European Parliament resolution on the Commission Memorandum on Lifelong Learning (SEC(2000) 1832) - C5-0192/2001 - 2001/2088(COS))
Date: 2001-10-23
Institutions: European Parliament
Subjects: EU employment policy, continuing vocational training, education costs, education policy, educational system, information society

9.5.2002

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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TEXTS ADPOTED

Tuesday 23 October 2001

1. Lifelong learning (Rule 62)

A5-0322/2001

European Parliament

resolution on the Commission Memorandum on Lifelong Learning

(SEC(2000) 1832) ’ C5-0192/2001 ’ 2001/2088(COS))

The European Parliament,

(cid:9) having regard to the Commission memorandum (SEC(2000) 1832 (cid:9) C5-0192/2001),

(cid:9) having regard to the European Year of Lifelong Learning (1996) and its resolution of 8 September
2000 on the report on the implementation, results and overall assessment of the European Year of
Lifelong Learning (1996) (1),

(cid:9) having regard to the Luxembourg European Council (1997) which made increased employability and

adaptability through training a priority topic in the ‘employment guidelines’,

(cid:9) having regard to the conclusions of the Lisbon, Feira and Stockholm European Councils,

(cid:9) having regard to the OECD publication ‘Education policy analyses’,

(cid:9) having regard to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, and in particular Arti-
cle 14 thereof, which guarantees that everyone has the right to education and to have access to voca-
tional and continuing training,

(cid:9) having regard to Articles 149 and 150 of the EC Treaty,

(cid:9) having regard to Rule 47(1) of its Rules of Procedure,

(cid:9) having delegated the power of decision to the Committee on Culture, Youth, Education, the Media and

Sport under Rule 62 of its Rules of Procedure,

(cid:9) having regard to the report of the Committee on Culture, Youth, Education, the Media and Sport and

the opinion of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (A5-0322/2001),

A. whereas we are living in a rapidly changing ‘knowledge society’ characterised by the continual intro-
duction of new technology, and the exponential growth in the quantity of information and in the
speed with which this information is spread,

B. whereas the knowledge society can considerably improve the quality of life and work for everyone,
provided that at the same time policy measures are taken to guarantee equal chances for everyone to
participate actively in that society,

C. whereas the present-day economy, based chiefly on knowledge and mobility, makes it necessary for
everyone to have the opportunity to add to their skills so that they are able to face up to potential
new risks linked to the rapid development of society and the new technologies; whereas, in particular,
merely obtaining a qualification no longer determines one’s career for the rest of one’s life; whereas
the traditional pattern of life (study-work-retirement) is coming under pressure,

D. whereas, according to OECD studies, people with higher education qualifications have easier access to
lifelong learning, continuing education, training and re-training, and whereas access to information
regarding training offered for those without higher education should therefore be improved,

E.

having regard to the conclusions of the Lisbon European Council seeking to make the European
Union the world’s most competitive knowledge-based economy and society,

(1) OJ C 135, 7.5.2001, p. 304.

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F. whereas the European lifelong learning project forms part of the wider policy framework of future
education and training objectives; whereas this European project cannot be divorced from other spe-
cific European policy issues such as employment, social policy, mobility, ICT and e-learning,

G. whereas lifelong learning concerns all socio-economic sectors, workers, employees, academics, man-
agement, researchers and others, and this diversity should be taken into account by the Union and the
Member States when setting up training programmes and their funding,

H. whereas enlargement will change the market for employment and vocational training,

I. whereas the ‘employment guidelines’, which have been used since 1997 to coordinate the employment
policies of the Member States, include lifelong learning as one of their priorities; whereas the 2001
guidelines to the Member States call for target figures to be set for the participation of people in the
25-64 age bracket in lifelong learning and call on both sides of industry to negotiate on subjects such
as participation in training,

Supports the strategy, outlined by the Commission, of initiating a broad social debate on lifelong

1.
learning;

2.

Is convinced that lifelong learning is a social necessity but should also be a social right for everyone;

Calls on the Commission to ensure that the concrete policy measures on lifelong learning are based

3.
on the following principles:

(a) democratisation and the principle of equality: lifelong learning should replace the notion of (in most
cases) a single educational opportunity with that of several opportunities for learning and acquiring
new skills during the course of one’s life, i.e. the creation of ‘life chances’: each individual must have
equal opportunities as regards lifelong learning;

(b)

(c)

individual personality development: the notion of lifelong learning should be an answer to each indi-
vidual’s need to add to and expand his or her skills and obtain inner enrichment;

the individual right to lifelong learning: the concept of lifelong learning should give concrete form to
each individual’s right to education and training;

(d) personal responsibility: the concept of lifelong learning should also be aimed at a person’s growth in

terms of citizenship and sense of responsibility;

(e) a holistic approach to learning:

‘learning’ cannot mean just the development of knowledge and a
purely functional approach with a view, for example, to employment: learning should also be aimed
at attitude-forming;

Notes that lifelong learning sometimes calls for a radical change in policy on education, training and

4.
the labour market and sometimes for supporting measures, such as:

(a) development of priority action areas based on the need for a balance between economic motives
(employability of the individual) and social and cultural motives (individual personality development)
and social integration;

(b)

integrating the concept of lifelong learning into school education so that the certificate acquired is not
seen as the last before professional life but rather as the first and so that other certificates may be
obtained during working life, whatever the field of activity;

(c) giving express consideration to the most vulnerable groups which do not have easy access to

information on the possibilities for lifelong learning;

(d)

incorporating the ‘joy of learning’ into the process of learning, especially by encouraging teaching
methods which place emphasis on support, assistance and guidance;

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(e) active support for educational and training projects for adults, entitling all to equal opportunities,

regardless of age or sex;

(f)

encouraging new forms of learning alongside traditional learning at educational establishments, recog-
nition and certification of experience and abilities acquired, including in a non-formal context, and
recognition of experience acquired abroad as well (equivalence of diplomas and certificates);

(g) wider social recognition of the achievements of individuals who improve their level of skills through

lifelong learning projects;

(h) encouraging all those involved on the one hand to see lifelong learning as progress for society and the
individual, and on the other hand to shoulder their responsibilities (funding of training, time available,
recognition of skills acquired, etc.): this concerns the Member State governments, the European Union,
industry and individuals;

(i)

seeking adequate funding to promote and set up lifelong learning programmes: ESF, ERDF, Structural
Funds, EIB, etc.;

5.
Considers that, if lifelong learning is to be effective, a distinction needs to be made among the large
segments of which it is composed so as to organise programmes with a definite profile and coherent
objectives; considers that a distinction needs to be drawn between courses targeted at the incorporation
of new knowledge into professions, and courses aimed at the acquisition of the skills necessary for social
integration;

6.
Considers that the efforts of the Union, the Member States and the regions with regard to lifelong
learning must be aligned by the open coordination method, with common objectives, guidelines, indicators
and benchmarking on the basis of best practice in Member States, regular monitoring and evaluation of
the progress made; calls on the Commission to draft proposals for Member States to act and calls for the
European Parliament to be involved in these activities;

Calls on the Commission to define lifelong learning concepts clearly in the proposals it draws up in

7.
the future, differentiating between:

(cid:9) training to make good failure at school or designed to ensure that disadvantaged or minority groups

acquire basic education and culture,

(cid:9) distance learning for adults in areas contributing to general and cultural education, including the new

technologies,

(cid:9) professional qualifications in regulated and non-regulated areas,

(cid:9) training geared to employment and labour integration, regardless of the student’s age,

(cid:9) the acquisition of new qualifications to adapt and renew skills in the face of the demands of the new

labour market, including the new technologies,

(cid:9) lifelong learning for professionals, lecturers and researchers as a means of updating knowledge;

Calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure greater coordination of existing funding
8.
in order as far as possible to guarantee the right to education and access to vocational and continuing
training for each citizen;

Calls on the Member States, in the context of the 2002 Employment Guidelines, to set specific objec-
9.
tives and adopt practical measures, organised according to age group and level of training, for participation
in education and training measures;

Calls on the Commission to announce, by the end of 2001, the action plan which it envisages in

10.
the area of lifelong learning, involving the European Parliament in its reflections;

11.
Calls on both sides of industry to ensure as a matter of urgency, in implementation of the ‘employ-
ment guidelines’ and the social agenda, that binding agreements are reached regarding the right to lifelong
learning at European level;

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12.
Calls on the Commission and the Member States, through the method of open coordination, to
devise a system broadly based on ‘credits’ bringing together existing evaluation and recognition instru-
ments in a coherent, transparent system covering not only regular but also irregular and informal experi-
ence;

13.
Calls on the Commission, to apply the principle of mainstreaming to the lifelong learning policy, as
to other areas, so that lifelong learning can be horizontally integrated into the operation of the ESF and
into Community programmes;

Calls on the Commission to include in the lifelong learning and training process workers who are

14.
not nationals of a Member State but who have acquired the right to work;

Calls on the Commission and the Member States to draft proposals for the funding of the lifelong
15.
learning project; urges that the EIB be involved in these proposals, given that the development of human
capital is an integral part of the EIB’s new package of tasks;

Calls on the Commission and the Member States, under their common responsibility and on the
16.
basis of best practice, to adopt promotion measures at individual level; supports in this context the system
of ‘individual learning accounts’ as used, for example, in the UK and in Sweden;

Stresses the impact of enlargement on the labour and training market and calls on the Commission
17.
to take this into account in the priorities and actions which it is to undertake in the area of lifelong
learning;

Lifelong Learning and Employment

18.
Stresses that the adaptation of education and training systems with a view to integrating the con-
cept of lifelong learning is (cid:9) in conformity with the principle of subsidiarity (cid:9) primarily a matter of the
Member States; takes the view, however, that a jointly coordinated effort at EU-level is desirable to enable
Member States to exchange examples of good practice; considers, therefore, the open coordinating method
the right framework for setting common objectives for lifelong learning;

Considers that the primary obstacles to the development of lifelong learning systems are the lack of

19.
agreements and the fundamental disagreements on forms of funding and the setting of priorities;

Believes that the choices and priority issues need to be identified to allow political action to con-

20.
centrate on the essentials;

21.
Believes that there is a direct link between quality of work and lifelong learning, and therefore calls
on the Commission to explain how the policies on lifelong learning, quality of work and the organisation
of work can be mutually supportive;

22.
Considers it important for lifelong education to be included as a clear priority for political action, in
order to ensure employability, which is a vital prerequisite for active citizenship, and to make it possible to
achieve economic growth where people are the main resource and combat social exclusion;

Hopes that the situation in the various candidate countries concerning education and training will

23.
be ascertained and included in the overall picture;

Considers that there is a need to develop towards an integrated society which offers everyone equal

24.
opportunities for quality lifelong learning;

Basic school systems

25.
Raises the question of how the basic school systems in the Member States, which are the foun-
dation for lifelong learning, may be improved in quality and transformed to meet present and future needs;

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26.
Points to the widespread need for modern, appropriately sized school buildings, equipment that
meets modern educational standards and, for teaching purposes, smaller classes, access to new techno-
logies, use of computers, knowledge of programmes and Internet connections;

27.
Considers that teachers, as key individuals in a knowledge-based society, must have access to facil-
ities to enable them to upgrade their knowledge and a greater range of further training geared to the needs
of society and, in view of the importance of their social role, appropriate pay and proper recognition of
their activity;

Considers that educational organisations generally need to be freed of red tape, decentralised and

28.
opened up to the community;

Points out that giving teachers more scope for proposing initiatives and pupils and parents greater

29.
and more active involvement may improve the quality of the education provided;

Calls, in order to ensure good cohesion between the education system and local labour markets, for

30.
proposals on how to transform schools into open and attractive local learning centres;

Notes the need to promote lifelong learning at local and regional levels by establishing effective

31.
community networks;

Adult education systems

32.
Recognises that adult education systems are important to both industry and employment as well as
for well-being, culture and personal development and therefore need to be extended, overhauled and
diversified in order to meet the many new needs;

33.
Points out that any large-scale employer has to have a training and skill-development plan agreed
between both sides of industry and jointly managed in accordance with agreements and national legis-
lation;

34.
Recognises that lifelong learning is important throughout life and not only in relation to paid
employment or the labour market; points out that the notion of lifelong learning should also apply to
the time after retirement and the access of older people (cid:9) either retired or employed (cid:9) to lifelong learning
schemes should be facilitated;

35.
Calls on the Member States to ensure that older people, the disabled and others outside the world of
work are offered opportunities for further education to meet their personal educational ambitions and to
become involved in cultural activities;

36.
Stresses that the education systems in the EU should, inter alia, support the labour market and the
development of a genuinely European labour market which leads to greater cross-border mobility; calls for
mutual recognition of diplomas;

Financing

Notes that the necessary increase in quality in basic education will inevitably involve substantial and

37.
in some cases very substantial increases in spending;

Points out that vocational training, further training and higher education, which are increasing at a

38.
greater rate than other parts of the educational system, also require considerable increases in spending;

Calls for a discussion on how these costs can be apportioned in the Member States between indi-

39.
viduals, employers and public bodies both effectively and in a spirit of solidarity;

40.
Assumes that the cost of in-service training and further training of staff is an investment in human
capital and that the financial resources, the budget, the educational targets and the necessary measures will
be established and organised with the involvement of both sides of industry and other relevant groups in
the community and in accordance with national labour market regulation;

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41.
Draws particular attention to the fact that most Member States have few or no forms of funding
retraining for a new occupation, something which is particularly necessary during crisis situations and
industrial redevelopment;

Draws attention to the proposal that all persons should be entitled to a certain number of years of
42.
public education, which implies that those who left school early are entitled later in life to complementary
education with a view to acquire the necessary vocational qualifications that will enable them to play an
active role in society and give them access to the labour market;

43.
Draws attention to the link between the cost of education as an investment and as a source of
added value, and considers that this approach should form the basis of a policy for the long-term funding
of education;

The European Union’s role

44.
Calls for an open political debate on the three strategies for education and employment adopted
simultaneously at the Lisbon European Council and points out that the problem of setting priorities has
yet to be solved;

45.
Supports the proposal that the open coordination procedure should be applied to lifelong learning
and in particular stresses the need for guidelines on resources, organisation and links between the various
educational institutions;

46. Would like to see the open coordination take the form of a ‘bottom-up’ rather than the ‘top-down’
process devised for employment policy and calls for more emphasis to be placed on developing a positive
attitude to lifelong learning amongst socially excluded groups;

Stresses the vital importance of the knowledge of two languages for cross-border cooperation in

47.
Europe and in the world;

48.
Draws attention to the need for coordination between countries, with due regard for the Member
States’ autonomy in this sector, on educational programmes, student and teacher mobility, mutual recog-
nition of diplomas, admission criteria for training and vocational courses, and exchange of best practice;

Hopes that these views will also be noted by the Commission and taken into account in the con-

49.
tinuing work on the forthcoming plan of action for lifelong learning;

*

*

*

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments

50.
and parliaments of the Member States and the European social partners.

2. Stable derivates of human blood or human plasma ***I (procedure without

report)

C5-0382/2001

Proposal for a European Parliament and Council directive amending Council Directive 93/42/EEC,
as amended by Directive 2000/70/EC, as regards medical devices incorporating stable derivates of
human blood or human plasma (COM(2001) 480 ’ C5-0382/2001 ’ 2001/0186(COD))

(Codecision procedure: first reading)

The proposal was approved.