WRITTEN QUESTION E-0737/01 by Roy Perry (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Mobility of researchers.
Date: 2001-03-09
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European Council, free movement of persons, job mobility, research staff

4.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 340 E/79

(cid:129) Employment and education issues are also addressed by the eEurope Action Plan, which was endorsed
by the Feira European Council in June 2000. The key aims of eEurope in this area are to contribute to
filling the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills gap, to give workers the skills they
need to work and ensure participation for all in the knowledge-based economy.

(cid:129) The follow-up of the implementation of the targets of the eEurope Action Plan is based on the
including education related
benchmarking of national progress according to a set of indicators,
indicators agreed by the Council on 30 November 2000 (5).
Indicators related to working and
participation in the knowledge-based economy are the percentage of the workforce with (at least)
basic Information technology (IT) training; the number of places and graduates in ICT-related third-
level education; the percentage of the workforce using telework; and the number of Public Internet
Points (PIAPS) per 1 000 inhabitants.

(cid:129) In addition the High level Group on the Employment and Social Dimension of the Information Society
(cid:129) ESDIS (cid:129) has drawn up a Benchmarking Report following-up the (cid:145)Strategies for jobs in the
Information Society(cid:146) (6) for which Member State data and a specific Eurobarometer survey on (cid:145)ICT and
working(cid:146) (results November 2000) have been used with the view of further assessing impact of the
Information Society on jobs, and fulfilling ESDIS mandates under the eEurope action plan.

(cid:129) Moreover a specific Action Plan (cid:145)eLearning: Designing tomorrow(cid:146)s education(cid:146) was adopted on
28 March 2001 by the Commission (7) to ensure that the eEurope Action Plan is taken forward in the
field of education and training.

(cid:129) A Memorandum on lifelong learning (8) has launched a consultation involving, both in Member States
and at Community level, social partners, public authorities, learning and related service providers and
civil society. The results will be used by the Commission for drafting an action plan in the second half
of 2001 including the development of indicators and benchmarking.

(cid:129) The new Programme relative to the Community framework strategy on gender equality (2001-2005)

has now commenced and the priority theme for 2001/2002 is (cid:145)Equal pay(cid:146) (9).

(1) Commission Communication (cid:145)Realising the European Union(cid:146)s potential: consolidating and extending the Lisbon

strategy(cid:146) COM(2001) 79 final.

(2) Council Decision 2001/63 EC of 19 January 2001 (OJ L 22, 24.1.2001).
(3) COM(2001) 116 final.
(4) Press:46 (cid:129) No: 5927/01.
(5) See Note from the French Presidency on: http://europa.eu.int/comm/information_society/eeurope/documentation/

update/index_en.htm.

(6) SEC(2001) 222 (http://europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/soc-dial/info_soc/esdis/index.htm).
(7) Commission Communication (cid:145)e-Learning (cid:129) Designing tomorrow(cid:146)s education(cid:146) COM(2001) 172 final.
(8) Commission staff working paper (cid:129) SEC(2000) 1832.
(9) Council Decision 2001/51/EC of 20 December 2000 (OJ L 17, 19.1.2001).

(2001/C 340 E/093)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0737/01

by Roy Perry (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(9 March 2001)

Subject: Mobility of researchers

The 2000 Lisbon European Council called on the Council and the Commission, together with the Member
States where appropriate, to (cid:145)take steps to remove obstacles to the mobility of researchers in Europe by
2002 and to attract and retain high-quality research talent in Europe.(cid:146) What steps have been taken?

C 340 E/80

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

4.12.2001

Answer given by Mr Busquin on behalf of the Commission

(2 May 2001)

In accordance with conclusions of the Lisbon European Council, the Research Council of 15 June 2000
adopted a Resolution requesting that the Commission and the Member States cooperate fully to remove
obstacles to the mobility of researchers by 2002. A panel of high-level national experts was thus set up
during the Summer of 2000. Four different types of obstacles were defined, for which concrete measures
will be drawn up: legal and administrative obstacles; social and cultural obstacles; career-related obstacles;
and obstacles of a cross-sectorial nature. The high-level group held four meetings between October 2000
and March 2001. It sent its report to the Commission on 4 April 2001.

Following the work carried out by the high-level group, the Commission will draw up a communication
on the mobility of researchers within the European Research Area by June 2001. In this, the Commission
will set out a series of proposals promoting a favourable environment for the mobility of researchers
throughout their career.

These actions will be carried out in conjunction with other existing or developing initiatives in the field of
mobility, such as the proposal for a recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council on
mobility within the Community for students, people undergoing training, young volunteers, teachers and
trainers; (1) the Mobility Action Plan (2), a High-Level Skills and Mobility Task Force; and the Group of
Directors-General responsible for the public sector.

(1) COM(1999) 708 final.
(2) OJ C 371, 23.12.2000.

(2001/C 340 E/094)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0738/01

by Roy Perry (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(9 March 2001)

Subject: Mobility of students, teachers and trainers

The 2000 Lisbon European Council called upon (cid:145)the Member States, in line with their constitutional rules,
the Council and the Commission to take the necessary steps within their areas of competence to define, 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 (Socrates, Leonardo, Youth), by
removing obstacles and through greater transparency in the recognition of qualifications and periods of
study and training.(cid:146) Was this target achieved?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(5 June 2001)

The Council and the Commission are working hard to implement the conclusions of the Lisbon European
Council, notably by accelerating the procedure for adopting the proposal for a recommendation on
mobility (1), which provides that the Commission shall present a report on the implementation of the
recommended measures every two years. This report will be drafted with the help of the Ad Hoc Expert
Group with a view to allowing the exchange of information and experience on the different aspects of the
recommendation and to encouraging the implementation of the recommendations in the Member States.

Following Parliament(cid:146)s second reading, the Education Council is expected to adopt the recommendation
definitively on 28 May 2001.

The recommendation proposed by the Commission invites each Member State to take the measures they
judge to be appropriate to eliminate barriers to mobility among the target groups. It focuses on measures
to promote a European qualifications area, to enable those concerned to report on qualifications obtained