The Commission
states that the common position is, in substance and to a large extent, in
line with the Commission's proposal and therefore can be supported fully.
It is the
result of intense inter-institutional negotiations. Informal and technical meetings
have pinpointed avenues for compromise on a number of outstanding issues:
thematic remit, functions, legal basis, geographical scope, budgetary implications,
composition of the Governing board and procedure for appointing the director
of the ETF.
The main
subjects of negotiation on which an agreement had been reached were the
following:
- The
thematic remit: the
ETF recast foresees a wider perception of training in the context of a lifelong
learning as a key factor for the development of economies and knowledge
societies in accordance with the Lisbon objectives. Moreover, the recast
regulation would allow the ETF to assume a leading role in the reform of
vocational education and training (VET) and related labour market issues
in partner countries as part of a wider programme of Human Capital
Development (HCD).
- The
functions: the
introduction of the new external relations policy instruments, which are
designed to help partner countries achieve reforms in different sectors,
marks a significant step towards policy driven rather than
programme-driven approach to external assistance. In this context the
ETF needs a mandate that allows it to fully play its role as a centre of
expertise assisting both partner countries and European Commission in
the development of policies and appropriate reform strategies. The ETF
will assist the partner countries in capacity building and in the
definition and implementation of reform strategies adapted to the
national context. Moreover, the ETF will promote networking and exchange
of experiences and good practices between the EU and partner countries
and among partner countries themselves.
- Legal
basis: the Commission's proposal replaces
the previously used Article 235 of the Treaty establishing the European
Community by Article 150 as ETF remains closely related to the EU policy
in vocational education and training (VET). This legal basis provides
more clarity in the work and functions of the ETF. Nevertheless, VET
needs to be understood not in its traditional sense but in the global
context of a lifelong learning policy, including aspects such as
labour-market issues, social inclusion and civic participation. In this
sense, Article 150 provides a sufficient legal basis for the work of the
ETF within its new broader thematic remit.
- Geographical
scope: the ETF maintains its geographical
focus in accession and neighbouring countries of the EU through the
Instrument for Pre-accession (IPA) and the European Neighbourhood and
Partnership Instrument (ENPI). However, the new regulation also provides
the ETF with the possibility to operate in other regions, in accordance
with EU external relations priorities and on the basis of an ad hoc
decision taken by the ETF Governing Board on proposal from the
Commission.
- Budgetary
implications: this proposal does not
introduce any new activities for the ETF. Its objective is rather to
provide for an updated and clearer definition of ETF's current
functions, under a wider thematic remit and a renewed geographical
scope. There are not budgetary implications, however, the new focus on
information and policy analysis tasks is a labour intensive work and requires
an important investment on behalf of the ETF in terms of staff training
and qualification.
As regards the
two remaining issues, the position of the Commission is as follows:
- Composition
of the Governing Board: although the
Commission regrets that its original position on the issue has not been
accepted by Council and Parliament (six representatives of Member States
and six representatives of the Commission) it can accept the compromise
solution consisting of one representative per Member State, three
representatives of the Commission and three non voting experts from the
European Parliament, as well as three representatives of partner
countries as observers;
- Procedure
for appointing the director of the ETF: the
Commission can accept the proposal that the candidate selected by the
Governing Board would be invited for a hearing by the competent committee/s
of the European Parliament.
The Common
Position meets the aims of the Commission's initial proposal. The Commission therefore
supports the text. Since the two co-legislators have reached a political
agreement on the Common Position, 2nd reading proceedings of
Parliament in accepting the Council's Common Position should be concluded
relatively swiftly.