a)

understanding the common European values that underpin the Union (12);

b)

having a knowledge of the history of European integration, the EU, its aims and the functioning of its institutions, so that all citizens are in a position to reflect on its relevance and added value and can participate actively in European democratic processes;

c)

having the knowledge, skills and attitudes that enable practical and active engagement in the democratic processes in the EU (13);

d)

becoming more aware of diversity and of European and global cultural identities.

a)

ENCOURAGE the development of citizenship education, based on citizenship competence and other competences, as part of national education and training policies, strategies and plans, in all levels and types, and especially throughout compulsory education and vocational education and training (VET), as well as throughout other public institutions such as libraries.

b)

ENHANCE knowledge and understanding of the EU, especially of its history, its symbols, its aims and functioning, including its interrelation with Member States’ democratic processes, as well as of major issues shaping European political life.

c)

SUPPORT the strengthening of a positive and inclusive sense of identity and belonging at local, regional, national and EU level, based on common European values.

d)

RAISE AWARENESS of the relevance of formal, non-formal and informal cultural education and training to facilitate knowledge both of the diversity of European societies and of their common values and cultural references.

e)

STRENGTHEN essential links between, on the one hand, education on common European values and democratic citizenship and, on the other hand, education for sustainable development and education for digital citizenship, enabling European learners and citizens to adapt to and participate and engage actively in democratic, fair, sustainable and digital societies, through a lifelong learning process.

f)

Taking into consideration social challenges such as digital security and privacy, cyberbullying, disinformation, hate speech and radicalisation, ENHANCE effective media literacy, especially in digital contexts and social networks, with a special focus on critical thinking and ethical awareness, with a view to empowering people to make informed decisions.

a)

BUILD a culture of inclusion with mechanisms to detect and take action against possible dynamics of exclusion, discrimination and violence based on grounds such as origin, membership of minority groups, disability, gender, sexual orientation or other personal or social conditions.

b)

FOSTER actions focused on newcomers to the EU to facilitate the acquisition of a citizenship competence, bearing in mind their cultural frameworks of origin and, in accordance with national circumstances, ENCOURAGE the development of educational and training materials, projects and processes based on an intercultural approach.

a)

ACKNOWLEDGE that cooperation with international organisations can help reinforce the development of citizenship competence and the acquisition of common European values. In particular, with regard to the Council of Europe, MAKE BETTER USE of the Charter on Education for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights Education and of the Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture in the context of the EU. TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION its initiatives and tools for promoting democracy and human rights and for reinforcing knowledge of our common European history and awareness of our unity within the multicultural dimension of European societies (15).

b)

PROMOTE cooperation through the exchange of good practices among education and training institutions and all relevant educational actors at EU level on curriculum development, delivery and assessment. CONSIDER EXPLORING cooperation on common content and approaches.

c)

INCLUDE diverse learners, generating easy-to-read materials with global accessibility, adapting formats and content to the different groups.

d)

FOSTER volunteering and non-formal and informal education and training activities in the development of competences related to the promotion of common values, solidarity, social commitment and democratic citizenship. PROMOTE the recognition and updating of such formative experiences, for example through micro-credentials.

e)

FACILITATE a digital approach and PROMOTE the generation of informative, educational and communicative content related to democratic citizenship and common European values, in formats adapted to the new channels of the information and communication society.

a)

ELIMINATE all types of discrimination and segregation in learning environments, so that they are safe and inclusive spaces, free from violence of any kind, and consistent with the values of pluralism, tolerance, respect, justice, solidarity, equity and gender equality.

b)

PROMOTE the right of children and young people to be heard and fully participate in the social, educational, cultural, artistic and recreational life of their environment, in order to facilitate the progressive learning of active citizenship.

c)

ENCOURAGE the involvement of learners, teachers, trainers, educators, leaders of education and training institutions, parents, families and carers in participatory bodies, whether formal or informal, and collaboration and exchange between them.

d)

FURTHER PROMOTE cooperation between higher education institutions, schools, training centres, youth organisations, cultural institutions and the whole community, as synergies between formal, non-formal and informal education and training, with a whole-school approach, so that all of their members (16) participate actively and collaboratively and contribute to generating a positive, safe and trustworthy space that promotes the well-being of learners, teachers and educators.

e)

PROVIDE adequate support and resources to teachers, trainers, educators, leaders of education and training institutions, parents, families and carers in their key role of helping learners develop competences for social and civic life and for exercising democratic citizenship.

f)

FOSTER the acquisition of competences related to common European values and democratic citizenship in the initial training, induction and continuous professional development of leaders of education and training institutions, teachers and trainers at all levels. REINFORCE the value of these formative experiences in the access to and development of the teaching profession.

g)

PROMOTE the democratisation and transformation of education and training institutions into role models for the construction of citizenship values, fostering governance and participation within their organisational and management processes on the basis of common European values.

a)

CONSIDER INCORPORATING it as a reinforced and more visible dimension in proposals for the further development of the European Education Area by 2025 and for the second (2026-2030) cycle of the strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training towards the European Education Area and beyond (2021-2030).

b)

FURTHER PROMOTE the dissemination and exchange of good practices, peer learning activities and information on measures which foster the development of common values, a sense of belonging to the EU and citizenship competence, and which improve the quality of citizenship education in all Member States, including through the use of digital technologies. Continuously REINFORCE networking, cooperation and research, in order to have the best evidence and information, and share the best educational practices in this field.

c)

REINFORCE synergies and coordination between policies in areas related to common values and democratic citizenship, especially those aimed at children and young people, in order to increase their systemic impact.

d)

PROMOTE the importance of the recognition of national and transnational experiences, educational and training projects and inspirational figures related to common European values, democratic citizenship, and knowledge of the European Union and its democratic processes, for example through labels, badges and other relevant initiatives.

e)

PROMOTE the organisation of common and symbolic celebrations, competitions, simulations and initiatives as ways of experiencing democracy and bringing the reality of the European Union closer to the educational community (17), at both national and European level.

a)

ENCOURAGE mobility, twinning and transnational cooperation within the entire European educational community — pupils, students, trainees, teachers, educational staff, volunteers and leaders — in all levels and types of education and training. EMPHASISE the potential of mobility and exchanges in training for intercultural dialogue, active citizenship, the promotion of common values and the development of a sense of belonging to the European Union, as well as in strengthening the European dimension of education and in experiencing being European in a more intense and direct way.

b)

REINFORCE learning and knowledge of the languages (including regional and minority languages) and cultures of the Member States, where appropriate and in formal, non-formal and informal settings (19), in order to promote the understanding and unity of all Europeans in their diverse identities, as well as the development of citizenship competence.

a)

In all levels and types of education and training, where appropriate, DRAW INSPIRATION from the European integration developments carried out within the European Higher Education Area and the European strategy empowering higher education institutions (20) — such as the European Universities Alliances, or within the VET sector, the Centres of Vocational Excellence — to deepen cooperation and progress towards a European Education Area rooted in our common European values.

b)

CONTINUE TO COOPERATE to further develop more rigorous quality assurance systems in order to strengthen common quality standards, transparency, recognition and mobility in the European Education Area and the European Higher Education Area, as well as to contribute to a more cohesive Europe.

c)

CONTINUE to gradually EXTEND and REINFORCE this value-based cooperation not only to candidate partners but also to third countries, especially those of the European Neighbourhood, to promote links and enhance education, training and research systems worldwide. All this will contribute to reinforcing knowledge of the European Union, promote the shared values of the Union and its Member States, facilitate international political dialogue and European diplomacy, as well as foster the development of democratic citizenship.

a)

Taking into account comparable international data sources already available or forthcoming, USE the expertise of the Standing Group on Indicators and Benchmarks to EXPLORE the development of an improved approach to quantitative and qualitative indicators in the field of citizenship competence in the EU, both for those already available and those under development.

b)

INCLUDE the monitoring of the development of citizenship competence in the forthcoming editions of the Education and Training Monitor, as one of the key competences of national education and training systems, insofar as new data and other evidence are available, alongside updates on national policy measures.

a)

DEVELOP more comparative and evidence-informed studies, reports and research on a regular basis, to deepen knowledge of what is being done in education and training systems towards the development of citizenship competence and its effects on learning outcomes, the promotion of common European values, democratic citizenship and knowledge of the EU (21). Therefore, and among other things:

b)

Building on the outcomes of the work of the Working Group on Equality and Values in Education and Training, in cooperation with the Council of Europe, and using its Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture as a basis, CONSIDER the possibility of DEVELOPING a specific, complementary competence framework for active and democratic citizenship education adapted to the context of the EU, for learners and educators. This would also allow for the assessment of competences in a similar way to other existing EU frameworks (22), seeking synergies with them.

c)

DEVELOP guidelines on methodology, content and teacher training to improve the supply and quality of democratic citizenship education in all Member States to serve as a reference for policymakers.

d)

PROMOTE, as a voluntary option for the Member States, the development of specific training modules on democratic citizenship education in the EU for teachers, trainers, and leaders, as well as for policymakers, grounded in common European values, democratic citizenship, EU citizenship competence and other related key competences, in particular through relevant EU programmes (23) and online platforms such as the European School Education Platform (ESEP).

a)

In the implementation of these actions, EMPHASISE the need to learn more about the EU, its aims, democratic processes and functioning, and the added value it represents. For this purpose, and among other things, CONSIDER INCORPORATING tools to ensure better knowledge of the EU and common European values, prior to or in parallel with a learning mobility or cooperation partnership, such as a learning module adapted to the age and profile of the participant. Due care should be taken to avoid creating barriers to access to the programme.

b)

EMPHASISE citizenship education and common European values in the training modules and learning opportunities carried out under the ‘Erasmus+ Teacher Academies’ initiative.

c)

CONTINUE STRENGTHENING the coordination, visibility and dissemination of all the EU-level initiatives contributing to the reinforcement of common European values and EU democratic citizenship, and to the creation of genuine networks of interactions with the capacity to involve the education and training community in the shared construction of the EU, such as eTwinning and the European School Education Platform, the Electronic Platform for Adult Learning in Europe (EPALE), the Jean Monnet actions, the Alliances of European Universities or the Centres of Vocational Excellence.

d)

CONTINUE REMOVING bureaucratic barriers and FACILITATE participation in the programme, taking into account the specific circumstances of small institutions and those in rural, remote, peripheral and less developed areas and outermost regions, or disadvantaged environments.

e)

FURTHER LINK the actions of the programme with other initiatives under the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme (25) or the European Solidarity Corps (ESC) programme (26).