30 YEARS OF EUROPEAN POLICIES

1

• 30 YEARS OF EUROPEAN POLICIES
• IN EDUCATION AND TRAININGEvolution and
  challenges
• How Lifelong Learning became
• a strategic objective
• Luce Pépin, Expert, European Cooperation in
  Education
• Presentation at the Institute of European Studies
  (ULB/Brussels)

2
EUROPEAN INSTITUTIONS AFTER THE WAR

• Political choice Intergovernmentalism
• 48 The OECE (predecessor of the OECD)
• 48 The Western Union (54 WEU/UEO)
• 49 The Council of Europe

3
THE COMMUNITY FIRST STEPS

• May 50 Schuman Declaration
• April 51 Signing of the Treaty of Paris
  ECSC/CECA
• May 52 Signing in Paris of the ECD/CED Treaty
• March 57 EEC and Euratom Treaties signed in
  Rome (article 128 EEC on VET policy)

4
EDUCATION COOPERATION BEFORE COMMUNITY
INVOLVEMENT

• 49 European conference on culture (European
  Centre of Culture and College of
  Europe/Bruges)
• 54 European Cultural Convention (Council of
  Europe).
• 53/56/59 First conventions on equivalence of
  university Diplomas and study periods
• 59 Dijon Creation of the CRE (Eur. Rectors
  Conf)
• 62 Creation of the CDCC/Council of Europe
• 67 Creation of the OECD/CERI (Centre for
  Educational Research and Innovation)

5
MAJOR LANDMARKS OF EC COOPERATION IN EDUCATION

• 1957-1971 Pre-history
• 1971-1985 Foundation years of education
  cooperation.
• 1985-1992 Programmes recognition in the
  Treaty
• 1992-2000 Towards the knowledge society and LLL
• 2000-2005 The Lisbon strategy towards an
  integrated framework of cooperation

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1957-1971 Pre-history for education
cooperation

• Education totally absent from the Rome Treaty
  (EEC). The subject is taboo !
• Council of Europe is the main actor .
• VET first developments (63 Decision, CCFP), not
  commensurate with legal basis. Role of ESF.
• Context growing interest for a Community
  involving young people (The Hague 1969 European
  Summit)

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1971-1985 Foundation years for education
cooperation

• November 71 first meeting of Education
  ministers first activity programme for VET.
  1975 CEDEFOP creation
• June 1974 Resolution on education cooperation
  fields and principles are set.
• February 76 First Action Programme. Education
  Committee established.
• However, still no legal basis
• 1981 Education joins the Employment and Social
  Affairs DG

8
1985-1992 Programmes and at last legal
recognition

• The context is favourable 1985 Citizens
  Europe/Milan EC social dialogue relaunch Single
  Act/HR.
• 1985 Gravier Judgement HE covered by treaty!
• Launch of major programmes (mainly HE VET)
  COMETT, ERASMUS, LINGUA, etc.. actions to
  support the European dimension of ed.
• 1989 creation of Task Force Human Resources ETY
• Education at last in the Treaty (Maastricht 1992)

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1992-2000 Towards the Knowledge Society

• Years of reflection and progressive change in
  paradigm
• Context Historical enlargement and growing
  globalisation
• 1993 White Paper on Growth/Competitiveness/Emplo
  yment
• 1995 White Paper on the Learning Society
• 1996 European Year of LLL
• Programmes are rationalised (from six to two)
  opening to CEECs
• 1999 Bologna process - a quantum leap for
  higher education!

10
2000-2006Lisbon Strategy and an integrated
cooperation framework

• 2000 March Lisbon European Council - The Lisbon
  Strategy
• 2001 Common objectives set new cooperation
  approach/OMC
• 2002 10 years Work programme Copenhagen
  Declaration
• 2003 Five benchmarks to monitor progress
• 2004 ET 2010 Call for urgent reforms
• 2004 LLL programme the integrated approach
• 2005 Relaunch of the Lisbon Strategy (Mid-Term
  Review).
• 2006 Key issues - Efficiency and
  equity - Commission proposed the EQF

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WHAT DOES HISTORY SHOW?

• The uniqueness of the ET fields at EU level
  subsidiarity, action close to citizens..
• How LLL became the strategic objective for all
  actions in the fields of ET.
• The role played by the general EU context
• The role played by the actors at all levels
  Commission, EP, Court of Justice, MS
• That much remains to be done.

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MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE TO MEET THE COMMON
EDUCATION OBJECTIVES SET FOR 2010!
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EDUCATION MINISTERS DEFINE EU BENCHMARKS

• By 2010
• Less than 10 early school leavers
• Decreased of 20 of low-achieving 15-year-olds in
  reading literacy
• Completion of upper-secondary education by 85 of
  22-year-olds
• Increase by at least 15 of the number of
  graduates in mathematics, science and technology
  decrease of gender imbalance
• Participation in lifelong learning should be at
  least 12.5 of the adult working age population
  (25-64 age group).

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Education within the Commission services

• 1971 Creation of 2 structures under direct
  responsiblity of Commissioner A. Spinelli
  (Groupe Enseignement et Education et Groupe de
  Coordination interservices)
• 1973 Education becomes an integral part of DG
  XII (research, science and education)
• 1981 ET are moved to DG V Employment, Social
  Affairs and Education (creation of a
  Directorate for E, T Y.)
• 1989 Creation of the TFHR for Education,
  Training and Youth
• 1995 TFRH transformed into a DG (DG XXII for E,
  T Y)
• 1999 DG Education and Culture

15

•  It is precisely the creative opposition between
  the diversity of national systems and the growing
  similarity of our problems that provides one of
  the main raison dêtre of European cooperation 
• Jacques Delors (1994)