Vocational training policy: Community action programme 1995-1999, LEONARDO DA VINCI

This decision (94/819/EC) establishes an action programme entitled "LEONARDO DA VINCI" to implement a vocational training policy in the Community which supports and complements action taken by the Member States. It covers a period of five years (from 1 January 1995 to 31 December 1999) and the amount deemed necessary (ADN) to implement it is ECU 620 million. Objectives and implementation: the purpose of LEONARDO is to improve the quality of vocational training systems and arrangements in the Member States and to promote innovation in the training process and the European dimension in training at all levels through a series of measures. It provides, in particular, for: - a common framework of objectives for Community action in this area including, in addition to general objectives for the quality and promotion of training systems in the Member States: . the promotion of lifelong learning, . adaptation of training to industrial change, . training to help with reinsertion in the labour market (especially for unskilled adults), . measures to increase the mobility of teachers and young people, . cooperation between training establishments and companies and - a set of Community measures to support and complement action taken by the Member States by: . supporting improvements to vocational training systems and arrangements in the Member States (designing transnational pilot projects, implementing placement and exchange programmes for young people in vocational training, young workers and teachers); . supporting improvements to vocational training projects for enterprises and workers, including through university/enterprise cooperation (transnational pilot projects on innovation in training and placement programmes for young people in enterprises); . supporting improved language skills and knowledge and the dissemination of innovation in the field of vocational training; . flanking measures, including support for a cooperation network between Member States, and information measures. Coherence and complementarity: LEONARDO should be implemented in coherence with all Community initiatives in this area (SOCRATES) and should take over smoothly from existing programmes (COMETT, FORCE, EUROTECNET, LINGUA and PETRA). The programme is open to the associated countries of Eastern Europe, Cyprus and Malta. Comitology: the Commission will be assisted by a mixed management/advisory committee. The advisory committee will be assisted by two sub-committees in specific areas (vocational, initial, continuing training and university/enterprise cooperation ). Representatives of the social partners may attend committee meetings with observer status.�