News from CEDEFOP -

Mobility and lifelong learning will feature high on the European vocational training agenda for the next 6 months due to initiatives by the European Commission and the French presidency.

From 1st July to 31st December 2000, France holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The French presidency has three objectives:
1. reconciling economic modernisation with reinforcement of the European social model
2. forging closer relations between Europe and its citizens
3. preparing for enlargement of the Union and strengthening Europe's place in the world. Training features within these objectives.

A priority of the French presidency is to start the preparations to remove obstacles to mobility of students, teachers and researchers. To this end, the French presidency will seek adoption, at the Nice summit, of a working programme designed to make Europe an area of knowledge.

In support of this the European Commission has submitted a proposal for a joint Council-Parliament recommendation on mobility within the European Union for students, persons undergoing training, young volunteers, teachers and trainers.

Concerning lifelong learning, the European Commission intends to publish during the French presidency a memorandum on making Europe a common area of lifelong learning. The aim is to develop a comprehensive strategy for
lifelong learning, explore opportunities for identifying good practice, agree indicators and develop benchmarks.

Lifelong learning is also the theme of a conference planned during the French presidency, the "Séminaire sur la formation tout au long de la vie, échanges de bonnes pratiques" on 4-5 December in Biarritz.

The conference, organised by the Ministry of Employment and Solidarity, will bring together policy-makers from throughout the EU to discuss the development of policies for lifelong learning.