Lifelong education and training. Memorandum

The Council held an in-depth exchange of views on the basis of the Commission communication on making a European area of lifelong learning a reality. The subject was discussed both by the Education Ministers and by the Youth Affairs Ministers. The Feira European Council in June 2000 instructed the Member States, the Council and Commission to draw up, each within their own sphere of competence, coherent strategies and practical measures to make lifelong learning accessible to all. The subject is of particular importance for the preparation of the Barcelona European Council in March 2002. The Council was unanimous in stressing the crucial importance of lifelong learning both for the personal and professional development of European citizens and for achieving the strategic objective defined at the Lisbon European Council in 2000. In conclusion, the President observed that it had been a good discussion and announced the Presidency's intention to draw up two documents on the basis of the interventions that had been made: a document summarising the Member States' various positions which would be forwarded to the Barcelona European Council in March, and a text for submission to the next Education and Youth Affairs Council meeting on 30 May which would cover the latest lifelong learning measures. The Youth Affairs Ministers agreed to submit a contribution for the discussion initiated by the Education Ministers.�