27.5.2015   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 172/1

1.

The distance from the site to the border of the nearest Member State, in this case Belgium is 138 km.

2.

The modified plan consists of an increase of the operational capacity of the plant that requires higher regulatory discharge limits for airborne radioactive effluents.

3.

During normal operating conditions, the modified plan is not liable to cause an exposure of the population of another Member State that would be significant from the point of view of health, in respect of the dose limit laid down in the new Basic Safety Standards (Directive 2013/59/Euratom).

4.

In the event of unplanned releases of radioactive effluents which may follow an accident of the type and magnitude considered in the modified plan, the doses likely to be received by the population of another Member State would not be significant from the point of view of health, in respect of the reference levels laid down in the new Basic Safety Standards (Directive 2013/59/Euratom).

27.5.2015   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 172/3

1.

The overall goals of the Europe 2020 Strategy and Member States' respective targets to increase youth employment, reduce early school leaving and increase participation in tertiary education are of a particular relevance to youth and their socio-economic situation.

2.

The Renewed Framework for European Cooperation in the Youth Field (2010-2018) (1) emphasises the need for initiatives to enable a cross-sectorial approach where due account is taken of youth issues when formulating, implementing and evaluating policies and actions in other policy fields which have a significant impact on the lives of young people.

3.

One of the three main priorities set out in current EU Work Plan for Youth 2014-2015 (2) is enhancing cross-sectorial cooperation within the framework of EU strategies.

4.

The Council Conclusions on Maximising the potential of youth policy in addressing the goals of the Europe 2020 Strategy (3) underlined that cross-sectorial and inter-institutional coordination is central to the implementation of an effective youth policy and in addressing the goals of the Europe 2020 Strategy for young people.

5.

The continuing socio-economic challenges currently faced by young people in the European Union, including high rates of youth unemployment (4), and the social consequences thereof that require efficient cross-sectorial policy responses.

6.

A strong and visible, well-defined and coordinated youth policy has a lot of potential to bring added value to cross-sectorial policy cooperation. This in turn can yield positive results for the young people benefitting from the synergies of such cooperation.

7.

The youth sector can address the issues in a way that other sectors cannot. It can offer evidence and knowledge on the various issues affecting young people, outreach to a greater number of young people, including those with fewer opportunities, and a flexible, youth-friendly, non-stigmatising, holistic and innovative approach to address the needs of young people.

8.

While systemic approaches should be developed to enhance cross-sectorial cooperation at all levels, it is of great importance to focus on addressing the concrete and urgent socio-economic challenges that young people are currently facing.

9.

A cross-sectorial approach towards youth policy is important not only to offer more efficient solutions to tackle socio-economic challenges, but also to ensure policy responses that aim to meet the needs of all young people.

10.

In order to maximise the role of the youth sector in cooperation with other sectors, its value and contribution should be widely presented and recognised.

I.

11.

Strengthen institutional cooperation including enhanced communication and sharing of information at national, regional and local levels to ensure that youth issues are fully taken into account when formulating, implementing and evaluating policies in other policy fields — such as education and training, employment, health and well-being, social policy, urban planning, sport and culture — which have an impact on the socio-economic situation of young people.

12.

Involve all relevant sectors both in horizontal and vertical governance structures when developing youth policy at local, regional and national level.

13.

Consider implementing overarching youth strategies connecting relevant policy actions that address issues faced by young people, and consult and engage young people and youth organisations in the process where appropriate.

14.

Use the existing or consider establishing new mechanisms to monitor the situation of young people and work towards evidence and knowledge based policies integrating data and research results into policy development across fields, including when designing concrete policy measures.

15.

Regularly update the Council and its preparatory bodies on key policy documents and initiatives at the EU level that affect the socio-economic situation of young people.

16.

Consider how to effectively apply the new coordinated cluster policy approach of the Commission when addressing challenges faced by young people and developing concrete cross-sectorial actions.

17.

Assess through the EU Youth Report or other relevant instruments how youth issues are taken into account in other policy fields which have a significant impact on the lives of young people.

18.

Further contribute to evidence-based policy development by drawing up research projects in cooperation with other relevant policy sectors.

19.

Envisage the cross-sectorial approach as one of the implementation principles in the future EU level youth policy including a possible future EU Work Plan for Youth and envisage concrete cross-sectorial measures in the post-2018 framework for cooperation in the youth field.

20.

Strengthen cross-sectorial cooperation through fully exploiting the opportunities of the Erasmus+ programme, including those dedicated to supporting policy reform.

21.

Collect evidence, including as part of the Expert Groups established by the EU Work Plan for Youth, on how cross-sectorial policy cooperation can yield positive results and spill over effects to other areas of society benefitting from the synergistic effects of increased cooperation.

22.

Encourage cooperation with other policy sectors in drawing up the EU Youth Report, as well as to take the findings of the report into account when monitoring the Europe 2020 Strategy.

II.

23.

Strengthen partnership approaches across sectors on the implementation of the Youth Guarantee and other measures and exchange best practices, especially with regard to youth outreach.

24.

Seek appropriate support for long-term development and implementation of activities that are currently funded under the Youth Guarantee initiatives and where the youth sector is involved.

25.

Strengthen targeted cooperation between formal education institutions and non-formal learning providers to address early school leaving and foster holistic development of competences, including through the use of flexible and youth-friendly approaches.

26.

Promote cooperation between youth work and social services to jointly address the social inclusion of young people and to ensure early interventions, where necessary.

27.

Involve the world of work when planning and implementing initiatives focused on the development of the competences of young people.

28.

Strengthen all services directed towards young people in cooperation with local authorities, youth workers and other professionals working with young people, where appropriate.

29.

Facilitate networking and exchange of good practice at a European level among youth policy makers and NGOs involved in the implementation of the Youth Guarantee.

30.

Strengthen internal coordination between relevant Commission services in relation to the development of youth related initiatives and discussion of youth issues at EU level.

31.

In order to effectively tackle the socio-economic challenges of young people via concrete cross-sectorial projects, consider using European Structural Funds and Erasmus+ programme funding opportunities.

32.

Address the issues raised above in the forthcoming peer learning among Member States on strengthening cross-sectorial youth policy at national level that is organised in the framework of the EU Youth Work Plan.

33.

Invite stakeholders representing other sectors to events such as European Youth Week and EU Youth conferences when relevant, and facilitate feedback and discussion among sectors.

III.

34.

Engage young people in key policy decisions affecting them by using the existing or new channels of youth participation, including the structured dialogue process.

35.

Further promote the recognition of youth work and of non-formal learning and concrete tools such as Youthpass among other sectors such as employment, education, training and culture and among other relevant stakeholders.

36.

Further advance the recognition of youth work and validation of non-formal and informal learning by exploring the possibilities of mainstreaming the Youthpass certificate outside the Erasmus+ programme and using it as a national tool for recognition, if relevant.

37.

Promote and regularly raise awareness among other sectors of the achievements of professional and voluntary youth work.

38.

Develop initiatives to make volunteering known, understood, used and recognised as a non-formal learning process.

39.

Support and promote implementation of collaborative initiatives between formal and non-formal learning settings with a potential to maximise learning outcomes.

40.

Create possibilities and support Member States in their use of the Youthpass certificate outside Erasmus+ programme as a national tool for recognition, if relevant.

27.5.2015   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 172/8

1.

The Europe 2020 Strategy and its flagship initiatives, which emphasise the need to equip young people with the necessary skills and competences and to address the high levels of youth unemployment in Europe, as well as the Synthesis report of the Europe 2020 Strategy mid-term review (1), which lists among its key outcomes the sport sector's valuable role as an instrument of social cohesion and inclusion.

2.

The European Union Work Plan for Sport for 2014-2017 (2), which highlights the important contribution of sport to the overall goals of the Europe 2020 strategy, given the sector's strong potential to contribute to smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. One of the three Work Plan's priorities — ‘Sport and Society’ — highlights the links of sport to employment, education and training.

3.

The Council Resolution of 20 July 2006 on the recognition of the value of non-formal and informal learning within the European youth field (3) emphasises that non-formal and informal learning can enable young people to acquire additional knowledge, skills and competences and contribute to their personal development, social inclusion and active citizenship, thereby improving their employment prospects; and that greater recognition of these should be given due consideration by employers, formal education and civil society in general.

4.

The Council Recommendation of 20 December 2012 on the validation of non-formal and informal learning (4), which identifies opportunities and mechanisms that enable knowledge, skills and competences acquired through non-formal and informal learning to play an important role in enhancing employability and mobility, as well as increasing motivation for lifelong learning.

5.

Participation in grassroots sport (5), while first and foremost a physical leisure activity, also brings additional added-value with regard to a healthier and generally more inclusive and sustainable society in Europe. It may develop positive social attitudes and values, as well as individuals' skills and competences, including transversal skills (6) such as the ability to think critically, take initiatives, problem solve and work collaboratively (7).

6.

There is a need to respond to the increasing requirements of an advanced knowledge-based economy, especially with regard to transversal skills development and the ability to efficiently apply such skills across various sectors; at a time of quickly changing demands in the labour market, employers highly value transversal skills, yet often indicate that new recruits are lacking such skills.

7.

With regard to the contribution of sport to transversal skills development, there is untapped potential, especially for young people, since skills gained via non-formal (8) and informal learning (9) are valuable for personal and professional development, including on the labour market and in lifelong learning (10).

8.

With regard to recognition of the value of transversal skills gained through non-formal and informal learning via grassroots sports, the first steps are awareness raising and visibility primarily among participants themselves, parents, volunteers and staff, but also society at large, including employers.

9.

Sport makes a contribution to the Union's strategic objectives of growth, jobs and social cohesion, including the urgent challenges that Europe is currently facing such as the persistently high youth unemployment rates (11) in Europe. In order for sport to further develop its full potential in this regard, it is important to work towards a cross-sectoral approach involving other policy areas such as education and training, youth and employment, social affairs and public health.

10.

Non-traditional sports (12) are often particularly appealing to young people, including those with fewer opportunities, and the possibilities which these offer could be further explored.

11.

Competent staff, including volunteers, in grassroots sport are essential for raising awareness, unlocking the added value and benefits that it can offer with regard to the development of transversal skills.

12.

Create more awareness among stakeholders in grassroots sport, in society and among employers that transversal skills gained through participation in grassroots sport have personal, social and economic added value that can be used in other sectors.

13.

Cooperate and exchange good practice with other relevant sectors and among EU Member States on the positive benefits of skills gained outside formal education via non-formal and informal learning in the grassroots sport.

14.

Encourage the development of knowledge, skills and competences of competent staff, including volunteers, in grassroots sport with a view to enhancing social and educational values, as well as transversal skills, through grassroots sport.

15.

Encourage innovative partnerships between formal and non-formal learning providers, as well as across the youth and sports sectors, in order to develop learning approaches that could be suitable in the grassroots sport sector.

16.

Promote self-assessment of skills, especially among young people, that includes transversal skills gained via grassroots sport, as well as the use of the most common skills passes and CV templates, especially Europass.

17.

Make use of existing arrangements aimed at enabling validation of skills and experiences gained in non-formal and informal learning in sports.

18.

Further improve the overall participation in grassroots sport of young people, including those with fewer opportunities, at national and local level, and exploit the positive potential of non-traditional sports in this regard.

19.

Promote the value of transversal skills acquired through grassroots sports by learners so that they can be used effectively across sectors for the purposes of employment, learning mobility or lifelong learning.

20.

Recognise and integrate the positive outcomes of transversal skills developed through the grassroots sports sector in national and European policies and in strategies concerning sport, youth, social affairs, health, education and employment.

21.

Recognise and support contributions made by grassroots sport organisations in providing non-formal learning opportunities.

22.

Explore the potential for cooperation with the youth sector, especially with regard to:

23.

Encourage initiatives, where appropriate, including under the European Week of Sport, on the educational value of sport, as well as that of enhancing socially inclusive communities.

24.

Cooperate to raise standards in training and coaching and in the education of trainers and coaches as well as volunteers by facilitating the exchange of information and experience between policy-makers and sport stakeholders;

25.

Encourage sport volunteering and raising awareness on the value of volunteering in sport, in particular in acquiring transversal skills, recognising volunteering as an important form of non-formal learning and reinforcing national and cross-border mobility of young volunteers.

26.

Encourage effective use of EU funding instruments such as the Erasmus+ programme as an opportunity for developing transversal skills, especially among young people, to also enhance social inclusion, active citizenship as well as increased participation in grassroots sport.

27.

Make use of the follow-up process of the Council Recommendation of 20 December 2012 on the validation of non-formal and informal learning to address the issue of transversal skills acquired through sports.

28.

Carry out a study on the contribution of sport to the employability of young people in the context of the Europe 2020 Strategy, including aspects of transversal skills gained through participation in grassroots sports.

29.

Mainstream the sports dimension in existing skills policy discussions and events, in order to raise awareness and explore more concrete ways of acquiring transversal skills in and through sports.

30.

Continue, including within the mandate of the Expert Groups established by the EU Work Plan for Sport, the collection of data, best practice and the analysis of the social and economic importance of sport and of how grassroots sport contributes to areas such as employment, education and training, including a focus on personal and transversal skills development.

31.

Facilitate the exchange of information and good practice, effective peer learning and networking among Member States especially with regard to developing more accessible, attractive and diversified grassroots sport, in particular for young people.

32.

Creating awareness, especially among young people and their parents, that skills gained in and through sport can have a special value that can be used in other sectors.

33.

Investing in competent staff that are using the most up-to-date methods in their work allowing them to fully benefit from the additional values that sport is able to deliver, including those of skills acquisition.

34.

Raising awareness among staff in sport of the positive benefits of transversal skills acquired in sporting activities via non-formal and informal learning and the overall social and economic added value of grassroots sport.

35.

Exploring the potential for cooperation and the exchange of good practice with youth organisations, especially as regards the application of non-formal learning methods and tools to the sports sector.

36.

Exchanging best practice on how to foster and diversify the grassroots sports movement, and exchanging good practice with regard to developing new types of grassroots sport, e.g. non-traditional sports.

27.5.2015   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 172/13

1.

the cultural and creative sectors are a source of both cultural and economic value. In recent years significant work has been done to establish the cultural and creative sectors as an integral part of Europe’s society and economy and as a source of growth, jobs and prosperity. However, their broader contribution has not yet been fully recognised, notably in terms of the potential of culture and artistic creativity to trigger innovation in other sectors of the economy, in society as a whole, and for the well-being of individuals;

2.

the crossovers between the cultural and creative sectors and other sectors can be understood as a process of combining knowledge and skills specific to the cultural and creative sectors together with those of other sectors in order to generate innovative and intelligent solutions for today’s societal challenges;

3.

cultural and creative crossovers can be mutually beneficial to all sectors involved if the sectors participate on an equal footing;

4.

cultural and creative crossovers to other sectors can result in a wide range of benefits (1), including:

5.

there is a lack of awareness of the potential of combining arts, culture and creativity with technology, science and business, as well as insufficient exchange of good practices. In particular, the catalytic effect of culture and the arts on innovation in all sectors is still underestimated and thereby underused;

6.

crossovers take place at the intersections of different sectors. However, sectors and policies are still often organised in silos, thus limiting the scope for synergies and the emergence of innovative solutions. To overcome silo thinking and to promote crossovers, there is a need for a comprehensive strategic approach involving all actors from the local to the EU level;

7.

there is a need for reliable and comparable data on cultural and creative crossovers that would allow the capture and analysis of their contribution to the overall economy and of their impact on wider society at all levels;

8.

the development of creative skills and critical thinking throughout formal education and non-formal and informal learning allows individuals to better meet the needs of an increasingly diverse and knowledge-based society as well as of a demanding and rapidly changing labour market;

9.

Europe’s Digital Single Market should encourage the creation and circulation of quality content which thrives on Europe’s cultural and linguistic diversity and provide for a balanced framework of rights and duties across the value chain;

10.

investments in the cultural and creative sectors are often perceived as risky and volatile as they are based on intangible assets. There is therefore a need for innovative financial instruments specifically targeted at the cultural and creative sectors that will strengthen their capacity to engage in cross-sectoral collaboration, including at international level;

11.

raise the awareness of all stakeholders, in particular policymakers, creative professionals, industries, businesses and investors about the cultural, economic and societal value of creativity and innovation through cross-sectoral cooperation. For this purpose, it is important to encourage widespread dissemination of information about good practices, results, and lessons learnt in cross-sectoral collaboration, as well as expert networking and peer-learning;

12.

overcome silo thinking in traditional policy areas by better integrating culture and artistic creativity in strategies for economic growth, social policies, urban and regional development, and sustainable development;

13.

continue mapping existing policies and trends relating to cultural and creative crossovers and improving data collection in order to strengthen evidence-based policymaking. This implies developing new methodologies to measure cultural and creative crossovers to other industries in order to better capture their innovative input, and understand their wider impact;

14.

promote creative ecosystems and multidisciplinary environments for the cultural and creative sectors via structures such as innovation and business centres, start-up accelerators, incubators, creative hubs, co-working spaces and networking programmes;

15.

promote cross-sectoral cultural and creative clusters and networks at national, European and international level in order to boost cultural and creative exports and improve access to new markets;

16.

encourage the use of non-technological, social and service innovation in traditional industries for example by introducing a design thinking approach (2) and culture-based creativity in these industries;

17.

encourage the cultural and creative sectors to benefit from the opportunities of the future Digital Single Market;

18.

encourage cultural and creative crossovers at the local and regional level, if possible on the basis of existing initiatives, in close cooperation with local operators, NGOs, organisations and businesses. The creation of multidisciplinary clusters with the active engagement of local and regional authorities could also be considered;

19.

support initiatives that encourage joint advocacy for the cultural and creative sectors in order to overcome sectoral silos and develop comprehensive strategic approaches;

20.

encourage the use of the design thinking approach in the public sector when dealing with complex issues and developing user-centred and efficient services (3);

21.

promote favourable conditions for the cultural and creative sectors to further develop their potential in the context of cross-sectoral partnerships, including by considering the recommendations of the European Creative Industries Alliance (4), through appropriate measures including:

22.

promote the development of transversal skills such as creativity, cultural awareness, and entrepreneurship in formal education and in non-formal learning. Encourage, where appropriate, cross-sectoral approaches between different areas within higher education institutions, for instance through joint programmes between arts and culture, science, engineering, technology, business and other relevant fields;

23.

develop a comprehensive strategic approach to boost the competitiveness and development of the cultural and creative industries, while emphasising their role in the overall innovation process across all industries;

24.

better tailor and disseminate information about existing EU programmes and funds for the cultural and creative sectors in order to reinforce crossovers with other policy areas;

25.

consider the use of existing funding available under EU programmes, such as Horizon 2020, the Connecting Europe Facility, Erasmus+, COSME and Creative Europe, for crossover projects aimed, for instance, at:

and proceed without delay with the preparatory actions necessary to launch the Cultural and Creative Sectors Guarantee Facility (8) in 2016;

26.

continue the work initiated by its services such as Eurostat and the Joint Research Centre to produce information and data regarding the contribution of cultural and creative crossovers to other economic sectors and policy fields, as well as to growth in general.

27.

take stock of these conclusions in 2018. The aim of the stocktaking exercise will be to evaluate the progress made by the Member States and the Commission in the follow up to the conclusions (9). The Member States should be consulted on the form and scope of the exercise, which should be light and useful.

27.5.2015   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 172/17

1.

The Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2006 on key competences for lifelong learning, which defines the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to develop digital competence (2) as one of the key competences which all individuals need for personal fulfilment and development, active citizenship, social inclusion and employment (3), and which highlights the key role played by education and training in ensuring that all young people have the opportunity to develop and improve such competence.

2.

The conclusions of the Council and of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council, of 22 May 2008 on promoting creativity and innovation through education and training, which highlighted in particular the crucial role played by teachers and the learning environment in nurturing and supporting each child's creative potential (4).

3.

The Council conclusions of 12 May 2009 on a strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training (5), which set enhancing creativity and innovation at all levels of education and training as one of the framework's four strategic objectives and identified the acquisition of transversal key competences such as digital competence as a key challenge in this regard.

4.

The Council conclusions of 27 November 2009 on media literacy in the digital environment, which stressed the need to promote not only greater access to, but also the responsible use of, new technologies (6).

5.

The Council conclusions of 20 May 2011 on early childhood education and care (ECEC) (7), which recognised that high quality early childhood education and care complements the central role of the family and lays the essential foundations for language acquisition, successful lifelong learning, social integration, personal development and employability, whilst fostering the acquisition of both cognitive and non-cognitive skills.

6.

The Council conclusions of 29 November 2011 on cultural and creative competences and their role in building the intellectual capital of Europe (8), which recognised such competences as sources of sustainable and inclusive growth in Europe, particularly through the development of innovative products and services.

7.

The Council conclusions of 29 November 2011 on the protection of children in the digital world (9), which emphasised the importance of raising awareness among children of the potential risks encountered in the digital world and called for consistency in promoting online safety and media literacy in schools as well as in early childhood education and care institutions.

8.

The Council conclusions of 26 November 2012 on literacy, which pointed out that the impact on literacy of new technologies has not been fully exploited by education systems and that reviewing learning materials and methods in the light of increasing digitisation and supporting teachers in the use of new pedagogies can reinforce the motivation of learners (10).

9.

The Council conclusions of 26 November 2012 on the European Strategy for a Better Internet for Children (11), which stressed the important role played by the education sector and parents in helping children to make use of the opportunities provided by the internet in a safe and beneficial way, as well as the need for teachers and parents to keep up with constantly evolving technological changes.

10.

The Council conclusions of 20 May 2014 on effective teacher education, which emphasised the importance for teachers of acquiring sufficient understanding themselves of digital learning tools and Open Educational Resources in order to make effective use of these in their teaching and enable learners to develop their digital competence (12).

1.

Promoting creativity, innovation and digital competence through education during the early years (13) can produce benefits later on, by laying the foundations for further learning, by enabling knowledge to be developed to a much higher level and by generally improving each child's ability to develop creative and critical thinking skills and to become responsible citizens for the Europe of tomorrow, capable of meeting the challenges of an increasingly interconnected and globalised world.

2.

The ability to innovate and to develop new products and services relies to a large extent on harnessing the benefits of the digital revolution which is transforming economies and societies at an astonishing speed, meaning that in future decades economic success will depend, amongst other things, on citizens who display creative and innovative capacities and who possess high-level digital competence.

3.

In order to meet the growing demand for digitally competent users and ICT professionals, Europe needs to respond to the challenge of providing opportunities for every citizen to unlock their creative or innovative potential and to develop their digital competence through lifelong learning.

1.

Education and training systems, together with non-formal and informal learning, have a fundamental role to play in developing creative and innovative capacities from an early age as key factors not only in enhancing future economic competitiveness and employability, but equally importantly in promoting personal fulfilment and development, social inclusion and active citizenship.

2.

Teachers and ECEC professionals have a fundamental role to play in stimulating children's curiosity, imagination and willingness to experiment and in helping them to develop not only basic skills and specific knowledge, but also the transversal competences required for creativity and innovation, such as critical thinking, problem-solving and initiative-taking.

3.

Learning through play, which may include games and digital tools with pedagogical value, not only fosters the imagination, intuition and an inquiring mind, but also the ability to cooperate and solve problems, and is therefore important for each child's development and learning, especially in the early years.

4.

All of this has important implications in terms of modernising pedagogical approaches, teaching resources and the learning environment, as well as in terms of teachers' and ECEC professionals' initial training and continuous professional development, which need to ensure that they are able to nurture creativity and innovation in children by exemplifying these aspects in their own teaching.

5.

While digital tools cannot be used to replace essential classroom activities, experiences and materials, the provision of such tools and their integration into the teaching and learning processes, where appropriate, can contribute to enhancing the latter's quality and effectiveness, as well as to increasing pupils' motivation, understanding and learning outcomes.

6.

Developing digital competence effectively and age-appropriately in ECEC and primary education has important implications in terms of pedagogical approaches, assessment, pedagogical resources and learning environments, as well as in terms of helping to reduce the digital gap.

7.

Equally importantly, this has implications for the initial education and continuous professional development of both teachers and ECEC professionals, with a view to ensuring that they develop the capacity, methodology and skills to promote the effective and responsible use of new technologies for pedagogical purposes and to support children in developing digital competence.

8.

In a world where many children tend to be quite comfortable with digital media, education and training also have an important role to play in promoting the safe and responsible use of digital tools and in developing media literacy, i.e. the ability not only to access digitally created content, but more importantly to interpret, use, share, create and critically assess such content.

1.

Encourage teacher education institutions, ECEC professionals' training institutions and in-service training providers to adapt their programmes with a view to accommodating new learning tools and developing appropriate pedagogies aimed at fostering creativity and innovation from an early age.

2.

Encourage education providers or the relevant authorities, as appropriate, to equip schools and ECEC facilities to a suitable level in order to nurture creative and innovative capacities.

3.

Encourage the providers of initial and continuous professional development programmes for both teachers and ECEC professionals to give consideration to effective methods for fostering curiosity, experimentation, creative and critical thinking and cultural understanding — for instance through art, music and theatre — and to explore the potential of creative partnerships.

4.

Promote the development of formal, non-formal and informal learning activities for children which are aimed at fostering creativity and innovation, whilst also recognising the important role of parents and families.

5.

Facilitate access to and the promotion of ICT and the development of digital competence through age-appropriate exposure to, and the integration of, digital tools throughout early childhood education and primary education, whilst recognising the important role of parents and families, as well as the different learning needs at different ages.

6.

Encourage the development and use of digital tools for teaching purposes, and of pedagogical approaches which can contribute to improving competences in all areas — including especially literacy, numeracy, mathematics, science, technology and foreign languages — with a view to addressing some of the challenges highlighted in recent international surveys (14).

7.

Encourage education providers or the relevant authorities, as appropriate, to equip schools and institutions providing early childhood education to a suitable level in order to promote the age-appropriate development of digital competence, in particular by expanding the provision of various digital tools and infrastructure.

8.

Encourage teacher and ECEC educators, teachers, ECEC professionals and school leaders — through both initial and continuous professional development — to themselves develop a sufficient level of digital competence, including the ability to use ICT for teaching purposes, as well as to develop effective methods for promoting media literacy from an early age.

9.

Explore the potential of digital tools to support learning in different settings and provide more personalised approaches to learning, which can cater for a wide range of abilities — from the highly talented to the low-skilled — as well as for children with disadvantaged backgrounds and those with special needs.

10.

Promote communication and collaboration between schools and between teachers at regional, national and European and international level, including by means of eTwinning.

11.

Explore the potential for cooperation with the open source community on innovative educational tools and digital creativity.

12.

Make efforts to promote media education and literacy, in particular, safe and responsible use of digital technologies in early childhood education and primary education.

1.

Take appropriate measures and initiatives aimed at fostering creativity, innovation and digital competences in early childhood education and primary education, making effective use of European resources such as the Erasmus+ Programme and the European Structural and Investment Fund to support such measures and initiatives.

2.

Promote and develop cooperation, the exchange of good practice and mutual learning on the subject of fostering creativity, innovation and digital competences in early childhood education and primary education, as well as through non-formal and informal learning.

3.

Identify, through research, examples of the most effective methods and practices for teachers and ECEC professionals at each stage of ECEC and primary education to help children to develop creative and innovative capacities, as well as to develop digital competence. In this context, consider implementing the key principles of the Quality Framework for ECEC, where appropriate.

1.

Continue the ongoing work of the ‘ET2020’ Working Groups on Transversal Skills and on Digital and Online Learning to foster creativity, innovation and digital competence, where appropriate, from an early age.

2.

Promote cooperation and mutual learning at European level, both in the context of the ‘ET2020’ Strategic Framework and through the Erasmus+ programme.

3.

Continue monitoring the areas covered by these conclusions within the scope of existing tools and reports and whilst avoiding any additional administrative burden.

—

ISCED level 0.2 (Pre-primary education): ‘Education designed to support early development in preparation for participation in school and society. Programmes designed for children from age 3 to the start of primary education.’,

—

ISCED level 1 (Primary education): ‘Programmes typically designed to provide students with fundamental skills in reading, writing and mathematics and to establish a solid foundation for learning.’.

27.5.2015   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 172/22

Council of the European Union

General Secretariat

DG C 1C

Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 175

1048 Bruxelles/Brussel

BELGIQUE/BELGIË

E-mail: sanctions@consilium.europa.eu

27.5.2015   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 172/23

27.5.2015   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 172/24