Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions - Commission's Action Plan for skills and mobility
Date: 2002-02-13
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU employment policy, action programme, job mobility, professional qualifications

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 13.2.2002
COM(2002)72 final

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL, THE
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND
THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

Commission's Action Plan for skills and mobility

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY........................................................................................................ 4

1.

2.

The Policy Context....................................................................................................... 6

The Challenges............................................................................................................. 7

A. Inadequate occupational mobility. ........................................................................................ 7

B. Low geographic mobility....................................................................................................... 9

C. Fragmentation of information and lack of transparency of job opportunities ..................... 11

3.

Objectives and Action................................................................................................ 11

3.1.

Expanding occupational mobility and skills development ........................................ 12

3.1.1.

Ensure that education and training systems become more responsive to the labour
market reflecting an increasingly knowledge-based economy and society ............... 12

3.1.2.

Introduce and consolidate effective competence development strategies for workers13

3.1.3.

Lower the barriers to the recognition of learning wherever acquired and promote the
transparency and transferability of qualifications across Europe .............................. 15

3.1.4.

Increase efforts in less advanced Member States and regions ................................... 15

3.2.

Facilitating geographic mobility ................................................................................ 15

3.2.1. Remove remaining administrative and legal barriers................................................. 15

3.2.2. Develop language and cross-cultural skills................................................................ 17

3.2.3.

Promote recognition of qualifications through encouraging increased transparency in
education and training systems .................................................................................. 18

3.2.4. Develop an EU-wide immigration policy .................................................................. 18

3.3.

Improving information and transparency of job opportunities .................................. 19

4.

5.

Monitoring and Follow up ......................................................................................... 20

Conclusions................................................................................................................ 20

ANNEX I.................................................................................................................................. 21

Overview of actions, responsible bodies and deadlines for implementation ........................... 21

ANNEX II ................................................................................................................................ 22

Statistical Annex ...................................................................................................................... 22

1) Levels of occupational mobility and labour turnover .......................................................... 22

2) Impact of educational levels on employment and unemployment....................................... 22

2

3) Employment growth in high education sectors.................................................................... 23

4) Educational attainment levels .............................................................................................. 24

5) Early school leavers ............................................................................................................. 25

6) Basic skills (literacy and numeracy) .................................................................................... 25

7) Participation of adult workers in training ............................................................................ 27

8) Shortages in ICT occupations and sectors ........................................................................... 28

9) Demographic developments: change of working age population and composition by age

groups......................................................................................................................... 28

10) Levels of geographical mobility ........................................................................................ 29

11) Commuting mobility.......................................................................................................... 29

12) High employment regions and skills needs ....................................................................... 32

13) Foreign language teaching ................................................................................................. 33

14) Migration............................................................................................................................ 34

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Action Plan on Skills and Mobility is the culmination of the process launched in February
(cid:1)
2001  by  the  Commission's  Communication  on  the  New  European  Labour  Markets
,  the
conclusions  of  the  Stockholm  European  Council  of  March  2001,  and  the  work  of  the  High
Level  Task  Force  on  Skills  and  Mobility,  which  submitted  its  report  to  the  Commission  in
December  2001.  The  Action  Plan  builds  on  the  conclusions  of  the  Task  Force  in  order  to
create a more  favourable environment for more open  and  easily accessible  European labour
markets by 2005. It also draws on existing initiatives, notably the Communication on ‘Making
a European Area of Lifelong Learning a reality’. In so doing, this action plan puts forward a
coherent  political  vision  to  promote  human  resources  in  the  Union  in  accordance  with  the
Lisbon  goals,  primarily  create  opportunities  for  citizens  to  move  around  the  Union  for
educational  or  professional  purposes,  and  make  it  easier  for  them  to  take  advantage  of  the
benefits of European integration, including the European Single Market.

Achieving  the  Lisbon  objectives  of  more  and  better  jobs,  greater  social  cohesion  and  a
dynamic  knowledge-based  economy  requires  a  skilled  and  adaptable  labour  force.  More
mobility  on  the  labour  market,  be  it  mobility  between  jobs  or  between  Member  States,  is
integral  to  this  ambition,  and  improving  skills  levels  and  removing  barriers  to  mobility  are
essential  in  this  context.  The  actions  to  be  undertaken  will  need  to  be  co-ordinated  and
consistent  with  the  process  established  for  the  European  Employment  Strategy.  The  actions
related to education and training will be taken forward in the context of the follow-up to the
above Lifelong Learning Communication and to the Report on the objectives of education and
training  systems.  In  view  of  enlargment,  candidate  countries  should  be  invited  to  adopt  the
goals of the  action plan to the  largest extent  possible. Regardless  of  the  fact that the  labour
force  mobility  from  candidate  countries  into  the  EU  after  accession  will  be  subject  to  a
flexible  system  of  transitional  periods,  the  new  Member  States  share  the  challenge  of
promoting a better skilled and adaptable labour force.

Three fundamental challenges are highlighted in the Action Plan to promote the objective of
European labour markets being made more open and accessible. Firstly, there is the challenge
of  inadequate  occupational  mobility,  showing  up  the  need  to  adapt  education  and  training
systems more effectively to the labour market, to boost lifelong learning and skills acquisition
(particularly  skills  in  information  and  communication  technologies  -  ICT),  and  to  improve
systems  to  recognise  qualifications  and  competences.  Secondly,  low  levels  of  geographic
mobility within and  between  Member  States  suggest  that the  benefits  of  the  internal market
are not  yet fully  explored,  for  example in terms of dealing with  skills  bottlenecks  or  labour
market imbalances. Many obstacles to mobility still exist, including deficiencies in language
skills,  family  circumstances,  as  well  as  in  relation  to  taxes,  pensions,  social  security  and
related issues. Furthermore, a declining EU workforce due to demographic changes suggests
that  immigration  of  third  country  nationals  would  also  help  satisfy  some  of  the  skill  needs.
Finally,  deficiencies  in  access  to  and  the  quality  of  information  on  mobility  and  individual
sectors deter many people from considering a job move or particular career choice.

The objectives and action set out in the Action Plan are designed to address these challenges.
Firstly,  they  aim  to  expand  occupational  mobility  and  skills  development,  by  ensuring  that
education  and  training  systems  become  more  responsive  to  the  labour  market,  competence
development  strategies  for  workers  are  drawn  up,  learning  is  recognised  wherever  it  is

(cid:1) COM(2001)116 final

4

                                                
acquired  and  qualifications  are  more  easily  transferable,  and  by  more  human  resource
investment in less advanced regions. In second place, facilitating geographic mobility calls for
the removal of administrative and legal barriers where they still exist (for example through a
universal health card),  the  development  of  language  and  cross-cultural  skills,  promoting  the
cross-border  recognition  of  qualifications,  and  an  EU-wide  immigration  policy.  Finally,
improving  information  provision  means  setting  up  a  One-Stop  mobility  information  site,
improving  the  effectiveness  of  the  EURES1  jobs  vacancy  system,  and  launching  a  mobility
information campaign.

Implementing the various actions needed to achieve the objectives will require responsibility
and  commitment  from  a  range  of  actors;  Member  States,  the  Commission,  other  EU
institutions, social partners and others. Where appropriate a series of benchmarks and targets
are laid out in order to monitor progress towards the goals outlined, and the Commission will
assess  on  an  annual  basis  the  implementation  of  the  Action  Plan  on  the  occasion  of  the
European Council meetings in springtime; this approach is essential if real tangible progress
is to be achieved in supporting the overall Lisbon objectives.

5

1. 

THE POLICY CONTEXT

Fostering  growth  in  the  European  economy  calls  for  better  matching  between  the  skills
demanded in growth sectors and regions and those available in the workforce. A fundamental
aim of the European Union is indeed to create the opportunities which allow the individuals to
take free and responsible decisions for their own life, including to move in an other Member
State.  This  may  contribute  to  reducing  sectorial  and  geographical  imbalances  and  hence
creates the conditions for a better use of the resources available.

This  requires  more  mobility  of  capital  and  of  labour,  in  pursuit  of  the  twin  objectives  of  a
more  successful  and  dynamic  European  economy  and  a  balanced  geographical  and  social
distribution  of  the  rewards  of  faster  economic  growth.  But  lowering  individual  and  social
costs  of  mobility  will  necessitate  both  the  strengthening  of  public  goods  supply  and  further
efforts  from  social  partners  in  the  areas  of  basic  education,  promotion  of  higher  skills  and
retraining of the workforce

It requires also enhanced investment opportunities in depressed and remote areas in order to
create  jobs  and  reduce  unemployment  rate  in  such  a  way  that  other  regions  enjoying  better
labour  conditions  do  not  have  to  cope  with  excessive  immigration,  population  pressures,
congestion and environmental pollution.

It  is  the  Commission’s  responsibility  to  ensure  that  the  freedom  of  movement  of  workers
between  Member  States,  as  enshrined  in  the  Treaties,  is  guaranteed  and  operates  in  reality.
Action to promote skills development to combat skills shortages and bottlenecks, which act as
a brake on the EU's economy, is an integral part of occupational mobility.

The achievement  of  a  dynamic  knowledge-based  economy  capable  of  sustainable  economic
growth  with  more  and  better  jobs  and  greater  social  cohesion,  as  announced  at  the  Lisbon
European Council, will depend on a labour force which has the necessary skills as well as the
capacity  to  adapt  and  acquire  new  knowledge  throughout  their  working  life.  Strategies  for
lifelong  learning  and  mobility  are  essential  to  achieve  full  employment  under  the  European
Employment Strategy.

More generally, such strategies are needed not only to promote active  citizenship and social
inclusion, and reduce inequality, but also to ensure the development of the Single Market and
the successful integration of the European economy under the Economic and Monetary Union
(EMU). The enlargement of the EU will provide a wider platform for these developments for
the benefit of an even greater number of EU citizens in the years to come.

To assist in achieving these aims, the Commission set up a High level Task Force on Skills
and Mobility as signalled in its Communication on the New European Labour Markets (COM
(2001)116), and as endorsed by the Stockholm European Council. The Task Force's role was
to identify the main drivers and characteristics of the European labour markets, examine the
barriers to occupational and geographic mobility and develop a set of recommendations. The
Task  Force  was  set  up  by  the  Commission  in  June  2001  and  submitted  its  report  to  the
Commission on 14 December 2001.

The  present  document  builds  on  the  work  of  the  Task  Force  by  setting  out  an  ambitious
programme of  action to develop European labour markets, open to all with access for all. It
complements several existing initiatives designed to contribute to the mobility of citizens, in
particular the Recommendation of the Council and the European Parliament on mobility2, and

6

the  associated  Action  Plan,  to  which  Member  States  have  agreed3.  While  these  initiatives
address the legal, administrative and linguistic barriers to mobility, faced by students, persons
undergoing training, teachers  and  trainers, the present Action  Plan  focuses  on  removing  the
obstacles to labour market mobility.  It also complements the Commission’s Communication
on  ‘Making  a  European  Area  of  Lifelong  Learning  a  Reality’4,  which  establishes  lifelong
learning  as  the  framework  for  education  and  training  policies,  and  which  proposes  priority
areas  for  action  in  the  field  of  lifelong  learning.  Several  of  the  proposals  in  the
Communication are also developed in this Action Plan, with more specific regard to European
labour markets, for example in relation to recognition of qualifications. The Action Plan also
complements the  Report on  Concrete  Future  Objectives  of  Education  and  Training  Systems
endorsed  by  the  Stockholm  European  Council  in  March  2001.  It  is  consistent  with  the
Commission’s Communication "A Mobility Strategy for the European Research Area"5, of 20
June  2001,  and  also  builds  on  the  Commission’s  Communication  on  the  impact  of  the  e-
Economy  on  European  enterprises6  and  the  activities  launched  in  September  2001  in  co-
operation  with  Member  States  to  monitor  the  demand  and  the  progress  of  actions  aimed  at
improving the availability of ICT and e-business skills7 in Europe.

The presentation of this Action Plan must also be seen in conjunction with the Commission's
recent report on "Increasing labour force participation and promoting active ageing"8 and the
Commission's invitation to the social partners for a dialogue on how to anticipate and manage
the  social  effects  of  corporate  restructuring,  including  those  of  employability  and
adaptability9. In its Communication to the European Council in Barcelona10, the Commission
has  underlined  that  all  these  elements  are  essential  components  needed  to  drive  the  Lisbon
strategy forward.

2. 

THE CHALLENGES

Ensuring that European labour markets are open to all, with access to all will mean tackling
and overcoming three main challenges (see also Annex II for statistical data).

A. Inadequate occupational mobility.

The EU is traditionally characterised by low levels of occupational mobility – the movement
of workers between jobs or sectors, whether within or between Member States – and labour
turnover.  Yet  in  an  increasingly  knowledge-based,  service-sector  economy  in  the  EU,
occupational  mobility  is  essential  for  adapting  to  structural  change,  and  for  driving  such
change in a competitive world, thereby contributing to a better functioning of labour markets
and  higher  productivity,  employment,  growth  and  competitiveness.  Skills  mismatches  are
often  a  major  cause  of  imbalances  in  the  supply  and  demand  for  labour  across  sectors  and
regions, and the rapidly changing world of work make increasing demands on people to equip
themselves  with  the  capacity  to  adapt  to  new  ways  of  working,  technologies,  sectors  and
working environments.

All  citizens  must  have  a  decent  level  of  initial  education,  and  the  opportunity  to  update
knowledge and acquire new skills throughout their working lives and beyond. This should be
a  matter  of  shared  responsibility  between  Government,  public  authorities,  employers,  social
partners  and  individual  citizens.  In  many  instances,  changing  jobs  can  mean  more  than
moving  from  one  enterprise  to  another  or  from  one  industry  to  another;  it  can  also  mean
taking up a different career and occupation. It is therefore essential to ensure that the mix of
learning opportunities is responsive to the need to ensure both employability and adaptability
of workers throughout their working life, thereby enhancing their capacities for occupational
mobility (Annex II, pt.2).

7

Education and training systems still, however, need to adapt to the needs of the labour market
and to an increasingly knowledge-based economy and society; such adaptation is essentially
the responsibility of individual Member States. Over the last five years, employment growth
in so-called high education sectors (i.e. sectors with at least 40 % of their workforce having
attained higher education level) was three times higher than the average employment growth
across all sectors (Annex II, pt.3). However, educational attainment levels are still low in the
Union as  a  whole.  While  the  average  share  of  the  population  having  attained  at  least  upper
secondary education amongst 25-64 year olds across the EU was over 60% in 2000, it varied
in different Member States from 78% to less than 20% (Annex II, pt.4). At a time when fewer
young people will be coming on to the labour market, and in order to face up to the challenges
and opportunities of the knowledge society, it  is  crucial that a maximum  number  should  be
educated  to  the  highest  degree  possible.  Continuing  to  achieve  good  levels  of  education  is
particularly important for  women, who may temporarily withdraw from the  labour force for
child bearing and family rearing, and for whom a good level of education is essential for them
to rejoin the labour market.

The adaptability  and  employability  of  workers  over  their  working  life  therefore  depends  on
high  quality  initial  education  and  training  and  on  a  reduction  of  the  drop-out  rate  from
education.  There  is  still  a  worryingly  high  share  of  the  population  leaving  school  without
formal  qualifications,  the  average  rate  of  this  'early  school  leaving'  across  in  the  EU  being
18.5%  in  2000,  ranging  in  different  Member  States  from  8%  to  more  than  40%  (Annex  II,
pt.5).  Accordingly,  from  an  early  age,  in  addition  to  the  foundation  skills  of  numeracy  and
literacy (Annex II, pt.6), all citizens should have the chance to acquire new key competences.
Innovation in school curricula is therefore needed to prepare young people for the demands of
increasingly  dynamic  labour  markets,  formal  education  and  training  systems  must  become
more open and flexible, and formal and non-formal sectors of provision must become better
integrated  so  that  they  become  more  responsive  to  the  needs  of  the  learner  and  the  labour
market.  The  Commission’s  White  Paper  ‘A  new  impetus  for  European  Youth’11  underlines
that  education  and  training  whether  at  school,  university  or  vocational  training  institutions
require innovation to ensure the quality and  effectiveness  of  education  systems  and  stresses
the complementary character of formal and non-formal learning.

More  importance  has  to  be  attached  to  developing  a  European  dimension  in  education  and
training systems, including through mobility, in order to respond to the labour market demand
for  workers  with  European  outlook  and  experience,  and  to  enhance  career  opportunities  for
such workers.

On  the  labour  market  itself,  adult  workers  should  be  given  more  opportunities  to  improve
their skills, so that the generally low levels of participation of adult workers in training can be
raised  significantly,  particularly  for  those  with  low  to  medium  levels  of  educational
attainment (of whom 6,1% took part in education or training in 2000 across the EU, compared
to  a  15,4%  participation  rate  for  those  with  high  educational  levels)  (Annex  II,  pt.7).
Technological  and  industrial  changes  mean  that  new  types  of  skills  profiles  have  to  be
developed to enable enterprises to provide relevant training to their employees, with account
being taken of the needs and circumstances of SMEs. The development of ICT and eBusiness
skills profiles in particular is needed to help ease shortages in ICT occupations and sectors12
(Annex II, pt.8).

Beyond general measures to raise educational attainment levels, special interventions may be
needed  to  promote  the  skills  and  mobility  of  those  who  are  at  a  disadvantage  in  the  labour
market.  The  participation  of  women  in  training  has  improved,  but  there  is  a  need  to  adapt
training  provision  to  the  circumstances  of  many  women  (often  coping  with  part-time  work,

8

child care and family responsibilities). By the same token the skills gap of those who suffer
from  forms  of  exclusion  or  disadvantage  needs  to  be  addressed,  bearing  in  mind  that
technological  changes  may  exclude  many  citizens  –  particularly  low  skilled  workers,
unemployed people and older people, who may not have the chance to acquire the necessary
skills. Demographic developments in the Union must also be taken into account in workforce
development  strategies,  given  the  bleak  prospect  that  in  the  near  future  there  will  be  fewer
young workers in the labour force (who tend on the whole to be more skilled and mobile), and
a greater proportion of older workers (who tend to be less mobile and less skilled) (Annex II,
pt.9). The ageing of the population requires a life-cycle approach to education and training to
ensure that future generations of older people are able to upgrade to the skills needed, adapt to
changes  in  the  business  and  work  environment  and  be  equipped  to  take  advantage  of  more
flexible career paths.

Occupational  mobility  and  workforce  upskilling  can  also  be  enhanced  by  better  access  for
workers  and  employers  to  information,  guidance  and  counselling  services.  Such  services  to
date have tended to be disparate within and across education, training and employment sectors
in most countries, and largely absent from the workplace itself.

Problems associated with the recognition of non-formal or informal learning13 by employers
and  educational  institutions  can  be  a  significant  barrier  to  occupational  mobility,  whether
within or between Member States. For older workers in particular, acceptance of the value of
experience  and  on-the-job  training  is  often  more  important  than  formal  qualifications.  But
also for  young  people the  acceptance  of  non-formal  learning acquired in,  for  example,  civil
society  and  voluntary  activities,  plays  a  crucial  role  and  has  to  be  improved.  For  small  and
medium  sized  enterprises,  which  often  encounter  difficulties  in  making  finance  or  time
available for training, the assessment and recognition of non-formal and informal learning can
bring mutual benefit to employees and the enterprise.

Low-skilled  workers  in  Europe  have  a  low  propensity  for  occupational  mobility  and  the
proportion of low-skilled workers tends to be highest in Member States and regions with low
employment  rates  and  high  unemployment,  i.e.  those  which  are  lagging  behind.  Expanding
opportunities  for  occupational  mobility  therefore  requires  the  greatest  efforts  to  raise
education levels and improve skills and competences in those Member States and regions

B. Low geographic mobility

Geographic mobility in the EU is also relatively low, particularly between Member States, but
also within Member States (Annex II, pt.10). This is partly due to the existence of legal and
administrative  barriers,  and  partly  to  economic,  social  and  cultural  constraints  and  habits.
Although patterns of geographic labour mobility have changed over the years (with increasing
trends towards temporary migration, long distance commuting, and cross-border commuting)
(Annex  II,  pt.11),  the  overall  rate  of  labour  mobility  is  still  subdued.  Although  geographic
mobility  is  not  a  goal  in  itself,  it  may  offer  people  better  career  prospects  or  professional
alternatives.

Improving  the  potential  for  geographic  mobility  is  linked  to  the  existence  of  dual  labour
markets  in  Europe,  with  regions  of  high  unemployment  existing  side-by-side  with  regions
suffering  from  skill  shortages  (Annex  II,  pt.12),  and  occupational  mobility  is  often  a  pre-
requisite  for  geographic  mobility.  Efforts  to  support  geographic  mobility  must  thus  be
combined with measures for occupational mobility in order to provide openings for workers
simultaneously  to  move  between  sectors  and  regions.  Such  measures  must,  however,  be
developed  in  the  context  of  promoting  sustainable  growth  and  development  in  the  less

9

advantaged regions. Therefore encouraging geographic mobility does not contradict the need
for creating new employment opportunities and improving the quality of life, in particular in
the least advantaged regions. This will be even more crucial for the enlarged EU.

the 

inherent 

the  dynamism 

internal  market  and 

The  European  economy  is  increasingly  based  on  services.  Improving  the  conditions  for  the
free  movement  of  services  across  national  borders  and  ensuring  freedom  of  establishment
should  release 
thus  enhance
in 
competitiveness,  growth  and  employment  creation.  Removing  existing  barriers  in  services
should  also  enhance  the  mobility  of  workers,  be  it  as  employed  or  self-employed.  Such
barriers  include,  for  example,  rules  which  preclude  a company from  enabling all its  staff  to
move  across  borders  to  provide  a  service,  restrictions  on  the  setting  up  of  a  company  in
another  Member  State,  or  restrictions  on  the  use  of  temporary  workers  and  of  employment
agencies.  Examples  are  also  to  be  found  in  some  aspects  of  lack  of  clarity,  certainty  and
flexibility  in  the  regime  for  the  recognition  of  qualifications  for  the  regulated  professions
which has developed piecemeal over some 25 years. Resulting problems have been identified
in terms of some potential for confusion from overlapping texts, specific practical difficulties
in  managing  the  system  and  keeping  it  up-to-date  and  concerns  of  citizens  over  sometimes
unnecessarily uncertain, complex or non-transparent processes.

Moving  to  a  job  in  another  region  or  country  involves  weighing  the  costs  against  the
economic benefits  to  be  gained,  including  a  judgement  about  existing  levels  of  job  security
and  social  protection  compared  with  those  pertaining  elsewhere.  Within  Member  States,  in
spite of persistent regional disparities, there is often only little geographic labour mobility to
regions with lower unemployment and higher income. Empirical research suggests that people
migrate only if they expect an increase in purchasing power, taking into account the costs of
moving, local prices, taxation, social transfers, etc. Regional wage differentiation, the design
of the tax-benefit system and the functioning of the housing market therefore strongly affect
the propensity to move. In many Member States, wage agreements need to take better account
of  regional  differences  in  productivity  and  in  labour  market  conditions.  Reforms  of  tax-
benefit systems may be necessary to help people make up their minds to move to a location
where  they  can  get  a  job,  focusing  on  improving  incentives  which  make  work  pay  while
ensuring that the social objectives of welfare systems are not undermined. A crucial element
affecting  the  housing  market  is  the  extent  to  which  there  are  low  transaction  costs,  such  as
taxes and fees for real estate agents, notaries and land registration.

The costs of moving are often more significant for a move to another country, the introduction
of  the  Euro  making  it  easier  to  assess  the  comparative  advantage  of  moving  to  another
Member  State  within  the  eurozone,  such  as  comparing  wage  differentials  and  the  fiscal
burden  on  labour  (e.g.  social  security  contributions  and  income  tax).  Moving  to  another
country,  even  to  another  EU  Member  State,  also  means  overcoming  a  range  of  legal  and
administrative barriers, largely but not wholly, related to the tax and social security systems.

This  is  usually  complicated  by  the  need  to  have  familiarity  with  the  local  language  and
culture.  Overall  foreign  languages  are  not  sufficiently  taught  or  learned  in  schools,  and  a
considerable commitment to investment in this field is called for (Annex II, pt.13). Progress
in  foreign  language  learning  would  remove  one  of  the  main  cultural  and  psychological
barriers  to  mobility,  and  also  provide  the  basis  for  acquiring  the  inter-cultural  skills  for
understanding what is involved in moving to another country to live and work. In this respect
the value of educational mobility cannot be underestimated, not least because of the linguistic
and  intercultural  skills  that  mobile  students  acquire.  Evidence  indicates  that  students  who
have been internationally mobile are more likely later in life to consider, seek or take up job
opportunities in a Member State other than their own.

10

In  addition,  with  the  spread  of  the  dual-income  household,  and  in  order  not  to  inhibit  the
scope for geographic mobility, more attention has to be given to the need for both people to
find  suitable  employment  opportunities  in  the  same  geographic  area.  There  are  also  further
important social issues related to geographic mobility. Being a fully integrated member within
the  host  society  requires,  among  other  things,  access  to  affordable  housing  and  health  and
social services. Access to these basic services and related costs can vary considerably between
different regions of the EU, which can play a significant role in people's willingness to move.

While  the  lack  of  recognition  of  non-formal  and  informal  learning  can  pose  problems  for
those changing jobs, either within or across Member States, the lack of recognition of formal
educational and vocational qualifications across Member States, and the lack of transparency
of education and training systems, are major barriers to seeking work in another country. This
applies not  only  to  the person  looking for  work, but creates difficulties  for  family  members
who may have to switch between different educational systems in a relatively short period of
time.

Migration of EU nationals between Member States makes up only part of the total migratory
patterns  affecting  the  EU  (Annex  II,  pt.14).  Immigration  of  third  country  nationals  into  the
EU, including from the candidate countries, is now the only source of  population growth in
several  Member  States,  and  therefore  a  significant  means  of  adding  to  their  labour  force.
Some  of  this  migration  will  become  "internalised"  once  the  provisions  for  freedom  of
movement will fully apply  to the  candidate  countries.  However, the  existence of  a common
immigration  policy  would  also  help  geographic  mobility  into  and  throughout  the  Union  by
removing some of the obstacles to the freedom of movement for third country nationals.

C. Fragmentation of information and lack of transparency of job opportunities

In  order  to  be  able  to  make  informed  choices,  those  wishing  to  change  jobs  or  sectors,  or
move  to  another  country  need,  first  and  foremost,  adequate  and  appropriate  information  on
employment conditions, living conditions and information  about the availability  of jobs  and
relating training. While there is much information collected by both private and public bodies,
there  is  considerable  fragmentation  in  the  access  to  such  information.  A  first  priority  is  to
bring  together  the  information  into  an  easily  accessible  format  and  promote  networking
among  the  relevant  organisations  and  agencies  at  local,  regional,  national  and  European
levels,  and  ensure  that  people  are  aware  of  its  existence  through  adequate  publicity  and
promotion.

On another  level, some occupations  –  such  as  those  in  the  engineering  sector  and  requiring
scientific  knowledge  -  often  suffer  from  being  relatively  less  attractive  for  many  young
people,  in  particular  girls,  which  makes  them  reluctant  to  take  advantage  of  the  career
opportunities  available  in  these  fields.  Providing  attractive  information  about  such  jobs  and
the opportunities they offer, and relating school curricula and learning experiences to this type
of  work,  would  help  in  the  removal  of  a  number  of  bottlenecks  in  the  labour  market,  and
consequently in the economic development of the sectors concerned which is being frustrated
by the shortage of skilled workers in these fields.

3. 

OBJECTIVES AND ACTION

In response to these challenges the Commission considers that urgent action is needed under
the following objectives:

11

3.1. 

Expanding occupational mobility and skills development

3.1.1.

Ensure  that  education  and  training  systems  become  more  responsive  to  the  labour
market reflecting an increasingly knowledge-based economy and society14

1) As a basis for long-term employability and further learning, all citizens should be able to
have  free  access  to  the  acquisition  of  key  skills,  including  literacy  and  numeracy  but  also
other key skills, such as maths, science and technology, foreign languages, "learning to learn"
skills  (i.e.  the  ability  and  the  desire  to  continuously  acquire  and  update  knowledge  and
competences),  cultural  awareness, social/personal skills,  entrepreneurship,  and  technological
culture (including ICT skills, to be validated, for example, through tools such as the European
Computer  Driving  Licence,  and  the  use  of  ICT  and  e-learning  to  assist  a  wider  range  of
learning).

Member  States  should  strive  for  a  genuine  right  of  free  access  for  all  citizens  to  the
acquisition of key skills, regardless of age15. The Commission, in close co-operation with the
Member States, will examine approaches at national level to ensure the quality of ICT based
and e-learning, in particular learning software, with a view to developing seals of quality at
European level in the interests of consumer protection16.

2) In order to combat existing and prospective skills deficits in industry,  manufacturing  and
ICT-related  sectors,  young  people's  interest  and  achievements  in  mathematics,  science  and
technology  should be  better  stimulated and,  consequently,  numbers taking up these  subjects
increased17,  especially  amongst  girls  and  young  women.  The  teaching  profession  in  these
fields  should  be  made  more  attractive  in  order  to  improve  the  quality  and  quantity  of
recruitment.  Learning  facilitators,  especially  careers  information  and  guidance  workers,
should  receive  training  to  raise  their  awareness  of,  and  ability  to  promote  as  appropriate,
study, research and careers related to science, engineering and ICTs, especially amongst girls
and  young  women.  More  young  people  qualified  in  these  areas  should  be  attracted  and
recruited into related careers.

The  Commission  will  work  with  the  Member  States  to  define  appropriate  indicators  and
targets  for  improvement  in  these  fields,  the  timetable  for  achieving  them  and  to  monitor
progress towards them.

Social partners, in co-operation with education authorities and the scientific community, are
invited to introduce suitable awareness-raising measures aimed at students and in particular
encourage more girls and women to  take up  relevant job opportunities. Member States and
social partners should co-operate to bring about improvements in the quality of information
about careers in these fields made  available  by  public  and  private  careers  information  and
guidance providers.

3) The share of the population having attained at least upper secondary levels of educational
attainment  should  be  raised  in  order  to  reduce  the  risk  of  unemployment,  which
disproportionately affects less qualified workers more than better qualified ones. Currently the
three best performing countries average a 77% rate of attainment. The share of the population
leaving school without formal qualifications must  also be  reduced18 in order  to improve the
employability and adaptability of a greater number of workers on the labour market.

The  Commission  will  work  with  the  Member  States  to  define  appropriate  targets  for
improvement  in  educational  attainment,  the  timetable  for  achieving  them  and  to  monitor
progress towards them. Member States should reduce by half (by 2010 compared with 2000)

12

the number of 18-24 year olds with only lower secondary education or less and who are no
longer  in  any  form  of  education  or  training19.  Member  States  should  intensify  support  for
integrating  into  the  education  and  training  systems  young  people  at  a  disadvantage,
particularly  disabled  youngsters,  those  with  learning  difficulties,  and  those  from  immigrant
communities or from ethnic minorities.

4) In order to make them more open and  responsive to the needs of  learners and the  labour
market,  education  institutions  and  other  learning  providers  should  develop  closer  links  and
partnerships with business, the wider labour market, information and guidance services, and
with  society  at  large,  including  through  transnational  educational  and  vocational  mobility
actions20.

Member States, regional and local authorities should encourage these links and foster public-
private partnerships with such measures as study/site visits, work experience, joint projects,
mentoring  and  exchanges  involving  teachers  and  managers/employees  from  the  world  of
work.  The  Commission  will  establish  a  network  of  industry/educational  advisory  bodies  to
strengthen  co-operation  between  the  world  of  work  and  the  education  systems  as  a  whole.
This  network  should  be  established  by  2004.  In  implementing  this  initiative,  full  attention
must  be  paid  to  the  specific  links  between  academia  and  industry  in  the  research  area,  in
order to overcome existing barriers to mobility. Member States should evaluate their policies
and practices with respect to the provision of information, guidance and counselling services
in order to ensure transparency and coherence of provision21.

3.1.2.

Introduce and consolidate effective competence development strategies for workers

5) The future needs for continuing training should be identified, and the amount and quality of
continuing training in enterprises or research bodies increased with a view to promoting the
adaptability,  employability  and  retention  of  workers  in  employment.  Participation  in
continuing  training  should  be  raised,  including  by  ensuring  access  for  all  to  training
throughout  their  working  lives  (particularly  for  low  paid/low  skilled  workers,  workers  with
disabilities,  and  workers  from  disadvantaged  or  minority  groups).  Greater  efforts  should  be
made  for  older  workers  to  be  trained,  retained  and  recruited,  building  on  the  skills  and
knowledge – formal, non-formal and informal – that they have acquired during their working
life,  and  given  the  opportunity  to  achieve  information  society  literacy.  Competence
development  strategies  should  take  into  account  the  particular  situation  of  women,  for
example in relation to caring responsibilities, and make specific provision for improving their
access  to  training.  Enterprises  should  improve  their  capacity  to  develop  as  learning
organisations, make the best use of ICT and e-learning solutions, maximise access to "state of
the  art"  knowledge,  and  draw  up  competence  development  plans  at  individual  and  at
enterprise  level.  Use  should  be  made  of  existing  information,  guidance  and  counselling
services  in  education,  training  and  employment  sectors  to  provide  workplace  guidance  to
support the competence development plans of enterprises and workers.

Member  States  and  social  partners  should  undertake  joint  initiatives22  by  2004  to  retain
workers in employment, focusing on access and participation of workers in company training
to  be  monitored  using  comparable  statistics  and  indicators.  These  should  include  specific
targets  and  measures  for  older  workers,  which  would  indicate  how  the  50%  employment
target for such workers (aged 55 to 64) by 2010 would be achieved.

Member  States  and  the  social  partners,  where  appropriate,  should  create  the  conditions  to
promote  women’s  access  to  education,  training  and  lifelong  learning,  with  a  view  in
particular to promoting women’s access to careers in information technologies.

13

In  the  context  of  these  initiatives  the  social  partners  at  all  levels  are  invited  to  implement
specific workforce development strategies which  include  targets  to  increase participation in
training  and  improvements  to  quality  in  work;  these  strategies  should  take  account  of  the
possibility  of  economic  restructuring  and  promote  workers'  adaptability  and  long-term
employability.  The  social  partners  are  invited  to  agree  that  each  employee  should  have  an
individual  competence  development  plan,  based  on  an  assessment  of  his/her  individual
competences, and in accordance with overall competence development plans at the enterprise
level23. They are invited to take fully into account the particular needs and circumstances of
SMEs. Employers are invited to assume greater responsibilities and increase their investment
in human capital, with special attention to training and developing career opportunities being
envisaged for low paid/low skill workers and for workers with disabilities.

In supporting these initiatives Member States should introduce incentive measures aimed both
at  employers,  (for  example  tax  breaks,  social  security  rebates,  rewarding  best  practice  e.g.
through a system of lifelong learning labels, and by providing for enterprises to contribute to
training funds) and at individuals (for example learning accounts or vouchers); they should
also  promote  access  to  local  guidance  networks,  and  ICT  based  learning  and  guidance
services,  to  support  both 
individual  competence  development  plans  and  corporate
strategies24.  This  support  would  be  based  on  the  understanding  that  these  benefits  are  of
wider interest and benefit to society and may entail a reallocation of public funds in favour of
this area.

6) European  lifelong learning  awards  should  be  promoted  to  recognise  employers  –  in  both
the public and private sectors – who introduce innovative competence development strategies.

The Commission will promote awards to particularly innovative companies or public sector
organisations  in  the  area  of  lifelong  learning25,  and  publish  examples  of  best  practice  by
employers.

7) ICT and e-business skills definitions should be developed taking account of industry needs
to make such skills transparent, globally approved and available within and between Member
States,  to  be  backed  up  by  European-wide  standards  and  validation,  accreditation  and
recognition schemes for such skills.

The Commission will foster the co-operation of the relevant authorities within Member States
with  social  partners  with  a  view  to  developing  ICT  and  e-business  skills  definitions.  It  will
support the development, the maintenance and the promotion of European-wide standards as
well  as  validation,  accreditation  and  recognition  schemes  by  2005.  Member  States  should
build  these  ICT  and  e-business  skills  standards  and  schemes  into  their  systems  and  comply
with the European-wide standards.

8) The demand for ICT and e-business skills should be better monitored, building notably on
the  activities  of  the  “ICT  skills  monitoring  group”26, so  that  they  can  be  better  defined  and
prioritised  and  matched  against  industry  requirements,  including  those  of  SMEs.  Detailed
skills  profiles  should  be  generated  (e.g.  along  the  principles  used  by  the  Career  Space
consortium27  in  the  ICT  sector),  along  with  related  curricula  and  training  facilities,  and  e-
learning promoted.

Member  States  should  encourage  public/private  partnerships,  both  for  large  and  small
companies and the public sector, to implement the measures called for relating to ICT and e-
business skills, and exchange information on progress in the e-learning Working Group and
in the ICT Skills Monitoring Group. In 2002 the Commission will intensify the debate on the

14

e-Economy  and  develop  an  agenda  for  maximising  the  benefits  of  the  e-Economy  for
European enterprises, including SMEs28. A high level conference – eSkills Summit – will be
organised in October 2002 in co-operation with the ICT industry.

3.1.3.

Lower the barriers to the recognition of learning wherever acquired and promote the
transparency and transferability of qualifications across Europe

9)  A  European  framework  of  methodologies  and  standards  should  be  developed  for  the
identification,  assessment  and  recognition  of  non-formal  and  informal  learning,  work
experience and training provided by or on behalf of industry and other working environments,
to be supported by a systematic exchange of experience in this field.

The  Commission  will  initiate  by  the  end  of  2002  a  systematic  exchange  of  experience  and
good  practice  in  the  field  of  identification,  assessment  and  recognition  of  non-formal
learning.  The  European  Forum  on  the  Transparency  of  Qualifications,  managed  by  the
Commission  and  Cedefop29,  will  co-ordinate  this  process,  in  close  co-operation  with  the
Member States, the social partners, non-governmental organisations, OECD, Eurydice30 and
the European Training Foundation31.

10)  Instruments  supporting  the  transparency  and  transferability  of  qualifications  should  be
developed and strengthened to facilitate mobility within and between sectors.

Member  States,  in  co-operation  with  the  Commission  and  the  social  partners  where
appropriate,  should  undertake  a  joint  commitment  to  implement  and  further  develop  such
instruments as the European Credit Transfer  System, Diploma  and Certificate Supplements,
Europass and the European portfolio and CV32 by 2003. The Commission will, by 2003, in co-
operation  with  the  Member  States,  develop  a  'modular'  system  for  the  accumulation  of
qualifications, allowing citizens to combine education and training from different institutions
and countries.

3.1.4.

Increase efforts in less advanced Member States and regions

11)  Particular  attention  should  be  given  to  greater  investment  needs  in  human  capital  and
ICTs, in particular in Member States and regions  that  are  lagging  behind,  and  to  ensure  the
efficient and productive use of such investment. This will be even more important in the new
Member States.

Member States  in co-operation with the social  partners should  aim to  ensure  that  adequate
resources  are  made  available  for  investment  in  human  resources  especially  in  the  lagging
regions. Sources of support include the private sector and other stakeholders and, where duly
justified, co-financing in the framework of the programming of the Structural Funds, notably
the  European  Social  Fund.  .  The  Commission  will  urge  Member  States  to  pursue  this
objective  at  the  time  of  the  mid-term  review  of  the  implementation  of  the  Structural  Fund
programmes in 2003. Concerning future Member States, particular attention has to be given,
following  an  assessment  of  their  needs,  to  the  development  of  human  capital  in  the
negotiation of these programmes.

3.2. 

Facilitating geographic mobility

3.2.1.

Remove remaining administrative and legal barriers

12)  The  provisions  relating  to  free  movement  of  workers  (Regulation  1612/68)  and  the  co-
ordination of social security schemes of the Member States  (Regulation 1408/71)  should  be

15

applied more rigorously, to ensure for example non-discriminatory access to employment (in
the public sector  in  particular)  as  well  as  the  calculation  and  export  of  benefits  (taking  into
account facts  and  events  which  occurred on the territory of the Member States).  Remaining
problems with the prohibition of discrimination on grounds of nationality in the field of  tax
and social advantages must be resolved.

Member  States  should  intensify  efforts  to  ensure  the  full  application  of  the  respective
provisions.  In  order  to  alleviate  the  problems  faced  by  migrant  workers  in  public  sector
employment, the Commission will publish a Communication on free movement of workers in
the public sector in summer 2002. The European Parliament and Council should endeavour
to adopt rapidly the Commission proposal for a Directive on the right of citizens of the Union
and their family members to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States
which  aims  to  facilitate  free  movement  and  residence  in  the  Union  by  simplifying
administrative formalities33.

13) Social security co-ordination should be modernised and simplified through the extension
of the material and personal scope of Regulation 1408/71 and by simplifying its wording and
implementation.  In  this  respect  an  EU-wide  health  card  should  be  introduced,  aimed  at
transforming the relevant European paper forms into an electronic card. Card holders will be
able to claim access to immediately  necessary health care in a Member State  other than  the
one where they are insured, the latter being nevertheless responsible for the cost.

The Council and  the  European Parliament  should ensure, on the basis of the Commission's
proposal  and  the  parameters  agreed  by  the  Council,  the  necessary  modernisation  and
simplification of social security provisions by 2003. The Commission will present a proposal
for the introduction of an EU-wide health card early in 2003 for agreement by 2004.

14) Progress should be made in the portability of the supplementary pension rights of migrant
workers.

Social partners, Member States and Community institutions should intensify efforts to ensure
that portability is improved. The Commission will consult with the social partners in spring
2002 with a view to further legislative or equivalent action. The European Parliament and the
Council  should  intensify  their  efforts  to  adopt  by  December  2002  the  proposal  on
occupational  pension  funds  which  also  aims  at  facilitating  cross-border  mobility  within  the
same company. In this respect, it should also be noted that in its Communication of 19 April
2001 the Commission already concluded that national tax rules denying equal tax treatment
to pension schemes operated by pension institutions established in other Member States are in
breach  of  the  EC  treaty34.  Member  States  need  to  comply  or  may  be  taken  to  the  Court  of
Justice  on  the  basis  of  Article  226  of  the  EC  treaty.  The  possibility  for  migrant  workers  to
remain in their original pension scheme may significantly contribute to cross-border mobility.
Moreover,  on  the  basis  of  the  Commission’s  Communication,  the  ECOFIN  Council  of  16
October 2001 asked COREPER to work on the elimination of double taxation of occupational
pensions in cross-border situations, which will also contribute to cross-border mobility35.

The advisory  role  of  the  relevant  EU-committees  in  monitoring  the  implementation  of  these
provisions and the eliminating of the remaining administrative and legal barriers should be
strengthened. The Commission will examine the establishment of a mechanism to analyse and
report on obstacles to geographic mobility encountered by workers.

15)  Comprehensive  improvements  should  be  made  to  the  existing  Community  system  for
recognition in the regulated professions to make it easier to manage and clearer, quicker and

16

more friendly for users, and thereby facilitate employment opportunities and the provision of
services.

The Community institutions and Member States should undertake the wholesale consolidation
of the existing regimes of professional recognition in the regulated professions with a view to
a  more  uniform,  transparent  and  flexible  system  with  amendments  particularly  directed  to
ensuring  clearer  and  more  up-to-date  and  automatic  conditions  of  recognition,  through  the
adoption of proposals in 2003 and for implementation by 2005.

16) The internal market for services should be strengthened.

The  Commission  and  the  Member  States  should  intensify  their  efforts  to  implement  the
strategy for an internal market for services in order to remove the existing barriers to cross-
border provision of services and freedom of establishment36.

17)  In  order  to  improve  the  opportunities  for  geographical  mobility  also  within  Member
States,  existing  barriers  to  mobility  should  be  studied  and  appropriate  measures  taken.
Existing  barriers  already  identified  include  a  lack  of  wage  differentiation,  disincentives
arising from tax-benefit systems, and the cost of moving (influenced by high transaction costs
in the housing market).

Member  States  should  undertake  studies  on  the  obstacles  to  labour  mobility  across  regions
and undertake appropriate measures, and should encourage social partners to consider how
wage-mechanisms  can  take  better  into  account  productivity  and  local  labour  market
conditions.

3.2.2. Develop language and cross-cultural skills

18) All pupils should be encouraged to learn at least two European languages in addition to
their  mother  tongue.  Workers  already  on  the  labour  market  should  have  the  opportunity  to
improve the language skills relevant to their working life as part of lifelong learning.

Member  States  should  provide  for  the  early  acquisition  of  foreign  language  skills  in  pre-
primary and primary schools and for its strengthening in secondary schools and in vocational
training institutions 37. They should introduce the teaching of the first foreign language to all
pupils as early as possible, for example from age 8 at the latest. Member States should take
the  appropriate  measures  to  provide  by  the  end  of  compulsory  education  (which  varies
between  16  and  18)  the  opportunity  for  pupils  to  be  competent  in  at  least  two  European
languages in addition to their mother tongue. By 2005 the relevant authorities in the Member
State should have developed a strategy and timetable for achieving this objective, identifying
the requisite language teaching capacity, and proposing the use of appropriate technologies.
In doing so the language needs related to the European labour markets should be taken duly
into  account.  Social  partners  should  be  invited  to  make  provision  for  suitable  language
training for workers where appropriate as part  of their  competence development  plans  (see
action  5).  Following  the  European  Year  of  Languages,  the  Commission  will  come  forward
with further proposals for action with a view to promoting foreign language learning.

19)  All  higher  and  further  education  courses  should  include  a  European  dimension  which
gives opportunities for all students and trainees to work with students, teachers and teaching
material from partner institutions in other European countries. More opportunities should be
provided  for  students  and  trainees  to  undertake  a  significant  part  of  their  learning  (for

17

example, one third) in another Member State38. Mobility of the categories of people involved
should be improved by the removal of obstacles of various kinds.

Member States should  provide  the  necessary  support  and  incentives  for  all  universities  and
post  secondary  level  learning  institutions  to  maintain  or  develop  connections  and  relations
with at least one other similar institution in another Member State, building on the substantial
basis  already  provided  by  the  Socrates  and  Leonardo  da  Vinci  programmes.  In  the  same
context  they  should  intensify  efforts  to  remove  obstacles  to  mobility  in  this  field  in
implementing  both  the  Mobility  Action  Plan39  and  the  Council  and  European  Parliament
Recommendation on mobility for students, persons undergoing training, volunteers, teachers
and  trainers40,  and  exchange  information  on  progress.  As  and  when  appropriate,  existing
instruments  and  processes,  such  as  the  ECTS  credit  transfer  system,  and  the  "Bologna"
process,  which  encourages  convergence  within  tertiary  education  in  Europe,  should  be
utilised and supported. Maximum benefit should also be drawn from the increasing range of
technological  possibilities  to  be  mobile  in  a  virtual  manner.  Member  States  should  also
introduce  or  develop  cultural  awareness  activities  in  the  school  system  which  encourage
pupils to be more inclined to search actively for opportunities to continue or pursue education
or training in another EU country.

3.2.3.

Promote  recognition  of  qualifications  through  encouraging  increased  transparency
in education and training systems

20) A new approach should be developed for the recognition qualifications in non-regulated
professions within the EU. This would help to facilitate geographic mobility both within the
Member  States  as  well  as  between  them.  Such  an  approach  could  be  based  on  voluntary
minimum  standards  in  education  and  training,  thereby  creating  a  stronger  basis  for
transparency and trust.

The  Commission  and  the  Member  States,  together  with  the  social  partners,  where
appropriate,  will  jointly  examine  the  role  and  character  of  voluntary  quality  standards  in
education  and  training.  The  development  of  such  standards,  accompanied  by  a  peer-review
approach, would increase the transparency and coherence of national education and training
systems,  creating  a  stronger  basis  for  mutual  trust  and  recognition  of  qualifications.  In
addition, the Commission will, in co-operation with the Member States and higher education
institutions,  actively  support  the  ‘Bologna  process’  in  the  field  of  Higher  Education.
Experiences  from  this  process  will  be  used  as  a  basis  for  promoting  closer  co-operation
within other areas, such as vocational education and training41.

21) The scope of provisions in collective agreements relating to qualifications should not be
restricted  to  particular  local,  regional  or  national  qualifications  and  should  facilitate  equal
treatment of workers with equivalent qualifications from other localities, regions or Member
States.

Social  partners  are  invited  to  ensure  the  elimination  of  such  limitations  in  the  context  of
collective  bargaining,  and  that  the  provisions  of  article  7.4  of  Regulation  1612/68  are
effectively implemented42

3.2.4. Develop an EU-wide immigration policy

22)  Changing  demographic  conditions  call  for  a  serious  analysis  of  the  interaction  between
immigration policies and employment and social policies in the Union, current demographic
and  employment  trends  suggesting  a  greater  dependence  in  many  Member  States  over  the

18

coming  years  on  the  skills  and  labour  of  third  country  nationals.  A  common  immigration
policy  for  third  country  nationals  should  be  developed  which,  while  respecting  existing
bilateral and multilateral ageements and commitments, and taking into account the particular
needs of developing countries, could build on the experience of successful national practices
to facilitate and accelerate entry into the EU labour market of those third country workers for
whom there is a  demonstrated  need.  The policy  should  be  based  on  the  principle  that  those
who have been accepted for work in the EU should enjoy rights comparable to those of EU
citizens and proportionate to the length of their stay. It should, for example, ensure that third
country  nationals  with  residence  permits  should  have  the  same  rights  to  the  recognition  of
qualifications as EU citizens43. Furthermore, migrants should be offered access to appropriate
services when necessary to assist with their social integration within the host society.

The  Council  should  proceed  towards  a  swift  adoption  of  the  proposed  directive  on  the
conditions  of  entry  and  residence  of  third-country  nationals  for  the  purpose  of  paid
employment  and  self-employed  economic  activities  (COM(2001)386)  and  of  the  proposed
directive  concerning  the  status  of  third-country  nationals  who  are  long-term  residents
(COM(2001)127) which includes a chapter giving third-country nationals who are long term
residents in one Member State the right of residence in the other Member States. They should
also agree on the extension of Community provisions on social security for migrant workers
to third country nationals. Agreement on the legal base for the Commission's proposals to this
effect44 should be followed up rapidly by the adoption of the proposal. Member States should
ensure  that  migrants  have  access  to  the  appropriate  services  to  assist  with  their  social
integration within the host community. The Commission will examine the interaction between
immigration and employment and social policies in the EU and report on this in 2003.

3.3. 

Improving information and transparency of job opportunities

23)  Drawing  on  existing  initiatives  such  as  the  Dialogue  with  Citizens  and  Business  and
EURES,  a  One-stop  European  Mobility  Information  Site  should  be  established  as  part  of  a
wider  European  network  to  provide  comprehensive  and  easily  accessible  information  to
citizens  on  key  aspects  of  jobs,  mobility,  learning  opportunities  and  the  transparency  of
qualifications45  in  Europe  (including  databases  on  jobs,  learning  opportunities,  and
researchers),  and  other  relevant  information.  A  more  comprehensive  service  is  required  to
provide information and advice specific to the individual interests and rights of professionals
in regulated professions in order to support their geographic mobility.

The  Commission  will  establish  the  Site  in  2003,  building  on  existing  databases,  and  co-
operate  with  the  Member  States,  and  where  appropriate  with  social  partners,  to  ensure  its
wider connection in a European  network,  including information centres on  educational and
vocational  qualifications.  Member  States  should  guarantee  the  availability  of  relevant
national databases and should make possible the inter-operability  of  these  databases  at  the
European  level.  Member  States  should  establish  a  more  comprehensive  information  service
for professionals in regulated professions by 2005.

24)  EURES  should  be  modernised,  re-enforced  and  integrated  into  the  Member  States
employment services. These services should  use a comparable  classification  of  occupations,
requiring  that  the  current  systems  of  classification  should  be  revised  in  order  to  achieve  an
easier comparability of occupations across the EU.

The Commission  will submit proposals  for the  modernisation of  the  EURES  system  in  2002
and co-operate with Member States to ensure that it is made an integral part of the national
systems by 2004. The Commission will examine in co-operation with the Member States the

19

most appropriate means of effecting the classification of occupations with a view to enabling
their comparability across the EU for job mobility purposes.

25)  An  EU-wide  mobility  information  campaign  should  be  launched  targeted  at  employers
and workers on  the  key  dimensions,  opportunities  and  possibilities  provided  by  the  Internal
Market  and  the  European  labour  markets  for  skills.  More  sectorally  focused  information
campaigns should be launched to  help  update  and  improve  the  image  of  some  occupational
sectors and aim to bring more skilled women into such sectors.

The Commission and Member States should launch the information campaign on mobility in
2003.  Social  partners  and  other  interested  parties  are  invited  to  initiate  the  sectoral
information campaigns.

4. 

MONITORING AND FOLLOW UP

The Action Plan is designed to promote the objective of the European labour markets being
open and more accessible for all by 2005. To this end, the Commission will ensure that this
Action Plan is reflected in the forthcoming review of the European Employment Strategy.

To ensure progress in the overall implementation of the Action Plan as well as the individual
actions, a clear monitoring and follow up procedure must be established as an integral part of
this  Plan.  Wherever  possible,  existing  procedures  and  channels  should  be  used,  particularly
those  set  up  under  the  European  Employment  Strategy.  The  proposals  which  relate  to  the
improvement of education and training systems will be taken forward notably in the context
of establishing the European area of lifelong learning46 and the follow-up to the Report on the
Concrete Objectives of Education and Training Systems47. Maximum use should be made of
sources  and  structures  of  the  European  Statistical  System  to  acquire  the  internationally
comparable statistical information needed for monitoring progress towards the objectives set.

The Commission will assess on an annual basis the implementation of the Action Plan on the
occasion of the European Council meetings in springtime.

5. 

CONCLUSIONS

The  Commission  welcomes  this  opportunity  to  present  this  Action  Plan  on  Skills  and
Mobility to the European Council in Barcelona, building as it does on the Communication on
the  New  European  Labour  Markets,  the  conclusions  of  the  European  Council  in  Stockholm
and  the  work  of  the  High  Level  Task  Force  on  Skills  and  Mobility.  It  urges  the  European
Council on the one hand to confirm its analysis of the challenges facing the European Union
in this field, and on  the  other to invite  the  various  Council formations to  adopt the  relevant
measures which will be presented to it in the implementation of the Action Plan.

20

Overview of actions, responsible bodies and deadlines for implementation

ANNEX I

3

4

5
6
7

8

9

10
11

12

13

14

15

Action
Occupational Mobility & Skills development
1
2

Acquiring key skills
Maths,  science  &  technology  skills  +
careers for scientists
Raising  post-secondary  education  +
fewer unqualified
Closer 
industry + careers guidance
Lifelong learning & continuing training
EU awards
ICT skills definition

links  between  education  &

Monitoring ICT and e-business skills

Recognition  of  non-formal  &  formal
learning
Transferability of qualifications
Investment in less advanced regions

Geographic mobility

Free movement

Social security
Health insurance card
Supplementary pensions

Professional  recognition  for  regulated
professions
Internal market for services
Tax-benefits and housing
Language skills

16
17
18
19 More learning in other Member States
20

Responsible & deadlines

Member States, Commission
Member  States,  Commission,  social  partners,
scientific community - by 2006
Member States, Commission - by 2010

Member  States,  Commission,  social  partners  -
by 2004
Member States, social partners - by 2004
Commission
Member  States,  Commission,  social  partners  -
by 2005
Member  States,  Commission,  social  partners  -
by 2002
Member States, Commission, social partners, -
by 2003
Member States, social partners - by 2003
Member  States,  social  partners,  Commission  -
by 2003

Member States, European Parliament, Council,
Commission - by 2002
Council,  European  Parliament,  Commission  -
by 2003 & 2004
Member  States,  social  partners,  Council,
European Parliament, Commission - by 2002
Member States, Council, European Parliament,
- by 2003 & 2005
Member States, Commission,
Member States
Member States, Commission - by 2005
Member States

Recognition of educational qualifications Member States, Commission, social  partners, -

21 Qualifications in collective agreements
22

Immigration policy

Information and Transparency
23 One-stop  mobility  information  site  +

24

information on qualifications
EURES  integration  +  classification  of
occupations

25 Mobility information campaign
Monitoring and Follow-up

Benchmarking and implementation

by 2003
Social partners
Council,  European  Parliament,  Commission  -
by 2003

Member  States,  Commission,  -  by  2003  &
2005
Member  States,  Commission,  -  by  2002  &
2004
Member States, Commission, - by 2003

Commission - annual spring report

21

ANNEX II

STATISTICAL ANNEX

1) Levels of occupational mobility and labour turnover

Europeans generally tend not to change jobs frequently: although the respective figures have
been rising since 1995 in most EU member states, on average in 2000 only 16.4% had been
with their employers less than 1  year (comparable figures suggest around  30%  in  the  USA,
Source: OECD Employment Outlook 1996).

Rate of Employees by duration of
current employment 1995

Rate of Employees by duration of current
employment 2000

less than 1
year

Between 1-2
years

more than 2
years

Less than 1
year

Between 1-2
years

More than 2
years

A

B

D

DK

E

FIN

F

GR

IRL

I

L

NL

P

S

UK

n.a.

10.2%

14.5%

n.a.

7.6%

9.6%

n.a.

82.3%

75.9%

22.7%

11.3%

66.0%

28.3%

16.4%

13.7%

8.7%

5.6%

6.3%

7.9%

6.6%

66.1%

77.4%

78.4%

84.7%

14.4%

10.0%

75.6%

6.8%

10.0%

13.3%

11.0%

14.3%

6.7%

8.1%

8.9%

8.2%

7.8%

86.5%

81.9%

77.8%

80.7%

77.9%

18.0%

10.6%

71.3%

n.a.

13.7%

14.9%

23.2%

20.9%

21.7%

15.9%

9.6%

21.9%

11.2%

11.6%

20.5%

14.7%

15.9%

19.5%

n.a.

9.3%

10.5%

13.3%

10.2%

8.7%

9.7%

6.1%

12.8%

7.8%

8.6%

10.7%

9.2%

9.6%

12.3%

n.a.

77.0%

74.6%

63.5%

68.9%

69.6%

74.5%

84.3%

65.3%

81.0%

79.8%

68.8%

76.2%

74.5%

68.3%

EU-15

14.8%

8.5%

76.7%

16.4%

10.1%

73.5%

Source: Eurostat – LFS (Labour Force Survey)

2) Impact of educational levels on employment and unemployment

Across the EU it is clear that there is an unequivocal connection between individual's level of
education and their  risk  of unemployment.  High  levels  of  educational  achievement translate
into  higher  rates  of  employment  and  lower  rates  of  unemployment,  while  lower  levels  of
educational achievement render workers more vulnerable to unemployment.

22

Employment and unemployment rates (ER/UR) by educational levels in 2000

Total education

High

Medium

ER

67.9

60.9

65.3

76.4

54.7

68.1

61.7

55.9

64.5

53.4

62.7

72.9

68.1

71.1

71.2

63.1

UR

4.7

6.6

8.0

4.5

14.1

11.2

10.3

11.3

4.3

11.0

2.4

2.7

4.1

5.5

5.6

8.4

ER

85.8

85.4

83.0

88.2

74.4

84.0

78.7

80.2

-

81.0

80.3

86.3

89.9

82.7

87.5

82.4

UR

2.3

2.7

4.3

2.6

11.2

5.2

5.6

7.9

-

6.2

1.2

1.7

2.6

3.0

2.5

4.9

ER

73.7

66.0

69.9

80.1

53.2

72.4

69.0

56.2

-

63.5

64.3

79.3

63.4

77.5

77.3

69.8

UR

4.2

6.8

7.9

4.4

14.4

11.1

9.1

15.0

-

10.7

1.9

2.0

4.8

5.7

5.8

7.9

Low

ER

47.8

43.4

55.3

62.1

50.4

50.0

46.1

48.5

-

44.1

53.7

60.0

69.0

55.7

51.8

50.1

UR

8.2

10.4

12.7

6.3

15.4

19.0

15.4

9.4

-

12.2

3.7

4.4

4.3

8.4

10.8

12.1

AT

BE

DE

DK

ES

FI

FR

EL

IE

IT

LU

NL

PT

SE

UK

EU

Source: Labour Force Survey

Note:  Educational  levels  are  defined  as  "high"  if  the  individual  has  completed  tertiary
education,  as  "medium"  if  upper-secondary  education,  and  as  "low"  if  less  than  upper-
secondary  education.  Employment,  unemployment  and  activity  rates  in  the  column  "Total
education"  are  calculated  on  the  basis  of  the  LFS  for  all  individuals  with  non-missing
information on the educational attainment level.  They might  differ  from  the  rates which  are
calculated  on  all  observations,  including  those  with  missing  information  on  the  educational
attainment level.

3) Employment growth in high education sectors

Between  1995  and  2000,  employment  growth  in  high-education  sectors,  as,  for  example,
manufacture  of office machinery  and  equipment,  computer  and  related  activities,  education,
health  and  social  work,  or  activities  of  membership  organisations,  was  3%  per  year  as
compared to 1% in other sectors (Source: Eurostat, LFS).

23

Employment growth in high education sectors and others 1995-2000

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

0

-1

L

IRL

E

B

NL

FIN

I

EL

UK

D

A

DK

F

S

P

EU

High education sectors

Others

Total

4) Educational attainment levels

In the EU, 60% of 25-64 year olds have successfully completed upper secondary education.
Germany, Austria, Sweden, and Denmark are in the lead with an average of 77 %. Portugal
and Spain have the lowest percentages, with 19% and 37% respectively. The rates for younger
people are significantly higher (25-34 year olds: 72 %) compared to those of older people (55-
64 year olds: 44 %)

Percentage of persons with at least upper secondary education by age group
in 2000

25-34

35-44

45-54

55-64

Total (25-64)

AT

BE

DE

DK

ES

FI

FR

GR

IE

IT

LU

NL

PT

SE

UK

EU-15

83.8

75.4

81.4

84.8

56.2

85.6

76.3

72.5

0.0

58.6

66.7

72.0

31.0

86.6

82.7

71.5

81.2

62.4

81.3

78.7

43.1

82.8

65.3

59.2

0.0

50.8

63.2

66.8

19.3

81.8

77.4

65.8

71.9

51.5

76.7

78.0

27.0

67.8

56.9

43.4

0.0

38.4

55.9

58.7

14.1

73.7

66.4

56.1

62.9

37.2

67.0

68.2

15.4

49.3

43.6

26.6

0.0

21.8

47.4

50.4

7.7

62.4

45.7

43.5

76.1

58.3

76.7

78.0

37.1

72.5

62.2

51.2

0.0

43.9

59.6

63.2

19.2

76.8

70.0

60.3

Source: Eurostat, Labour Force Survey

24

In terms of higher education, 20,5 % of 25-64 year olds had higher education qualifications in
the  year  1999  (compared  with  18,2  %  in  1996).  In  the  lead  are  Finland  (31,3  %),  Sweden
(28,5 %) and the UK (27,3 %), while the lowest are Portugal (9,8 %) and Italy (9,5 %).

In the EU and in the EFTA/EEA as a whole, participation rates decline gradually at the end of
compulsory  education:  enrolment  decreases  by  around  10%  each  year.  In  most  EU  and
EFTA/EEA  countries,  girls  stay  in  education  slightly  longer  than  boys,  and  more  girls  than
boys acquire upper secondary qualifications.

More than 12 million students are enrolled in tertiary education in the EU (a figure which has
more  than  doubled  over  the  last  twenty  years),  representing  15%  of  all  pupils  and  students
enrolled in the educational system.

5) Early school leavers

Even though the overall educational attainment rate of the younger generations is increasing,
there remains some concern about those young people who have left school early and do not
acquire additional qualifications.

Early school leavers not in further education
(age 18-24) in 2000
Female
Male

All

AT

BE

DE

DK

ES

FI

FR

GR

IE

IT

LU

NL

PT

SE

UK

EU-15

:

14.8

14.6

13.4

33.7

12.5

14.8

21.8

:

32.4

15.9

17.5

50.6

9.2

6.5

20.7

:

10.2

15.2

9.9

22.4

7.2

11.8

12.9

:

25.6

17.6

15.9

35.6

6.2

7.1

16.4

:

12.5

14.9

11.7

28.1

9.8

13.3

17.4

:

29.0

16.8

16.7

43.1

7.7

6.8

18.5

Source: Eurostat, Labour Force Survey

6) Basic skills (literacy and numeracy)

While  the  definitions  of  literacy  and  numeracy  are  being  revisited  in  the  context  of  a
knowledge-based  society,  particularly  in  relation  to  the  increasing  need  for  ICT  skills,  it  is
nonetheless true that the European  continent has the lowest illiteracy rate  (1,3) in the world
(average  20,6)  much  lower  also  compared  to  that  of  the  north  American  continent  (7,3)
(source: UNESCO - year 2000 - figures expressed as an estimated % of the population aged
15 years and over). However, in many countries interest in mathematics and science studies
is  falling  or  only  developing  slowly.  This  is  shown  in  the  low  uptake  of  these  subjects  by
school pupils, the attitude of young people and parents to these subjects, and later in the level
of new recruitment to research and related professions. There is also a problem of recruiting
women to these fields. Attainment results in Mathematics and Science (13 year-olds) from 26

25

European countries show that most candidate countries perform better than EU ones and even
better than the US. Compared to Japan, the average scores of the EU are also lower.

A  recent  OECD  study  (PISA)  shows  that  some  EU  countries  (e.g.  Germany,  Greece,  Italy,
Portugal  and  Spain)  are  below  the  OECD  average  for  the  performance  on  reading,
mathematical, and scientific literacy.

Student performance on the combined reading, scientific and mathematical literacy
scales and national income
Performance on the
combined scientific
literacy scale

Performance on the
combined reading
literacy scale

GDP per
capitaa

Performance on the
combined mathema-
tical literacy scale
Mean
S.E.
score

Cumulative expenditure
on educational
institutions per student
1998

OECD countriesc
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Czech Republic
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Ireland
Italy
Japan
Korea
Mexico
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom
United States

Mean
score

S.E.b

Mean
score

S.E.

528
507
507
492
497
546
505
484
474
480
527
487
522
525
422
505
479
470
493
516
494
523
504

(3.5)
(2.4)
(3.6)
(2.4)
(2.4)
(2.6)
(2.7)
(2.5)
(5.0)
(4.0)
(3.2)
(2.9)
(5.2)
(2.4)
(3.3)
(2.8)
(4.5)
(4.5)
(2.7)
(2.2)
(4.3)
(2.6)
(7.1)

528
519
496
511
481
538
500
487
461
496
513
478
550
552
422
500
483
459
491
512
496
532
499

(3.5)
(2.6)
(4.3)
(2.4)
(2.8)
(2.5)
(3.2)
(2.4)
(4.9)
(4.2)
(3.2)
(3.1)
(5.5)
(2.7)
(3.2)
(2.8)
(5.1)
(4.0)
(3.0)
(2.5)
(4.4)
(2.7)
(7.3)

533
515
520
498
514
536
517
490
447
488
503
457
557
547
387
499
470
454
476
510
529
529
493

(3.5)
(2.5)
(3.9)
(2.8)
(2.4)
(2.2)
(2.7)
(2.5)
(5.6)
(4.0)
(2.7)
(2.9)
(5.5)
(2.8)
(3.4)
(2.8)
(5.5)
(4.1)
(3.1)
(2.5)
(4.4)
(2.5)
(7.6)

502
500

499
500

498
500

(2.0)
(0.7)

(2.0)
(0.6)

OECD total
OECD average
Non OECD countries
Brazil
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Russian
Federation
Source: OECD - Knowledge and Skills for Life, First results from PISA 2000

(3.1)
(5.3)
(4.1)
(4.2)

(3.3)
(5.6)
(7.1)
(4.7)

396
458
483
462

375
460
476
460

334
463
514
478

(3.7)
(4.5)
(7.0)
(5.5)

(2.1)
(0.7)

1999

24 400
24 400
24 300
13 100
26 300
22 800
21 900
23 600
14 800
10 900
25 200
21 800
24 500
15 900
8 100
27 600
8 100
16 500
18 100
23 000
27 500
22 300
33 900

6 840
6 164
22 235
6 930

44 623
71 387
46 338
21 384
65 794
45 363
50 481
41 978
27 356
20 277
31 015
60 824
53 255
30 844
11 239
61 677
16 154
36 521
36 699
53 386
64 266
42 793
67 313

9 231
m
m
m

a US dollars converted using PPPs.
b  These  statistics  represent  estimates  of  national  performance  based  on  samples  of  students  rather  than  values
that could be calculated if every student in every country had answered every question. The related degree of
uncertainty is expressed through a Standard Error (S.E.).

c  The  results  of  the  Netherlands  have  been  published  only  partially  in  the  OECD  PISA  report,  because  the
Netherlands  did  not  meet  the  required  response  rate  of  80%.  Nevertheless  the  realised  response  was
representative (CITO, December 2001). The mean scores of the Netherlands are: reading literacy 532
(S.E. 3,35), scientific literacy 529 (S.E. 3,61), and mathematical literacy 564 (S.E. 4,01).

26

                                                
There is also room for improvement in the teaching of ICT skills in the schools systems, as
provision is patchy across the EU:

- In 8 out of 15 EU Member States, ICT is included in the curriculum of primary education
(1997/1998).

- In 12 out of 15 EU Member States, it is included in the curriculum of secondary education
(1997/98).

- In 8 out of 15 EU Member States, ICT courses are compulsory in initial teacher training for
general  class  teachers  in  primary  education,  9  out  of  15  in  lower  secondary  education
(1997/98) (source - Eurydice)

7) Participation of adult workers in training

The degree of participation of adult workers in training across the EU varies according to the
level  of  education  achieved,  age  range  and  gender.  Men,  older  workers  and  those  having
lower education attainments participate less in training than women, the  younger and highly
educated.  Participation  rates  across  the  board  are  on  the  increase,  but  still  with  marked
differences  between  those  Member  States  with  an  established  tradition  of  adult  training
(particularly  in  northern  Europe)  and  others  where  there  is  still  considerable  scope  for
progress.

All

Male

Female

Older Workers
(55-64)

Low-Medium
Education
Attainment

High-Education
Attainment

1995

2000

1995

2000

1995

2000

1995

2000

1995

2000

1995

2000

:

2.2

1.0

7.09

1.70

4.95

:

15.34

:

4.25

4.59

6.54

8.00

13.67

7.13

11.0

14.10

17.32

23.96

30.73

0.8

8.3

0.4

0.0

:

1.2

0.8

6.4

0.3

10.8

10.3

2.9

2.37

5.77

1.75

0.72

2.79

3.59

2.35

2.70

13.38

12.82

14.75

10.32

30.10

1.72

0.87

7.99

2.26

6.91

2.03

:

10.59

:

4.82

3.45

8.89

5.99

:

12.12

:

9.72

11.42

18.88

2.69

2.85

7.96

10.51

:

14.78

:

27.64

7.87

4.13

16.56

22.27

34.74

6.10

11.36

15.37

Source: Labour Force Survey

AT

BE

DE

DK

ES

FI

FR

GR

IE

IT

LU

NL

PT

SE

UK

EU-15

7.7

2.8

5.4

16.8

4.1

6.7

2.9

0.9

4.3

4.0

2.9

13.1

3.3

:

10.6

5.7

:

6.8

5.0

20.8

4.9

19.6

2.8

1.1

:

5.2

4.8

15.6

3.3

18.6

20.3

8.0

9.2

3.3

6.3

14.8

3.6

6.1

2.8

1.0

4.4

4.1

3.5

13.9

3.0

:

10.7

5.9

:

7.6

5.4

17.8

4.4

17.7

2.6

1.1

:

5.0

5.7

16.4

3.2

16.6

17.9

7.6

6.3

2.3

4.5

18.8

4.6

7.4

3.0

0.9

4.3

3.9

2.3

12.2

3.5

:

10.5

5.4

1.7

0.4

0.7

5.5

0.4

0.4

0.2

0.0

0.9

0.6

0.4

4.2

0.1

:

3.3

1.1

:

6.0

4.7

23.8

5.4

21.5

3.1

1.1

:

5.3

3.9

14.7

3.4

20.7

22.7

8.4

27

8) Shortages in ICT occupations and sectors

One of the biggest concerns of enterprises remains to find employees with ICT expertise or e-
businessI skills. The emergence of e-business is also driving demand for people that possess
insights into the industry that they intend to target.

According  to  an  IDC/EITOII  2001  study,  the  employment  opportunity  related  to  the
development or the usage of the Internet was more than 14.5 million equivalent jobs in 2000.
Demand for ICT skillsIII hit 10.4 million in 2000 (supply 9.2 million). Some 2.8 million were
for  e-business  professionals  (supply  2.3  million),  and  1.3  million  were  for  call  centre
professionals  (supply  1.2  million).  Overall  the  shortage  of  skills  for  ICT  and  e-business
professions  reached  13%  in  2000  and  an  ICT  skills  shortage  equivalent  to  1.2  million  jobs
was identified in  Europe  in  2000,  with  a  possible  increase  to  1.7  million  in  2003.  Europe’s
shortage in e-business skills was estimated at 0.7 million in 2000, growing to 2.2 million in
2003 (24% of total demand).

Europe's  long-term demand for  skilled  ICT  people  remains  strong  and  short-term  events  do
not undermine the basic growth trend. It is true that there has been a reduction in ICT industry
growth resulting in some significant redundancies, e.g. during 2001, the telecoms, computer
and electronics industries announced over 350 000 job cutsIV. These jobs affect, in the main,
production workers rather than highly-skilled workers. Inevitably some of these redundancies
will  narrow  the  'gap';  however,  the  'gap'  between  ICT  skilled  worker  supply  and  projected
needs across the European Union alone is still estimated to reach 1.6 million in 2003. (Source:
IDC,  June  2001).There  are  several  reasons  for  this,  one  being  that  while  there  have  been
several  thousands  of  redundancies  in  ICT  companies,  few  have  laid-off  large  numbers  of
skilled  ICT  people.  Another  is  the  cross-sector  use  and  need  for  ICT  skills;  many
organisations need more people now simply to make full use of the equipment they already
have, let alone what is on the leading edge horizon.

To cope with the shortage of indigenous skills, some Member States have relaxed job permit
rules to allow in skilled ICT workers from outside the EU, for example Germany and the UK.
However, this external supply does not significantly affect overall demand.

9)  Demographic  developments:  change  of  working  age  population  and  composition  by

age groups

Demographic  projections  predict  that  the  total  of  the  working  age  population  will  be
decreasing  in  the  coming  decades.  There  will  also  be  a  shift  in  the  composition  of  the

I The content of e-business professions encompasses all the strategic planning, decision-making processes and

implementation activities related to:
- The creation, development and delivery of e-commerce products and services;
- The execution of business or organisation processes over the Internet (such as e-training or
teleworking);
- The creation and delivery of services over the Internet in public or non-profit organisations.

II IDT – International Data Corporation / EITO – European Information Technology Observatory
III ICT jobs represent 8.3% of total employment in Western Europe. They will account for a share of some 13.4%

in 2003. Source EITO.
- ICT professionals who support and develop technology environments in the industries that use ICT or
services vendors selling their ICT professional resources time;
- E-business professionals focused on supporting business strategies related to the Internet;
- Call centre professionals providing sales and support activities in the emerging phone channels.

IV Source Outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas

28

                                                
workforce, with a  strong growth  of ageing  workers (55-64  years)  and a  parallel  decrease of
younger workers (15-24 years).

EU - 15

2000

2010

2020

2030

2040

2050

Total (15-64)

251810547

254090234

248817256

235047607

219455884

210606286

15-24

25-54

55-64

18.6%

64.9%

16.5%

17.6%

63.9%

18.5%

16.9%

61.4%

21.7%

17.0%

59.6%

23.4%

17.6%

60.8%

21.6%

17.7%

60.6%

21.6%

Sources: Eurostat–NewCronos: Population by sex and age on 1/1/2000 (for 2000), Eurostat–BASELINE scenario (for projections)

10) Levels of geographical mobility

Geographic mobility between EU Member States remains relatively low, with 225,000 people
– or 0.1% of the total EU population – changing official residence between two countries in
2000. But geographic mobility between regions is becoming increasingly important, with
about 1.2% of the total EU population changing official residence to another region in 1999
(essentially within the same Member State). Furthermore, some 2 million workers aged 15-64
have changed residence between regions, representing about 1.4% of the EU employed
population. By comparison, in the US, 5.9% of the total population changed residence
between counties in 1999.

Population by residence in another region one year before
(NUTS 2 level, 1999)

Overall Population

Employed

AT

BE

DE

DK

ES

GR

FI

FR

EI (1997)

IT

LU

NL

PT

SE

UK

EU

5.2%

1.1%

0.9%

n.a.

0.1%

0.2%

1.2%

1.5%

0.9%

0.9%

n.a.

1.3%

1.0%

1.7%

1.9%

1.2%

4.4%

0.4%

1.1%

n.a.

0.1%

0.2%

1.3%

1.5%

1.0%

1.2%

n.a.

1.7%

0.9%

1.3%

2.3%

1.4%

11) Commuting mobility

Source: LFS, Eurostat.

In  addition  to  the  population  changing  residence  between  member  states  and  regions,
geographical  mobility  also  exists  in  the  form  of  commuting  (daily,  weekly),  or  temporary
secondment to another workplace.

29

Share of workers working in country other than own residence

Total

In a non-EU country

In another EU MS

0.8%

1.7%

0.1%

0.1%

0.1%

n.a.

0.1%

0.5%

n.a.

n.a.

0.9%

0.2%

0.5%

n.a.

0.1%

0.2%

Source: LFS, Eurostat.

A

B

D

DK

E

EL

FIN

F

IRL

I

L

NL

P

S

UK

EU

1.1%

1.8%

0.2%

0.1%

0.2%

n.a.

0.2%

1.2%

n.a.

n.a.

1.0%

0.2%

0.5%

n.a.

0.2%

0.4%

0.3%

0.1%

0.1%

0.1%

0.1%

n.a.

0.0%

0.7%

n.a.

n.a.

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

n.a.

0.2%

0.2%

30

31

12) High employment regions and skills needs

The following maps (based on scenarios of annual employment growth of 2% or 1%) indicate
which regions are expected to have high employment rates in the future and therefore likely to
face large  deficits  of skilled labour: for example south of  UK,  Denmark,  Sweden,  centre  of
Portugal, the Netherlands and to a less extent different regions in Germany and the North of
Italy.

32

13) Foreign language teaching

- The foreign language most taught in primary schools in the EU is English: on average 41 %
of  the  EU's  pupils  learn  it.  The  countries  with  the  highest  percentage  of  primary  pupils
learning English are Sweden (76%), Austria ( 75%) , Spain (73%) and Finland (63%), lowest
numbers  are  in  the  French  speaking  part  of  Belgium  (5%,  but  32%  learn  Dutch  as  second
language),  Luxembourg  (2%  )  and  Germany  (14%).  French  comes  in  second  with  3%
learning it in the EU; as a rule, in Member States the percentage does not exceed 10%.

- In secondary education, 93 % learn English (lower and upper), 33 % study French (lower
secondary 33 %, but upper secondary 28 %) , 15 % German (in lower 13 %, in upper 20 %).

33

- Between 1995 and 1999, there was a slight rise in the average number of foreign languages
learned in primary ( from 0,3 to 0,5) and upper secondary (from 1,2 to 1,5) education. Lower
secondary was steady at 1,3. (source - Eurostat)

14) Migration

Migration flows into the EU indicate a generally higher incidence of immigration from third
country nationals than from EU citizens themselves.

Migration flows in the EU Member States in 1998-99

Total immigration

(registered long-term
migrants according to
national definition)

% of Working
Age Population

Citizens of another
EU country

Third-country
nationals

% of total

% of total

A

B

D

DK

E

FIN

F

GR

IRL

I (1996)

L

NL

P

S

UK

EU 15

Source: Eurostat

72723

68466

874023

51372

81227

14744

100014

12630

40711

171967

12794

119151

14476

49839

354077

2038214

1.4%

1.0%

1.6%

1.5%

0.3%

0.4%

0.3%

0.2%

1.6%

0.4%

4.5%

1.1%

0.2%

0.9%

0.9%

0.8%

35.0%

56.5%

38.4%

59.4%

56.9%

56.5%

6.1%

77.1%

83.0%

22.1%

72.1%

51.4%

31.6%

48.4%

50.1%

41.3%

65.0%

43.5%

61.6%

40.6%

43.1%

43.5%

93.9%

22.9%

17.0%

77.9%

27.9%

48.6%

68.4%

51.6%

49.9%

58.7%

A  comparison  between  the  EU,  its  Member  States,  and  the  USA  shows  considerable
differences  in  capacity  to  ensure  the  natural  increase  in  population  and  recourse  to
immigration. Germany, Italy and Sweden have witnessed an average natural decrease in their
population that was more than offset by positive net migration.

34

Components of population change: average 1995-2000 

Percentage of total population

Net migration

Natural increase

Total increase

1,60

1,40

1,20

1,00

0,80

0,60

0,40

0,20

0,00

-0,20

B DK D EL

E

F

IRL

I

L NL

A

P FIN S UK EU US

Source: Eurostat for EU15. For the US,  US Census Bureau.

1 EURopean Employment Service

2 Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council (2001/613/EC).

3 Action Plan for Mobility (OJ 2000/C 371/03 of 23.12.2000)

4  See  Communication  from  the  Commission  ‘Making  a  European  Area  of  Lifelong  Learning  a  Reality’  COM

(2001) 678 final.

5 COM(2001)331 final

6 COM(2001) 711 final, 29.11.2001. "The impact of the e-Economy on European enterprises: economic analysis
and policy implications "See: http://europa.eu.int/comm/enterprise/ict/policy/e-economy.htm

7 See: http://europa.eu.int/comm/enterprise/ict/policy/ict-skills.htm

8 COM(2002)9 final of 15.01.2002

9  The  Commission  launch  of  a  formal  consultation  with  social  partners  on  how  businesses  and  workers  can
anticipate and manage the social effects of corporate restructuring, 15/01/2002

10 "The Lisbon Strategy — Making Change Happen" (COM(2002)14 final )

11 European Commission White Paper « A new impetus for European Youth » - COM(2001) 681 final

12 The High Level group on the Employment and Social Dimension of the Information Society (ESDIS) has been
working  on  the  role  of  ICT  in  ensuring  that  there  is  quality  and  the  necessary  change  in  the  information
society. It will issue a report in early February.

13 Non-formal or informal learning may take place, for example, in voluntary and civil society activities, work

experience and non-formal training provided by or on behalf of employers.

14 In the context of the open method of coordination introduced at the Lisbon European Council, the Education
Council was asked to reflect on the future objectives of education systems over the next 10 years. A report on
the concrete objectives of education and training systems was endorsed by the Stockholm European Council in
March  2001;  a  detailed  work  programme  is  currently  being  developed  jointly  by  the  Council  and  the
Commission on the basis of a Commission draft (COM(2001)501 final) to follow up that report.

35

                                                
15 See objective 1.2 of the report on future objectives of education and training systems and section 3.5 of the
Commission’s  Communication  ‘Making  a  European  Area  of  Lifelong Learning  a  Reality’  COM(2001)  678
final. (Lifelong Learning Communication).

16 See the fifth action point under ‘New teaching and learning methods and the new role of teachers, trainers and

learning facilitators’ in section 3.6 of the Commission’s Lifelong Learning Communication.

17 See objective 1.4 of the report on future objectives of education and training systems.

18  See  Employment  Guidelines  2001,  and  objective  2.3  of  the  report  on  future  objectives  of  education  and

training systems.

19  See  Employment  Guidelines  2001  (Guideline  4)  and  objective  2.3  of  the  report  on  future  objectives  of

education and training systems, in line with the conclusions of the Lisbon European Council.

20 See objective 3.1 of the report on future objectives of education and training systems.

21  See  action  point  3.2  of  the  Commission’s  Lifelong  Learning  Communication.  The  establishment  of  the
European  Guidance  Forum  and  the  current  OECD  study  in  this  field  should  assist  such  assessment  and
development.

22 COM(2002)9 final of 15.01.2002, point 3.2.A

23 See section 3.4 of the Commission's Lifelong Learning Communication.

24 See the first action point under ‘Encouraging and supporting learning at the workplace –including in SMEs’ in

section 3.4 of the Commission’s Lifelong Learning Communication.

25 See sections 3.4 and 3.6 of the Commission’s Lifelong Learning Communication.

26  withSet  up  with  representatives  of  Member  States  in  September  2001  it  is  working  in  co-operation  with

industry. See: http://europa.eu.int/comm/enterprise/ict/policy/ict-skills.htm

27 The Career SpaceThe consortium is led by EICTA (European Information and Communication Technologies Association)

and eleven major ICT companies in Europe. See: www.career-space.com

28  As  announced  in  the  conclusion  of  the  Commission’s  Communication  « The  impact  of  the  e-Economy  on
policy
See:

European  Enterprisesenterprises:  Economic 
Implications implications ». 
COM(2001) 
http://europa.eu.int/comm/enterprise/ict/policy/e-economy.htm. co-

economic  Analysis 

and  Policy 

29.11.2001. 

analysis 

final. 

711 

29 European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training

30 The information network on education in Europe

31 See first action point under ‘Valuing non-formal and informal learning; exchange of experience’ in section 3.1

of the Commission’s Lifelong Learning Communication.

32 See the action points under ‘New instruments at European level to support valuing all forms of learning’ in

section 3.1 of the Commission’s Lifelong Learning Communication.

33 COM(2001)257 of 23.5.2001

34 COM(2001) 214 of 19.4.2001, Official Journal C 165/4 of 8.6.2001.

35 
363 - Nr: 12827/01.

ECOFIN  Council  Conclusions  of  16  October  2001,  press  release  Luxembourg  (16-10-2001)  -  Press:

36

                                                                                                                                                        
36 COM(2000)888 of 29.12.2000

37 See objective 3.3 of the report on future objectives of education and training systems.

38 See objective 3.4 of the report on future objectives of education and training systems.

39 Action Plan for Mobility (OJ 2000/C 371/03 of 23.12.2000)

40 Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council (2001/613/EC) of 10.07.2001.

41  See  the  first  and  4th  action  points  under  ‘Valuing  formal  diplomas  and  certificates’  in  section  3.1  of  the

Commission’s Lifelong Learning Communication.

42 "Any clause of a collective or individual agreement or of any other collective regulation concerning eligibility
for employment, employment, remuneration and other conditions of work or dismissal shall be null and void
in so far as it lays down or authorises discriminatory conditions in respect of workers who are nationals of the
other Member States".

43  Draft  Directive  on  the  conditions  of  entry  and  residence  of  third  country  nationals  for  the  purpose  of  paid

employment and self-employed economic activities - Art 11

44 Council of Ministers 3.12.2001

45  The  Commission  will  develop  by  the  end  of  2002  a  guide  to  and  glossary  of  the  Community  instruments
related to transparency of diplomas and certificates to make it easier to find and make use of them. See second
action  point  under  "Valuing  formal  diplomas  and  certificates",  section  3.1  of  of  the  Commission’s  Lifelong
Learning Communication.

46 See Communication from the Commission ‘Making a European  Area of Lifelong  Learning a Reality’  COM

(2001) 678 final.

47 The objectives work provides, in particular, the framework for collecting information about and comparisons
between the output and impact of education and training systems and analysing its significance.

37