Resolution of the Council and of the representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council of 14 December 2000 concerning an action plan for mobility
Date: 2000-12-14
Institutions: Council of the European Union, Representatives of the Governments of the Member States
Subjects: EU aid, action programme, cultural pluralism, multilingualism, social mobility, vocational training

C 371/4

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

23.12.2000

RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL AND OF THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE GOVERNMENTS
OF THE MEMBER STATES, MEETING WITHIN THE COUNCIL

of 14 December 2000

concerning an action plan for mobility

(2000/C 371/03)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION AND THE REPRESEN-
TATIVES OF THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE MEMBER STATES,
MEETING WITHIN THE COUNCIL;

complex residence procedures, disadvantages in terms of status
and career.

CONVINCED that the construction of a genuine European area
of knowledge is a priority for the European Community and
that it is through education that Europeans will acquire the
shared cultural references that are the basis of European citi-
zenship and of a political Europe.

is based on mutual discovery of our
SURE that
increased
diversity
personal contacts and exchange of knowledge and experience.

this belief
and

complementarity

involves

and

CONVINCED, that it is therefore essential to target intelligible
action, shared by all of the Member States, at young people,
schoolchildren, students, researchers, all those being educated
and their teachers; that it is by building the Europe of intel-
ligence that we will bring about a true feeling of being part of
Europe.

that

AWARE that the Europe of knowledge is also an economic
in an internationalised economy increasingly
necessity;
founded on knowledge, openness to foreign cultures and the
and work in a multilingual
ability to educate oneself
environment are essential
the
European economy.

to the competitiveness of

NOTE that the Extraordinary European Council in Lisbon of 23
and 24 March 2000 recognised the urgency of removing
obstacles and promoting mobility and that, in its conclusions,
it invited the Council and Commission to define (cid:145)by the end of
2000, the means for fostering the mobility of students, teachers
and training and research staff both through making the best
use of existing Community programmes, by removing obstacles
and through greater transparency in the recognition of qualifi-
cations and periods of study and training(cid:146) (paragraph 26).

UNDERTAKE, to meet the great expectations of
their fellow
citizens, that with the support of the Commission, each in
its field, and in full compliance with the principle of subsi-
diarity it will take the steps necessary to remove obstacles to
mobility and to promote it.

far

this Resolution,

CONSIDER that
from prejudging the
substantial amount of work already done by the Commission
and the Council towards providing a suitable legal framework
for promoting mobility and in particular the proposal for a
Recommendation on mobility which it
is hoped will be
adopted soon aims, on the contrary, to facilitate the implemen-
tation of Community initiatives in this area by suggesting
possible specific initiatives. These initiatives will be imple-
mented in close cooperation with all the participants and insti-
tutions concerned,
in particular universities, whose partici-
pation is a key to success.

CONVINCED that
increasing the mobility of young people,
schoolchildren, students, researchers, all those being educated
and their teachers in Europe is thus a major political goal and
that it requires simultaneous commitment and effort by the
European Community and the Member States.

WELCOME the mobility action plan set out in the Annex which
was submitted to the Ministers for Education at the Sorbonne
on 30 September 2000. That plan has three major objectives:

NOTE that to attain this goal Europe already has a wealth of
resources: the Community’s Socrates, Leonardo da Vinci and
Youth programmes represent appreciable progress and play an
essential role which will increase with the second generation of
programmes.

CONVINCED that this progress must be taken further; that even
if the number of people choosing mobility is on the increase, it
is still small; that, for example, among students it concerns
only a small percentage;
that substantial obstacles remain:
unequal access to information, obstacles of a financial nature,
administrative difficulties as regards tax and social benefits,

(cid:151) to define and democratise mobility in Europe;

(cid:151) to promote appropriate forms of funding;

(cid:151) to increase mobility and improve the conditions for it.

The measures mentioned in the Action Plan are conceived as a
(cid:145)toolbox(cid:146) of 42 measures divided into four main chapters
which,
are
designed to identify and deal with the obstacles encountered
by those who, no matter where, seek to implement a mobility
measure.

and combination,

individual

in their

scope

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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The first chapter concerns actions to promote mobility through
measures to train people who help to implement mobility, to
develop multilingual skills and to access useful information.

The second chapter covers the funding of mobility and seeks to
identify a series of measures that will mobilise all possible
financial resources.

The third chapter aims to increase and improve mobility by
it may take and by improving
multiplying the forms that
reception facilities and the organisation of timetables.

Lastly, the fourth chapter describes measures to make the most
of periods of mobility and gain recognition of the experience
acquired.

CONVINCED that if all Member States, with the assistance of the
Commission, make use on a voluntary basis of those actions
which they consider will best enable the obstacles encountered
by those requesting mobility in their countries to be overcome,
all agree from the outset that the following measures in the
action plan are of particular importance:

(cid:151) developing multilingualism,

(cid:151) establishment of a portal giving access to the different

European sources of information on mobility,

(cid:151) recognition of periods of mobility in diploma courses,

(cid:151) definition and adoption of a quality charter on reception

facilities for foreign nationals on training courses,

(cid:151) drawing up of an inventory of existing mobility circuits and
good practices, exchanges of students, trainees and trainers,

(cid:151) creating linkage between mobility funding from the Union,
the Member States and local authorities, the public sector
and the private sector.

PROPOSE that, as part of rolling programming instituted by the
Council in its Resolution of 17 December 1999 (1) and for the
sake of regular assessment of progress in achieving the targets
in collaboration with the other European
set,
institutions concerned, regularly take stock of the situation,
in principle every two years.

the Council,

RECALL that the plan also identifies measures of broader scope
coming under larger-scale coordination within each Member
State and between the Commission and the Member States’
administrations.

(cid:151) training of the teachers and administrative staff involved to
become true mobility organisers able to provide advice and
guidance and draft mobility projects,

In accordance with the conclusions of
European Council
the European Council in Nice.

the Extraordinary
in Lisbon, this Resolution is submitted to

(1) Council Resolution of 17 December 1999 on (cid:145)Into the new
millenium(cid:146): developing new working procedures for European coop-
eration in the field of education and training (OJ C 8, 12.1.2000,
p. 6).

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Official Journal of the European Communities

23.12.2000

ANNEX

MOBILITY ACTION PLAN

Objectives and measures proposed

A. GENERAL OBJECTIVE

Central objective

Adopt a European mobility strategy

Implementation

measure A

Define: establishment of a common definition of the concept of
mobility and the target groups concerned (cid:151) age, circuit,
geographical scope, length of stay

Commission,
Member States

measure B

Democratise: democratisation of access to mobility measures Member States

B. PARTICULAR OBJECTIVES

I. PROMOTING MOBILITY IN EUROPE

Objective 11

Train people to act as contacts for mobility in Europe

Implementation

measure 111

measure 112

measure 113

teachers and the relevant
Proper guidance: preparation of
administrative staff
to become mobility organisers, able to
provide advice and guidance and draft mobility projects:
training on the mobility circuits,
the different education
systems in the Union, the rights of those opting for mobility

Commission,
Member States

More exchanges: development of exchanges between mobility
organisers
in Community
programmes

from the countries

taking part

Member States

More resources: encouragement of educational establishments
and universities
to international
to devote more resources
relations in order to cope with the new demands of mobility

Member States

Objective 12

Develop multilingualism

Implementation

measure 121

measure 122

measure 123

measure 124

measure 125

Specific training: promotion of training in the relevant foreign
language and culture before and during the mobility period,
making use of the public sector and of private initiatives

Member States

Instructor placements: opportunity for language teachers to
go on long-term training placements abroad

Member States

Exchange of good practice: exchange of good language-
teaching practice, particularly as regards vocational or adult
courses

Commission,
Member States

Common indicators: use of common indicators to evaluate the
language skills of pupils, students and trainees

Commission,
Member States

Quality commitment: follow up to the Council Resolution of
31 March 1995 on improving and diversifying language learning
and teaching within the education systems of
the European
Union (OJ C 207, 12.8.1995, p. 1)

Commission,
Member States

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Objective 13

Make it easier to find information on mobility

Implementation

measure 131

A (cid:145)mobility(cid:146) portal site: creation of a portal site providing
access to the various European sources of
information on
mobility

measure 132

Ad hoc forums: introduction in educational establishments and
universities of electronic chat rooms for mobility organisers,
students, trainees and young volunteers to exchange information

Commission,
Member
Agencies
Leonardo
Youth

States, National
Socrates,
and

for
da Vinci

Commission,
Member
Agencies
Leonardo
Youth

States, National
Socrates,
and

for
da Vinci

Objective 14

Draw up a mobility chart

Implementation

measure 141

measure 142

measure 143

Identification of circuits:
joint definition of a methodology
enabling each Member State which so wishes gradually to
compile reliable statistics on mobility and make as full as
possible an inventory of
trainee and instructor
exchange circuits

the student,

Commission,
Member
Agencies
Leonardo
Youth

States, National
Socrates,
and

for
da Vinci

the
Programme awareness: creation of a database of all
bilateral or multilateral mobility programmes operating in
Europe, perhaps limited to public programmes

Commission,
Member States

Advertising of posts: encouraging the advertising of posts for
higher education teaching staff and researchers throughout the
Union, using the thematic circuits, particularly EURES

Commission,
Member States

II. PROMOTING THE FINANCING OF MOBILITY

Objective 21

Look into the financing of mobility: towards financial partnerships

Implementation

measure 211

measure 212

measure 213

measure 214

measure 215

framework:

coordination
A partnership
for example by means of a
between the various players,
framework for partnerships:
the State,
local authorities and universities, and making best use of
financing

the European Union,

strengthening

Commission,
Member States

Bigger budgets: study of possible ways of making better use of
or increasing national and local mobility budgets

Member States

Encouragement of the public sector: examine the desirability
and possibility of loans at preferential rates for those intending
to take a period of mobility

Member States

Multiple partnerships: encouragement of the private sector,
to become
businesses,
involved in financing mobility (for example by means of estab-
lishing foundations, seals of approval for bank loans)

social partners

foundations

and

Member States,
Commission

Looking ahead: study of ways of redeploying the mobility
appropriations in the Community budget and programmes
when they come up for review

Commission,
Member States

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Objective 22

Democratise mobility by making it financially and socially accessible
to all

Implementation

measure 221

measure 222

measure 223

An information campaign:
campaign on:
(cid:151) the mobility assistance available and how to apply for it;
(cid:151) the practical administrative aspects of mobility at the time

launching of an information

of going abroad and during the period spent there

Commission

Retention of benefits: assure people who take mobility that
they will continue to receive the benefits provided for by
national and Community provisions in force; regularly review
any problems that persist and take suitable steps to remedy
them

Member States

the possibility of offering young
Equal treatment: study of
tariffs as
people opting for mobility the same preferential
young people in the host country;
regularly review any
problems that persist and take suitable steps to remedy them

Member States

III. INCREASING AND IMPROVING MOBILITY

Objective 31

Introduce new forms of mobility

Implementation

measure 311

measure 312

measure 313

Summer universities: organisation of more European summer
universities for students, academic or vocational trainees and
mobility organisers

Commission,
Member States

Courses on the Internet: making academic and vocational
training modules available on the Internet

Commission,
Member States

Develop circuits: creation or strengthening of bilateral or
multilateral exchange circuits, in particular mobility partnerships
between universities

Member States

Objective 32

Improve reception facilities for people opting for mobility

Implementation

measure 321

A quality charter: definition and adoption by players of a
quality charter covering reception facilities for trainees who
the
are foreign nationals and providing in particular
necessary means of ensuring equal
for
people opting for mobility (for example one-stop information
shops or free services)

for
reception facilities

Commission,
Member States

measure 322

On-line information: provision of on-line information on the
reception facilities for people opting for mobility

Commission,
Member
Agencies
Leonardo
Youth

States, National
Socrates,
and

for
da Vinci

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Objective 33

Simplify the mobility calendar

Implementation

measure 331

Clear dates: wide dissemination of information on university
calendars and school years

Member
Agencies
Leonardo
Youth

States, National
Socrates,
and

for
da Vinci

measure 332

A European calendar: with due regard to the autonomy of
universities, drafting of a European academic calendar showing
the core periods of term time, and in appropriate cases concen-
tration of mobility training modules in those periods

Commission,
Member
Agencies
Leonardo
Youth

States, National
Socrates,
and

for
da Vinci

measure 333

Adoption of semesters: study of the possibility of dividing the
university year into semesters and of enrolling and paying fees
by semester

Member States

Objective 34

A proper status for people opting for mobility

Implementation

measure 341

measure 342

measure 343

measure 344

Mobility as a priority: declaration by the relevant authorities
that mobility is a priority which will ultimately become an
important component of
received by
students and trainees, by teachers right through from primary
to higher education, and by instructors

instruction given or

Member States

A specific youth card: creation of a European card for young
people opting for mobility

Commission,
Member States

Mobility for teachers undergoing training: opportunity for
teachers to take all or part of their initial or continuing training
in another Member State

Member States

One status for all: examine the possibility of extending the
current higher-education post of associate member of
the
teaching staff to other levels and to other circuits of education,
in Member States where it seems appropriate to do so

Member States

IV. GAINING MORE FROM PERIODS OF MOBILITY

Objective 41

Increase crossover opportunities by developing the system of recog-
nition and equivalence of diplomas and training

Implementation

measure 411

measure 412

Equivalence: encouragement for all universities to generalise
the European Community
systems of diploma equivalence,
the Sorbonne and
Course Credit Transfer System (ECTS),
Bologna process particularly via the European Network of
National Information Centres on academic mobility and recog-
nition (ENIC network) and the National Academic Recognition
Information Centres (NARIC)

Commission,
Member
Agencies
Leonardo
Youth

States, National
Socrates,
and

for
da Vinci

An addendum: generalisation of academic and vocational
diploma
in all
Member States

them recognisable

supplements

to make

Member States

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Objective 42

Recognise the experience acquired

Implementation

measure 421

Recognised experience: issue by the relevant authorities of the
host State of a document certifying the skills acquired during
the period of mobility, with particular reference to languages,
the
and taking into account by the relevant authorities of
country of origin of periods of study or training successfully
completed abroad

Member States

measure 422

An ad hoc document: generalisation of the Europass training (1)

Commission,
Member States

measure 423

Voluntary work: taking into account of voluntary work in the
Member State of origin

Member States

(1) Council Decision of 21 December 1998 on the promotion of European partnerships in work-linked training, including apprenticeship

(OJ L 17, 22.1.1999, p. 45).

Objective 43

Gain more from periods of mobility

Implementation

measure 431

Professional
incentives: examine the desirability and possi-
bilities in national law and practice of making the best use of
the experience gained by teaching staff who have taken a period
of mobility

Member States

measure 432

Suitable methodology: devise a methodology for measuring
the professional impact of periods of mobility

Commission,
Member States