20.5.2005   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 120/64

1.1

In response to the request from the Dutch Presidency to the EESC, the content of this exploratory opinion is determined by the following:

1.1.1

The overall context of the social policy and employment issues proposed by the Dutch Presidency will be discussed at a high-level conference on More People at Work: policies to activate Europe's labour potential which will take place in Amsterdam on 25 and 26 October 2004.

1.1.2

The objective of this conference is to discuss the structural changes that need to be made in four policy areas (6), while at the same time stepping up participation and maintaining social cohesion.

1.1.3

Finally, the Dutch Presidency has asked the EESC to focus on the following points:

2.1

The EESC attaches considerable importance to the Dutch Presidency's request for this opinion to be drafted, in particular its content and scope, which reflect the broader objectives of, and the major problems facing, the EU in the area of sustainable development and, more specifically, employment, productivity and economic growth.

2.2

Without losing sight of its obligation to focus on the questions posed by the Dutch Presidency, the EESC believes it is important to make this focus part of a more general framework (7) that examines all the issues relating to the EU's overall progress in the sectors concerned in the context of specific circumstances.

3.1

The term (vocational) training means ‘The acquisition, refreshing or updating (by an individual) of mainly technical knowledge and skills’.

3.2

Initial education and training relates to the stage of acquisition of initial basic knowledge and skills connected with the trade which the person will follow. Initial education and training is backed up in many Member States by apprenticeship, which links various forms of learning with company-related work experience.

3.3

Continuing vocational education and training/continuing professional development relates to learning relevant to the labour market or the company, based on already acquired skills and experience, in order to update and broaden knowledge and competence and acquire skills for other or new fields of work and operational tasks. Continuing vocational education and training is aimed first and foremost at citizens who are in active working life, i.e. who have an initial education and training, in some cases as semiskilled employees without a formal educational qualification, and are either in an employment situation or registered as unemployed (and in this connection take part in continuing vocational training promotion schemes or retraining courses). In addition it is open to all to take part in the many kinds of general and work-related training schemes on offer, which are available publicly or privately and in the most varied forms of learning.

3.4

European vocational training systems vary considerably from one Member State to another and show marked differences within each country, as they are constantly being adapted to the requirements of the professional and working world. It is a continuing challenge to find a precise and directly applicable definition of vocational training in terms of both interpretation and language. However, a generally important aspect is the composition of the vocational training on offer as between training establishments and company-based learning environments. The weighting can turn out differently in both initial and continuing vocational education and training depending on skills level, industrial sector and branch of work. The same applies to the type of training on offer, which can include seminars, modules and courses of varying duration as well as extended work-related study courses. In addition, the vocational training and qualification systems, and finally also training establishments and employers, recognise non-formal and informal learning processes (9).

3.5

The term lifelong learning means ‘all learning activity undertaken throughout life, with the aim of improving knowledge, skills and competences within a personal, civic, social and/or employment-related perspective’  (10). As a result of the Lisbon Council conclusions, lifelong learning has acquired outstanding political significance as a key concept to meet the universally recognised need for a fundamental renewal of the European training model as part of the transition to a knowledge-based economy and society (11). A corresponding, consistent further development/transformation of the structures, operation and teaching and learning methods of the present general and vocational education and training systems assumes a key significance for achieving the Lisbon objectives. In consequence, the new generation of Community action programmes for general and vocational education and training will be combined from 2007 under the overall heading of lifelong learning (12).

3.5.1

A practical, comprehensive realisation of lifelong learning remains in many respects still to be achieved, in terms of supply structures, access possibilities and social demand, as well as of percentage of population participating in its overall composition. The European agencies CEDEFOP and ETF have done a great deal to make it possible for the Member States in general and more specifically for the various interested parties and the appropriate players in the training field to exchange ideas, information and experience (13). In practice, however, a number of important questions remain, including:

3.5.2

In the context of attempts to legislate for lifelong learning, as presented above, there is an effort to define a new division of roles and responsibilities, and a new framework for cooperation at all levels - particularly at local level where, with a view to achieving the Lisbon goals, there is a clear need for vigorous cooperation between the public authorities, the social partners and civil society in general.

3.6

In formal terms, according to the Commission, productivity of work  (14) signifies the amount of work needed for the production of a specific unit. From a macro-economic standpoint, productivity of work is measured by the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of a country per active member of the population (15). Increasing productivity is the most important source of economic growth (16).

4.1

The Union ‘shall implement a vocational training policy which shall support and complement the action of the Member States, while fully respecting the responsibility of the Member States for the content and organisation of vocational training’ (17). The Copenhagen decisions of 2002 mark a qualitatitive forward step in the further development of this policy, which also works towards consistency and synergy with the Lisbon agenda on general education and vocational training by 2010 (18). The Joint interim report of the Council and the Commission on the implementation of the detailed work programme on the follow-up of the objectives of education and training systems in Europe (April 2004) (19) is another step in the same positive direction.

4.1.1

The European agencies CEDEFOP and ETF support the development of vocational education and training in a specific way. In particular they contribute to the implementation of European vocational training policy guidelines by outlining, disseminating and exchanging information, experience and examples of good practice, through commissioned studies and reports and through the preparation and analysis of relevant research work and accounts of practical experience. The European information network Eurydice (20) links up the systems and players of the general education systems in a similar way. These three organisations work together in constructive cooperation, the extent of which is constantly increasing with the growing importance of lifelong learning, which brings with it increasing cooperation and integration between general and vocational education and training.

4.1.2

The Leonardo da Vinci programme (21) is intended to implement the Union's policy in the field of vocational training. It contributes ‘to the promotion of a Europe of knowledge by developing a European area of cooperation in the field of education and vocational training’ and supports ‘Member States' policies on life-long learning and the building up of the knowledge and skills and competences likely to foster active citizenship and employability’  (22). The Member States are responsible for carrying out the programme.

4.1.3

In the context of the development and implementation of lifelong learning, special attention should also be paid to the ‘Grundtvig’ action in the current Socrates II programme, concerned with promoting an integrated educational approach over the whole spectrum of adult education (23).

4.2

The national general and vocational education and training systems were structured and developed essentially to meet the specific needs created over time and on a case-by-case basis by the labour market. As a result their development followed cycles of intensification and slowing corresponding to those of that market. For the same reason, there are significant differences among them. These differences are now giving rise to problems of coordination, assimilation of relevant best practice and mutual comprehension of the terms and concepts used in each case.

4.3

The expenditure of the European Union on vocational training amounts in 2004 to EUR 194 533 900, of which EUR 163 million for the Leonardo da Vinci programme. In comparison, the expenditure on culture of all kinds and levels except education and training amounts to EUR 268 848 500; the total budget of the Directorate-General for Education and Culture is EUR 783 770 054, out of a total Community budget of EUR 92 370 071 153 (24).

4.3.1

This modest budget allocation in comparison with the economic and political importance of vocational education and training is reflected at Member State level. There is general agreement among the leading players at all levels of decision-making that the total funds available for the education and training sector are inadequate for achieving the objectives set.

4.4

Moreover, it should be pointed out that the average percentage of EU citizens undergoing continuing vocational training is low (8,4 %) (25). The Union's objective for 2010 is to raise this percentage to 12,5 % of the potential active population (25-64 age group) (26).

4.5

Efficient, forward-looking continuing vocational training is an integral part of the successful practical implementation of lifelong learning. It is clear that the present systems, together with their learning processes and results, do not meet the requirements either quantitatively or qualitatively. This overall judgment does not exclude the possibility of exceptions in specific branches and contexts where there are high-quality, effective continuing vocational training opportunities. One example could be courses organised within a specific enterprise to cover its specific needs; another could be sectoral training opportunities (27), which have been developed by the European social partners or in cooperation with them.

5.1

All the data from relevant European Commission studies in recent years show that developments in the field of productivity are negative for the Union. ‘During the second half of the 1990s, and following a period of substantial slowdown, the United States saw an acceleration in both labour productivity growth (from an average of 1,2 % in the period 1990-95 to 1,9 % in the period 1995-2001) and in employment growth (from 0,9 % to 1,3 %). In the EU, growth in labour productivity slowed down (from an average of 1,9 % in the first half of the decade to 1,2 % in the period 1995-2001) but employment growth picked up considerably (from a decline of 0,6 % in the first half of the decade to 1,2 % in the period 1995-2001’  (28).

5.2

It is clear that there are considerable differences between the productivity rates of individual EU Member States. The European Commission, in its Communication entitled Productivity: the key to the competitiveness of European economies and enterprises  (29), endeavours to show the causes and effects which this situation can have on the Lisbon objectives. After identifying and explaining the considerable differences between Member States in this respect, the Communication points out that:‘Economic growth will increase only if productivity rises. Improvements in enterprise productivity depend heavily on progress in ICT and innovation, and a labour force better adapted to the needs of industry’  (30).

5.3

The EESC believes that greater productivity in the Union is the key to its overall future. It also considers that all attempts to increase productivity must take place within the framework and with the support of the European social model. Such efforts must be directed towards, and embraced by, all European citizens, they must be geared to medium- and long-term development, be systematic and be determined by a knowledge-based policy and action mix. Lastly, the Committee is convinced that cooperation between the social partners and, more widely, civil society and the public authorities – especially at local level – has a vital role to play in carrying out these measures.

6.1

More generally, in the EESC's view, the following must be clarified with regard to the particular issue in question:

6.2

Against this backdrop, the systems and initiatives of initial vocational education and training, and even more continuing vocational education and training/professional development, should be developed to operate more efficiently than in today's circumstances (34).

6.2.1

The creation today of a modern system for updating knowledge, skills and qualifications requires an unprecedented combination of guidelines, knowledge, targets, operational framework and incentives. More specifically, the following are necessary:

6.2.2

The conditions mentioned above cannot be met in all forms and types of vocational training, whether continuing or not. They form a part of systematic education measures (36), influenced by several aspects and designed (learning + teaching) to lead in the longer term to a culture of education (socialisation) in which knowledge appears as a driving force of progress and synergy appears as an effective force for sustainable development.

6.3

In the Committee's view, a reasonable response to the first two questions posed by the Dutch Presidency would be the following:

6.3.1

With the present nature and mode of operation, European vocational training systems at the initial stage and continuing training have difficulties meeting the requirements of the knowledge society and sustainable economic development. Some of the particular problems these systems face include:

6.3.2

Moreover, there are a number of gaps in strategic aims, means and educational practices which paralyse European educational and training systems. More specifically, these are:

7.1

These observations lead to the very serious assessment that efforts for productivity in Europe have concentrated on the wrong area and timescale. They should have focused on basic education and training, for the acquisition of key competences  (37) while maintaining similar emphasis on lifelong learning (38), as defined above (point 3.5).

7.2

The following proposals consequently refer to educational activities in their entirety – regardless of where responsibility for them lies – and form part of a single approach, requiring a major coordinated campaign to bring all European general and vocational educational and training systems into line with present-day European and worldwide conditions as quickly as possible. More specifically, the following are proposed:

7.2.1

A more all-embracing and critical new approach to the structures and interrelation of European general and vocational educational and training systems . This new approach will favour the development of a better level of communication and cooperation between the sub-systems of the various forms of education so that they can respond effectively to the challenges of globalisation and the mobility which it generates. It will be determined by an awareness of Europe's role as a global partner in the new forms of global political and economic governance.

7.2.1.1

It is strongly emphasised that the new approach must not damage the classical humanist dimension of the European educational and cultural identity. On the contrary, it must cultivate and promote that dimension.

7.2.1.2

In the context of this critical new approach, vocational training should neither acquire independent importance nor, of course, be dealt with in isolation. Like the related training fields, non-formal and informal learning processes, it will need to be embedded in an integrated lifelong learning network. This would be a system which meets citizens' need and demand for general and vocational education and training and is directly and unrestrictedly linked with the great aim of sustainable development.

7.2.2

The EESC has a second position regarding the European perspective and participation in the above process of critical review of the new structures and interrelation of European general and vocational education and training systems.

7.2.2.1

The EESC considers that the scale of the problems, their urgency and, in particular, the considerable cost of resolving them, require immediate steps and research at European level.

7.2.2.2

The aim of such steps and research should certainly not be any type of Union intervention concerning existing structures in European general and vocational education and training systems: their diversity is a source of inestimable richness which should be boosted.

7.2.2.3

What they can offer is alternative forms and best practices for familiarising European general and vocational education and training systems with the new conditions and, in particular, pilot applications and innovative schemes to gear educational systems to the Lisbon objectives, to other major Union aims, and to methods for approaching, seeking, highlighting and exploiting the new, valid global knowledge.

7.2.2.4

In this context, and in particular with regard to productivity and what flows from it, the Union has a role, as always on the basis of the acquis communautaire – a role which it must emphasise and promote, especially at local and regional level.

7.2.2.5

There is a further and highly significant dimension to the Union's participation in the critical review of the new structures and interrelation of European general and vocational education and training systems. It can substantially reduce the economic costs involved by seeking, identifying and promoting relevant new and best practices, on behalf of and in cooperation with the Member States. Lastly, by using the open method of coordination, it can also inject greater mobility and dynamism into the entire effort in order to achieve the common goals.

7.2.3

The EESC's third position concerns the way in which the learning process, of whatever type, can be tied in with the sustainability of economic, social and environmental policies. This EESC position is the most complex and at the same time the most tangible. It is underpinned by relevant experience and can be considered as best practice (39).

7.2.3.1

This position is based on the principle that difficult problems, such as survival and sustainable development, productivity, competitiveness or the realisation of the knowledge society cannot be resolved at a distance from everyday reality, with isolated steps or choices from above. Nor can they be settled as individual problems with fragmentary actions. They are to be resolved by society, through integrated approaches and committed individual and collective involvement. This is why the EESC's central proposal on the ‘how’ of productivity points beyond the European, national and sectoral level to the local level, integrated policies for sustainable development and vigorous reinforcement of all forms of cooperation between the social partners (40) and, more broadly, between organised civil society and local authorities, in order to achieve common objectives (41).

7.2.3.2

The proposal highlights knowledge, know-how and innovation as a coherent subject for cooperation and for joint objectives, representing an aim of central importance.

7.2.3.3

The incentives of individual and corporate sustainability, familiarity with current activities at world level and, very importantly, mutual support for individual and collective developmental efforts, are suggested as a driving force to ensure that the proposal is workable.

7.2.3.4

The ideal tool for developing the proposal would be the establishment of lifelong learning – an institution which can be developed outside the existing rigidities of national education and training systems, and free of any polarisations of the kind created by the very nature of the internal competitive productive system.

7.2.3.5

In any case, and regardless of the services which lifelong learning may offer now or in the future as a comprehensive learning and educational system, a system of pressures and incentives (political and social) must be created immediately so that European educational and training systems can go on (42) to bring their own objectives into line with the Lisbon objectives. These objectives should, in particular, be geared to the following:

7.2.3.6

These above incentives should create a favourable and attractive climate for training and lifelong learning. A climate produced with the specific support of cooperation between educational institutions and, most of all, between educational institutions, companies, civil society and local authorities in promoting procedures and actions matching the Lisbon objectives.

8.1

The allocation of responsibilities as part of a multilateral process to achieve common objectives – especially in the context of globalisation – is a complex issue involving both objective and subjective factors. These include:

8.1.1

Against this backdrop, the participation of individuals, groups of individuals, enterprises or local communities in a process of initial or continuing vocational education and training – and even more of lifelong learning - depends on clarification of aims, means and incentives. The ensuing responsibilities do not therefore fall only to the players in the field of education and training. They also have political and social repercussions, and may be allocated as follows:

8.1.1.1

The political responsibilities concern in principle the creation of a smooth and transparent operating framework with regard to the conditions and limits of economic, social or any other form of operation. The development of relevant preventive policies, the reinforcement of selected forms of political and economic governance and the financing of such policies fall within the scope of political responsibilities.

8.1.1.2

The responsibilities of civil society, the social partners and local and regional authorities in promoting a comprehensive policy of lifelong learning, are also considerable. This basically concerns responsibilities regarding the popularisation of aims, ways and means for the creation of a learning environment. It also concerns responsibilities for devising specific types of cooperation and the necessary all-embracing actions. Lastly, it concerns responsibilities for formulating and ensuring incentives for participation in selected policies and actions, jointly agreed on a case-by-case basis.

8.1.1.3

Corporate responsibilities have an economic and a social aspect. It is the task of companies to define the conditions and limits of their feasibility. Companies should also constantly weigh up their requirements in terms of skills and knowledge by conducting specialised training programmes, both individually and in cooperation with other nearby producers. This applies of course in particular to SMEs, who enjoy a closer link with their operating environment and are obliged to seek the advice and support of the social and economic environment in which they operate, since it is difficult for them to carry out complete educational actions by themselves. This point also illustrates the corporate social responsibility aspect. This dimension is all the more important in the context of economic globalisation, in terms of both the viability of companies themselves and of their social environment.

8.1.1.4

Lastly, individuals bear a range of responsibilities regarding their involvement in a lifelong learning process. They affect changes in points of view, ways of looking at present events and facts, in links with learning and knowledge and changes to the way of life as a whole and to the way free time is organised and used. In consequence, and particularly in the case of older working people, the responsibilities for them to take part in lifelong learning processes must be accompanied by specific obligations and more substantial incentives. This combination of obligations certainly includes the use by individuals of their free time, as well as their share of the added value created by innovation and the new technologies.

8.2

The question of financing of training and, most of all, the financing of lifelong learning is also complex.

8.2.1

Under Article 14 of the European Union's Charter of Fundamental Rights, every citizen of the Union has ‘the right to education and to have access to vocational continuing training’. It must therefore be a public task – for all levels and bodies collectively – to create the preconditions for safeguarding these rights. Guaranteeing the necessary funds is an essential part of this task.

8.2.2

However, beyond this state obligation, the driving force for viability will in general come fundamentally from the competitiveness of the economy – especially towards the exterior – and from the cooperation built up in this connection.

8.2.2.1

Public responsibility for the funding of education in no way excludes the joint responsibility of employers and companies. This joint responsibility does not relate generally to the field of vocational training, nor to qualification and continuing training courses, but to training courses offered within the company with the aim of providing skills specifically useful to that enterprise. Companies need to provide continuous training for their workers so that they can meet the challenge of technological and organisational modernisation and the need for expansion. To this end, both the companies and the workers must be helped and strengthened through incentives agreed and proposed by the social partners. Such incentives have already been referred to by the social partners in the 2004 second joint report on follow-up, in the context of efforts to promote lifelong development of skills and qualifications. The second point of the first chapter of that report reads: ‘National reports illustrate the variety of instruments used by social partners in order to mobilise resources to promote efficient investment in the lifelong competence development. Some instruments are put in place in cooperation with public authorities, be they European or national (use of EU funds, tax incentives, creation of new funds, etc.). Some instruments are more specifically geared towards individual resourcing of competence development’.

8.2.2.2

At all events, investments in competition-related learning and knowledge acquisition should be seen in the context of long-term productive partnerships between local, regional, national and sectoral players and bodies. Such investments are not confined to support for public spending, but bring in a range of resources of varied origin. Taken together all resource applications, expenditure and activities contribute to the long-term process of improving skills.

8.2.3

The fundamental public education task, which also applies in the vocational training field, also calls for a differentiated, case-by-case approach. First of all, certain EU regions and population groups need special economic support, and secondly certain sectors and industrial branches – not least SMEs – deserve special attention.

8.2.3.1

Bodies which fund training at all levels should regard it as important to favour innovation and to develop a heightened sensitivity to operational realities – particularly where SMEs are concerned.

8.2.3.2

Such a case-by-case approach to the funding of lifelong learning in practice should of course respect transparency and start at the right level, i.e. with the cooperation and consent of the social partners and civil society.

8.2.4

The EESC emphasises the urgent need for more rational distribution of resources in connection with the financing of training and lifelong learning. This applies both to the way such resources are allocated and to their impact as investments.

8.2.4.1

The EESC proposes that a high-level report be drawn up, based on relevant research, and including:

8.2.4.2

This research would also serve to reveal issues which are at present hidden. It would also certainly reveal instances of good practice, which could lead to a roadmap of general guidelines for the development of training from now on, with the consistent aim of a comprehensive system of lifelong learning.

9.1

ADEDY – a third-level trade union of Greek civil servants – recently conducted a programme on lifelong learning, entitled ‘Lifelong learning as an individual right in the context of the European social model for the 21st century’. The programme, which was co-funded by DG Education and Culture, took place over a two-year period and was completed in January 2004, and was implemented across a sample of three geographically diverse regional administrations in Greece (Kozani, Kalamata/Messinia and Khalkida/Evvia).

9.2

The initiative set out to increase the awareness of regional trade union officials and, more generally, of regional members of civil society organisations and local authorities, regarding the need to forge local forms of cooperation in working towards the Lisbon objectives, with lifelong learning as the means for bringing this about.

9.3

Regarding the results of the initiative, common frameworks for action (43) were decided unanimously in all three cases, with the following main features:

10.1

The EESC, in the context of its more general view of the essence of the productivity problem today, its understanding of the limits of education and training, but also its awareness of what is feasible at present, would point out the following to the Dutch Presidency with regard to continuing training:

10.1.1

In theory continuing training is intended for adults. Up to only a few years ago it successfully covered the needs for simple skills, at times and in sectors where related technological developments were taking place. This explains why this form of training has developed more in the secondary sector of production.

10.1.2

In the present economic situation technological and other developments are moving at a faster pace, clearly have greater scope, and above all are more all-encompassing. Monitoring and assimilating them require not just skills, but capacities  (44). As a result continuing training as provided today is an inadequate and perhaps ineffectual enterprise. It attempts something inappropriate to it and which cannot be satisfactory.

10.1.3

In parallel with the pace of technological developments, their scope has created training requirements of a modern nature for workers of a much broader age range and in all production sectors. There has been an attempt to meet these requirements in part through training practices of earlier times, but without much result because they did not satisfy objective modern needs. An exception to this has been certain efforts by the social partners at sectoral level.

10.1.4

This, then, is the point reached with continuing training in Europe at present: a point where it is in great need of development and where this need cannot be met for reasons of infrastructure, culture and/or lack of relevant best practice and experience.

10.1.5

Tackling the above situation presupposes a new approach to:

10.1.5.1

The replies to the first two questions are of a theoretical kind and have already been answered in the context of the Lisbon Agenda, lifelong learning and the objective of a knowledge-based society and economy. However, the third question has not yet been answered. The European Council (45) repeatedly took decisions intended to create the necessary mobilisation to fulfil the relevant – in some cases detailed – commitments, but without significant results.

10.1.6

The Europe-wide networking of many enterprises and the mobility of workers call for a European dimension in vocational policy. Despite all the differences in their educational systems, the EU Member States must regard themselves as forming a ‘training area’. The following points are of particular importance to the EESC:

10.1.7

The above perspective of strengthened European educational cooperation to deal in an overall and unified way with the delay which exists in the approach to the Lisbon goals presupposes the following specific political choices:

10.1.8

In the EESC's view the more difficult problems in implementing the above proposal concern funding and making the local forces (public authorities and civil society) operationally available.

10.1.8.1

In an earlier opinion, the EESC stated that ‘Investments of European interest designed to achieve the objectives set in Lisbon should be excluded from the calculation of the public deficit’  (47). In the above context, the funds allocated for lifelong learning would in the EESC's view have a positive effect both on the construction of a knowledge-based Europe and on the promotion of sustainable development.

10.1.8.2

Transferring the focal point of lifelong learning and sustainable development to the local level would liberate new energies, create greater mobilisation and make the whole process more transparent.

10.1.8.3

A more concerted, comprehensive and effective procedure for shaping, promoting and monitoring the implementation and effectiveness of European decisions on education would pave the way for dramatic progress in making up the ground the Union has lost in terms of productivity and in achieving the Lisbon objectives.

10.1.8.4

Lastly, greater use and better coordination of the conventional arenas of educational activity – family, school and work – would boost such progress. A boost of this kind is absolutely essential to attaining the major challenge of making the Union the most dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world by 2010.