Education, training, research: the obstacles to transnational mobility. Green Paper

The Committee adopted the report by Mrs Luisa TODINI (UPOE, I) on the Commission's Green Paper on obstacles to transnational mobility in education, training and research. While congratulating the Commission on its Green Paper and the excellent analysis of the obstacles, the TODINI report highlights a number of ways of increasing mobility. They concern very specific measures such as validation and certification of skills and competence in vocational training, a statue for trainees in companies, a common definition of apprenticeship, the transferability of study grants, improving social security cover etc. As far as Community programmes are concerned, the report wants better information and, in particular, an increase in funding , for the SOCRATES Programme. Lastly, and most importantly, the report wants the Council to adopt a precise timetable for the Green Paper's recommendations, and to set up a coordinating committee made up of representatives of the Member States which would submit proposals aimed at enabling the Member States to meet the deadlines. This committee would also have to look into practical solutions to the recognition of titles and periods of training.