Education and training 2010 work programme, Council conclusions on development of skills and competences, lifelong learning programme, Council resolution on mobilising brainpower in Europe: Education,

Brussels, 17 November 2005

The Council held an exchange of views on the joint interim report 2006 on the "Education and training 2010" work programme, especially regarding the following issue suggested by the Presidency: the priorities, in relation to both economic and social objectives, that the 2006 Joint Report should set for the next phase of the programme.

As priorities, delegations essentially pointed out the need to:

- reach agreement on the European Qualifications Framework;

- increase investment in education in general and life long learning actions in particular with a view to:
-- improving adult, vocational and educational training, geared to the new requirements of the market;
-- reducing the number of early school leavers;

- improve education quality, for instance, by improving teacher training;

- increase mobility not only in higher education, but at secondary and vocational training levels also;

- recognise informal and non-formal qualifications;

- the status of vocational training;

- include new technologies in school curricula;

- improve the learning of different languages.

Some delegations recalled that the most important actions would involve pursuing the priorities already established in the "Education and training 2010" work programme.

It is recalled that in their 2004 Joint Interim Report on Education and Training, the Council and the Commission undertook to review progress in implementing the work programme every two years.

There is a draft report for 2006 - formally adopted by the Commission on 9 November and due to be adopted by the Council in February 2006 or of next year- which will be the first in this cycle, and which will provide an opportunity to refocus the "Education and Training 2010" work programme.

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For complete text on following titles, see Council report

Council conclusions on development of skills and competences

Lifelong learning programme

Council resolution on mobilising brainpower in Europe