CELEX: 51998PC0719
Language: en
Date: 1998-12-02
Title: Amended proposal for a European Parliament and Council Decision establishing the second phase of the Community education action programme Socrates

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
                                                        Brussels, 02.12.1998
                                                      COM(1998) 719 final
                                                      98/0195 (COD)
                                   Amended proposal for a
                 EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND COUNCIL DECISION
establishing the second phase of the Community education action programme SOCRATES
                 (presented by the Commission pursuant to Article 189 a (2)
                                      of the EC-Treaty)
 ---pagebreak---  ---pagebreak---                                 EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
In the light of the opinion of the European Parliament of 5 November 1998, the Commission, in
accordance with Article 189 A §2 of the EC. Treaty, is submitting an amended proposal for a
decision. The Commission accepts in full or in part 34 of the 54 amendments proposed by the
Parliament.
The amended proposal largely retains the same structure and the same objectives as the initial
proposal but goes into certain aspects in greater detail:
        one set of amendments improves and strengthens the initial proposal by incorporating
features designed to make access to the programme easier for target publics who may have
difficulties in taking part. Other amendments are designed to strengthen the emphasis placed on
certain key features of the proposal, e.g. the dissemination of results and the academic recognition
of studies pursued in other Member States via the ECTS (European course credit transfer system);
        in relation to the initial proposal, a second set of amendments provides useful additional
information and clarification on specific aspects of cooperation policy in the field of education.
The Commission was unable to take on board certain amendments which concerned institutional
aspects such as rules on committee procedures and budgetary matters.
The Commission is most appreciative of the increase in funding proposed by the European
Parliament, but has opted to abide by its initial proposal on this.
The Commission was also unable to accept amendments designed to group together Action 6
(Observation and innovation), Action 7 (Joint actions) and Action 8 (Support measures) into a
single action to be called 'Horizontal measures'. This is not felt to be useful inasmuch as grouping
together three actions would detract from the political visibility of Actions 6 and 7 to which the
Commission wishes to give priority in the context of creating a Europe of knowledge.
                                                   -2-
 ---pagebreak---                                  Amended proposal for a
               EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND COUNCIL DECISION
establishing the second phase of the Community education action programme SOCRATES
                                         D 0^
 ---pagebreak---   COMMISSION'S INITIAL PROPOSAL I PROPOSAL MODIFIED FOLLOWING
                                                      THE OPININION OF THE EUROPEAN
                                                         PARLIAMENT AT THE FIRST
                                                       READING ON 5 NOVEMBER 1998
      PROPOSAL FOR A EUROPEAN
       PARLIAMENT AND COUNCIL
                     DECISION
Establishing the second phase of the
Community action programme in the field of
education "Socrates"
THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE
COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the
European Community and in particular Articles
 126 and 127 thereof,
Having regard to the proposalfromthe
Commission1,
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and
Social Committee2,
Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of
the Regions3,
Acting in accordance with the procedure laid
down in Article 189b of the Treaty4,
1. Whereas the Treaty establishing the European
    Community stipulates that the tatter's action
    shall inter alia contribute to the development
    of quality education and training; whereas this
    was resolutely reiterated by the Amsterdam
    Treaty signed on 2 October 1997, which states
    that the Community's objective is also to
    promote the highest possible level of the
    knowledge for its peoples through wide access
    to education and through the continuous
    updating of knowledge;                          '
2. Whereas Decision No 819/95/EC of the
    European "Parliament and of the Council5, as
    amended by Decision No 576/98/EC *,
    establishes the Community action programme                  \
    Socrates;
3. „ Whereas the extraordinary European Council
      COM (1998) 329 final, 27 May 1998
      ESC 1307/98 (98/0195 COD)
      OJL 87 20.4.1995, p. 10.
      OJL77 14.3.1998, p. 1.
 ---pagebreak---     on Employment held in Luxembourg on 20
    and 21 November 1997 adopted a coordinated
    employment strategy in which lifelong
    education and training have a fundamental
    role to play in implementing guidelines7 for
    the Member States' employment policies in
    order to enhance employability, adaptability,
    and the culture of entrepreneurship8 and to
    promote equal opportunities;
4. Whereas           the      Commission        in      its   4. Whereas the Commission in its communication
communication "Towards a Europe of                             "Towards a Europe of Knowledge"10 set out
Knowledge'* set out guidelines of the gradual                   guidelines of the gradual creation of an open and
creation of an open and dynamic European                      dynamic European Education area capable of
Education area capable of achieving the objective             achieving the objective of lifelong education and
of lifelong education and training, defining six              training, defining six types of measures to be
types of measures to be developed at Community                developed at Community level, focusing on
level, focusing on transnational cooperation and              transnational cooperation and designed to bring
designed to bring added value to the action taken             added value to the action taken by the Member
by the Member States, in full respect of the                   States, in full respect of the principle of
principle of subsidiarity, and in a context of                subsidiarity [...]; and whereas in order to make it
simplified procedures;                                        easier for all the target groups to have access to
                                                              the programme, it has decided to simplify the
                                                              application and selection procedures;
5. Whereas the White Paper Teaching and 5. Whereas the White Paper Teaching and
    learning - Towards the learning society states learning - Towards the learning society states that
    that the emergence of the learning society the emergence of the learning society entails
    entails encouraging the acquisition of new encouraging the acquisition of new knowledge
    knowledge and to this end providing and to this end providing motivation to learn at
    motivation to learn at every opportunity, and every opportunity, and whereas the Green Paper
    whereas the Green Paper " "Education, "Education, training, research: the obstacles to
    training, research: the obstacles to transnational mobility highlighted the advantages
    transnational mobility12 highlighted the mobility brings to people and competitiveness in
    advantages mobility brings to people and the Union; and whereas the objective should be to
    competitiveness in the Union;                              achieve a participation rate of at least 10% of
                                                              schools in Comenius and 10% of students in
                                                              mobility actions under Erasmus;
6. Whereas there is a need to promote active 6. Whereas there is a need to promote active
    citizenship, to strengthen the links between citizenship, to strengthen the links between
    measures pursued under this programme, and measures pursued under this programme, and to
    to step up the fight against exclusion in all its step up the fight against exclusion in all its forms,
    forms, including racism and xenophobia; including racism and xenophobia; whereas special
    whereas special attention should be focused attention should be focused on removing all forms
    on removing all forms of inequality and on of discrimination and inequality and on
    promoting equal opportunities for women and promoting equal opportunities for women and
    men;                                                      men;
     OJ C 30 28.1.1998, p. 1.
     Communication from the Commission to the European Council "Fostering entrepreneurship in Europe: priorities for the future" (COM (1998)
     222 final/2 of 21.4.1998).
     Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the
     Regions-Towards a Europe of knowledge, COM(97) 563 final, 12 November 1997.             .          -
     Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the
     Regions - Towards a Europe of knowledge, COM(97) 563 final, 12 November 1997.
     Commission's White Paper : "Education and training-.Teaching and learning- Towards the learning society", Office for Official Publications
     of the European Communities, Luxembourg, 1996.
     Commission's Green Paper: Education, training, research: the obstacles to transnational mobility, COM(96) 462 final, 2 October 1996.
                                                                     A-
 ---pagebreak---    Whereas the Parliament and the Council in                    7. Whereas the Parliament and the Council in
   their Decision No XXX/99/EC [Youth]13 and                    their Decision No XXX/99/EC [Youth]'5 and the
   the Council in its Decision No XXX/99/EC                     Council in its Decision No XXX/99/EC
    [Training]14, have established Community                    [Training]16, have established Community action
   action programmes for the youth and training                 programmes for the youth and training fields
    fields respectively, which contribute together              respectively, which contribute together with the
   with the Socrates programme to implementing                  Socrates programme to the promotion of a Europe
    a knowledge policy;                                         of knowledge;
8. Whereas it is necessary, in order to reinforce               8. Whereas it is necessary, in order to reinforce
   the added value of Community action to                       the added value of Community action, for the
    ensure, at all levels, a coherence and a                    Commission, in conjunction with the Member
    complementarity           between the           actions     States, to ensure a coherence and a
    implemented in the framework of this                        complementarity at all levels between the actions
    Decision and the Community interventions, in                implemented in theframeworkof this Decision
    particular in the domains of culture17, audio-              and the Community interventions, in particular in
    visual media, the completion of the single                  the domains of culture("), research and
    market,        the      environment,         consumer       development, audio-visual media, the completion
    protection, the information society, SMEs,                  of the single market, the environment, consumer
    social policies, employment and public health;              protection, the information society, SMEs, social
                                                                policies, employment and public health;
                                                                8a Whereas provision should be made for joint
                                                                activities between the Socrates programme and
                                                                other Community programmes and actions which
                                                                have a bearing on education, including those in
                                                                the area of international cooperation, fostering
                                                                synergy and enhancing the added value of
                                                                Community action;                                   .
9. Whereas the Commission's proposals for
    reforming the Structural Funds1*, particularly
    the European Social Fund, and the
    Community initiatives stemming therefrom,
    are based and objectives designed to support
    the adaptation and modernisation of policies
    and systems relating to education, training and
    employment;
10. Whereas provision should be made to open up
    this programme to participation by the
    associated Central and Eastern European
    countries in accordance with the conditions
    established in the relevant association
    agreements,          notably      the      association
    agreements and the additional protocols to
    these agreements to Cyprus on the same terms
    as those applied to the EFTA/EEA countries
    as well as to Turkey and Malta according to
    procedures to be agreed with those countries;
     Proposal for a Parliament and Council Decision establishing a single financing and programming instrument for cultural cooperation
     (Programme Culture 2000), OJ C 211,7.7.1998, p. 18.
     Agenda 2000 Reform of the Structural and Cohesion Funds - Pre-accession structural assistance - Pursuing the cohesion effort - A new reform
     of the Structural Funds, COM(1998) 131 final, 18.3.1998
 ---pagebreak--- 11. Whereas this programme should be monitored       11. Whereas this programme should be monitored
    and continuously evaluated in cooperation       and continuously evaluated in cooperation
    between the Commission and the Member           between the Commission and the Member States
    States in order to allow for readjustments,     in order to allow for readjustments, particularly in
    particularly in the priorities for implementing the priorities for implementing the measure;
    the measure;                                    whereas this assessment should include an
                                                    external evaluation and be carried out by
                                                    independent organisations;
12. Whereas, in accordance with the principles       12. Whereas, in accordance with the principles
    and proportionality as defined in Article 3b of and proportionality as defined in Article 3b of the
    the Treaty, the objectives of the proposed      Treaty, the objectives of the proposed action
    action concerning the contribution of           concerning the contribution of European
    European cooperation to quality education       cooperation to quality education cannot be
    cannot be sufficiently achieved by the          sufficiently achieved by the Member States
    Member States because inter alia of the need     because inter alia of the need for multilateral
    for multilateral partnerships, multilateral     partnerships, multilateral mobility of people and
    mobility of people and Community-wide           Community-wide exchange of information, and
    exchange of information, and can therefore be   can therefore be better achieved by the
    better achieved by the Community thanks to      Community thanks to the transnational dimension
    the transnational dimension of Community        of Community actions and measures; whereas this
    actions and measures; whereas this Decision     Decision does not go beyond what is necessary to
    does not go beyond what is necessary to         achieve these objectives; whereas it is for the
    achieve these objectives;                       Member States to develop and strengthen
                                                    arrangements in favour of the programme's target
                                                    groups in order to make European Community
                                                    action more effective;
                                                     12a: whereas it is essential to improve the ECTS
                                                    system in order to ensure that mobility fully
                                                    achieves its aims; whereas the higher education
                                                    establishments taking part in the programme are
                                                    invited to implement the ECTS system as widely
                                                    as possible;
13. Whereas this Decision establishes, for the
    entire duration of the programme, a financial
     framework offering the budgetary authority
    the principal point of reference, within the
    meaning of point 1 of the Declaration by the
     European Parliament, the Council and the
     Commission of 6 March 199519, during the
    annual budgetary procedure;
14. Whereas an agreement on a modus Vivendi
    between the European Parliament, the Council
     and the Commission concerning the
     implementing measures for acts adopted in
     accordance with the procedure laid down in
     Article 189b of the EC Treaty was reached on
     20 December 199420,
      OJC 102,4.4.1996, p. 4.
      OJC 102,4.4.1996, p. 1.
                                                          -6-
 ---pagebreak---  HAVE DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:                            "1
                        Articlel
          Establishment of the programme
  1. This Decision establishes the second phase of
     the Community action programme in the field
     of education "Socrates", hereinafter referred to
     as "this programme".
 2. This programme shall be implemented in the
     period starting on 1 January 2000 and ending
     on 31 December 2004.
 3. This programme shall contribute to the              3. This programme shall contribute to the
     Community's knowledge policy through the           promotion of a Europe of knowledge by
     implementation of a European education area        developing a European education area by
     fostering and development of lifelong              fostering cooperation of the field of lifelong
     education and training. It shall permit the        education and training. It shall permit the
     development of the knowledge and skills            development of the knowledge and skills
     conducive to the full exercise of citizenship.     conducive to active citizenship and employability.
 4. This programme shall support and supplement         4. This programme shall support and supplement
     action taken by and in the .Member States,         action taken by and in the Member States, while
     while fully respecting their responsibility for    fully respecting their responsibility for the content
     the content of the education and the               of education and the organisation of education
     organisation of education systems, and their       and training systems, and their cultural and
     cultural and linguistic diversity.                 linguistic diversity.
_                       Article 2                                             Article 2
               Aims of the programme                                  Aims of the programme
  1. In order to contribute to the development of       1. In order to contribute to the development of
     quality education, while fully respecting the      quality education and to stimulate lifelong
     responsibility of the Member States, the aims      education and training, while fully respecting the
     of the programme shall be:                         responsibility of the Member States, the aims of
                                                        the programme shall be:
     a)    to strengthen the European dimension in
           education at all levels, in particular by    a)        to strengthen the European dimension in
           granting wider access to European            education at all levels, in particular by granting
           educational resources and through the        wider access to European educational resources
           teaching and dissemination of languages,     and through the teaching and dissemination of
           while promoting a better gender balance      languages, while promoting equal opportunities
           throughout all fields of education;          throughout all fields of education;
     b)    to promote cooperation in the field of
           education, in particular by encouraging      b) to promote cooperation in the field of
           exchanges        between       educational   education and remove obstacles to this
           institutions and by promoting open and       cooperation, notably by encouraging:
           distance education;                          - teacher and student mobility,
                                                        - cooperation between education establishments,
     c)    to help remove the obstacles to such         - better recognition of diplomas and periods of
           cooperation, in particular by encouraging    education,
           improvement in the recognition of            - better exchange of information;
           diplomas and periods of study, and by
           developing the exchange of information;
                                                              -7-
 ---pagebreak---    d)   to encourage innovation, in particular c) to encourage innovation in the development of
        where such innovation is associated with educational practices and materials, including
        new technologies.                          through the use of new technologies.
   In implementing these objectives, the           2. In implementing these objectives* the
   Commission and the Member States shall          Commission and the Member States shall ensure
   ensure that action under the programme is       that action under this programme is consistent
   consistent with the Community's other actions   with the Community's other actions and policies,
   and policies, particularly with regard to       particularly with regard to employment, to the
   employment, to the removal of inequalities, to  removal of all forms of social discrimination and
   equal opportunities for women and men, and      inequality, to equal opportunities for women and
   to social policy.                               men, particularly by integrating this dimension
                                                   into all initiatives through positive action, and to
                                                   social policy.
                     Article 3
               Community actions
   The aims of this programme shall be pursued
   through the following actions, the operational
   content and the application procedures of
   which are described in the Annex:
   a)    School education (Comenius);
   b)    Higher education (Erasmus);
   c)    Other educational pathways (Grundtvig);
   d)    Teaching and learning of languages
         (Lingua);
   e)    Education and multimedia (Atlas);         e) Education and multimedia (Minerva)
   f)    Observation and innovation;
   g)    Joint actions;
   h)    Accompanying measures.
2. The actions shall be implemented through the
   following types of measure, in the form of
   operations which may use several of them in
   combination:
   a)    support for the mobility of people in the
         field of education in Europe;
   b)    promotion of virtual mobility in the b) promotion of the use of and access to
         context of education, particularly by information and communication technologies in
         promoting access to educational thefieldof education;
         multimedia;
    c)   support for the development of
         European-level cooperation networks
         permitting the mutual exchange of good
         practice;
    d)   promotion of language skills and
         understanding of different cultures;
    e)   support for innovatory pilot projects
         based on transnational partnerships
         designed to develop innovation and
         quality in education in order to create
         educational products, instruments of
                                                         -8-
 ---pagebreak---          skills accreditation or in order to test out
         any new approach;
   f)    the constant improvement of the                  f) the constant improvement of the
         Community terms of reference through                 Community terms ofreferencesthrough:
         support for the dissemination of good
         practice and through the observation and         - the observation and analysis of national
         dissemination of innovation.                         education policies;
                                                          - the observation and dissemination of good
                                                              practice and innovation;
                                                          - extensive exchanges of information.
                                                      Particular attention shall be given to projects
                                                      combining two or more different measures. Any
                                                      project relating to the measures mentioned under
                                                      a), b) c) and e) above must in principle include
                                                      measures listed under d) as preparatory or follow-
                                                      up action.
                      Article 4                                              Article 4
             Access to the programme                                Access to the programme
1. Under the conditions and in accordance with        1. Under the conditions and in accordance with
   the definitions and arrangements for                   the definitions and arrangements for
   implementation specified in the Annex, this            implementation specified in the Annex, this
   programme is aimed in particular at:                   programme is aimed at:
   a)    all pupils, students or other learners;          a)    all pupils, students or other learners;
   b)    all categories of staff involved in              b)    all categories of staff involved in
          education;                                            education;
   c)    all types of educational institutions;           c)    all types of educational institutions;
   d)    the people and bodies responsible for            d)    the people and bodies responsible for
         education systems and policies at local,               education systems and policies at local,
         regional and national level within                     regional and national level within
         Member States.                                         Member States^
2. Public or private bodies cooperating with
   educational institutions may also take part or
   be actively involved in several actions under
   this programme, in particular:                         e)    local and regional            bodies      and
                                                             ' organisations;
   a)     local and regional           bodies     and
          organisations;
                                                          fj associations working the field of education,
   b)    associations working the field of                      including parents', teachers' and
         education,         including        parents'           students' associations,;
         associations;
                                                          g)    companies .and           consortia,     trade
   c). companies          and     consortia, trade              organisations      and Chambers . of
          organisations     and Chambers of                     Commerce and Industry;
          Commerce and Industry;
   d)     organisations of both sides of industry at      h)     organisations of both sides of industry at
          all levels;                                            all levels;
                                                             -9-
 ---pagebreak---    e)    research centres and bodies.                   i} research centres and bodies.
3. Every Member State shall draw up a list of       2. Every Member State shall draw up a list of
   universities, types of schools and other         universities, types of schools and other
   educational institutions eligible to participate educational institutions eligible to participate in
   in the programme.                                the programme.
                     Article 5
    Implementation of the programme and
      cooperation with the Member States
1. The Commission shall ensure the
   implementation of the Community actions
   covered by this programme in accordance
   with the Annex.
   It shall consult both sides of industry and the
   competent associations in the field of
   education at European level and shall inform
   the Committee referred to in Article 7 of their
   opinions.
2. In conjunction with the Member States, the
   Commission shall take the steps described in
   the Annex to make the best use of what has
   been achieved through the action undertaken
   under thefirstphase of the Socrates
   programme.
3. The Member States shall take appropriate         3. The Member States shall take appropriate
   action to secure, nationally, the coordination,  action to secure, nationally, the coordination,
   organisation and the follow-up needed for the    organisation, follow-up and evaluation needed
   attainment of the objectives of this             for the attainment of the objectives of this
   programme, involving all the parties             programme. They shall involve all the parties
   concerned by education in accordance with        concerned by education and shall take the steps
   national practice.                               necessary to optimise potential synergy with other
                                                    Community programmes
   To this end, they shall set up an integrated     To this end, they shall set up an integrated
   management structure for the operational         management structure for the operational
   implementation of the programme's actions        implementation of the programme's actions. They
   and shall ensure that appropriate information    shall also ensure that appropriate information and
   and publicity is provided on actions co-         publicity is provided on actions co-financed by
   financed by the programme.                         the programme.
4. Each Member State shall endeavour to take        4. Each Member State shall endeavour to take the
   the necessary steps to ensure the efficient      necessary steps to ensure the efficient running of
   running of this programme and to take            this programme and to take appropriate measures
   appropriate measures to remove any obstacles     to remove any obstacles to access to it,
   to access to it.                                 particularly for less favoured people.
5. The Commission, in conjunction with the
   Member States, shall ensure the transition
   between these actions developed within the
   framework of the preceding "Socrates"
   programme in the field of education and those
   to be implemented under this programme.
                                                          •10-
 ---pagebreak---                       Article 6                                           Article 6
                    Joint actions                                       Joint auctions
As part of the process of building up a Europe of     As part of the process of building up a Europe of
knowledge, the measures of this programme may         knowledge, and in conformity with the
be implemented as joint actions with other            procedures set out in Art. 7 of the Decision, the
Community actions forming part of the                 measures of this programme may be implemented
knowledge policy, particularly Community              as joint actions with other Community
programmes in the area of vocational training and     programmes and actions, notably in the area of
youth-related matters.                                vocational training, youth, research and
                                                      development, and new technologies.
                      Article 7
                     Committee
1. The Commission shall be assisted by a
   committee composed of the representatives of
   the Member States and chaired by the
   representative of the Commission.
2. The committee shall be assisted by two
   subcommittees in the areas of school
   education and higher education. They shall be
   composed of representatives of the Member
   States. The Commission shall ensure
   coordination between the committee and the
   subcommittees. Specific questions may be
   referred to the subcommittees for final
   decision.
3. The representatives of the Commission shall
   submit to the committee a draft of the
   measures to be taken as regards:
   a)    the arrangements for implementing this
         programme, including where appropriate
         the annual plan of work for the
         implementation of the programme's
         actions;
   b)    the criteria applicable for establishing the
         indicative breakdown of funds among
         the Member States for the purpose of the
         actions to be managed on a decentralised
         basis;
   c)    the arrangements for evaluating the
         programme.
4. The committee shall deliver its opinion on the
   draft within a time-limit which the Chairman
   may lay down according to the urgency of the
   matter. The opinion shall be delivered by the
   majority laid down in Article 148 (2) of the
   Treaty in the case of decisions which the
   Council is required to adopt on a proposal
   from the Commission. The votes of the
   representatives of the Member States within
                                                           •11-
 ---pagebreak---     the Committee shall be weighted in the
    manner set out in the Article. The Chairman
    shall not vote.
5. The Commission shall adopt measures which
    shall apply immediately. However, if these
    measures are not in accordance with the
    opinion of the committee, they shall be
    communicated by the Commission to the
    Council forthwith.
    In that event:
          the Commission may defer application of
          the measures which it had decided for a
          period of up to one month from the date
           of such communication;
          the Council, acting by a qualified
           majority, may take a different decision
           within the time-limit referred to in the
           first indent.
6. The Commission may consult the Committee
     on      any     other     matter      concerning
     implementation of the programme.
     In that event, the Commission representative
     shall submit to the Committee a draft of the
     measures to be taken. The Committee shall
     deliver its opinion on the draft, within a time-
     limit which the Chairman may lay down
     according to the urgency of the matter, if
     necessary by taking a vote.
     The opinion shall be recorded in the minutes;
     in addition, each Member State shall have the
     right to ask to have its position recorded in the
     minutes.
     The Commission shall take the utmost account
     of the opinion delivered by the Committee. It
     shall inform the Committee of the manner in
     which its opinion has been taken into account.
                        Funding
 1. The financial resources for the implementation
     of this programme for the period specified in
     Article 1 shall be set at ECU 1 400 million.
2. The annual appropriations shall be authorised
     by the budgetary authority, within the limits of
     thefinancialperspectives.
                                                       -12-
 ---pagebreak---                      Article 9                                          Article 9
       Consistency and complementarity                    Consistency and complementarity
1. The Commission shall, in conjunction with the   1. The Commission shall, in cooperation with the
   Member States, ensure overall consistency       Member States, and in full respect of the intrinsic
   with other Community policies and actions.      and specific nature of each programme, ensure
   There shall be coordination between the         overall consistency and coordination between the
   activities of this prograntaie and the other    programme activities and the other Community
   Community actions, in particular those          policies and actions, particularly              those
   covered by the knowledge policy.                contributing to a Europe of knowledge in the area
                                                   of education, training, youth, research and
                                                   development, and innovation.
The Commission shall, in conjunction with the The Commission shall ensure in cooperation with
Member States, ensure consistency between the Member States consistency and synergy
implementation of this programme and the other between the implementation of this programme
Community actions relating to education in the and the other Community actions relating to
area of culture and the audiovisual sector, the youth in the area of culture, research and
completion of the internal market, the information development, and the audiovisual sector, the
society, environment, consumer protection, completion of the internal market, the information
SMEs, social policies, employment, and public society, environment, consumer protection,
health.                                            SMEs, social policies, employment, and public
                                                   health.
    The Commission shall ensure an efficient
    link-up between this programme and the
    programmes and actions in the area of
    education undertaken as part of the
    Community's external relations.
    The Commission and the Member States shall 2. The Commission and the Member States shall
    ensure that the measures of this programme ensure mat the measures of this programme will,
    are, as part of the implementation of the as part of the implementation of the coordinated
    coordinated employment strategy, consistent employment strategy, contribute to the attainment
    with the orientations established annually for of the objectives set in the European employment
    the employment guidelines and in conjunction guidelines and to the drafting of national action
    with the other actions contributing to the plans.
    implementation of the action plans.
    The Commission and the Member States shall      3. The Commission and the Member States shall
    ensure consistency and complementarity          ensure consistency and complementarity between
    between action undertaken under this            action undertaken under this programme and
    programme and Community action under the        Community action under the Structural Funds.
    Structural Funds.                               They shall in particular facilitate the transfer and
                                                    dissemination on a greater scale, through the
                                                    Community Structural Funds, of innovatory
                                                    approaches and methods developed under this
                                                    programme.
                     Article 10                                         Article 10
   Participation of the associated Central and         Participation of the associated Central and
  Eastern European countries, Cyprus, Turkey          Eastern European countries, EFT A countries
                     and Malta                         members of the EEA, Cyprus, Turkey and
                                                                          Malta,
 1. This programme shall ;be open to the             1. This programme shall be open to the
     participation of the associated Central and        participation of the associated Central and
     Eastern European countries (CEEC) in               Eastern European countries (CEEC) in
                                                         -13-
 ---pagebreak---     accordance with the conditions laid down in         accordance with the conditions fixed in the
    the Europe agreements or in existing or             Europe agreements or in existing or
    anticipated additional protocols governing the      anticipated additional protocols governing the
    participation of these countries in Community       participation of these countries in Community
    programmes. This programme shall also be            programmes. This programme shall. also be
    open to the participation, funded by additional     open to the participation of the countries of
    appropriations, of Cyprus under the same            the European Free Trade Association (EFTA)
    rules as those applied to the countries of the      which belong to the European Economic Area
    European Free Trade Association (EFTA)              (EEA). This programme shall also be open to
    which belong to the European Economic Area          the participation, funded by additional
    (EEA) according to the procedures to be             appropriations, of Cyprus [...] according to
    agreed with this country. This programme            the procedures to be agreed with this country,
    shall also be open to participation by Turkey       This programme is also open to participation
    according to the procedures to be established       by Turkey according to the procedures to be
    with that country-.                                 established with that country.
2. This programme shall also be open to             2. This programme shall also be open to
     participation by Malta according to the            participation by Malta according to the
     procedures to be agreed with that country.         procedures to be agreed with that country.
                       _____                                              Article 11
              International cooperation                          International cooperation
The Commission shall strengthen its cooperation     Under this programme, the Commission shall
with non-Community countries and with the           strengthen its cooperation with non-Community
relevant international organisations, particularly  countries and the relevant international
the Council of Europe.                              organisations, particularly the Council of Europe.
                                                    The activities covered by this article and the
                                                    relevant funding arrangements will be decided in
                                                    accordance with the procedures set out in Article
                                                    7 of the Decision.
                    _______
             Monitoring and evaluation
 1. The Commission shall continually monitor
     this programme in cooperation with the
     Member States.
     This monitoring shall be effected through the
     reports referred to in paragraph 3 and through
     specific activities.
2. The Commission shall evaluate this               2. The Commission shall evaluate this programme
     programme periodically, in conjunction with    periodically in cooperation with the Member
     the Member States. The evaluation shall seek   States. The evaluation shall seek to appraise the
     to appraise the effectiveness of the actions   relevance, effectiveness and impact of the actions
      implemented, by reference to the objectives    implemented, by reference to the objectives set
     set out in Article 2.                          out in Article 2.
     The evaluation will also examine the
     complementarity between actions under this
     programme and those pursued under other
     Community programmes, particularly those
     supported by the European Social Fund.
                                                          -14-
 ---pagebreak---    In accordance with criteria established using
   the procedure described in Article 7 (3), there
   shall be periodical external evaluations of the
   results of the Community actions.
3. Member States shall submit to the                 3. Member States shall submit to the Commission
    Commission by 31 December 2002 and 30            by 31 December 2002 and 30 June 2005
   June 2005 respectively reports on the             respectively reports on the implementation, the
    implementation and the impact of this            effectiveness and the impact of this programme,
    programme.                                       by reference to the objectives set out in Article 2,
                                                     also with regard to the education systems and
                                                     arrangements which exist in the Member States.
                                                     Specific mention shall be made of the measures
                                                     taken to combat all forms of discrimination and to
                                                     promote equality of opportunity between men and
                                                     women, and their impact in terms of participation
                                                     in the programme.
    The Commission shall submit to the European      4. The Commission shall submit to the European
    Parliament, the Council, the Economic and        Parliament, the Council, the Economic and Social
    Social Committee and the Committee of the        Committee and the Committee of the Regions:
    Regions:
                                                     - an interim report, no later than 30 June 2003, on
    -  an interim evaluation report on the           the qualitative and quantitative aspects of the
       implementation of this programme no later     implementation of this programme,
       than 30 June 2003;
                                                     -the final report on the implementation of this
    -  the final report on the implementation of     programme, no later than 31 December 2005.
       this programme, no later than 31
       December 2005.
                    Article 13.
                  Entry into force
This Decision shall enter into force on the date of
its publication in the Official Journal of the
European Communities.
Done at Brussels,
For the European Parliament          For the Council
The President                        The President
                                                           •15-
 ---pagebreak---                      ANNEX
I.  INTRODUCTION
1.  The actions proposed in this Annex
    contribute to the achievement of the
    objectives laid down in Article 2 of the
    Decision and implemented through the
    Community measures provided for in
    Article 3.
2.  Provisions relating to the timetable, the
    conditions for the submission of
    applications and the eligibility criteria are
    published regularly by the Commission,
    following consultation of the programme
    committee, in the "Socrates Guidelines for
    Applications".
3.  In the context of activities involving the
    mobility of persons, there should be some
    linguistic preparation so that the
    beneficiaries possess the necessary
    competence in the language(s) of the
    instruction in the host establishment.
4.  As a general rule, Community financial
    assistance granted to the projects selected
    under this programme is intended to
    partially compensate for the estimated cost
    necessary to carry out projects and may
    cover a maximum period of three years,
    subject to an annual review of the results.
    Assistance may be granted in advance to
    enable preparatory visits to the projects in
    question.
 5.  The projects coordinated by universities
     under the various actions of the
     programme may form part of the
     "institutional contract" of the institutions
     concerned, provided for in Article 2.
 6.  In accordance with Article 2 paragraph 2     6.     In accordance with Article 2 paragraph 2 of
     of the Decision, the projects selected must  the Decision, the projects selected must respect
     respect the principle 6f equal opportunities the principle of equal opportunities and avoid any
     and avoid any type of exclusion. Positive    type of exclusion. Positive actions may be
     actions may be introduced in some areas      introduced in some areas where such action is
     where such action is required. Projects      required. Projects giving special emphasis to
     giving special emphasis to multicultural     multicultural aspects will be a priority, and the
     aspects will be a priority, and the specific specific needs of disabled people should also be
     needs of disabled people should also be      taken into account when establishing the amount
     taken into account when establishing the     of financial assistance. Special attention must be
     amount offinancialassistance.                paid in all the actions of the programme to the
                                                  dissemination of results.
                                                        16-
 ---pagebreak--- II.      COMMUNITY ACTIONS
This Annex contains two main types of
actions:
     the first, Actions 1-3, are aimed at the
     three basic stages of lifelong education
     (school, university, others);
     the second, Actions 4 - 8 , concern
     transversal measures such as languages,
     multimedia and the exchange of
     information, as well as matters of
     horizontal interest such as innovation, the
     dissemination of results, joint actions.
ACTION 1 "COMENIUS" - SCHOOL
               EDUCATION
Action 1.1 School partnerships
Action 1.2 Staff involved in school education
ACTION 2 "ERASMUS"-HIGHER
               EDUCATION
Action 2.1 European inter-university
               cooperation
Action 2.2 Mobility of students and teachers
ACTION 3 "GRUNDTVIG" - OTHER
               EDUCATIONAL PATHWAYS
Action 3.1     New educational approaches
Action 3.2     Adult education
ACTION 4 "LINGUA" - TEACHING AND
               LEARNING OF LANGUAGES
                                                 ACTION 5 « MINERVA » - EDUCATION
ACTION 5 "ATLAS" - EDUCATION AND                          AND MULTIMEDIA
               MULTIMEDIA
ACTION 6 OBSERVATION AND
               INNOVATION
Action 6.1 Observation of education systems
               and policies
Action 6.2 New innovatory initiatives
ACTION 7 JOINT ACTIONS
ACTION 8 ACCOMPANYING MEASURES
                                                    •17-
 ---pagebreak---       ACTION 1 - "COMENIUS": SCHOOL                       ACTION 1 - "COMENIUS": SCHOOL
                   EDUCATION                                           EDUCATION
   Comenius seeks to reinforce the European         Comenius seeks to reinforce the European
   dimension of school education, to encourage      dimension of school education, to encourage
   transnational cooperation and to promote the     transnational cooperation, to promote the learning
   learning of languages.                           of languages and to support intercultural
                                                    understanding.
   Comenius also promotes the creation of
   school partnership networks and partnership
   networks for the training of school education
   staff to enable cooperation on subjects of
   mutual interest, the dissemination of good
   practice and discussion of qualitative and
   innovatory aspects of school education. The
   staff training network is to be developed in
   close cooperation with the university
   "thematic networks" provided for in the
   Erasmus action.
Action 1.1: School partnerships
1. The Community encourages the creation of
   multilateral partnerships between schools by
   making use of the facilities offered by
   multimedia and by encouraging in particular
   those which also involve teacher training
   establishments, local authorities and
    businesses, as well as parents.
    Schools taking part in one or more of the
    activities contained in this Action shall
    submit a "Plan for inter-school cooperation
    in Europe" covering all the activities
    proposed. The plans shall be examined by
    the national structures set up in accordance
    with Article 5, paragraph 3, of the Decision,
    involving with due respect for national
    systems, the supervisory bodies at regional
    and local level, on the basis of the guidelines
    established by the Commission in
    consultation with the programme committee.
3. Activities eligible for Community assistance      3. School partnerships may obtain Community
    may include the following:                       financial support to carry out educational projects
                                                     with a European dimension, particularly those
                                                     involving: ,
     a)   partnerships involving:                    a) the following activities:
              the mobility of teachers to prepare    -the mobility of teachers to prepare and monitor
              and monitor partnerships to teach      partnerships to teach abroad, including in-
              abroad, including in-company           company placements;
              placements;
          - the     development       of   teaching      the involvement of pupils in partnership
                                                           -18-
 ---pagebreak---               material and the exchange of good     activities, as well as mobility for a limited number
              practice;                             of them;
         -    the involvement of pupils in          - the development of teaching material and the
              partnership activities, including     exchange of good practice;
              mobility for a limited number of
              them;
   b)    partnerships aimed specifically at         b) activities aimed specifically at promoting the
         promoting the Community's official         teaching and learning of the Community's official
         languages. The partnerships may in         languages, including Irish and Luxembourgish.
         exceptional circumstances be bilateral     These partnerships may in exceptional
         if they target the less widely used        circumstances be bilateral if they target the less
         languages and may also include             widely used languages or languages of
         exchanges of pupils in addition to the     neighbouring countries which are less widely
         activities referred to in point (a);       used and taught in the partner countries, and may
                                                    also include exchanges of pupils in addition to the
                                                    activities referred to in point (a);
c)        cooperation projects meeting the specific c) cooperation projects meeting the specific needs
needs of the children of migrant workers, gypsies   of the children of migrant workers, gypsies and
and travellers and itinerant workers.               travellers and itinerant workers.
Action 1.2:         Staff involved in school
                    education
1. This action seeks to contribute to the career
    development of staff working in the school
    education sector, by reinforcing the
    European dimension in initial and
    continuing training.
2. The Community supports multilateral
    projects from establishments and bodies
    involved in the training of educational staff,
    also by making use of the facilities offered
    by multimedia. The participation of schools
    and other players involved in the field of
  . education - such as parents' representatives -
    and socio-economic affairs is encouraged, as
    is the involvement of supervisory-bodies at
    regional and local level, where appropriate.
    Activities eligible for Community assistance     3. Activities eligible for Community assistance in
    in the context of the partnerships referred to   the context of the partnerships referred to above
    above may include the following                  may include the following
    a)    the development and/or adaptation of       a) the development and/or adaptation of curricula,
          curricula, teaching material or            teaching material or European modules;
          European modules;
    b)     aspects of school management;             b) exchanges of information on aspects of school
                                                     management;
     c)   the mobility of school staff - future or
           already in service - for the purpose of   c) the mobility of school staff- future-or already
           initial or continuing teacher training,   in service - for the purpose of initial or continuing
           including practical training periods and  teacher training, including practical training
           language assistantships in schools or     periods and language assistantships in schools or
           adult education centres;                   adult education centres;
                                                           -19-
 ---pagebreak---     d)    aspects of specific training relating to   d) aspects of specific training relating to the
          the integration of the children of         integration of the children of migrant workers,
          migrant workers, gypsies and travellers    gypsies and travellers and itinerant workers;
          and itinerant workers.
                                                     d(aXnew): aspects concerning specific training
                                                     designed to ensure intercultural and multicultural
                                                     education;
                                                     d(b)(new): aspects concerning specific training
                                                     aimed at social integration, equality of
                                                     opportunity and the education of children at risk.
        ACTION 2 - "ERASMUS" : HIGHER
                      EDUCATION
Erasmus seeks to reinforce the European
dimension of higher education at all levels and
to encourage transnational cooperation between
universities.
Participating universities conclude "institutional
contracts" with the Commission covering all the
activities approved.
Erasmus also promotes the development and             Erasmus also promotes the development and
consolidation of thematic networks enabling           consolidation of thematic networks enabling
universities to cooperate on topics relating to       universities to cooperate on topics relating to one
one or more disciplines or on matters of mutual       or more disciplines or on matters of mutual
 interest in order to facilitate the spread of good   interest in order to facilitate the spread of good
practice, encourage discussion of qualitative and     practice, encourage discussion of qualitative and
 innovative aspects of higher education, improve      innovative aspects of higher education, improve
teaching methods and stimulate the                    teaching methods and stimulate the development
 development of joint programmes and                  of joint programmes and specialised courses. The
 specialised courses. The involvement of              involvement of representatives of learned
 representatives of learned societies, professional   societies, professional and socio-economic circles
 and socio-economic circles is encouraged.            is encouraged. The dissemination of the results
                                                      obtained by thematic networks will be especially
                                                      encouraged.
 Action 2.1:        European        inter-university
 cooperation
  1. The Community supports inter-university
     cooperation activities carried out by
     universities in conjunction with partners in
     other Member States, with the participation,
     where appropriate, of other players involved
     in education and the socio-economic world.
 2. The following inter-university cooperation
     activities, which should, wherever possible,
     make use of the facilities offered by
     multimedia, are eligible for Community
     assistance under the "institutional contract"
     referred to above:
     a)    the organisation of mobility of
           students, teachers and other members
           of university staff involved in
                                                            -20-
 ---pagebreak---           European cooperation;
    b)   joint development and implementation
          of curricula, modules, intensive courses
          or other curricula activities, in.
          particular multidisciplinary activities,
          including the teaching of subjects in
          other languages;
    c)    consolidation of the European Credit
          Transfer System (ECTS), designed to
          facilitate academic recognition.
Action 2.2: Mobility of students              and
                 university teachers
1. The Community encourages the mobility of
    students and teachers between the Member
    States, organised in the framework of
    "institutional contracts".
2. Students benefiting from mobility and
    spending periods of study in another
    Member State, such periods being fully
    recognised under the inter-university
    agreements.forming part of the institutional
    contracts, will be considered as Erasmus
    students, regardless of whether or not an
    "Erasmus grant" has been allocated in
    accordance with point 3 below. The host
    universities will not charge tuition fees to
    Erasmus students and any loans or grants
    which they might receive will continue to, be
    paid during their stay abroad.
    The Community encourages the mobility of        3. The Community encourages the mobility of
    students and teachers by providing financial    students and teachers by providing financial
    support under Erasmus.                          support under Erasmus. As regards student
                                                    selection, due account must be taken not only of
                                                    applicants' competencies but also of their
                                                    financial circumstances, in accordance with the
                                                    relevant definition of these circumstances in the
                                                    national provisions on support.
             ACTION 3 - "GRUNDTVIG":                         ACTION 3 - "GRUNDTVIG":
                 OTHER EDUCATIONAL                              OTHER EDUCATIONAL
                        PATHWAYS                                       PATHWAYS
The Grundtvig Action seeks to encourage             The Grundtvig Action seeks to encourage lifelong
lifelong learning, in particular by offering - as a learning, in particular by offering - as a
complement to Actions 1 (school education) and      complement to Actions 1 (school education) and
2 (higher education) - other educational            2 (higher education) - other educational pathways
pathways for all citizens desirous of acquiring     for all citizens desirous of acquiring new
new knowledge. The Action is targeted in            knowledge and skills. The Action is targeted both
particular at young people who have left the        at young people who have left the school system
school system with insufficient basic training,     with insufficient basic training, at those who wish
those who wish to begin or resume formal            to begin or resume formal studies after a break
studies after a break from the education system      from the education system and at adults wishing
and adults wishing to acquire or improve their      to acquire or improve their knowledge and skills.
                                                         -21-
 ---pagebreak--- knowledge for personal reasons.                    The action targets people taking part in the
                                                   development of a democratic society who wish to
                                                   acquire intercultural skills with this in mind.
Grundtvig thus encourages the creation of
European networks to strengthen the links
between the various parties involved in this area
to enable them to cooperate on a more stable
basis on matters of mutual interest.
Action 3 . 1 : New educational approaches
1. This action seeks to encourage initiatives
    aimed at developing more flexible, less
    formal educational methods which are more
    suited to the specific needs of each
    individual wishing to acquire recognised
    skills or qualifications..
2. Community financial assistance may be           2.      Community financial assistance may be
    granted to particular for projects seeking to  granted to particular for projects seeking to
    promote:                                       promote:
    a) the development of new educational          a) the development of new educational
        approaches, making use in particular of    approaches, such as the design of modules and the
        multimedia;                                use of multimedia;
    b) the development of appropriate teaching     b) the development of appropriate teaching
        material;                                  material;
    c) the       dissemination    of    innovatory c) the dissemination of innovatory approaches
        approaches and good practice;              and good practice;
    d) the development of accreditation,           d) the development of accreditation, validation or
        validation or certification schemes for    certification schemes for skills acquired in this
        skills acquired in this manner;            manner;
    e) the training of educational staff working
         in this sector.                           e) the initial and in-service training of educational
                                          - -      staff working in this sector.
Action 3.2 : Adult education                       Action 3.2 : Adult education
 1. The aim of this action is to improve the       1. The aim of this action is to improve the quality
    quality of education available to adult        of education available to adult learners, in
    learners, in particular by reinforcing         particular \>y reinforcing cooperation between the
    cooperation between the various bodies         various bodies working in this field, and to
    working in this field, and to strengthen the   strengthen the ' European dimension of adult
    European dimension of adult education by       education, including participation in the
    highlighting the richness of the linguistic    development of a democratic society, by
    and cultural diversity of nations, thus        highlighting the richness of the linguistic and
    developing a sense of belonging to a           cultural diversity of nations, thus developing a
    European citizenship.                          sense of belonging to a European citizenship.
2. The Community supports projects developed       2. The Community supports projects developed
    by multilateral partnerships whose purpose         by multilateral partnerships whose purpose
    is in particular to:                               is in particular to:
                                                         -22-
 ---pagebreak---    a)    stimulate adults' individual demand for   a) stimulate adults' demand for and participation
         learning, so that they continue to remain in learning, so that they continue to remain active
         active participants in a society          participants in a society undergoing rapid change;
         undergoing rapid change;
   b)    develop support services for adult        b) develop support services for adult learners and
         learners and the providers of such        the providers of such education, and provide
         education;                                information and guidance;
   c)    develop teaching material which may       c) develop and exchange teaching material
         be adapted to multimedia methods of       which may be adapted to multimedia methods
         learning and to exchange good             of learning and to exchange good practice;
         practice;           '
   d)    develop accreditation, validation or      d) develop accreditation, validation or
         certification schemes for the skills      certification schemes for the skills acquired;
         acquired;
                                                   e) improve the initial and in-service training of
   e)    support the training of educational staff educational staff working in this sector.
         working in this sector.
        ACTION 4 - "LINGUA": TEACHING
        AND LEARNING OF LANGUAGES
1. The aim of this action is to enable the
   Commission, in partnership with the
   Member States, to ensure the coordination
   and consolidation of measures relating to the
   learning of languages, with a view to
   promoting and maintaining linguistic
   diversity within the Community, helping to
   improve the quality of language teaching
   and learning and promoting easy access to
   lifelong language learning opportunities
   tailored to individual requirements.
2. In this context, language teaching covers the
   teaching and learning as foreign languages
   of all the official languages of the
   Community,          including      Irish    and
   Luxembourgish. Special attention will
   usually be given throughout the whole
   programme to the teaching of the -least
   widely used and taught languages of the
   Community.
3. Community financial assistance may be
   allocated in the context of this action to
   general transnational language-learning
   projects and activities, such as in particular:
   - awareness-raising activities,
   - activities seeking to promote and/or spread
    innovations such as the early learning of
   languages or multilingual comprehension,
   - the development and exchange of
   curricula, innovatory teaching material and
   methods and instruments for the recognition
   of language proficiency,
   - the networking of national, regional or
      local resource centres.
                                                         -23-
 ---pagebreak---              ACTION 5 - "MINERVA":                  I           ACTION 5 "MINERVA" :
        EDUCATION AND MULTIMEDIA                           EDUCATION AND MULTIMEDIA
1. The aim of this action is to ensure the
     coordination and consolidation of measures
     relating to open and distance education and
    the use of new information and multimedia
     communication technologies in the field of
     education. All these measures serve a dual
     purpose: to promote better understanding
     and the critical, responsible use of tools and
     methods which apply new technologies, and,
     at European level, to promote the access to
     and enhance the availability of improved
     educational resources.
2. Community financial assistance may be
     granted under this action to general
     transnational projects for the use of new
     technologies and/or the development of open
     and distance education, in particular in the
     context of three types of measure:
      projects and studies dealing with
     understanding , the innovatory processes
     under way and the development of quality
     criteria, in particular with regard to
   . educational multimedia products,
- projects to develop pilot modules,
     methodologies and multimedia resources,
- projects to develop information services and        - projects to develop information services and
     systems on educational multimedia                systems on educational multimedia resources, and
     resources, and communication systems to          communication systems to support the exchange
     support the exchange of ideas and                of ideas and experience, including the creation of
     experience, including the networking of          multi-lingual European school television, the
     resource centres, experts, decision-makers       networking of resource centres, experts, decision-
     and project coordinators on subjects of          makers and project coordinators on subjects of
     mutual interest.                                 mutual interest.
           ACTIQN6;             OBSERVATION                       "~~                                   "
                  "TLND INNOVATION
Action 6.1.          Observation     of education
systems and policies
1. The present action contributes to the
     transparency of education systems in Europe
     through the exchange of information and
     experience and turns the specificity of
     national systems into a source of quality
     European education. It is based on
     arrangements involving a variety of
     activities to be linked together and supported
     by the Community:
- creation of Community terms of reference,
- development of indicators and evaluation of
     the quality of education, in particular
     through the networking of the bodies
     involved and pilot projects,
                                                           -24-
 ---pagebreak---  - development, and upkeep of databases of             - development and upkeep of databases of
      innovatory experiments,                          innovatory experiments, e.g. the Ortelius
 - linking up the organisations engaged in             information system;
      analysing educational systems and policies,
 - studies and pilot projects on the recognition .
      of diplomas, qualifications and periods of
      learning at all educational levels in other
      Member States.
 2. Community support is also granted to:
 - the European education information network
    Eurydice, comprising the European unit and
    national units, set up by the Commission and
    the Member States respectively, to enable it to
    make a full contribution to the implementation
    of this action,
 - the organisation of and participation in
    ARION multilateral study visits,
 - the Community network of national academic
    recognition information centres NARIC, in
   order to enable the intensive exchange of
    information between the various parts of the
    network and the launch of pilot projects on
    matters of mutual interest designed to                 "
    facilitate recognition.
 3. Close cooperation with the Statistical Office
      of the European Communities (Eurostat) is
      ensured in the implementation of the action.
 Action 6.2       New innovatory initiatives
 In addition to the cooperation activities
 provided for in the various actions of the present
 programme, the Community also supports
 transnational projects aimed at
  developing innovations in one or more specific
  sectors of education. The subjects given priority
  are reviewed regularly to enable adaptation to
  the new requirements
  which will emerge during the period covered by
 this programme.
"        ACTION 7:           JOINT ACTIONS                     ACTION 7:         JOINT ACTIONS
  1.      For the joint actions described in Article 6   1. For the joint actions described in Article 6 of
        of this Decision, Community support may         this Decision, Community support may be
        be provided for joint actions with other        provided for joint - actions with other
        actions under the knowledge policy, in          Community programmes and actions which
        particular Community vocational training        contribute to a Europe of knowledge, in
        and youth programmes designed to widen          particular Community vocational training and
        access to knowledge.                            youth programmes designed to widen access to
                                                        knowledge.
  2.     Coordination       between      the     three
        programmes can be achieved by common
         calls for proposals. The Commission
         intends in particular to develop a joint
         information and observation arrangement
         with regard to good practice in the field of
         knowledge, and joint actions on education                                             .
                                                              -25-
 ---pagebreak---       and training multimedia. These projects
      may encompass a range of measures
      covering several sectors, including
      education. They may be supported in a
      complementary manner by various
      Community programmes.
3.    Appropriate steps, a significant one being   3. Appropriate steps, e.g. the setting up of
      the setting up of European knowledge         European knowledge centres, will be taken to
      centres, will be taken to ensure regional    ensure regional and local contact and interaction
      and local contact and interaction between    between the players taking part in this programme
      the players taking part in this, programme   and other Community programmes, particularly
      and in vocational training and youth-        those relating to vocational training and youth-
      related progVammes. This will contribute     related programmes. This will contribute to the
      to the implementation of a policy of         implementation of a policy of lifelong learning in
      lifelong learning in the regions and local   the regions and local districts concerned
      districts concerned.
      ACTIONS:          ACCOMPANYING
                   MEASURES
    Financial assistance may be granted to
    initiatives aimed at promoting the objectives
    of this programme, provided that such
    initiatives are not eligible for assistance
    under other actions of the programme.
    Community assistance may be given to the
    following:
    awareness-raising activities to promote
    cooperation in the field of education,
    including support for the organisation of the
    'Europe in the school' competition in
    cooperation with the Council of Europe,
   activities aimed at training the persons
    involved in the management of European
    cooperation projects in the field of
    education,
    transnational activities carried out by
    associations and other non-governmental
    bodies active in the "field of education,
    conferences and symposia on innovations in
    the sectors targeted by the programme,
    measures to optimise and disseminate the       - measures to optimise and disseminate the results
    results of projects and activities carried out of projects and activities carried out with the
    with the support of this programme or its      support of this programme or its previous phase
    previous phase, including by means of          L_J-
    instruments such as the Ortelius information
    system
   Community assistance may be provided to
    carry out the information activities necessary
    to implement the programme, support the
    activities of the integrated management
    structures set up by the Member. States in
    accordance with Article 5 of the Decision,
    and to ensure an effective monitoring and
    evaluation system of the actions contained in
    this Annex.
                                                        -26-
 ---pagebreak---  3. In carrying out the programme the
    Commission can have recourse to technical
    assistance organisations the financing of
    which may be provided for within the
    overall envelope for the programme. It can,
    under the same conditions, have recourse to
    experts. Furthermore, the Commission will
    be able to organise seminars, colloquia or
    other meetings of experts, likely to facilitate
    the implementation of the programme. The
    Commission can also take forward
    information, publication and dissemination            '
    actions.
_ _       pROCEDURES FOR THE                -       -
          SUBMISSION AND SELECTION
          OF PROJECTS
 Procedures for the proposal and selection of the
 projects referred to in mis Annex are as follows:
 1. Requests for financial assistance for projects
    submitted under actions 1.1 and 1.2 point
    3(c), which are considered decentralised, as
    well as for preparatory visits under all
    actions except action 2, shall be submitted to
    the integrated management structures
    designated by the Member States in
    accordance with Article 5(3) of the
    Decision. These structures shall select the
    projects and allocate financial assistance to
    the selected projects in accordance with the
    general guidelines established under Article
     7(3) of the Decision
 2. The awarding of the financial assistance
    provided for in action 2.2 point 3 to students
     and academic teachers carrying out mobility
     assignments within the institutional contracts
    mentioned in action 2.1, shall be carried out
     by the integrated management structures
     designated by the Member States in
     accordance with Article 5(3) of the
     Decision, in accordance with the general
     guidelines established under Article 7(3) of
    the Decision.
 3. Requests for financial assistance for projects
     mentioned in other parts of the programme,
     considered to be centralised, shall be
     submitted to the Commission which will
     forward them to the integrated management
     structures. Decisions on financial assistance
     for projects shall be taken by the
     Commission after receiving the opinion of
     the Committee in accordance with Article
     7(6) of the Decision.
                                                     -27-
 ---pagebreak--- IV.        FINANCIAL PROVISIONS
1. The Community funds intended to provide
    financial support under actions 1.1, 1.2 point
    3(c) and 2.2 point 3, will be shared out
    between the Member States according to the
    formulas contained in point 5.
2. The Community funds thus distributed shall
    be administered by the national structures
    provided for in Article 5(3) of the Decision.
    These structures shall also ensure
     coordination with the financial resources
     available in the Member States aimed at
     encouraging participation in European
     cooperation activities.
3. The Commission, acting in cooperation with
    the Member States, shall take the necessary
     measures       to - -encourage        balanced
     participation at Community, national and
     regional level, and, in the case of higher
     education, in the various fields of study. The
     proportion allocated to these measures must
     not exceed 10 % of the annual budget for
     financing each of the actions in question.
4. In order to ensure as wide a distribution as
     possible in each Member State, and the
     efficient monitoring and exchange of
     experience between the projects and the
     activities supported, national structures shall
     be encouraged to work in close cooperation
     with the appropriate authorities at regional
     and local level in their respective countries.
     They may, in cooperation with the
     Commission, take initiatives aimed at
     promoting an equitable participation of the
     various establishments at national or
     regional level, in particular through the
     dissemination of information and awareness-
     raising activities.
5. Distribution formula for:
action 1.1
action 1.2 point 3(c)
action 2.2 point 3
(a) a minimum amount to be determined in
     accordance with budgetary availability will
     be allocated to each Member State;
(b) the remainder will be allocated to the
  ' various Member States on the basis of:
(i) the country's per capita gross domestic
     product;
(ii) the distance between the Member State of
     origin and the host Member State;
(iii) the country's total number of:
- pupils and teachers in school education for
     action 1.1 and action 1.2 point 3(c),
-students in higher education for action 2.2
                                                     -28-
 ---pagebreak---    point 3 (students). The number of graduates
   could also be taken into account,
           - teachers in higher education for
              action 2.2 point 3 (teachers).
6. The arrangements for the allocation of funds
   to each Member State for the support of
   preparatory visits shall be decided on by the
   Commission, after receiving the opinion of
   the Committee in accordance with Article
   7(6) of the Decision. ~
  V. DEFINITIONS
  For the purposes of this programme:
  - lifelong learning means the education and
     training     opportunities     offered     to
     individuals throughout their lives to enable
     them continually to update their
     knowledge and skills,
  - decision-makers , includes staff with
     managerial, assessment, training, guidance
     and inspection duties in the field of
     education, persons responsible for this area
     at local, regional and national level and
     within the ministries,
  - open and distance education means any
     type of education involving the use of
     traditional or advanced information and
     communication technologies and services,
     backed up by individualised counselling
     and tutoring,
  - pupil means persons enrolled in that
     capacity at a school,
  - teacher/educational staff means persons
     who through their duties are involved
     directly in the educational process in the
     Member States, in accordance with the
     organisation of their respective education
     system,
  - company means all companies in the
     public or private sector whatever their size,
     legal status or the economic sector in
     which they operate, and all types of
     economic activities, including the social
     economy,
  - school means all types of institutions
     providing school education, whether
     providing general (nursery, primary or
     secondary), vocational or technical
     education,
  - student means persons registered in
     universities, whatever their field of study,
     in order to follow higher education studies
     leading to a degree or diploma, up to and
     including the level of doctorate,
  - "virtual mobility" means all the               [...]
     resources,     methods,     services and
     simulations which make it possible,
                                                         -29-
 ---pagebreak--- through the use of information
technologies and telecommunications
networks, to gain access to information
available in other places, exchange ideas
and cooperate with geographically distant
partners;
both sides of industry at national level
means       employers'       and     workers'
organisations in conformity with national
laws and/or practices; at Community level
means       employers'       and     workers'
organisations taking part in the social
dialogue at Community level,
European knowledge centre is the term
used to denote a grouping together at
regional or local level of actors
participating in the present programme and
the Community programmes in the fields
of vocational training and youth, for the
purpose of supporting regional or local
lifelong learning policies in particular by
means of disseminating information and
results and promoting active interaction
across the three programmes,
Community terms of reference means all
the analyses, studies, surveys and
identification of good practice which make
it possible to locate, at Community level,
the relative position of the various Member
States and the progress made on a given
subject or in a given area,
university means any type of higher
education      institution     which    offers
qualifications or diplomas at that level,
whatever such establishments may be called
in the Member States.
                                               -30-
 ---pagebreak---  ---pagebreak---  ---pagebreak---  ---pagebreak---                                                                   ISSN 0254-1475
                                                            C0M(98) 719 final
                                              DOCUMENTS
EN                                                            16 04 15 01
                                    Catalogue number : CB-CO-98-713-EN-C
Office for Official Publications of the European Communities
L-2985 Luxembourg
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