Council Resolution on a strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training towards the European Education Area and beyond (2021-2030)

(2021/C 66/01)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

RECALLING

—

the endorsement by the March 2002 Barcelona European Council of the ‘Education and Training 2010’ work programme (‘ET 2010’), the establishment of a new cycle through the Council conclusions of 12 May 2009 on a strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training (‘Education and Training 2020’ – ‘ET 2020’) and the assessment made through the 2015 Joint Report of the Council and the Commission on the implementation of the strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training (‘ET 2020’) – which together established and gave continuity to a solid framework for European cooperation in the field of education and training, based on common objectives, aiming primarily at supporting the improvement of national education and training systems by developing complementary EU-level tools, mutual learning and the exchange of good practices using the open method of coordination,

—	the political background to this issue as set out in Annex I,

and ACKNOWLEDGING

—	that in the Rome Declaration of March 2017, the EU leaders pledged to work towards a Union where young people receive the best education and training and can study and find jobs across the continent,

—

that the EU leaders jointly proclaimed at the 2017 Gothenburg Social Summit the European Pillar of Social Rights, establishing the right to quality and inclusive education and training and lifelong learning for all as its first principle, the right to timely and tailor-made assistance to improve employment or self-employment prospects, which includes training and re-qualification, as its fourth principle, as well as children’s right to affordable early childhood education and care of good quality, and the right of children from disadvantaged backgrounds to specific measures to enhance equal opportunities as its eleventh principle,

—	that education has been singled out in the European Council conclusions of 14 December 2017 as key to building inclusive and cohesive societies and to sustaining European competitiveness, putting education and training at the heart of the European political agenda for the first time,

—	the progress achieved under the ET 2010 work programme and ET 2020 framework, especially in support of national reforms, recognizing that substantial challenges still remain if Europe is to achieve the ambitions set in the aforementioned proclamations,

—

that the Commission, together with Member States, set in motion actions to achieve this vision for the future of education and training through the establishment of a European Education Area (1), from 2018 onwards, to which the Council replied through the adoption of the Council conclusions of 22 May 2018 on moving towards a vision of a European Education Area and the Council Resolution of 8 November 2019 on further developing the European Education Area to support future-oriented education and training systems,

—	the work developed under the Bologna process, reinforced through the Rome Ministerial Communiqué of November 2020, as well as under the Copenhagen process, also recently strengthened by the Osnabrück Declaration of November 2020,

—	that the Annual Sustainable Growth Strategy 2021 stresses the importance of ensuring equal opportunities and inclusive education, paying special attention to disadvantaged groups and investing in reskilling and upskilling,

EMPHASISES that:

—

Education and training have a vital role to play when it comes to shaping the future of Europe, at a time when it is imperative that its society and economy become more cohesive, inclusive, digital, sustainable, green and resilient, and for citizens to find personal fulfilment and well-being, to be prepared to adapt and perform on a changing labour market and to engage in active and responsible citizenship.

—

The COVID-19 pandemic has put unprecedented pressure on the education and training sector and triggered a widespread shift to distance and blended teaching and learning. This shift has brought different challenges and opportunities for education and training systems and communities, unveiling the impact of the digital divide and connectivity gaps within Member States, as well as inequalities among wealth groups and urban-rural settings, while also highlighting the potential of education and training to build resilience and foster sustainable and inclusive growth.

—

The European Education Area will allow learners to pursue their studies in different stages of life and to look for employment across the EU, and Member States and stakeholders to cooperate, so that high quality, innovative and inclusive education and training, supporting economic growth and high quality employment opportunities, as well as personal, social and cultural development, become the reality in all Member States and regions across the EU.

—	Furthermore, the European Education Area will be an area where learners and educational staff can easily cooperate and communicate across disciplines, cultures and borders, and where qualifications and learning outcomes from periods of learning abroad are automatically recognised. (2)

RECOGNISES that:

—

The previous strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training (ET 2020) helped to promote mutual learning in education and training through common strategic objectives, common reference tools and approaches, evidence and data from all relevant European agencies and international organisations and the exchange of good practices and peer learning between EU Member States and other stakeholders and supported the implementation of national reforms in education and training.

—

An updated strategic framework of European cooperation in education and training – while fully respecting the principle of subsidiarity and the diversity of Member States’ national educational systems, as well as building on the achievements of previous frameworks – will improve this cooperation in areas such as enhanced coordination, including at political level, greater synergies between different policies which contribute to social and economic growth and green and digital transitions, and strengthened communication and dissemination of outputs, within a more innovative and future-oriented perspective of support for education and training reforms.

—

The COVID-19 crisis demonstrated that education and training systems must be sufficiently flexible and resistant to interruptions in their regular cycles, and proved that EU countries have the capacity to find solutions to continue the delivery of teaching and learning processes in different ways and contexts, and to ensure that all learners, irrespective of their socio-economic background or learning needs, continue to learn. The same applies for the framework of European cooperation, which should remain flexible enough to respond to both current and future challenges, including in the context of the European Education Area.

WELCOMES and TAKES GOOD NOTE of

the main elements of and, in particular, the vision set out in the communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on “Achieving the European Education Area by 2025” of 30 September 2020 (3), which outlines how European cooperation can further enrich the quality, inclusiveness and digital and green dimension of the EU education and training systems. This communication proposes a framework to enable cooperation with Member States and engagement with relevant stakeholders, including a reporting and analysis structure, with education target proposals to encourage and track reforms in education and training, in order to achieve the European Education Area by 2025.

and ALSO WELCOMES

—	the main elements of the communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on “European Skills Agenda for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience” of July 2020. (4)

—	the main elements of the communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on “Digital Education Action Plan 2021-2027 - Resetting education and training for the digital age” of September 2020. (5)

AGREES that:

1.

Until 2030, the achievement and further development of the European Education Area will be the overarching political objective of the new strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training, permeating all strategic priorities and priority areas, as set out in this Resolution, bearing in mind that the strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training will be the main tool to support and implement the European Education Area, contributing to its successful achievement and ambitious further development (6), through its initiatives and a common vision, in a spirit of co-creation.

2.

While moving towards the achievement of the European Education Area by 2025, the main goal of European cooperation in education and training should be to support the further development of education and training systems in the Member States which are aimed at ensuring: a) the personal, social and professional fulfilment of all citizens, whilst promoting democratic values, equality, social cohesion, active citizenship, and intercultural dialogue; b) sustainable economic prosperity, the green and digital transitions, and employability.

3.

European cooperation in education and training for the period up to 2030 should be established in the context of a strategic framework spanning education and training systems as a whole, in an inclusive, holistic and lifelong learning perspective. This should be underlined as the basic principle underpinning the entire framework, which intends to cover teaching, training and learning in all contexts and levels — whether formal, non-formal or informal — from early childhood education and care to adult learning, including vocational education and training (VET) and higher education, and also in digital environments. European cooperation in education and training should also contribute to the relevant priorities of the European Semester.

4.

The work developed under this new framework should contribute towards the green and digital transitions, in accordance with the objectives established in the communication from the Commission on “The European Green Deal” of December 2019 (7), as well as the main elements set out in the communication from the Commission on “Shaping Europe's digital future” of February 2020. (8)

5.

Such aims should also be viewed in a global perspective, considering that cooperation in education and training has gradually become an important instrument for the implementation of EU external policies, based on European values, trust and autonomy. This will help to make the EU an even more attractive destination and partner, both in the global race for talent as well as in promoting strategic partnerships with international partners to provide inclusive, quality education for all, in all contexts and levels of education. As such, cooperation is an essential dimension for the achievement of the Union’s geopolitical priorities, as well as the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, both globally and within EU Member States. Fostering greater coordination among the EU and Member States will strengthen Europe’s positioning as a key partner in education at global level and help cementing the links between the European Education Area and the rest of the world.

6.

Effective and efficient investment in education and training is a prerequisite for enhancing quality and inclusiveness of the education and training systems and improving the education outcomes, as well as for driving sustainable growth, improving wellbeing and building a more inclusive society. While respecting the principle of subsidiarity, intensified work on investment has a potential to aid the recovery from the current crisis and contribute to the green and digital transitions of the education and training sector.

7.

The periodic monitoring of progress towards the set objectives through systematic collection and analysis of internationally comparable data provides an essential contribution towards evidence-informed policy making. The strategic priorities outlined below should accordingly be accompanied during the period 2021-2030 by indicators and by EU-level targets, as set out in Annex II to this Resolution. Building on the results achieved during the last cycle of European cooperation in education and training, these will help to measure the overall progress made at European level, and to demonstrate what has been achieved, as well as foster and support education and training systems’ development and reforms.

8.

Specifically, during the next decade, the strategic framework will address the following five strategic priorities:

–   Strategic priority 1: Improving quality, equity, inclusion and success for all in education and training

To thrive in the world of today, and to cope with future transformations in society, the economy and the labour market, all individuals have to be equipped with the appropriate knowledge, skills, competences and attitudes. Education and training is key for the personal, civic and professional development of European citizens.

At EU level, the vision for quality in education and training makes mastering key competences, including basic skills, fundamental bases for future success (9), supported by highly qualified and motivated teachers and trainers, as well as other educational staff.

Early leaving from education and training, which exposes young people and adults to decreased socio-economic opportunities, although reduced in the last decade, remains a challenge, particularly when thinking of the expected consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Efforts must continue to bring down the rate of early leaving from education and training and aiming for more young people to obtain an upper secondary education qualification.

National education and training systems have been able to improve their performance in these areas, but there is still a need to identify political measures which can boost educational success for all learners.

By ensuring quality and inclusive education and training for all, Member States can further reduce social, economic and cultural inequalities. However, across Europe, learners from disadvantaged backgrounds, including from rural and remote areas, are overrepresented among underachievers and the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted even more starkly the importance of equity and inclusion in education and training.

To ensure a truly inclusive education and equal opportunities for all learners in all levels and types of education and training, academic attainment and achievement should be dissociated from social, economic and cultural status, or from other personal circumstances.

Quality early childhood education and care plays a particularly important role, and should be further reinforced as a basis for future educational success.

All other actions towards broader inclusion are to be encouraged, such as supporting access to inclusive quality education for persons with disabilities (10), persons with specific learning needs, learners with migrant background and other vulnerable groups, supporting the re-entering in education in a lifelong learning perspective and providing opportunities to enter the labour market through different education and training pathways.

Inclusive education and training also entails developing gender sensitivity in the learning processes and in education and training institutions and challenging and dissolving gender stereotypes, especially those that constrain the choices of boys and girls for their field of study. Traditionally male- or female-dominated professions should be further promoted to persons of the under-represented sex. Further work is also needed towards a proper gender balance in leadership positions in education and training institutions.

Digital technologies play an important part in making learning environments, learning materials and teaching methods adaptable and suitable to diverse learners. They can promote genuine inclusion – provided that digital gap issues, both in terms of infrastructure and of digital skills, are addressed in parallel.

–   Strategic priority 2: Making lifelong learning and mobility a reality for all

Societal, technological, digital, environmental and economic challenges are increasingly affecting the way we live and work, including the distribution of jobs and the demand for skills and competences. The high number of career transitions the average European citizen is expected to go through, coupled with the increase of the retirement age, make lifelong learning and lifelong career guidance, including with outreach activities, essential for a just transition, as education and skills levels, including digital skills, continue to be a fundamental factor in the labour market.

Lifelong learning permeates the overall vision and objectives for education and training in the EU and encompasses all levels and types of education and training, as well as non-formal and informal learning, in a holistic way.

Further progress is still required in providing quality lifelong learning for all learners, including through ensuring permeability and flexibility between different learning pathways in various forms and levels of education and training, as well as validation of non-formal and informal learning.

Education and training systems should become more flexible, resilient, future-proof and appealing, reaching out to a more diverse learner body and offering recognition and validation of prior learning, upskilling and reskilling training opportunities, including at higher qualification levels and throughout the working life (11), supported by initiatives such as the European Universities and Centres of vocational excellence, which were launched through the Erasmus+ programme.

We are currently witnessing an increase in labour market needs for a different mix of skills and qualifications, as well as structural changes in the VET landscape. Both developments call for modernised, effective, inclusive and excellent VET that has an impact on meeting labour market and societal challenges. It is necessary to continue to further develop VET as an attractive and high-quality pathway for jobs and life.

Average participation of adults in learning in the EU remains low, which puts at risk a truly sustainable and fair economic growth in the Union. Innovations in learning pathways, new educational approaches, including individual approaches, and in learning environments in all education and training institutions, including higher education institutions, as well as in workplace and community settings, are a pre-condition to better accommodate the needs of a wider range of learners, as a growing number of adults will need reskilling and upskilling.

In addition, measures should be strengthened to enable and motivate adults to acquire basic skills, so that equal opportunities can be guaranteed and greater social participation could be ensured, thus enabling a holistic approach to adult learning.

As an essential element of lifelong learning and an important means of enhancing personal development, employability and adaptability, mobility for learners, teachers, teacher trainers and staff should continue to be expanded as a key element of EU cooperation and a tool to enhance quality and inclusion in education and training and promote multilingualism in the EU. It is important to strive for a balance in the mobility flows in order to stimulate optimal brain circulation and to monitor it, including through graduate tracking.

Further efforts must be made to remove existing obstacles and barriers to all types of learning and teaching mobility, including issues related to access, guidance, student services and recognition, and also in light of the impact of any current or future travel restrictions.

Moreover, to reinforce cooperation between education institutions and foster mobility, there is still work to be done in areas such as the automatic mutual recognition of qualifications and study periods abroad and quality assurance. Continued efforts are needed to make use of European initiatives to facilitate mobility, including those funded under Erasmus+.

–   Strategic priority 3: Enhancing competences and motivation in the education profession

Teachers, trainers, educational and pedagogical staff and education and training leaders, at all levels, are at the heart of education and training. To support innovation, inclusion, quality and achievement in education and training, educators must be highly competent and motivated, which requires a range of professional learning opportunities and support throughout their careers.

More than ever, attention needs to be paid to the well-being of teachers, trainers and educational staff in education and training systems, which is an important factor also for the quality of education and training, as it affects not only teacher satisfaction but also the quality of teaching.

There is also a need to increase the attractiveness of the teaching profession and revalorise it, which becomes increasingly important as EU countries face shortages and the ageing of teachers. (12)

Furthermore, the pivotal role of education and training leadership should be taken into account when developing favourable environments and conditions for the development of competences and motivation of teachers, trainers and educational staff, thus ensuring that education and training institutions operate as learning organisations. Initiatives such as the European Teachers Academies, which will be launched through the Erasmus+ programme, will facilitate networking, knowledge sharing and mobility among institutions providing teachers and trainers with learning opportunities at all phases of teachers' and trainers' careers, sharing of best practices and innovative pedagogies, allowing for mutual learning at a European scale.

–   Strategic priority 4: Reinforcing European higher education

The higher education sector and higher education institutions themselves have demonstrated their resilience and ability to cope with unforeseen changes, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The crisis sharpened the challenges that remain, but also created opportunities for further development within the foreseen higher education transformation agenda.

Over the next decade, higher education institutions will be encouraged to find new forms of deeper cooperation, namely by creating transnational alliances, pooling their knowledge and resources and generating more opportunities for student and staff mobility and participation, as well as for boosting research and innovation, including through the full roll-out of the European Universities initiative.

Successful work has already been done towards creating a European Higher Education Area (EHEA), within the Bologna process. It will be important in future to continue working within the Bologna process. whilst creating further and stronger synergies with the European Research Area (ERA), avoiding parallel or double structures or instruments.

-   Strategic priority 5: Supporting the green and digital transitions in and through education and training

The green and digital transitions are the core focus of the Union’s agenda for the next decade. Both the transition to an environmentally sustainable, circular and climate-neutral economy as well as a more digital world, will have significant social, economic and employment impacts. Without ensuring that all citizens obtain the necessary knowledge, competences, skills and attitudes to cope with these changes, a socially just transformation of the EU will be impossible.

There is a need to enable a profound change in individuals’ behaviour and skills, starting with the education and training systems and institutions as catalysts. Education and training institutions need to include the green and digital dimensions in their organisational development. This requires investments, namely into digital education ecosystems, not only to integrate a perspective of environmental sustainability and basic and advanced digital skills across all levels and types of education and training, but also to ensure that education and training infrastructures are accordingly prepared to deal with and educate for these changes. Reorienting education and training institutions to a whole-school approach and creating inclusive, healthy, sustainable educational settings are critical for achieving the needed changes for the green and digital transitions. In addition, businesses, national, regional and local authorities and relevant stakeholders need to develop strategies and shared ownership accordingly. In this context, it is important to modernise science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) fields of study.

FURTHER AGREES that:

1.

In endeavouring to work within the strategic framework, on the basis of the strategic priorities described above and in order to achieve the European Education Area and support its further development, the following principles should be observed in the period up to 2030: a) European cooperation in education and training should enable the EU and the wider education and training community to deliver on initiatives supporting mainly the achievement of the European Education Area by 2025, but also the Digital Education Action Plan, as well as the European Skills Agenda. Based on strengthened guidance from the Council and in line with the Open Method of Coordination, this requires boosting flexible cooperation methods and strengthening synergies with other initiatives in education and training. b) European cooperation in education and training should be implemented in an inclusive, holistic and lifelong learning perspective, sustaining and deepening the tried and tested mutual learning arrangements, tools, instruments and policy support available, namely those from ET 2020 and under the open method of coordination, and developing synergies between the education and training sector and other policy areas, where appropriate. While fully respecting Member States’ competences in the area of education and training and the voluntary nature of European cooperation in education and training over the next decade, the strategic framework should draw on: i) the five strategic priorities for European cooperation outlined above; ii) common reference tools and approaches; iii) peer learning, peer counselling and the exchange of good practice, with particular focus on the dissemination and clear visibility of outcomes, as well as national impact; iv) periodic monitoring and reporting, including through the EU-level targets, the annual Education and Training Monitor, in connection also with the European Semester, while using the expertise of the Standing Group on Indicators and Benchmarks and avoiding additional administrative burdens on the Member States; v) comparable evidence and data from all relevant European agencies, European networks, and international organisations, such as, for example, the OECD, UNESCO, and the IEA; vi) the expertise of the Standing Group on Indicators and Benchmarks, which should be the first forum of discussion on the shared EU-level targets and indicators and future areas of focus, as well as the cooperation with other relevant sectors (employment, social and research sectors) to ensure appropriate and fit for purpose indicators; vii) making full use of the opportunities available under EU programmes and funds and instruments, particularly in the field of education and training, including for lifelong learning. c) European cooperation in education and training should be pertinent, concrete and effective. Further efforts should be made to ensure that clear and visible outcomes are planned in advance and then presented, reviewed and disseminated on a regular basis and in a structured manner, through European and national fora, thereby establishing a basis for continuous evaluation and development. d) In order to support Member States’ efforts to facilitate the foreseen transformation of higher education in Europe and to promote the cooperation of higher education institutions, close and structured synergies with the EHEA and Bologna process should be ensured, in particular with regard to quality assurance, recognition, mobility and transparency instruments, avoiding parallel or double structures and instruments already developed in the EHEA. e) The Copenhagen process is an important aspect of European cooperation under the open method of coordination in the field of VET, which will contribute to achieving the strategic priorities set out in this framework. f) Cross-sectoral cooperation should be enhanced between relevant EU initiatives in education and training and those in related policy areas and sectors — particularly employment, social policy, research, innovation, youth and culture. Particular attention should be paid to fostering a better dialogue between the Education Committee and the Employment Committee, ensuring a timely exchange of information (13). As regards the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights, in particular its first, fourth and eleventh principles, particular attention should be paid to its monitoring, carried out by the ‘social scoreboard’, which will track trends and progress across Member States and will feed into the European Semester. g) With specific regard to the “knowledge square” (education, research, innovation and service to society), special attention should be paid to policy and funding synergies between education and training, research and innovation, namely in the context of the ERA and the European Education Area, while ensuring consistency with the EHEA. (14) h) European cooperation, especially with a view to achieving the European Education Area, requires transparent and consistent dialogue and networking, in a co-creation perspective, not only between the Member States and the Commission, but also with all relevant stakeholders. i) Policy dialogue with third countries and cooperation with international organisations, such as Council of Europe, OECD and UNESCO, should be reinforced, thereby providing evidence and data, but also inspiration and a source of fresh ideas and different working methods for comparison and improvement. j) Financial resources from Erasmus+, the European Structural Funds, REACT-EU, the Recovery and Resilience Facility, and other Union funding programmes and mechanisms should be used to enhance education and training systems in accordance with the overall objective of achieving the European Education Area and Member States’ priorities, within the strategic priorities of the new framework. k) The achievement of the European Education Area, given the fundamental role of education and training for recovery and building social and economic resilience, calls for an increased focus on investment in education. The Commission, together with Member States, will intensify work on investment, including fostering debate at appropriate high-level political fora, when relevant, such as joint exchanges between EU finance ministers and EU education ministers, as well as with other institutions, such as the European Investment Bank and the European Parliament. (15)

2.

The successful use of the open method of coordination within the strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training depends on the political commitment of Member States and on strengthened guidance from the Council and effective working methods at European level, that should be based on the following: a) Work cycles – The period up to 2030 will be divided up into two cycles, with the first cycle covering the 5 years from 2021 to 2025, following the timeline proposed by the Commission in its communication on the achievement of the European Education Area, and the second cycle until 2030. The first cycle should enable the achievement of the European Education Area by 2025. b) Priority areas – For each cycle, a number of priority areas for European cooperation, based on the strategic priorities, will be agreed by the Council, taking into account the overall objective of achieving the European Education Area and its further development. The European priority areas should allow for all Member States to cooperate on broader issues, but will also allow for more specific and closer cooperation between interested Member States to tackle emergent challenges and specific policy needs. The priority areas for the first cycle under this new framework are set out in Annex III. c) Mutual learning – European cooperation in the aforementioned priority areas should be carried out by such means as peer learning and peer counselling activities, conferences and seminars, workshops, high level fora or expert groups, panels, studies and analyses, web-based cooperation and, where appropriate, with the involvement of relevant stakeholders. All of these initiatives should be developed on the basis of clear mandates, time schedules and planned outputs, to be proposed by the Commission in cooperation with the Member States. d) Common reference tools and approaches – Mutual learning can be inspired by or lead to the development of reference tools and approaches, that are built on joint analysis and support further policy development at different governance levels (EU, national, regional, local, sectoral etc.). e) Governance mechanism – The strategic framework, during the first cycle, should maintain all the tried and tested mutual learning arrangements of the ET 2020, such as the working groups, Directors-General formations and peer learning instruments, and maintain the involvement of other relevant governance bodies. Member States and the Commission will adapt those arrangements to the new strategic priorities and will work together to set up governance solutions to facilitate efficient communication of information from the technical to the political level, when necessary, and coordinate the work to be done under the strategic framework, without creating unnecessary structures or additional burdens for the Member States. f) Dissemination of results – To enhance visibility and impact at national and European level, the outcomes of cooperation will be widely disseminated among all relevant stakeholders and, where appropriate, discussed at the political level. g) Monitoring of the process – To promote the delivery of results through the open method of coordination, as well as ownership of the process at both national and European level, the Member States and the Commission will work closely together to take stock of the work done at technical level, evaluating the process and its outcomes. Annual monitoring will also take place through the Commission’s Education and Training Monitor, which tracks progress towards achieving all the agreed EU-level targets and indicators, including sub-indicators, in the field of education and training, and also contributes to the European Semester Process. h) Progress reporting – At the end of the first cycle, by 2025, it will be necessary to revisit the set of priority areas in order to adjust them or set new ones for the following cycle, based on current challenges and to reflect on the progress made, including towards developing governance solutions that are proportionate to the political ambition of the European Education Area. In 2022 the Commission will publish a European Education Area Progress Report, taking stock and evaluating the achievements towards the European Education Area through the strategic cooperation framework and proposing next steps, as necessary, and in 2023, will also organise a mid-term review event. Both the progress report and the mid-term review will also be taken into account in the Council’s agreement on possible new priority areas after 2025.

3.

In 2025, the Commission will publish a full report on the European Education Area. On the basis of this evaluation, the Council shall review the strategic framework — including EU-level targets, governance structure, and working methods - and make any necessary adjustments for the second cycle, as appropriate, to adapt to the reality and needs of the European Education Area or any other major developments in the European Union.

INVITES THE MEMBER STATES, IN ACCORDANCE WITH NATIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES to:

1.

Work together, with the support of the Commission and using the open method of coordination as outlined in this Resolution, to enhance European cooperation in education and training in the period up to 2030 on the basis of the five strategic priorities, the principles and working methods described above, and of the priority areas agreed for each cycle (those for the first cycle 2021-2025 being outlined in Annex III).

2.

Consider, on the basis of national priorities and with due respect for national competences in the area of education and training, measures at national level aimed at achieving progress within the strategic priorities outlined in the strategic framework and contributing to the collective achievement of the European Education Area and of the EU-level targets identified in Annex II. Draw inspiration from mutual learning at European level, when devising national education and training policies.

3.

Where appropriate, consider how and to what extent they can contribute to the collective achievement of the EU-level targets through national measures and actions, thus establishing national targets in accordance with the specificities of their education and training systems and taking into account national circumstances, including the impact of the COVID-19 crisis in the economy and society, and within the education and training sector itself.

4.

Support the governance structure presented above and the working methods chosen, taking ownership of the process.

5.

Make effective use of EU policies and funding instruments to support the implementation of national measures and actions to achieve the progress along the strategic priorities and related targets at EU and national level, in particular in the context of recovery and green and digital transitions.

INVITES THE COMMISSION, IN LINE WITH THE TREATIES AND WITH FULL RESPECT FOR SUBSIDIARITY to:

1.

Support and work with the Member States — during the period up to 2030 — in cooperating within this framework on the basis of the five strategic priorities, the principles and working methods described above, and the EU-level targets and agreed priority areas outlined respectively in Annexes II and III.

2.

Work with the Member States until the end of 2021, in order to agree on a suitable governance structure to coordinate the work and steer the development of the strategic framework, within the overarching objective of achieving and further developing the European Education Area, reflecting also on the issues that need to be taken further to higher political discussion, without creating additional burdens for the Member States, while ensuring their ownership of the process.

3.

Work with the Member States and provide specific support to local, regional and national authorities to facilitate mutual learning, analysis and sharing of good practices on investment in education infrastructure.

4.

Analyse, in particular through progress reporting, the degree to which the strategic priorities of this framework have been met as regards the achievement of the European Education Area, but also in the area of European cooperation in education and training at national level.

5.

Conduct work on proposals, based on and with the expert opinion of the Standing Group on Indicators and Benchmarks, for possible indicators or EU-level targets in the areas of inclusion and equity, of the teaching profession as well as of sustainability, including greening of education and training systems.

6.

Work with the Member States to analyse how to improve data collection and analysis for existing EU-level targets and indicators, with a view to fostering evidence-informed policy making, including with the expertise of the Standing Group on Indicators and Benchmarks, and report back to the Council on these discussions.

7.

Work with the Member States to examine, after 2025, the EU targets and indicators for which the set timelines do not coincide with the ten-year period encompassed by this framework, reporting back to the Council on possible new values for these targets and indicators.

8.

Present and regularly update a systematic overview and roadmap of ongoing and planned policies, cooperation tools, funding instruments, initiatives and targeted calls at Union level, which contribute to the achievement of the European Education Area and to the development of the European cooperation in education and training.

9.

Present the Action Plan to implement the European Pillar of Social Rights, and in particular its first, fourth and eleventh principles.

10.

Establish a European Education Area Platform as an interactive public gateway to support access for Member States and stakeholders to information, actions, services, instruments, results, as well to promote cooperation and exchanges.

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(1)  COM(2017) 673 final.

(2)  In line with the Council Recommendation of 26 November 2018 on promoting automatic mutual recognition of higher education and upper secondary education and training qualifications and the outcomes of learning periods abroad (OJ C 444, 10.12.2018, p. 1).

(3)  COM(2020) 625 final.

(4)  COM(2020) 274 final.

(5)  COM(2020) 624 final.

(6)  According to the Council Resolution of 8 November 2019 on further developing the European Education Area to support future-oriented education and training systems (OJ C 389, 18.11.2019, p. 1).

(7)  COM(2019) 640 final.

(8)  COM(2020) 67 final.

(9)  As set out in the Council Recommendation of 22 May 2018 on key competences for lifelong learning (OJ C 189, 4.6.2018, p. 1).

(10)  In line with the UN Convention on the Right of Persons with Disabilities of 13 December 2006.

(11)  In line with the objectives set out in the Council Recommendation of 24 November 2020 on VET for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience (OJ C 417, 2.12.2020, p. 1) and in the Osnabrück Declaration of 30 November 2020.

(12)  As stressed in the Council Conclusions of 9 June 2020 on European teachers and trainers for the future (OJ C 193, 9.6.2020, p. 11).

(13)  Following the adoption and in line with the Council Resolution of 27 February 2020 on education and training in the European Semester: ensuring informed debates on reforms and investments (OJ C 64, 27.2.2020, p. 1).

(14)  This work could be supported at technical level.

(15)  At technical level, an expert group on quality investment in education and training will support this process, helping to maintain focus on national and regional investment.