WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3759/97 by Graham MATHER to the Commission. EU/US cooperation in lifelong learning
Date: 1997-11-21
Institutions: European Parliament, MATHER
Subjects: EU policy, United States, competitiveness, cooperation agreement (EU), higher education, professional qualifications, vocational training

22. 6. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 196/15

(98/C 196/23)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3759/97

by Graham Mather (PPE) to the Commission

(21 November 1997)

Subject: EU/US cooperation in lifelong learning

1996 was the European Year of Lifelong Learning last year. Although the Commission(cid:146)s official report has yet to
be published, a number of key issues were identified, and one of the report(cid:146)s main conclusions will undoubtedly
be  that  the  Commission(cid:146)s  strategy  of  seeking  to  mainstream  the  concept  and  practice  of  lifelong  learning  is
correct  and  should  therefore  be  pursued  urgently.  It  is  equally  clear,  however,  that  the  US  is  particularly
advanced  in  this  sphere  and  we  can  therefore  learn  important  lessons  from  the  American  approach  to,  and
experience of, lifelong learning. In view of this:

1.  Does the Commission intend to launch an initiative to encourage EU/US cooperation on lifelong learning,
along the lines of the current EU/US Cooperation Agreement in Higher Education and Vocational Training,
or indeed extend this agreement to specifically cover lifelong learning?

2.  Will  high  priority  be  attached  to  lifelong  learning  in  the  Commission(cid:146)s  current  Benchmarking  initiative

(COM(97) 153)?

Answer given by Mrs Cresson on behalf of the Commission

(8 January 1998)

Lifelong  learning  is  about  helping  individuals  to  realise  their  personal  potential,  helping  companies  and
organisations  to  benefit  from  new  and  improved  skills  throughout  their  workforce,  managing  change  and
competing successfully in a global arena. The Commission has incorporated this message into its thinking on the
full range of education and training activities.

In  fact,  the  idea  of  lifelong  learning  is  already  integrated  into  the  concept  of  the  Community-United  States
cooperation  agreement  in  higher  education  and  vocational  training.  In  order  to  implement  this  notion  more
thoroughly, specific project proposals are sought by the Commission in the area of vocational training, to the
extent that private firms can participate in projects as associate partners. Moreover, links with the United States
community  college  system,  especially  regarding  retraining  and  reskilling  of  middle-aged  workers  or  work
returnees, are encouraged.

The Honourable Member may find of interest the variety of projects supported so far under the Community-
United States cooperation agreement which the Commission is forwarding direct to him and to the Secretariat
general of the Parliament.

With  regard  to  the  second  question,  the  annex  of  the  Commission  communication  (cid:145)Benchmarking  ›
implementation of an instrument available to economic actors and public authorities(cid:146) (1) introduced four eligible
themes  for  pilot  projects  on  benchmarking.  Three  of  them  are  related  to  skills  and  intangible  investments
((cid:145)Information and communications technology (ICT) and the new technological and organisational paradigm(cid:146);
(cid:145)Financing  of  innovation,  in  particular  of  intellectual  property(cid:146),  (cid:145)Development  of  human  resources(cid:146)).  The
dimension of life-long learning is important for intangible investments.

However,  it  should  be  pointed  out  that  benchmarking  projects  are  developed  on  the  basis  of  proposals  from
Member States and the Commission has no way of ensuring that one or other theme will be adequately covered in
future.

(1)  COM(97) 153.