Following the European Council in Lisbon in 2000, this recommendation aims to support free movement in the field of education and training. It calls on European Union (EU) countries to take the necessary steps to encourage the mobility of students, teachers and training staff within the EU.
KEY POINTS
The recommendation calls for EU countries to remove legal, administrative, linguistic and cultural obstacles to people:
studying or undergoing training;
volunteering; or
teaching or providing training;
in another EU country.
Among the issues, aims and suggestions put forward are:
the goal of learning at least 2 EU languages, with linguistic and cultural preparation before travel;
encouraging awareness of EU citizenship in young people, as well as respect for differences;
easy access to information about opportunities in other EU countries;
financial support (grants, scholarships, subsidies, loans, etc.) to be facilitated and simplified;
assistance with transport costs, accommodation, meals and access to cultural resources on the same basis as host country citizens; and
better awareness of financial entitlements and reciprocal social security cover.
Measures which specifically affectstudents or those undergoing training
encourage students to complete a part of their studies in another EU country and facilitate the academic recognition of periods of study completed between countries;
encourage clearer models for training certificates, for example by providing translations and centralised information points;
enable students to show more easily that they have health cover or financial resources to obtain residence permits; and
facilitate the integration and support of students within the education system of the host country, as well as their reintegration in their home country.
Measures affecting young volunteers
ensure that the specific nature of voluntary activity is considered in legal and administrative issues;
promote the introduction of a certificate of participation with a view to a common EU format for job applications; and
avoid discrimination against volunteers in entitlement to social protection.
Measures which concern teachers and trainers
consider problems faced in mobility resulting from some national legislation and encourage cooperation;
temporary replacement of teachers and trainers on mobility;
facilitate integration in the host establishment;
introduce European training periods to make mobility easier;
encourage a European dimension in the profession through the content of training programmes, and through contact and exchanges between establishments; and
promote European mobility experience as a career component.
EU countries are asked to draw up a report every 2 years on the action taken in response to these recommendations.
BACKGROUND
The recommendations outlined applied originally to EU programmes such as Socrates (education), Leonardo da Vinci (vocational training) and Youth, all of which are now part of the Erasmus+ programme, and complement measures that now fall under ET 2020 which covers cooperation in education, training and lifelong learning.
MAIN DOCUMENT
Recommendation 2001/613/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of on mobility within the Community for students, persons undergoing training, volunteers, teachers and trainers (OJ L 215, , pp. 30–37)
RELATED DOCUMENTS
Council Recommendation of — ‘Youth on the move’ — promoting the learning mobility of young people (OJ C 199, , pp. 1–5)
Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions: Youth on the Move — An initiative to unleash the potential of young people to achieve smart, sustainable and inclusive growth in the European Union (COM(2010) 477 final, )
Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council of on the establishment of a European Credit System for Vocational Education and Training (ECVET) (OJ C 155, , pp. 11–18)
Conclusions of the Council and of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council of , on improving the quality of teacher education (OJ C 300, , pp. 6–9)
Decision No 2241/2004/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of on a single Community framework for the transparency of qualifications and competences (Europass) (OJ L 390, , pp. 6–20)