Free movement of persons: mobility for students, persons undergoing training, young volunteers, teachers, trainers
2000/0021(COD)
A number of amendments have been adopted without change by the Commission. These relate in particular to:
- the transparency of qualifications;
- clarification of the nature of the transnational voluntary activities;
- specification of the measures designed to reduce the language and cultural obstacles;
- details concerning students and people in training under mobility arrangements;
- unemployment benfits maintained during the training period;
- waiting period for unemployment benefits;
- tax and social security system for teachers;
- definition of trainers.
These amendments are in line with the Commission's own approach in the matters concerned.
Secondly, the amendments concerning the promotion of mobility, raising awareness in applicant countries, abolition fees for issuing or renewing residence permits, proof of sufficient resources and the principle of non-discrimination have been accepted subject to reformulation.
Lastly, the Commission has accepted in part the following amendments:
- acceptance of the reference to the right of residence as an obstacle to mobility;
- rejection to the reference to the disabled;
- rejection of the reference to research workers;
- acceptance of the explicit reference to the most disadvantaged and the most vulnerable groups;
- acceptance of the reference to legal and administrative obstacles;
- acceptance of an approach to third countries targeting the nationals of non-EU countries taking part in a Community programme.
The amendments referring to research workers cannot be accepted on account of the legal basis. The needs of this specific group will be the subject of a specific document as part of the follow-up to the Communication on the "European research area". Moreover, the amendment calling on the Commission and the Member States to ensure the recommendation is followed up has been rejected following a decision by the Commission on 4 October on the resources needed to implement new responsibilities.�