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European Training Foundation. Recast

2007/0163(COD)

PURPOSE: to recast the Regulation establishing a European Training Foundation (ETF).

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Regulation (EC) No 1339/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a European Training Foundation (recast).

CONTENT: the European Training Foundation (ETF) is a decentralised EU agency created under Council Regulation (EEC) No 1360/90. Since the ETF’s founding Regulation was last amended, there have been important developments in the European Union’s policy outlook in both the education and training and external relations fields, while new instruments have been adopted to implement these policies, such as the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) and the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI). Accordingly, a new amendment to the ETF founding Regulation is necessary to take into account recent developments, to update its role and function and to provide a sound basis for its future work.

The main amendments adopted by the Parliament and the Council, following an agreement reached at second reading, concern the following points:

Objective and scope: the scope of the ETF has been modified in such as way so as to contribute, in the context of EU external relations policies, to improving human capital development, in the following countries:

(a) the countries eligible for support under Regulation (EC) No 1085/2006 (candidate countries and potential candidate countries to accession);

(b) the countries eligible for support under Regulation (EC) No 1638/2006 (countries eligible for the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument); and

(c) in accordance with the Parliament’s wish, possibly other countries designated by decision of the Governing Board and covered by a Community instrument or international agreement that includes an element of human capital development, and as far as available resources allow.

Human capital development shall be defined as work which contributes to the lifelong development of individuals’ skills and competences through the improvement of vocational education and training systems.

In order to achieve its objective, the Foundation may provide assistance to partner countries in: (i) facilitating adaptation to industrial changes (in particular through vocational training and retraining); (ii) improving initial and continuing vocational training in order to facilitate vocational integration and reintegration into the labour market; (iii) encouraging the mobility of instructors and trainees and particularly young people; (iv) stimulating cooperation on training between educational establishments and firms; (v) developing exchanges of experience in issues common to the training systems; (vi) increasing the adaptability of workers, particularly through increased participation in education and training in a lifelong learning perspective; (vii) designing, introducing and implementing reforms in education and training systems, in order to develop employability and labour market relevance.

Functions: the Foundation has been assigned new functions in line with its new objectives. These shall be:

  • to provide information, policy analyses and advice on human capital development issues in the partner countries;
  • to promote knowledge and analysis of skills needs in national and local labour markets;
  • to support relevant stakeholders in partner countries in building capacity in human capital development;
  • to facilitate the exchange of information and experience among donors engaged in human capital development reform in partner countries;
  • to support the delivery of Community assistance to partner countries in the field of human capital development;
  • to disseminate information and encourage networking and the exchange of experience and good practice between the EU and partner countries and amongst partner countries in human capital development issues;
  • to contribute, at the Commission's request, to the analysis of the overall effectiveness of training assistance to the partner countries;
  • to undertake such other tasks as may be agreed between the Governing Board and the Commission.

General provisions and headquarters: the Foundation shall have its seat in Turin (Italy) and all the general provisions have been maintained: legal personality; application of rules on transparency concerning its activities and rules on confidentiality for certain information; structured cooperation with other competent Community bodies, such as the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop), so as to avoid duplication of effort. The Foundation may also establish co-operation agreements with other relevant bodies active in the human capital development field in the EU and worldwide.

The Foundation’s governing structures: the new Regulation provides for a governing structure which shall take the following form:

  • a Governing Board whose competences are listed in the Regulation, consisting of, as is currently the case, one representative of each Member State, three representatives of the Commission, as well as three non-voting experts appointed by the European Parliament. In addition, three representatives of the partner countries may attend meetings of the Governing Board as observers. The term of office of representatives shall be five years. It shall be renewable once;
  • a Director appointed by the Governing Board for a period of five years from a list of at least three candidates submitted by the Commission. Before being appointed, the candidate selected by the Governing Board shall be invited to make a statement before the European Parliament. The Director’s activities may be subject to an evaluation by the Commission, which, according to the results obtained, may propose to extend the term of office of the Director once for not more than three years. The Director’s competences are listed in the Regulation.

Annual work programme: there are provisions on establishing an annual work programme and an annual activity report to be submitted, inter alia, to the European Parliament.

Budget and budgetary control: the Regulation provides for the same provisions on budgetary management and budgetary procedure applicable to all Community agencies.

Staff regulations: the staff of the Foundation shall be governed by the rules and regulations applicable to the officials and other servants of the European Communities.

Participation of third countries: the Foundation shall be open to the participation of countries which are not Member States of the Community and which share the commitment of the Community and the Member States to the provision of aid in the human capital development field to the partner countries, under arrangements to be laid down in agreements between the Community and themselves.

Evaluation and review: any future revisions of the Regulation shall be subject to a number of subsequent evaluations to be conducted every four years. Moreover, if the Commission considers that the existence of the Foundation is no longer justified, it may propose that this Regulation be repealed.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 20/01/2009. As of this date, Regulations (EEC) No 1360/90, (EC) No 2063/94, (EC) No 1572/98, (EC) No 1648/2003 and Article 16 of Regulation (EC) No 2666/2000 shall be repealed.