Proposal for a COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION Youth on the move – promoting the learning mobility of young people
Date: 2010-09-15
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: education, education policy, knowledge economy, student mobility, teaching quality, young person, youth policy

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EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

Brussels, 15.9.2010 
COM(2010) 478 final 

Proposal for a 

COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION 

Youth on the move – promoting the learning mobility of young people 

{SEC(2010) 1048} 
{SEC(2010) 1049} 
{SEC(2010) 1050} 

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EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

1. 

CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL 

The  proposed  Recommendation  is  part  of  Youth  on  the  Move,  which  is  a  flagship  EU 
initiative  to  support  the  Europe  2020  Strategy.  Youth  on  the  Move  aims  to  "enhance  the 
performance  and  international  attractiveness  of  Europe's  higher  education  institutions  and 
raise  the  overall  quality  of  all  levels  of  education  and  training  in  the  EU,  combining  both 
excellence and equity, by promoting student mobility and trainees' mobility, and improve the 
employment situation of young people"1. 

One of the key action lines in the Youth on the Move initiative is to support the development 
of transnational learning mobility for young people. Learning mobility is an important way in 
which  young  people  can  strengthen  their  future  employability  and  acquire  new 
professional competences, while enhancing their development as active citizens. It helps them 
to  access  new  knowledge  and  develop  new  linguistic  and  intercultural  competences. 
Europeans who are mobile as young learners are more likely to be mobile as workers later in 
life.  Employers  recognise  and  value  these  benefits.  Learning  mobility  has  also  played  an 
important  role  in  making  education  and  training  systems  and  institutions  more  open,  more 
European and international, more accessible and more efficient2.  

The  EU  has  a  long  and  successful  track  record  of  supporting  learning  mobility  through 
various  programmes  and  initiatives,  of  which  the  best  known  is  the  Erasmus  Programme3. 
The  Structural  Funds  also  support  learning  mobility.  Youth  on  the  Move  will  support  the 
aspiration  that,  by  2020,  all  young  people  in  Europe  should  have  the  possibility  to  spend  a 
part of their educational pathway abroad, including workplace-based training4.  

The  Commission’s  Green  paper  on  Learning  Mobility  (July  2009)5  launched  a  public 
consultation on how best to tackle obstacles to mobility and open up more opportunities for 
learning  abroad.  This  led  to  over  3,000  responses,  including  from  national  and  regional 
Governments  and  other  stakeholders6.  These  show  a  widespread  wish  to  boost  learning 
mobility  in  all  parts  of  the  education  system  (higher  education,  schools,  vocational 
education and training (VET)), but also in non-formal and informal learning settings, such as 
volunteering. At the same time, the responses confirm that many obstacles to mobility remain. 
This is why, in conjunction with the adoption of the Youth on the Move Communication7, the 
Commission is proposing a Council Recommendation on Learning Mobility as a basis for 

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COM(2010) 2020, 3.3.2010. 
See COM(2009) 329 for references to studies and research. 
They  include  the  following:  higher  education  (Erasmus,  Erasmus  Mundus,  Marie  Curie)  for  students, 
doctoral candidates and staff; higher education and research (Marie Curie, mobility within Networks of 
Excellence and Technology Platforms); from higher education to business (placements within Erasmus 
and Marie Curie); vocational education and apprentices (Leonardo); second level education (Comenius) 
adult  learning  and  senior  volunteering  (Grundtvig);  the  cultural  sphere  (Culture  Programme);  youth 
exchanges  and  volunteering  (Youth  in  Action);  volunteering  (European  Voluntary  Service  within  the 
Youth  in  Action  Programme);  the  civil  society  (Europe  for  Citizens  Programme)  and  the  preparatory 
action "Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs".  
http://ec.europa.eu/commission_2010-2014/president/about/political/index_en.htm 
COM(2009) 329. 
See Commission Staff Working Paper SEC(2010) 1048 for an analysis of the responses received. 
COM(2010) 477. 

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a  new  concerted  campaign  among  Member  States  to  finally  remove  obstacles  to  mobility. 
Monitoring  of  progress  will  be  reflected  in  a  'Mobility  Scoreboard',  which  will  provide  a 
comparative picture of how Member States are progressing in dismantling these barriers. 

The  present  Recommendation  is  a  follow-up  to  the  Recommendation  of  the  European 
Parliament  and  of  the  Council  No  2001/613/EC  of  10  July  2001  on  mobility  within  the 
Community for students, persons undergoing training, volunteers, teachers and trainers8. The 
Recommendation invited Member States to take appropriate steps to remove obstacles to the 
mobility of these groups. As a result, various instruments have been developed and political 
initiatives have been taken since 2001: 

•  In December 2004, the European Parliament and the Council adopted a decision 
on  a  single  Community  framework  for  the  transparency  of  qualifications  and 
competences9 - the Europass. It can be used by individuals on a voluntary basis to 
better communicate  and  present their qualifications  and competences  throughout 
Europe. 

•  Learning  mobility  can  also  contribute  to  the  smooth  functioning  of  the  Internal 
Market  by  providing  young  Europeans  with  better  foreign  language  and 
intercultural  skills  for  their  professional  life.  This  in  turn  could  facilitate  the 
recognition  of  professional  qualifications  between  the  Member  States  under 
Directive  2005/36/EC  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  7 
September 200510. 

•  A  European  Quality  Charter  for  Mobility  was  proposed  in  the  Recommendation 
of the European Parliament and of the Council No 2006/961/EC of 18 December 
2006 on transnational mobility within the Community for education and training 
purposes11.  

•  The  European  Qualifications  Framework  for  lifelong  learning12,  introduced  by  a 
Recommendation  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  on  23  April 
2008,  is  beginning  to  act  as  a  translation  device  to  make  national  qualifications 
more readable across Europe.  

•  The  Commission's  Green  Paper  on  Migration  and  mobility:  challenges  and 
opportunities for EU education systems of July 200813 dealt with the question of 
how  education  policies  may  better  address  the  challenges  posed  by  immigration 
and internal EU mobility flows. 

•  The  Council  Resolution  of  21  November  2008  on  better  integrating  lifelong 
guidance into lifelong learning strategies14 took note of the potential for mobility 
in  education  and  training,  as  well  as  in  the  labour  market,  and  invited  Member 
States, inter alia, to ensure access to guidance services for all citizens. 

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OJ L 215, 9.8.2001, p. 30-37. 
OJ L 390, 31.12.2004, p. 6-20. 
OJ L 255, 30.9.2005, p. 22–142. 
OJ L 394, 31.12.2006, p. 5-9. 
OJ C111, 6.5.2008, p.1-7. 
COM(2008) 423. 
OJ C 319, 13.12.2008, p. 4-7. 

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•  The Council Recommendation on the mobility of young volunteers across the EU 
of  November  200815  recognised  that  cross-border  mobility  in  Europe  can  be  an 
important  tool  to  promote  education,  employment  and  regional  and  social 
cohesion,  and  to  help  improve  mutual  understanding  and  active  participation  in 
society.  It  recommended  that  more  young  people  be  given  the  opportunity  to 
volunteer in another country of the EU. 

•  The  Bordeaux  Communiqué  on  enhanced  European  Cooperation  in  Vocational 
Training  (Copenhagen  Process)  of  December  200816,  as  well  as  the  related 
Council Conclusions17, underlined that workers', learners’ and teachers’ mobility, 
from  one  training  system  to  another  and  from  one  country  to  another  should  be 
promoted in VET systems.  

•  The Communiqué of the Conference of European Ministers responsible for higher 
education within the European Higher Education Area (Bologna Process) of April 
200918 set the target that, by 2020, at least 20 percent of those graduating in the 
European  Higher  Education  Area  should  have  had  a  study  or  training  period 
abroad. 

•  The Council Conclusions on the strategic framework for European cooperation in 
education and training ("ET 2020") of 12 May 200919, set out a strategic objective 
that learning abroad should become "the rule rather than the exception". It invited 
the Commission to conduct work on proposals for possible benchmarks, including 
in the area of mobility, focusing initially on the field of higher education, as well 
as studying the possibility of establishing benchmarks in vocational education and 
teacher mobility. 

•  Promoting  mobility  was  also  among  the  key  priorities  put  forward  by  the 
'EU  Shared 

Commission  Communication  on  employment  of  June  2009 
Commitment for Employment'20. 

•  The Council Conclusions of November 2009 on the professional development of 
teachers  and  school  leaders21,  invited  Member  States  to  promote  actively  the 
opportunities  offered  by  exchange  and  mobility  schemes  at  both  national  and 
international level. 

•  The  importance  of  recognising  voluntary  activities  was  also  stressed  by  Council 
Decision 2010/37/EC of 27 November 2009 on the European Year of Voluntary 
Activities Promoting Active Citizenship (2011)22. 

•  Young  researchers'  mobility  must  also  be  encouraged  in  order  to  ensure  the  EU 
does not lag behind its competitors in research and innovation. The Commission 

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OJ C 319, 13.12.2008, p. 8-10. 
http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning-policy/doc/vocational/bordeaux_en.pdf,  
http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning-policy/doc/vocational/council08_en.pdf  
http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/hogeronderwijs/bologna/conference/documents/Leuven_Louvain-la-
Neuve_Communiqué_April_2009.pdf  
http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/educ/107622.pdf  
COM(2009) 275 
OJ C 302, 12.12.2009, p. 6-9. 
OJ L 17, 22.1.2010, p. 43-49. 

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Communication  of  23  May  2008  on  "Better  careers  and  more  mobility:  a 
European  partnership  for  researchers"23  proposed  a  set  of  actions  to  ensure  that 
researchers  across  the  EU  benefit  from  the  right  training,  attractive  careers  and 
removal of barriers to their mobility, while the Council Conclusions of 2 March 
2010  on  "European  Researchers'  mobility  and  careers"24  identified  concrete 
considerations on how to improve researcher mobility and identified several areas 
for action. 

As a result of these activities, much has been achieved but much more needs to be done. The 
Youth on the Move strategy announces key new actions related to mobility for young people 
in  all  learning  contexts  at  EU  and  national  levels,  while  reinforcing  existing  activities, 
ensuring  the  implementation  of  others  and  respecting  the  subsidiarity  principle.  It  is, 
however, clear that EU programmes cannot on their own meet the high ambitions which lie 
behind the initiative. For that reason, EU programme support should be complemented by a 
mobilisation of the efforts of Member States and other actors in support of learning mobility. 
An important element will involve work in identifying and eliminating barriers to mobility.  

This  Council  Recommendation  provides  specific  guidance  with  regard  to  administrative, 
institutional and legal obstacles to the learning mobility of young people. It complements the 
wider Europe 2020 Integrated Guidelines, in particular the Employment Guidelines. 

2. 

RESULTS OF CONSULTATIONS WITH THE INTERESTED PARTIES AND 
IMPACT ASSESSMENTS 

The  European  Union  has  a  long  and  highly-regarded  record  in  promoting  and  supporting 
learning mobility - a domain of direct and tangible benefit to the European citizen. Initiatives 
such as the Erasmus programme have made it possible for more than two million people to 
study  in  another  country  and  to  have  those  studies  formally  recognised.  Practical  tools, 
including the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS), have been put in 
place to facilitate this. 

However,  for  too  many  of  Europe's  young  people,  learning  mobility  is  still  not  a  realistic 
opportunity.  Still  relatively  few  young  people  reap  the  benefits  of  a  learning  experience 
abroad  and  some  groups,  such  as  young  people  from  disadvantaged  backgrounds  are 
particularly  under-represented.  Linguistic,  cultural,  financial,  legal  and  administrative 
obstacles  persist,  in  particular  outside  the  structured  EU  mobility  programmes.  Whilst 
additional resources at both national and European levels (via existing programmes) can boost 
mobility,  more  money  will  not  be  sufficient  alone  to  realise  the  vision  of  mobility  as  a 
realistic opportunity for all. Member States must do more to remove obstacles which persist at 
national and regional levels.  

A  2001  Council  Recommendation  on  mobility  within  the  Community  for  students,  persons 
undergoing training, volunteers, teachers and trainers exists, but has fallen into disuse and is 
now  out  of  date.  There  is  a  pressing  need  to  update,  refocus  and  revitalise  this 
Recommendation  to  promote  learning  mobility  as  an  'opportunity  for  all'  young  people  in 
Europe. 

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COM(2008) 317. 
http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_Data/docs/pressdata/en/intm/113121.pdf  

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As a first step, the European Commission published in July 2009 a Green Paper on Promoting 
the learning mobility of young people25. The aim of the Green Paper was to launch a broad 
public consultation to identify the most important obstacles to mobility and ways to overcome 
them.  A  clear  consensus  in  Europe  has  emerged  at  the  political  level  on  the  objective  of 
expanding  mobility  opportunities  to  young  people.  The  purpose  of  the  Green  Paper  was  to 
open up the debate to stakeholders and the wider public on how to achieve these ambitions. 

The  Green  Paper  highlighted  the  benefits  of  mobility  in  supporting  acquisition  of  new 
knowledge and skills. It also underlined its contribution to opening up education and training 
institutions  to  a  wider  world  and  different  audiences  of  learners  and,  consequently, 
contributing  to  enhancing  the  quality  of  education  and  training.  Other  benefits  noted  were 
those of combating isolation, protectionism and xenophobia.  

The public consultation closed on 15 December 2009 and met with a high response. In total 
2798 on-line responses, mainly from young people, and 258 written responses, were received 
from a wide range of stakeholders, including Member States authorities, the Committee of the 
Regions,  the  European  Economic  and  Social  Committee,  regional  and  local  authorities, 
European and national associations, social partners, academics and individuals.  

In  addition  to  the  above-mentioned  consultation,  an  impact  assessment  has  been  carried  out 
which  considered  three  options.  The  need  to  expand  and  promote  learning  mobility  by 
removing obstacles is common to all three options (for example, through revision of national 
legislation  to  allow  for  portability  of  grants  and  loans,  improved  recognition  and  validation 
processes  for  studies  undertaken  outside  the  home  country,  better  guidance  services  for 
students and volunteers considering a period abroad), but the framework for how this should 
be taken forward varies:  

Option 1: No EU Action/Status Quo;  

Option 2: A Council Recommendation: Youth on the Move: Promoting the learning mobility 
for young people; 

Option 3: A new Open Method of Co-ordination for the learning mobility of young people. 

The  impact  assessment  reached  the  conclusion  that  Option  2  (A  Council  Recommendation: 
Youth  on  the  Move:  Promoting  the  learning  mobility  for  young  people)  represents  the  best 
combination of expected impact, balanced with cost and administrative burden. 

3. 

LEGAL ELEMENTS OF THE PROPOSAL 

The  proposal  fully  respects  the  principles  of  subsidiarity  and  contains  no  binding  legal 
elements, but recommendations to Member States on how to remove obstacles to mobility and 
increase opportunities for learning mobility for all young people. It is left to Member States to 
decide how best to achieve this. 

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COM(2009) 329. 

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4. 

BUDGETARY IMPLICATION 

Costs  associated  with  the  implementation  of  the  Recommendation  by  Member  States  will 
include, for example, adaptation of legislation to make grants and loans more portable and the 
provision  of  more 
information  on  mobility  opportunities  via  careers  and  study 
guidance/counselling  offices.  The  administrative  burden  of  the  monitoring  progress  is 
expected to be broadly neutral, as it will be carried out in the framework of the wider Europe 
2020  Strategy  and  the  National  Reform  Programmes,  the  existing  arrangements  for  the 
Strategic Framework for European cooperation in Education and Training (ET2020) and the 
EU Youth Strategy. 

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Proposal for a 

COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION 

Youth on the move – promoting the learning mobility of young people 

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  on  the  Functioning  of  the  European  Union,  and  in  particular 
Articles 165 and 166 thereof, 

Whereas: 

(1) 

(2) 

The  Commission  Communication  of  3  March  2010  for  Europe  2020  –  A  European 
strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth26 sets out as one of its priorities to 
develop  an  economy  based  on  knowledge  and  innovation  ("smart  growth")  and 
highlights a flagship initiative ("Youth on the Move") to enhance the performance and 
international  attractiveness  of  Europe's  higher  education  institutions  and  raise  the 
overall  quality  of  all  levels  of  education  and  training  in  the  EU,  combining  both 
excellence and equity, by promoting the mobility of young people and improve their 
employment situation. This Recommendation forms part of the "Youth on the Move" 
initiative. 

Learning mobility, i.e. transnational mobility for the purpose of acquiring new skills, 
is  one  of  the  fundamental  ways  in  which  young  people  can  strengthen  their  future 
employability, as well as their personal development and active citizenship. Europeans 
who are mobile as young learners are more likely to be mobile as workers later in life. 
Learning  mobility  can  make  education  and  training  systems  and  institutions  more 
open, more European and international, more accessible and more efficient. It can also 
strengthen  Europe's  competitiveness  by  helping  to  build  a  knowledge-intensive 
society27. 

(3) 

The  benefits  of  mobility  were  underlined  by  the  Recommendation  of  the  European 
Parliament and of the Council No 2001/613/EC of 10 July 2001 on mobility within the 
Community  for  students,  persons  undergoing  training,  volunteers,  teachers  and 

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COM(2010) 2020. 
For  evidence  on  the  benefits  of  mobility  to  individuals  see  e.g.  F.  Maiworm  and  U.  Teichler:  Study 
Abroad  and  Early  Career:  Experiences  of  Former  Erasmus  Students,  2004;  annual  surveys  of  the 
Erasmus Student Network; Final Evaluation of the Community Programmes Socrates II, Leonardo da 
Vinci  II  and  eLearning;  Analysis  of  the  Effects  of  Leonardo  da  Vinci  Mobility  Measures  on  Young 
Trainees, Employees and the influence of socio-economic factors, 2007. Regarding the systemic benefit 
of mobility, it has been proved for higher education by a study on "The impact of Erasmus on European 
higher education: quality, openness and internationalisation", Dec. 2008, 
http://ec.europa.eu/education/erasmus/doc/publ/impact08.pdf  
See also the Interim evaluation of Erasmus Mundus by CSES, June 2007, 
http://ec.europa.eu/education/programmes/mundus/doc/evalreport_en.pdf. 

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trainers28.  The  Recommendation  invited  Member  States  to  take  appropriate  steps  to 
remove obstacles to the mobility of these groups. 

(4) 

The legal provisions related to free movement of workers within the European Union 
were  highlighted  in  the  Commission  Communication  adopted  on  13  July  2010  on 
"Reaffirming the free movement of workers: rights and major developments"29. 

(5)  Much  has  been  achieved 

in 

the  area  of  youth  mobility  since 

the  2001 
Recommendation.  However,  not  all  instruments  and  tools  are  used  to  the  full  extent 
and  many  obstacles  remain.  Moreover,  the  whole  context  of  learning  mobility  has 
changed considerably in the last decade, inter alia, due to globalisation, technological 
progress,  including  Information  and  Communication  Technologies  (ICTs)  and 
stronger emphasis on employability and on the social dimension.  

(6) 

(7) 

(8) 

(9) 

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In  November  2008,  the  Council  invited  Member  States  to  adopt  the  objective  of 
gradually making periods of learning abroad the rule rather than the exception for all 
young  Europeans.  The  Council  invited  the  Commission  to  establish  a  work  plan  to 
include  cross-border  mobility  measures  in  all  European  programmes  and  support 
Member States in their efforts to promote mobility30. 

The  Commission  published  the  Green  Paper  on  "promoting  the  learning  mobility  of 
young  people"  in  July  200931  which  launched  a  public  consultation  on  a  number  of 
questions,  such  as:  how  best  to  boost  mobility  opportunities  for  young  Europeans, 
what obstacles to mobility still need to be overcome and how all players involved can 
join  forces  in  a  new  partnership  for  learning  mobility.  The  feedback  to  this 
consultation has provided important input to this Recommendation, as have opinions 
received  from  the  European  Economic  and  Social  Committee  and  the  Committee  of 
the Regions. 

Young researchers' mobility must also be encouraged in order to ensure the EU does 
not  lag  behind  its  competitors  in  research  and  innovation.  The  Commission 
Communication  of  23  May  2008  on  "Better  careers  and  more  mobility:  a  European 
partnership  for  researchers"32  proposed  a  set  of  actions  to  ensure  that  researchers 
across the EU benefit from the right training, attractive careers and removal of barriers 
to  their  mobility,  while  the  Council  Conclusions  of  2  March  2010  on  "European 
Researchers'  mobility  and  careers"33  identified  concrete  considerations  on  how  to 
improve researcher mobility and identified several areas for action. 

This Recommendation refers to young people in all learning and training contexts, i.e. 
at  school,  in  vocational  training  (school-based  or  apprenticeships)  and  within 
university  studies  (at  bachelor,  master  and  doctoral  levels),  as  well  as  in  youth 
exchanges,  voluntary  activities  or  internships,  inside  or  outside  the  European  Union. 
The main age cohort envisaged would be 16-35 year olds. Learning mobility is seen as 
relevant  to  all  disciplines  and  areas,  such  as  culture,  science,  technology,  arts  and 

OJ L 215, 9.8.2001, p. 30-37. 
COM(2010) 373. 
Council Conclusions of 21 November 2008 on youth mobility (2008/C 320/03). 
COM(2009) 329. 
COM(2008) 317. 
Council Conclusions of 2 March 2010 on European Researchers' mobility and careers. 

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sports, and also for young entrepreneurs and researchers. Within the meaning of this 
Recommendation, learning covers formal, informal and non-formal learning.  

(10)  This  Recommendation  seeks  to  encourage  Member  States  to  promote  the  learning 
mobility  of  young  people  and  remove  obstacles  which  are  impeding  progress  in  this 
area. At the same time, it fully respects their responsibilities within the framework of 
their national legislation. 

(11) 

It  also  encourages  them  to  use  the  full  potential  of  existing  instruments  to  facilitate 
mobility,  in  particular  the  Quality  Charter  for  Mobility,  Europass,  Diploma 
Supplement,  Youthpass,  European  Qualifications  Framework,  European  Credit 
Transfer and Accumulation System, European Credit System for Vocational Education 
and Training. 

(12)  EU programmes, in addition to providing substantial support to mobility, have enabled 
the  development  at  EU  level  of  good  practice  and  tools,  which  aim  to  facilitate  the 
mobility of young people in all learning and training contexts.  

(13)  This  Council  Recommendation  provides  specific  guidance  with 

to 
administrative,  institutional  and  legal  obstacles  to  the  learning  mobility  of  young 
people. It complements the wider Europe 2020 Integrated Guidelines, in particular the 
Employment Guidelines. 

regard 

HEREBY RECOMMENDS THAT MEMBER STATES:  

(1) Information and guidance on mobility opportunities  

a) 

b) 

c) 

d) 

Improve  the  quality  of  information  and  guidance  on  national  and  regional  mobility 
opportunities  and  grant  availability,  targeting  it  to  specific  groups  of  learners,  both 
within  and  outside  the  EU.  Member  States  should  make  use  of  new,  creative  and 
interactive ways to disseminate information, communicate and exchange with young 
people, including using ICTs and social networks. 

Make  information  easily  accessible  to  all  young  people  interested  in  learning 
mobility,  for  example  through  centralised  web  portals,  support  centres  (such  as 
"European  offices")  and  counselling  services  at  institutional  level.  The  use  of 
internet-based  services  can  also  be  helpful.  It  is  recommended  to  use  the 
Euroguidance network34 in this context.  

Cooperate with the Commission to further develop the PLOTEUS portal on learning 
opportunities,  namely  by  increasing  the  number  of  national  information  resources 
that citizens can directly access through the multilingual PLOTEUS interface. 

Encourage national and regional agencies to ensure that their work is integrated with 
that of stakeholders in learning mobility to ensure a clear, coherent and simple flow 
of information.  

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(2) Motivation to participate in transnational mobility activities  

a) 

b) 

c) 

d) 

Highlight  the  added  value  of  learning  mobility  in  terms  of  the  development  of 
professional  and  intercultural  skills  and  future  employability,  in  particular  in  the 
context of an increasingly global labour market.  

Encourage  networking  between  agencies,  regional  and  local  authorities,  public 
employment services, institutions, youth organisations, researchers, teachers, trainers 
and  youth  workers,  policy  makers,  employers  and  young  people  to  ensure  a 
coordinated approach to motivating young people.  

Encourage "peer exchange" between mobile and not yet mobile learners to improve 
motivation.  Open  days  at  institutions  where  mobility  is  promoted  can  provide  a 
forum for such peer exchanges. 

Promote the value of learning mobility to learners, their families and employers by 
training  programme,  wherever 
integrating  mobility 
appropriate.  Providing  opportunities  for  short  mobility  periods  may  also  help  to 
persuade more young people to be mobile.  

the  curriculum  or 

into 

(3) Preparation of mobility opportunities, particularly regarding foreign language skills 

a) 

b) 

c) 

d) 

Acknowledge  the  importance  of  language  learning  at  early  stages  of  education. 
Linguistic  and  cultural  preparation  for  mobility  should  become  a  core  part  of 
curricula, both in general and vocational education.  

Use  more  creative  methods  for  the  delivery  of  language  learning,  including  ICTs. 
Particular  attention  should  be  given  to  disadvantaged  learners  and  their  specific 
needs. 

Foster  the  acquisition  of  basic  e-skills  (digital  competences)  by  young  people  to 
ensure that they can prepare their mobility in optimal conditions. 

Encourage  the  development  of  partnerships  and  exchanges  between  education 
institutions to better prepare periods of mobility. 

(4) Legal and institutional obstacles relating to the learning period abroad 

a) 

b) 

c) 

d) 

Address legal issues that create difficulties in obtaining visas and residency permits 
for non-EU residents who wish to pursue a learning opportunity in a Member State. 

Address  issues  resulting  from  different  legal  rules  across  the  European  Union  with 
regard to minors taking part in mobility schemes.  

Define  clear  systems  for  apprentices  to  engage  in  mobility  periods.  To  foster  the 
mobility  of  apprentices  and  also  of  young  researchers  and  to  remove  uncertainties, 
Member States should ensure appropriate levels of protection in terms of insurance, 
labour standards, health and safety requirements and tax, social security and pension 
arrangements. 

Actively  encourage  jointly  developed  and  delivered  education  and  training 
programmes  with  institutions  in  other  countries.  Member  States  should  ensure  that 

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national laws do not impede joint programmes and degrees in education and training, 
such  as  those  specifying  that  the  programmes  have  to  be  delivered  and  assessed  in 
the national language. 

e) 

Reduce administrative and legal burdens in order to promote learning mobility to and 
from the European Union. Greater cooperation and partnerships with third countries, 
agreements  between  the  relevant  authorities  across  Member  States  and  bilateral 
agreements  between  institutions  would  facilitate  learning  mobility  between  the  EU 
and other parts of the world. 

(5) Portability of grants and loans 

a) 

Ensure the portability of grants, loans and access to benefits to promote the learning 
mobility of young people. 

(6) Quality of mobility 

a) 

b) 

c) 

d) 

e) 

f) 

Use existing quality charters, such as the European Quality Charter for Mobility, to 
ensure mobility is of high quality, and consider the introduction of quality assurance 
procedures for each aspect of mobility.  

Encourage continuous dialogue and clear arrangements between the sending and the 
hosting 
learning  agreements.  Encourage 
transparent selection procedures, peer exchange and structured learner support.  

institutions,  for  example  by  using 

Organise regular reporting, stocktaking and feedback mechanisms to ensure the high 
quality of the mobility experience. 

Encourage mentoring and peer learning schemes to ensure the integration of mobile 
learners in the host country/institution. 

Encourage the provision of convenient and affordable facilities for mobile learners. 

Provide  guidance  to  mobile  learners  after  their  return  on  how  to  make  use  of  the 
competences acquired during their stay abroad. Provide help with reintegration after 
a long stay abroad. 

(7) Recognition of learning outcomes 

a) 

b) 

c) 

Ensure  the  implementation  and  use  of  existing  EU  instruments  which  facilitate  the 
transfer  and  validation  of  the  learning  outcomes  of  mobility  experiences  between 
Member States (such as Europass Mobility, Youthpass, ECTS, ECVET and the EQF 
as  well  as  the  future  European  Skills  Passport).  These  instruments  should  also  be 
better promoted, especially among employers. 

Improve  procedures  and  guidelines  for  the  validation  and  recognition  of  both 
informal and non-formal learning in order to facilitate more mobility (for example in 
volunteering and youth work).  

Address  the  issue  of  validation  and  recognition  of  knowledge,  skills  and 
competences  acquired  during  mobility  periods  abroad  (such  as  foreign  language 
skills). 

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d) 

Establish  visible  contact  points  where  individuals  can  have  their  qualifications 
recognised and certified after their return from abroad. 

(8) Disadvantaged learners 

a) 

b) 

Provide  disadvantaged  learners  with  targeted  information  on  programmes  and 
support tailored to their specific needs.  

Develop  a  "mobility  culture",  i.e.,  mainstreaming  mobility  opportunities  into  all 
learning  contexts,  involving  teachers,  trainers  and  youth  workers  etc.  This  will 
benefit  all  learners  and  in  particular  disadvantaged  groups  who  may  feel  excluded 
from mobility opportunities.  

(9) Partnerships and funding 

a) 

b) 

c) 

Encourage  mobility  partnerships  with  both  public  and  private  actors  operating  at 
local level. Chambers of commerce, business associations and NGOs can be valuable 
partners in this context. In addition, networks of schools and universities exchanging 
information, news and experience should be fostered. 

Encourage  regional  authorities  to  play  an  increasing  role  in  promoting  mobility 
through building on existing networks and creating new partnerships.  

Stimulate  active  cooperation  and  communication  (including  awareness-raising  and 
advocacy about the value of mobility) between the education and the business sector, 
as  the  involvement  of  businesses  is  an  important  factor  in  strengthening  youth 
mobility,  for  example  by  providing  work  placements.  Provide  incentives,  such  as 
special  grants  to  businesses,  in  conformity  with  EU  law,  to  encourage  their 
engagement in providing places for traineeships, internships and apprenticeships.  

d) 

Ensure the coherence and complementarity of national and European programmes, to 
create synergies and improve the efficiency of mobility programmes.  

(10) Role of multipliers 

a) 

Encourage  the  use  of  ‘multipliers’  such  as  teachers,  trainers,  youth  workers  and 
young  people  who  previously  participated  in  a  mobility  experience  to  inspire  and 
motivate  young  people  to  become  mobile.  Encourage  employers  in  the  field  of 
education 
trainers’  and  youth  workers' 
commitment  to  learning  mobility.  Promote  and  support  the  mobility  of  teachers, 
trainers and youth workers as an opportunity for professional advancement. 

to  recognise  and  reward 

teachers', 

b) 

Promote  mobility  as  a  component  of  the  training  of  teachers,  trainers  and  youth 
workers. 

(11) Monitoring progress – 'Mobility Scoreboard' 

a) 

Report to the Commission on progress in removing obstacles to mobility in the wider 
framework  of  the  Europe  2020  Strategy  and  the  National  Reform  Programmes,  the 
existing  arrangements  for  the  Strategic  Framework  for  European  cooperation  in 
Education  and  Training  (ET2020)  and  the  EU  Youth  Strategy.  This  will  serve  as  a 

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basis for a biennial assessment of progress across Member States in the format of a 
'Mobility Scoreboard'. 

b) 

Improve  the  availability  and  quality  of  the  national  statistical  sources  on  the 
transnational mobility of young people.  

HEREBY TAKE NOTE OF THE COMMISSION'S INTENTION TO: 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

(5) 

Harness and strengthen the EU's education, training and youth programmes, such as, 
Erasmus,  Erasmus  Mundus,  Leonardo,  Comenius,  Grundtvig,  Youth  in  Action, 
Tempus  and  Marie  Curie,  as  well  as  the  Structural  Funds  and  in  particular  the 
European  Social  Fund,  in  order  to  extend  and  broaden  learning  opportunities  to 
young  people  as  a  whole.  Stimulate  active  involvement  of  young  people  in  society 
and improve their employment situation.  

Contribute  to  Member  States'  efforts  to  support  learning  mobility  by  undertaking  a 
coordinated review of existing programmes with a view to developing an integrated 
approach under the next Financial Framework (2014-2020) to underpin the Youth on 
the Move strategy.  

Provide guidance to public authorities and stakeholders in the Member States on the 
case  law  established  by  the  European  Court  of  Justice  on  issues  such  as  access  to 
educational institutions, recognition of diplomas, the portability of grants and loans 
and other rights of mobile learners in the host country or in the country of origin. 

Improve  the  statistical  framework  to  measure  and  monitor  progress  in  removing 
mobility obstacles. 

Evaluate  progress  in  removing  mobility  obstacles  after  the  first  four  years  of 
implementation of the Recommendation (by end 2014). 

Done at Brussels, 

For the Council 
The President 

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