EDUCATION AND YOUTH COUNCIL, NOVEMBER
2006
Letter from Shaun Woodward MP, Minister
for Creative Industries and Tourism, Department for Culture, Media
and Sport to the Chairman
I am writing to inform you of the agenda for
the next Council meeting, which will take place in Brussels on
13-14 November.
SUMMARY
Please find below details on the agenda items
relevant to Culture and Audiovisual (Items 3 to 6 and 12 a to
f).
DETAIL
Item 3
Agreement to a general approach on the Proposal
for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council
amending Council Directive 89/552 EEC on the coordination of certain
principles laid down by law, regulation or administrative action
in Member States concerning the pursuit of television broadcasting
activities.
The Council hope to agree a general approach
on the TVWF proposal. In effect agreement would mean that the
Council as a whole agreed the existing text as the basis for discussion
between the Council and the European Parliament during the German
Presidency.
Item 4
Draft Council conclusions on the digitisation
and online accessibility of cultural material, and digital preservation.
The Council is expected to adopt the draft Council
Conclusions on digitisation.
Item 5
European Capital of Culture
(a) Draft Council Decision on the European Capital
of Culture event for the year 2010.
(b) Draft Council Decision appointing the two
members of the selection panel in the context of the Community
action "European Capital of Culture".
Item 6
Council work plan for culture 2005-06—Economy
of culture in Europe
This will involve an exchange of views on a
number of questions relating to a recent study on the "Economy
of Culture in Europe".
Items 12 a-f
These are all points of information from the
Presidency, Commission or other Member States' delegations. They
relate to:
(a) Council work plan in the field of culture
2005-06
(i) Mobility Collections (information from
the Presidency);
(ii) Extension of the Work plan 2005-06 until
31 December 2007 (information from the Presidency);
(b) European Heritage Label (information from
Greece);
(c) EU-Russia Expert meeting on the implementation
of the culture road map of the Fourth common space (information
from the Presidency);
(d) Nomination of Guimara®es as Portuguese
European Capital of Culture 2012 (information from Portugal);
(e) Candidature of Wroclaw for the organisation
of the Expo 2012 world exhibition (information from Poland); and
(f) Results of the European Cultural Meetings
Europe of Neighbours: New Perspectives in Lublin (12-13 October
2006) (information from Poland).
We will ensure that the outcomes of the Council
meeting are reported to the Committees in due course.
8 November 2006
Letter from Bill Rammell MP, Minister
of State for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education,
Department for Education and Skills to the Chairman
I am writing to confirm the items for discussion
at the Education and Youth Council on 13-14 November. It is expected
that Peter Peacock, Minister for Education and Young People, Scottish
Executive, will represent the UK at Youth Council, and I will
represent the UK at Education Council. Anne Lambert, UK Deputy
Permanent Representative to the EU, will attend both Councils.
The agenda for Youth Council on 13 November
is quite light. Ministers will have an exchange of views on "Better
understanding and knowledge of youth", for which the UK will
table a paper. The draft Resolution on implementing common objectives
for young people to promote their active European citizenship
has been removed from the formal Council agenda, but may be adopted
as an A point. The UK is content with the Resolution.
On 14 November, the Education Council will be
asked to agree conclusions on the future priorities for enhanced
cooperation on Vocational Education and Training, and on efficiency
and equity in education and training. The UK supports both of
these draft conclusions. A discussion is expected on the subject
of efficiency and equity, and we will outline our domestic priorities
in this area, discussing either the Government's Childcare Strategy
and Sure Start and/or the importance of diversifying funding sources
for higher education.
Ministers will be asked to agree a General Approach
on the Recommendation to establish the European Qualifications
Framework for lifelong learning (EQF). No significant discussion
of this issue is expected. The UK fully supports this proposal
and believes it will be a practical way to facilitate the mobility
of learners and workers between Member States.
Following discussion of the above issues there
will be an exchange of views on modernising higher education in
Europe, including how the proposed European Institute of Technology
can be used to increase competitiveness and innovation.
The UK's intervention will focus on increasing
links between Higher Education and business and the importance
of peer learning, on which we will call for further sharing of
good practice. The UK will be supportive of the Commission's analysis
of the challenges facing Higher Education systems in Europe and
I will highlight the importance of Member States implementing
reform. I will be clear that the EIT is just one element of the
modernisation of Higher Education, but will support the concept
of the EIT, whilst making it clear that the budget must provide
value for money.
Following the Council on 13 November there will
be an informal meeting of Ministers to discuss the reform of the
European Schools.
10 November 2006
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