4.12.2007   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 290/1

(1)

The Lisbon European Council in March 2000 which launched a strategy aimed at sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion, with long term employment targets.

(2)

The Integrated Guidelines for growth and jobs (2005-2008) (1), in particular those addressing the need to improve matching of labour market needs, to expand and improve investment in human capital, to adapt education and training systems in response to new competence requirements, and to ensure adequate human resources for Research & Development (R&D) and innovation.

(3)

The Conclusions of the Council and of the Representatives of the Member States meeting within the Council of 14-15 November 2005 on the role of the development of skills and competences in taking forward the Lisbon goals (2).

(4)

The Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2006 on key competences for lifelong learning (2006/962/EC) (3).

(5)

The proposed Recommendation establishing the European Qualifications Framework for lifelong learning which is close to being adopted by the European Parliament and the Council.

(6)

The Commission Communication ‘E-Skills for the 21st century: fostering competitiveness, growth and jobs’ of 7 September 2007 (4).

(1)

Education and training, in the context of a lifelong learning perspective, are an indispensable means for promoting adaptability and employability, active citizenship, personal and professional fulfilment. They facilitate free mobility for European citizens and contribute to the achievement of the goals and aspirations of the European Union, as it seeks to respond to the challenges posed by globalisation and an ageing population. They should enable all citizens to acquire the necessary knowledge to take an active part in the knowledge society and the labour market.

(2)

The objectives of full employment, job quality, labour productivity and social cohesion can better be reached if they are reflected in clear priorities: to attract and retain more people in employment, to increase labour supply; to improve the adaptability of workers and enterprises; and to increase investment in human capital through better education, and the development of skills and competences.

(1)

To provide all European citizens with new opportunities to improve their knowledge, skills and competence levels, to adapt to new requirements and to move to new and better jobs, by combining the instruments which already exist at European and national level.

(2)

To anticipate the skills needs — and also the skills gaps — which are emerging in the European labour markets.

(3)

To improve the matching of knowledge, skills and competences with the needs of society and the economy as a means to increased competitiveness and growth, as well as to greater social cohesion, in Europe.

(1)

Equip people for new jobs within the knowledge society, in particular through:

(2)

Continue work on the validation of learning outcomes and the transparency of qualifications, in particular by:

(3)

Address funding and quality issues through:

(1)

Analyse, in the context of the Copenhagen process and cooperation in higher education, the need for added-value advisory mechanisms to strengthen the identification of new types of jobs and skill needs at the European level, making use of existing sectoral skills activities and projects under lifelong learning, entreprise and social dialogue policies. These mechanisms should aim to develop regular foresight of medium-term skills needs and identify short term skills gaps, defined in terms of occupational functions, reference levels (EQF) and key competences.

The mechanisms should build on:

(2)

Strengthen the European network for the early identification and forecast of skills needs (Cedefop's Skillsnet) and the European forecasting system on employment trends.

(3)

Report on the follow-up to this Resolution at the European and national levels in the framework of the Education and Training Work Programme, taking into account Member States' biennial national reports.