologies and leading to transferable training products; they shall 
also  include promotion  of the  activities  of  European  centres  for  distance 
training and  self-learning. 

c*l 

c)  Multiplier-effect projects 

Community support shall be forthcoming  for: 

- 

dissemination  and transfer  of training methods, products, results and tools 
developed by transnational partnerships; 

intensive  short  courses  in  training  in  technology,  having  a  European 
dimension 
through 
for 
firms/universities  cooperation; 

rapid  application  of  new 

technologies 

- 

activities  aimed at producing courses and materials  for  open and  distance 
learning  and training,  as well  as  the  linguistic  and  cultural  adaptation  of 
high-quality courses to allow them to be used in Member States other than 
that in which they originate. 

IL2  Transnational placement and exchange programme 

a)  Transnational programme of placements in firms for young people undergoing 

university training 

Support  for programmes  of placements  in firms for  young people  undergoing 
university training, within a firm in another Member State, in connection with 
a transnational vocational qualification project supported by cooperation between 
firms and universities  in  several  Member  States  in the new technology field. 
Such placements shall normally  last six months, and at most twelve months. 

b)  Transnational programme of placements in firms for young university graduates 

Support  for  programmes  of placements  in firms for  young people  who  have 
completed their university curriculum and young graduates working in their  first 
job, within a firm in another Member  State, in connection with an  innovation 
project  for  SMEs forming part of the development strategy of the firm, groups 
of  firms  or  SME  resource  centres.  Such  placements  shall  normally  last  six 
months, and at most twelve months. 

c)  Transnational programme of exchanges between  firms 

Support  for  programmes  of  exchanges  between firms, primarily  of people  in 
charge of training or human  resources  (on a part-time  or  full-time  basis)  and 
tutors  in firms, connected with the  development  plans  of  SMEs  or  groups  of 
SMEs  involving the use  of new technologies  or production  processes.  Such 
exchanges shall normally  last two weeks, and at most eight weeks. 

H.3  Surveys, analyses and exchange of comparable data 

Surveys and analyses on the innovative capacity of players in the training market 

^2 

Assistance for comparative work on common issues connected with the creation of 
an  open  area  for  vocational  training  and  qualifications,  with  the  central  aim  of 
supporting innovation  in training and enhancing the transfer  of innovation through 
training, for the benefit  of all players in the vocational training market. 

Community  support  shall  be  forthcoming  for  work  carried  out  on  a  transnational 
basis concerning: 

new  methods and tools for  human resource audits for  SMEs and for  training 
in SMEs; 

new forms  of work organisation designed to promote the acquisition of skills; 

sectoral  surveys  on  firms'  continuing  training plans  and  on  new  methods  of 
assessing skills at the workplace; 

analysis of contractual policy  on training and of the role played by the social 
partners in training; 

improving  knowledge  and  circulation  of  information  on  the  evolution  of 
occupations and skills, in cooperation with the CEDEFOP; 

the  definition  of  criteria  for  and  ways  of  measuring  quality,  of  cost-benefit 
analyses and of analyses on the cost-effectiveness  of training. 

i*3> 

STRANDffl  NETWORK, LANGUAGE KNOWLEDGE AND SUPPORT MEASURES 

This third strand includes all the activities in strands I and II and is designed to enhance 
the  European  dimension  in vocational  training  : support  for  the  European  network  of 
national  organising bodies and operational  structures to enhance its capacity to support 
and act as an interface, development of language knowledge and information, monitoring 
and  evaluation  actions  to  enhance  the  visibility  and  impact  of  the  programme.  At 
operational level and on the ground it will be necessary to set up active complementarity 
between the network  structures and operators of this Programme and those responsible 
for the implementation of the Structural Funds. 

ULl 

European network 

a) 

Support  for  initiatives taken by  Member  States to  ensure the openness  of the 
programme, facilitate access to it, strengthen trie dissemination of its results and 
coordinate the national organising bodies and operational structures set up under 
the COMETT, EUROTECNET, FORCE, PETRA and IRIS programmes. 

b)  Establishment  of  telematic  communications,  a  databank  covering  the  various 
projects,  surveys, analyses, results and products, as well as an electronic mail 
system. Progressive extension, both regionally and sectorally, of the European 
network to further promote transnational cooperation, ensure the openness of the 
programme and boost dissemination of its results. 

c) 

Implementation  of European coordinating activities. 

ÏIL2 

Action on the development of language knowledge 

Assistance for the design and multiplier function of transnational projects aimed 
at  drawing  up  large-scale  linguistic  audits  for  firms  or  for  socio-economic 
groups, joint  curricula,  innovative  teaching  aids  and/or  recognising  linguistic 
accomplishments  achieved through the implementation of these curricula. 

m.3 

Support measures : information, monitoring and assessment 

a) 

Implementation  of  an  overall  information  action  on  a  partnership  basis 
encompassing  the  Commission,  the  Member  States  and  the  Programme's 
operational structures. 

b)  Monitoring and continuous assessment of the Community measures. 

c)  Technical  assistance  required  for  the  smooth  operation  of the  programme,  in 
particular  support,  monitoring  and  continuous  assessment  of  the  programme; 
development  of  transnational  expertise;  dissemination  and  transfer  of  the 
methods, products and tools devised and the results obtained. 

^ 

Paît B  : THE COMMUNITY'S FINANCIAL CXmRffiUTlON 

The  Community  shall  contribute  to  the  funding  of  expenditure  connected  with  the 
measures planned for  Strands I, II and 111. 

A.  The Community's financial contribution to transnational projects may amount to 75% 
of expenditure, with a ceiling of ECU 100 000 per year and per project  for: 

design projects under "support for the quality of systems" (Action 1.1 .a), which 
may last three years at most; 

design projects  under  "support  for  innovation  in training'1 (Action IL La) and 
design  projects  under  "training  for  the  transfer  of  technological  innovation" 
(Action II. Lb), which may last two years at most; 

multiplier-effect  projects (Actions I. Lb and II.Lc), which may last one year at 
most. 

B.  The  ceilings  for  the  Community's  financial  contribution  to  the  placement  and 

exchange programmes shall be as follows: 

ECU 5 000 per beneficiary  for placement of a young person undergoing initial 
training (Action  I.2.a),  a young worker (Action I.2.b) and a  young person  at 
university (Action II.2.a); 

ECU  10 000  per  beneficiary  for  placement  of  a  young  person  who  has 
completed his/her university curriculum or a young graduate working in his/her 
first  job (Action II.2.b); 

ECU 5 000 per beneficiary  for an exchange between firms (Action H.2.c). 

C.  The  Community's financial contribution  may  vary  between  50  %  and  100  %  of 
expenditure for the network (Action III.l) and may amount to 100 % of expenditure 
•for surveys and analyses (Actions 1.3  and II.3), actions related to language (Action 
III.2) and support measures (Action III.3). 

AS 

FINANCIAL  STATEMENT 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

TITLE  OF  OPERATION 

Vocational  training 

BUDGET  HEADING  INVOLVED 

B  -  102  - Vocational  training 
Formerly  headings  B3-1020/B3-1021/B3-1022/B3-1023/B3-1024. 

LEGAL  BASIS 

Council  Decision  No  / 

/EC of 

(OJ L ...) 

DESCRIPTION  OF OPERATION 

4.1. 

General  objective 

On  the  basis  of  experience  acquired  through  the  implementation  of  the 
Community programmes COMETT, EUROTECNET, FORCE and PETRA, 
and  of  other  operations  and  pilot  projects  carried  out  in  the  field  of 
vocational  training, the main objective  of  the programme is to ensure the 
implementation of a vocational  training policy to support and complement 
operations  by  Member  States.  More  specifically,  the  programme  is 
intended to promote  cooperation  between  Member  States with the aim of 
working  towards  an open  area for  vocational  training  and qualifications. 

In proposing this action programme, the Commission is following a  policy 
which  is  in  line  with  the  objective  of  rationalising  and  coordinating 
vocational  training  operations  as  set  out  in  its  working  document 
"Guidelines for Community  action in the field  of education  and training". 

In this  context,  the main objectives  of  the  programme  are as follows: 

a) 

To help improve the effectiveness  and quality of vocational training 
systems and their  capacity  to respond to the training requirements 

4-b 

of  individuals  and  businesses,  particularly  SMES, and to  improve 
the  qualiity  of  training  methods,  curricula  and tools, 

b) 

c) 

innovations 

in  vocational 

To  support 
training  management, 
methodology  and facilities,  promote and disseminate technological 
innovations  and  developments  in  production  systems  through  the 
medium of vocational training and improve the ability of vocational 
training and qualification  systems to respond to these changes and 
promote  progress  in open  and distance  learning; 

To  develop  the  European  dimension  in  training  at  all  levels, 
particularly  in  the  learning  and  dissemination  of  Community 
languages  and support the  European  vocational  training network; 

In support of these general objectives, the programme makes provision for 
Community  assistance  for  three  types  of  transnational  cooperation:  pilot 
projects  enabling  knowledge  and experience  to be exchanged and shared, 
training periods (placements)  in a company or training institute in another 
Member  State  in  order  to  support  the  transfer  of  experience  through 
physical  mobility,  and  Community  studies  and  analyses  to  develop 
common  concepts  and  references. 

4.2. 

Period  covered  and arrangements  for renewal or extension 

Five-year  action  programme  (1995-1999). 

Renewal  on  the  basis  of  results  obtained  following  an evaluation  of  the 
programme. 

CLASSIFICATION  OF  EXPENDITURE  OR  REVENUE 

Non-compulsory  expenditure 

Differentiated  appropriations 

Type  of revenue involved 

None. 

5. 

5.1. 

5.2. 

5.3. 

6. 

TYPE  OF  EXPENDITURE  OR  REVENUE 

100% subsidy:  yes,  for  subsidies  and surveys. 

- 

Subsidy  for joint  financing  with  other sources  in the public and/or 
private  sector:  yes,  projects  are  normally  jointly  financed  to  a 
maximum  of 75%. 

* r\ 

7. 

7.1. 

FINANCIAL  IMPACT 

Method of  calculating  total  cost  of  operation  (definition  of  unit  costs) 

Set  out  in  accordance  with  the  Annex  to  the  proposal  for  a  Council 
Decision. 

\* 

7.2. 

Approximate  itemised  breakdown  of  cost 

Breakdown 

Budget 
1995 

in  current  ECU  million 

19% 

1997 

1998 

1999 

TOTAL 

Strand  I 

Support  for  system  quality 
and  policies  of  Member 
States 

-  Pilot  projects 
-  Exchanges 
-  Surveys,  analyses  and 

exchanges  of 
comparable  data 

12.2 
24.2 
5.7 

13.3 
25.4 
5.9 

14.4 
26.6 
6.1 

16.5 
27.8 
6.3 

18.8 
29.0 
6.5 

72.5 
133.0 
30.5 

Sub-total 

42.1 

44.6 

47.1 

50.6 

54.3 

23&7 

Strand 11 

Support  for  innovation  in 
training  operations 
-  Pilot  projects 
-  Exchanges 
-  Surveys,  thematic 

analyses 

42.0 
21.8 
4.8 

44.6 
23.0 
5.1 

47.0 
24.2 
5.4 

50.6 
25.8 
5.8 

54.4 
27.5 
6.2 

238.6 
122.3 
27.3 

Sub-total 

68.6 

72.7 

76.6 

82.2 

88.1 

388.2 

Strand  III 

Networks  and 
accompanying  measures 
-  Network 
-  Knowledge  of 
languages 

-  Accompanying 

measures 
-  Monitoring 

Sub-total 

TOTAL 

13.0 

8.7 

5.8 

3.4 
30.9 
141.6 

13.7 
9.2 

6.2 

3.6 

32.7 
150.0 

14.5 
9.6 

6.5 

3.8 

34.4 
158.1 

15.7 
10.4 

7.0 

4.1 

37.2 
170.0 

16.7 
11.1 

7.5 

4.4 

39.7 

182.1 

73 6 
49.0 

33.0 

19.3 

174.9 
801.8 

The  breakdown  of  the  appropriations  requested  according  to  the  three  strands  and 
according  to  the  different  headings  will  depend  on  the  total  amount  allocated  by  the 
budgetary  authority. 

Notes: 

The  1995  budget  may  be  reconciled  with  the  1994  budget  (final  year of  the  PETRA, 
FORCE,  EUROTECNET  and  COMETT  programmes  which  are  consolidated  by  the 
action  programme) on  the basis  of  the  figures  for  the  1994 PDB  as follows: 

PDB  1994 (headings  B3-1020  -  B3-1024) 

107.5 

49 

Components  transferred  from  the  vocational 
training  programme to the 
Youth  for Europe  III programme 
Inclusion  of  the former  Action  III of  the  LINGUA 
programme 

Total 

-  1.5 

+ 8.1 
114.1 

The  difference  between  this  amount  of  ECU  114.1  million  and  the  1995  budget 
(ECU  141.6 million) is accounted for by the quantitative and qualitative progress expected 
from the new action programme in relation to the programmes from which it follows on, 
namely: 

-  ECU  14  million  to  be  added  to  pilot  projects  supporting  innovation  in  operations 
carried out in the training market to finance  the extension of projects into new fields, 
as  set  out  in  the programme  (access  to  continuing  training,  adjustment  to  industrial 
changes); 

-  ECU 6  million  added  to  Section  C  (Network)  to  strengthen  initial  and  continuing 

training aspects; 

- 

the trend towards increases  under each  of  the  three strands of  the programme; 

5o 

7.3. 

Indicative  schedule  of  appropriations 

7.3.1. 

Schedule for  proposed  new operation 

1995 

1996 

1997 

1998 

1999  and 
subsequent  years 

TOTAL 

141.6 

150.0 

158.1 

170.0 

182.1 

801.8 

113.3 

28.3 

120.0 

30.0 

126.5 

31.6 

136 0 

34.0 

182.1 

113.3 

148.3 

156.5 

167.6 

216.1 

Commitment 
appropriations 

Payment 
appropriations 

1995 

1996 

1997 

1998 

1999  and 
subsequent  years 

TOTAL 

141.6 

150.0 

158.1 

170.0 

182.1 

801.8 

8. 

FRAUD  PREVENTION  MEASURES  AND  THE  RESULTS  OF  MEASURES  TAKEN 

All contracts, agreements and legal  undertakings by the Commission make 
provision  for the possibility  of spot checks by the Commission  and by  the 
Court of Auditors. Among other things, beneficiaries of actions are obliged 
to provide reports and financial  statements which are analysed with regard 
to the content  and the eligibility  of  expenditure,  in  accordance  with the 
aim of Community  financing. 

9. 

9.1. 

ELEMENTS  OF  COST-EFFECTIVENESS  ANALYSIS 

Specific  and quantified  objectives; target population 

The  aim  of  the  proposal  for  the  action  programme  to  implement  a 
Community  vocational  training policy  is to increase the effectiveness and 
transparency of Community  action in this field.  The proposed approach is 
not  merely  an  addition  to  operations  carried  out hitherto  under  the four 
action programmes but introduces a true element of rationalisation between 
the various measures. 

At a time when the development of vocational training has a strategic role 
to  play  in  controlling  the  processes  of  industrial  and  socio-economic 
change facing the Community, the Commission wishes to ensure maximum 

S\ 

impact  and  the  greatest  possible  multiplier  effect  for  its  operations  to 
support  and complement  the policies  and systems  of  Member States. 

There  are  three  strands,  each  with  its  own  specific  objectives,  for 
implementing the general objectives of the programme and contributing to 
the progressive achievement of an open area for training and qualifications 
within  the  Community: 

Strand  1: 

Measures  aimed  at  supporting  quality  in  the  systems  and  policies  of 
Member States; 

Strand 2: 

Measures  aimed  at  supporting  innovation  in  operations  in  the  training 
market; 

Strand 3: 

Network  and  accompanying  measures  -  Promotion  of  the  European 
dimension. 

The  programme  involves  all  those  involved  in  vocational  training,  whether  public 
authorities, private training institutes, businesses, management  or workers. The aim is to 
provide guidelines for these groups to help them improve their methods and practices for 
defining  requirements  and  designing  operations  on  the  basis  of  results  obtained  from 
transnational  cooperation. 

STRAND  I 

MEASURES AIMED AT SUPPORTING QUALITY  IN THE SYSTEMS AND POLICIES 

OF  MEMBER  STATES 

The aim of this strand is to provide Community  support for projects with a direct impact 
on national  vocational  training systems.  Improving  the  quality  of operations  under these 
systems presupposes increased effectiveness  in terms of investment and the level of public 
expenditure  involved.  The  experience  of  previous  programmes,  in  particular  PETRA 
(initial  training  systems),  has  shown  that  transnational  cooperation  enabled  national 
systems  to  become  more  efficient.  At  a time  of  great  pressure  on  national  budgets,  the 
economies  of  scale  and  the  transfer  of  innovations  which  become  possible  under 
Community  operations  have an increasingly  important role. 

For  subjects  such  as  qualifications  or  careers  guidance,  which  should  be  considered 
central  to this first  strand, the transnational  cooperation  developed  under the programme 
makes  it  possible  to  introduce  a true  European  dimension,  which  is  essential  from  the 
point  of  view  of  freedom  of  movement  and  mobility  for  individuals  for  training  and 
employment purposes. 

A. 

Specific  objectives 

Transnational  cooperation  on  the  design,  development  and  testing  of 
transnational  pilot  projects  for  initial  training  programmes  and  modules, 
the training of  instructors  and tutors, qualifications  specialists,  vocational 
guidance,  equal  opportunities,  contractual  policy,  general  systems  for 

SX 

forecasting  requirements, the introduction  of distance learning systems, the 
definition  of  criteria  and  measures  relating  to  quality  and  methods  of 
recognition  or joint  validation; 

Transnational  cooperation  on  pilot  projects  for  the  dissemination  and 
transfer  of  training  system  methodologies, products,  results  and  tools; 

Transnational  cooperation  on  the  placement  of  young  people  in  initial 
vocational  training; 

Transnational  cooperation  on  exchanges  of  young  workers,  with  the  aim 
of  acquiring  valid  vocational  experience  or  an  additional  qualification; 

Transnational  cooperation  on  exchanges of  public  sector  decision-makers 
at  national  and  regional 
levels  and  of  employers'  and  employees' 
representatives; 

Transnational  cooperation  on  the  training  of  people  at  Community  level 
who  develop  and  administer  Structural  Fund  operations; 

Transnational  cooperation  on  studies and comparative analyses of systems 
and trends. 

B. 

Target groups 

This  first  strand  is  directed  at  all  those  involved  in  national  vocational  training 
systems,  whether  initial  or  continuing  training.  However,  account  must  be  taken 
of  the  fact  that  public  sector  systems  in  Member  States  are  concerned  primarily 
with  initial  vocational  training  for  young  people, giving them  a privileged  status, 
particularly  with  regard  to  placements. 

C. 

Budget for Strand I 

30%  of  total  credits  (29.6%)  are  to  be  allocated  to  Strand  I  (quality  of 
systems)  over  the  course  of  the  programme; 

Assessment  of  the  credits  allocated  to  Strand  I  must  take  account  of  the 
following: 

a) 

b) 

Promoting and raising the quality of systems, particularly for initial 
training,  is essential,  given the need to give all young people basic 
training  and  to  reduce  the  risks  of  youth  unemployment,  which 
correlates  closely  with  a  lack  of  qualifications  or  of  suitable 
qualifications. 

The first phases of  the PETRA  programme have shown the impact 
of  transnational  cooperation  on  the  quality  of  initial  vocational 
training  for  young  people.  Under  PETRA  there  have  been  more 
than 700 projects, and  14 000 instructors and 85 000 young people 

S3 

c) 

d) 

have  taken  part  in  the  network's  activities  since  1988.  Such 
cooperation,  and  the  dissemination  of  the  results  of  transnational 
operations  (joint  training  modules  or  programmes)  have  led  a 
number  of  Member  States  to  develop  their  own  initial  training 
systems. 

The first transnational  measures  in the field of  continuing training 
under the FORCE programme have also shown the impact on state 
intervention  systems  in terms of  quality,  particularly  in the search 
for synergy  between  public  and private  financing. 

The  first  synopses  of  continuing  training  systems  have  been 
produced and must be supplemented and refined in order to provide 
comparable  data.  A  statistical  survey  is  now  being  carried  out  in 
association  with  Eurostat,  and  on  the  basis  of  a  systematic 
gathering of existing data, Community surveys will be consolidated 
and  a  common,  global  methodological 
framework  will  be 
established  for  use  in  all  Member  States.  Building  on  the  work 
carried out,  significant  progress  still  needs to be  made in order to 
reconcile the various sources, cover all fields of vocational training 
and  give  decision-makers  comparable  and  reliable  references  to 
enable  them  to  tackle  cost-effectiveness  in  the  various  national 
systems. 

Consolidating  these various  operations  and placing  them on a systematic  footing 
requires the availability  of  significant  financial  resources to make the most of the 
added  value  which  transnational  cooperation  brings  to  improving  the  quality  of 
training systems. 

Pursuing Community  action  is even more important in terms of added value given 
that the period  1995-99  is likely  to see  increased  pressure on national  budgets at 
precisely  the time when  training requirements, particularly  for young people, are 
recognised  as having  top priority. 

STRAND  II 

MEASURES  AIMED  AT  SUPPORTING  INNOVATION  IN  OPERATIONS  ON  THE 
TRAINING  MARKET 

This  second  strand  is  aimed  at  all  those  involved  in  offering  training  operations  or 
products,  i e.  training  establishments,  companies,  management,  social  partners  and 
universities. 

Projects  are  intended  on  the  one  hand  to  support  and  develop  innovation  in vocational 
training  in order to increase  its  effectiveness,  and on  the other  hand to develop training 
operations  aimed  at  encouraging  and  facilitating  the  diffusion  of  technological 
innovations. 

»* 

A. 

Specific  objectives 

Promotion  of  transnational  cooperation  for  the  design,  development  and 
testing of pilot  projects  with  the objective  of  introducing  innovations  into 
teaching  (content,  tutoring,  methods,  tools  and  facilities),  in  order  to 
produce transferable  products,  anticipate  requirements, provide  vocational 
guidance for adults, adapt to industrial  changes, improve contractual policy 
with regard to vocational  training  and define  criteria and measures  relating 
to  quality; 

Development  of  transnational  cooperation  on  training  projects  for  the 
diffusion  of  technological  innovations,  management  of  their  transfer, 
dissemination  of  research  results,  training  in  specific  technologies  and 
development  of  multilateral  systems; 

Transnational  cooperation  on  transnational  placements  in  businesses  for 
young  university  students  or  graduates; 

Transnational  cooperation  on 
responsible  for  training  or  human  resources; 

inter-company  exchanges  of 

those 

Transnational  cooperation  on  surveys  and  analyses  relating  to  matters  of 
common  interest  connected  with  the  establishment  of  an  open  area  for 
training  and  qualifications. 

- 

- 

Transnational  cooperation  should  make  it  possible  to  design  innovative  projects, 
and  also to achieve a more  intensive  transfer  and  multiplier  effect  at  Community 
level. With regard to the diffusion  of technological  innovations, training operations 
are  to  be  linked  to  Community  operations 
in  the  field  of  research  and 
development. 

B. 

Target groups 

The  second  strand  is  aimed  primarily  at  those  involved  in  the  training  market, 
including  private  or  public  training  establishments,  companies,  universities, 
chambers  of  trade  and  commerce  and  employers'  and  employees'  organisations. 
Training  operations  organised  by  them  and  benefitting  from  the  impact  of  the 
Community  operation  are  intended  for  individuals  who  are  working  and  are 
integrated  into  the  labour  market. 

C 

Budget for Strand O 

- 

- 

Nearly  50% of  the  total  budget  for  the  programme  (48.4)  is  allocated  to 
this  strand; 

It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  several  thousand  operators,  several 
thousand products and several hundred thousand beneficiaries are involved, 
and  that  the  resources  being  mobilised  are  in  line  with  the  objective  of 
achieving  an  adequate  threshold  effect  in  a  context  in  which  businesses 

themselves  are  experiencing  significant  pressure  on  their  investment  in 
training  and,  in  particular,  the  requirements  associated  with  updating 
qualifications,  transforming  and  developing  skills  and  introducing  new 
technologies  and  production  methods  into  the  organisation  of  work  are 
expanding  at  an  ever-increasing  rate; 

The  action  programmes,  particularly  FORCE  (continuing  training)  and 
COMETT  (training  in  the  transfer  of  technological  innovations),  have 
shown  operators  to  be  extremely  active  in  this  field;  the number  of  high-
quality  projects  presented  was  always  far  in  excess  of  the number  which 
could  actually  be  financed; 

Community support is granted following  a Community  expert report on the 
projects  and  on  the  basis  of  criteria  developed  at  Community  level, 
particularly  concerning  the  importance  of  the  innovatory  and  multiplier 
effects  of  products  or  operations; 

The  external  evaluations  of the  FORCE  and  COMETT  programmes  have 
also  shown  that,  on  the one hand,  these  cooperative  projects  could  not  be 
carried  out  without  support  from  the  Community  and  that,  on  the  other 
hand, cooperation  between  operators  involved  in a pilot project  extends to 
other  areas,  such  as  technology  and  economic  or  business  relations. 

STRAND  in 

NETWORK  AND  ACCOMPANYING  MEASURES  -  EUROPEAN  DIMENSION 

A. 

Specific  objectives 

To provide  Community  support  for  the  rationalisation  and coordination  of 
national  bodies  and  operational  structures  which  form  the  basis  for 
transnational  pilot  projects  and  placements  in  another  Member  State; 

- 

To  improve  and  extend  the  European  network  in  order  to  promote 
transnational  cooperation  and  ensure  the  transparency  of  the  programme; 

To  increase  the  induced  effects  of  the  programme  by  reinforcing  the 
dissemination  of  products  and  of  the  results  of  pilot  projects  to  other 
operators, particularly  through  the  activities  of  the  European  network; 

,i 

To  introduce  a global  operation  including  information  on the  programme 
and  monitoring  and  assessment  of  measures. 

B. 

Target  groups 

Operational  support  structures  for  project  promoters  at  regional  or  sectoral  level 
and  national  bodies  in  Member  States. 

Particular  attention  must  be  paid  to  extending  the  competence  and  support 
capability  of the operational  structures  in order to enable them to participate  fully 

. ^ fc 

in  the  objective  of  rationalisation  and  coordination  and  to  intervene  in  all  areas 
covered  by  the  programme  without  creating  new  structures. 

The  experts' report  on  the  launching  of  transnational  projects  is of  great  value  in 
the  development  and  transfer  of  qualify  and  innovation  provided  for  in  the  first 
two  strands, and  must  be  used  to  this  end. 

The  quality  of  intervention  by  the  network  of  operational  structures  is  a  direct 
guarantee  of  the  quality  of  the  partnerships  established,  of  their  extension  to  a 
larger  number  of  countries  and  of  the benefits  of  the projects  put  forward  with  a 
view  to  receiving  Community  support. 

C 

Budget 

The  third  strand,  which  represents  approximately  22% of  all  programme 
resources  (21.7%),  will  benefit  from  a  substantial  new  input  of  ECU  6 
million  to  consolidate  and  structure  the  European  network; 

As  a  general  rule,  Community  funds  are  supplemented  by  national  or 
regional  budgets  to  cover  structure  and  network  operating  costs,  and  in 
most  cases  a  multiplier  effect  of  three  to  four  times  the  Community's 
financial contribution  is  obtained; 

The  evaluation  reports,  particularly  for  COMETT,  have  shown  that 
Community  support  was  a precondition  for  introducing  synergy  into  the 
financing  provided  by  public  or  private  sector  operators,  particularly  at 
regional  level; 

Information  policy  and  accompanying  measures  will be developed  by  the 
Commission  and  Member  States  acting  in  partnership; 

Monitoring  and  assessment  of  measures  and  programme  impact  will  also 
be done by the Commission  and Member  States acting  in partnership; this 
represents an important  element  in the visibility of Community operations. 

Grounds for the  operation 

The  development  of  vocational  training  is  recognised  by  the  European 
Union  as  a  necessity,  both  for  reasons  associated  with  economic 
competitiveness  on  the  world  market,  where  competition  is  increasingly 
intense, and for its social  cohesion, i.e. reduction of the risks of dislocation 
associated  with  unemployment  and  marginalisation  on the labour  market. 

The  Community  wished  to  give  a  new  impetus  to  this  development  by 
including  in  the  Treaty  on  European  Union  a  specific  article  on  the 
implementation  of  a  Community  vocational  training  policy  and  laying 
down  the precise  objectives. 

£?-

9.2. 

9.2.1. 

9.2.2. 

9.2.3. 

9.2.4. 

9.2.5. 

9.2.6. 

9.2.7. 

9.2.8. 

9.2.9. 

9.2.10. 

9.2.11. 

The  Member  States  and  the  Council  have  indicated  their  interest  in  and 
support for the development of Community action in this field by deciding, 
a few years ago, on the current action programmes and by taking an active 
part in the implementation  and monitoring of operations and in the use of 
results. 

The  European  Parliament  has given  constant  support  to the  development 
of  these  activities  and has  stated its support for the Commission's  plan to 
rationalise  and coordinate  action  programmes. 

It  is  important  to  note  that  the  various  measures  set  out  under  the 
programme  are  all  directed  towards  one  objective,  namely  transnational 
cooperation,  which  clearly  provides  an  added  value  to  operations 
developed  by  Member  States  or those  involved  in the training market. 

This Community added value must be consolidated and reinforced through 
the progressive establishment of an open European vocational training and 
qualifications area in association with the completion of the Single Market. 

The  approach  put forward  by  the  Commission  follows  the guidelines  on 
education  and vocational  training  set out in  its working  document, which 
aimed to consolidate vocational  training operations in a single programme 
on  the basis of  Article  127 of  the Treaty  on  European Union. 

In  the 
light  of  experience  acquired  under  current  programmes, 
rationalisation  leads  to  the  proposal  of  major  operational  strands, one  of 
them  being  support  for  high  quality  in  systems  in  response  to  requests 
from public operators or those having a structuring role within the systems, 
and another being support for innovation on the market, relating primarily 
to private operators  and businesses. 

The proposed measures support and complement operanons carried out by 
Member  States  and  enable  them  to  use  the  contributions  and  results  of 
transnational  operations  to  improve  the quality  and effectiveness  of  their 
systems. 

Community  action  in  implementing  the programmes,  which  run until  the 
end of  1994, has already  yielded  valuable  and specific  results in terms of 
partnerships, pilot projects, exchanges of experience and networking. These 
promising  results  have  shown  the  value  of  more  highly  developed  and 
more  generalised  cooperative  operations.  Given  their  organisational  and 
operational  diversity,  national  systems  can  use  transnational  cooperation 
to  inspire new trends in  development. 

An  important  part  of  the  rationalisation  approach  proposed,by  the 
Commission  is the  reduction  of  duplication  of  operations and results. On 
the basis of  a given  amount of  investment,  this  makes it possible to  take 
wider-ranging  action on the practices of  vocational  training operators and 
on the products and methods  used by them. 

i> tf 

9.2.12. 

9.2.13. 

9.2.14. 

9.2.15. 

9.2.16. 

9.2.17. 

The  Community  budget  for  vocational  training  is  modest  compared  to 
those of Member  States or businesses.  It must be borne in mind here that 
national  budgets  are largely  earmarked  for  operational  expenditure  or for 
making up the  remuneration  of  trainees  during training.  They  make only 
limited provision for innovation  and experimentation with new methods or 
products  and,  given  the  pressures  on  public  financing,  this  trend  is 
increasing. The Community's relatively  modest  contribution is  crucial  for 
the modernisation  and development  of  systems because  it is  concentrated 
on dynamic  action  and progress. 

A similar  observation  must  be  made  with  regard to the synergy  between 
operations  under  the  programme  and  those  forming  part  of  structural 
policy,  in  particular  those  under  the  European  Social  Fund.  The 
multiplication of innovations and new practices as part of the pilot projects 
and  partnerships  under  the  programme  within  the  most  significant 
structural  policy  operations  represents  a  powerful 
impetus  for  the 
development  of  systems  and practices  in the  Member States. 

The  activities  supported  under  the  framework  of  the  vocational  training 
programme  mainly  involve  actions  for  the  preparation  of  training,  the 
design  of  innovative  methods  and  products  and  the  diffusion  and 
multiplication  of  the  results.  The  programme  targets  training  actions  as 
such in only  a marginal  way.  On account of this, expenditure eligible  for 
Community  support  involves  mainly  expenditure  linked  to the  design  of 
and preparation  of  actions  and not  the  costs  of  the provision  of  training, 
(the salaries of  trainers or of  beneficiaries,  training costs).  This  element 
increases  the 
interest  of  the  complementarity  between  the  action 
programme  and  the  finance  contributed  within  the  framework  of  the 
European  Social  Fund  which  is  mainly  devoted  to  costs  linked  to  the 
realisation of training  actions subsequent to their design and preparation. 

The largest share of programme financing should be allocated to the design 
and implementation of  transnational  pilot  projects on vocational  training. 
Transnational cooperation is thereby applied to a specific objective and the 
implementation  of joint  vocational  training operations. 

to 

With  regard 
transnational  placements,  assessment  of  current 
programmes, particularly COMETT, has shown that they form a "fast lane" 
for  the  transfer  of  experience  and  know-how  not  only  for  the  direct 
beneficiary  but  also  for  the  originating  and  host  institutions.  Integrating 
placements into a specific  company  development project should  be a new 
way of  reinforcing  this characteristic. 

Decision-makers in the field of vocational training, whether representatives 
of public authorities at national or regional  levels, are seeking Community 
reference  points  in order to  improve  their practices.  Placements  allowing 
a direct comparison  with, and specific  experience of,  existing practices in 
another  Member  State  make  it  possible  to  transfer  practices  at  low  cost. 

&\ 

9.2  18. 

9.2.19. 

9 2 20 

9.2.21 

9.2.22. 

Multiplication in the originating institution and system is another important 
characteristic  in this case. 

Perception of Community operations is developed firstly within universities 
and  in  the  world  of  research,  with  significant  results  being  obtained 
through  cooperation.  The  labour  market  and  businesses  have  become 
involved  more  recently  in  cooperating  at Community  level  on  vocational 
training. The current economic  situation  gives  vocational training  policies 
a  decisive  role  in  reestablishing  favourable  conditions  for  economic 
competitiveness  and  employment.  Training  professionals,  and  above  all 
businesses,  are  indicating  a  strong  demand  for  increased  cooperation  in 
order  to  increase  the  effectiveness  of  their  training  investments,  to 
disseminate experience and best practice and improve the cost-effectiveness 
of their  spending. 

It is also important to stress the role of surveys and analyses at Community 
level. Member States develop systems which differ widely, having little in 
common from the point of view of the concepts and methods used. Studies 
and  surveys  carried  out  at  Community  level  provide  a  reliable  and 
homogeneous picture of  the reality  of  vocational  training expenditure and 
operations  within  the  Community.  A  common  Community  frame  of 
reference  is thereby  provided. 

Initial vocational training systems are being widely developed to counteract 
the difficulties  experienced  by  young  people  in integrating into  the world 
of  work,  with  the  objective  of  rooting  out  the  economic  marginalisation 
associated with underachievement  at school, particularly with regard to the 
most disadvantaged  young  people.  Improving  the  quality  of  systems,  the 
objective of Strand I, represents an important contribution here. Promoting 
high-quality  training  operations  for  those  young  people  with  the  greatest 
difficulties  very  much increases  their chances  of integrating  into  working 
life. 

The multiplier  effect  relating  to  the  products  and  results of  transnational 
partnerships  is  a prerequisite  for  efficiency  and economies  of  scale.  It  is 
also  a factor  in ensuring  equal  access  for  those sections of  society  whose 
requirements  are  insufficiently  met  by  traditional  operations.  From  this 
point  of  view,  emphasis  must  be  placed  on  the  priority  given  by  the 
programme  to  the  development  of  training  measures  in  and  for  SMEs, 
which  all  too  frequently  lack  the  necessary  qualifications  for  overcoming 
the current  socio-economic  changes. 

With  regard  to  continuing  training,  the  various  measures  under  the 
programme, particularly those relating to pilot projects and surveys, require 
involvement  and  active  participation  by  management  and  workers.  This 
constitutes  an  element  of  support  for  Member  States  with  a tradition  of 
participation by both management and workers, and an innovation for those 
Member States with little experience of such practices. Bearing in mind the 
structuring  role  which  management  and workers are  called  upon  to play 

9.2.23. 

in  order  to  make  vocational  training  effective,  this  is  a substantial  added 
value  element  for  the  Community  operation. 

A  significant  proportion  of  the  success  and  impact  of  the  current 
programmes  is  due  to  the  presence  and  networking  at  European  level  of 
in  forming  partnerships, 
operational  structures  with  a  central  role 
participating  in  the preparation  of  projects  and  ensuring  the dissemination 
and  multiplier  effect  of  results.  Improving  the  operation  of this  European 
network, mainly  by means of  information  and communications technology 
and  capitalising  on  the  expertise  within  these  structures  must  be  an 
important  factor  in  the  rationalisation  process. 

93 

Monitoring and evaluation  of  the  operation 

9.3.1 

Selected  performance  indicators 

Quantitative  indicators: 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

number  of pilot  projects; 

average  number  of  partners  per  pilot  project; 

total  number  of  participants  in  placement  schemes; 

total  number  of  beneficiaries  of  a training  measure  or product; 

number  of  SMEs  participating  directly  in  pilot  projects; 

- 

number  of  transferable  products  resulting  from  pilot  projects. 

Qualitative  indicators: 

- 

the  evaluation  should  make  it  possible  to  measure  more  exactly  the 
impact  of  the  Community  operation  on  the  systems  or  practices  of 
operators  by  means  of  the  following  indicators: 
* 

application  of  quality  criteria and  measures in training systems 
and  operations; 
use of  Community  references  for  practices; 
development  of  training  modules  arising  from  pilot projects  in 
national  systems; 
definition  of a transnational  qualification  profile, particularly at 
sectoral  level. 

* 
* 

* 

All these indicators will  form  a basis for continuous joint evaluation by the 
Commission  and  each  Member  State. 

u 

9.3.2 

In accordance with  Article  7  of the proposal  for  a Decision: 

- 

- 

before 31  December  1997 the Commission will present an intermediate 
evaluation  report covering  the launching  period  of  the programme; 

before  30  June  2000,  the Commission  will  present  a final report  On 
the basis of  this  report, the Commission  may  submit  proposals to the 
Council  and  the  European  Parliament  concerning  readjustment  and 
subsequent  development. 

(.$. 

ISSN 0254-1475 

COM(93) 686 final 

DOCUMENTS 

EN 

04 

Catalogue number : CB-CO-93-742-EN-C 

ISBN 92-77-63076-0 

Office for Official Publications of the European Communities 
I-2985 Luxembourg 

fc3