Organisation: Influencing Public Policy |
(Lisbon Summit – March 2000)
A NIACE Response
Published April 2000
NIACE welcomes the initiative of the Portuguese Presidency in identifying a new vision and strategy for Europe to base its economic progress and social cohesion on the advancement of a knowledge society. In particular, NIACE welcomes the proposals of the Presidency and the Commission for:
| The co-ordination of policies and processes; |
| Improving access to lifelong learning and IT skills for all; |
| The concentration on and mainstreaming of social inclusion; |
| Establishing targets and reviewing progress; |
| Promoting dialogue with a wide range of actors including the Social Partners. |
Based upon NIACE's wide and diverse expertise and experience in the fields of lifelong learning, including adult education, work based learning, widening participation, guidance and combating social exclusion, we would make the following recommendations to the Presidency, Commission, European Parliament, National Governments and the Social Partners
It is necessary to improve the co-ordination of European policies and programmes that relate to education and training, lifelong learning, employment, regional development and social inclusion. The current fragmentation of vision, management and decision making systems which occurs at Commission, national and regional levels reduces the effectiveness of European resources which are available, for example through the Structural Funds (including ESF) and the Education and Training Funds (including Socrates and Leonardo)
Co-ordination and synergy should be established at all levels to enable this investment in human resources to provide added value, encourage innovation and sustainable good practise and an effective and comprehensive set of actions to address social exclusion.
NIACE recommends that the Commission improves the co-ordination and integration of European human resource policies and programmes and sets targets for joined up approaches to be established by itself and Member States.
The presidency and the Commission have expressed their commitment to full employment and the investment in lifelong learning for all, including young people, older workers and the under and unemployed. However an inclusive approach would take into account those who are outside of the labour market. For example, an active ageing policy should recognise the impact of the knowledge economy on those who are past retirement age including:
| the need of older people for continued learning in a period of rapid and pervasive technological change; |
| the contribution that older people can make to build a socially cohesive society, as active citizens; |
| the danger of the exclusion of older people if they are denied the opportunity to participate. |
The needs, contributions and dangers of exclusion of other groups who may not be seen as part of the labour market, such as carers and those with severe disabilities, should also be considered.
NIACE recommends that the needs of older people (and other groups considered not to be economically active), for lifelong learning are highlighted and included in the action plan for promoting inclusion in the knowledge based economy.
The encouragement of organisations (including small and medium enterprises, associations, towns and cities) to become quality learning organisations, and for socially excluded groups to gain access to successful learning experiences will require supportive, and flexible expertise. Centres of Excellence, which could provide advise in developing learning cultures, the researching, recording, promotion and dissemination of good practise, monitoring, evaluation and consultancy would be invaluable in the development of a European learning society.
NIACE recommends that a network of Centres of Expertise for a Europe of Lifelong learning be established to provide expertise and support to the European Institutions and to organisations, enterprises, associations and communities.
Both the Presidency and the Commission recognise the importance of involving and consulting the actors, including the Social Partners, National, Regional and Local Governments, the European Parliament etc. In addition NIACE recommends the involvement of NGOs who are often the closest to the citizens and reflect the diversity of interests, cultures and groups (including those vulnerable to exclusion) that make up Europe’s civil society. It would be appropriate for the organisations that make up the Social Platform to be included and European Associations that are committed to lifelong learning with a European dimension.
Main points from the document of the Portuguese Presidency on Employment, Economic Reforms and Social Cohesion – towards a Europe based on innovation and knowledge
The Presidency document establishes a new strategic goal for Europe, which is, within the next 10 years, to make the European Union the world’s most dynamic and competitive area, based on innovation and knowledge, able to boost economic growth levels with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion.
This requires regaining the conditions of full employment, an annual growth rate of at least 3%; a culture of entrepreneurship; strengthened social cohesion, and the transition to a knowledge based society, which addresses the problems of social exclusion.
The paper sets out the means to achieve the goal and highlights the need to co-ordinate and develop the institutional processes, namely the Cologne process on macro economic policies, the Cardiff process on structural reforms and the Luxembourg process on employment policies.
The intention is not to launch a new Lisbon process, but to initiate some new dimensions and promote dialogue with a variety of actors.
The new proposals relevant to lifelong learning include:
| A European Policy for an information and knowledge based society, involving improved training for workers in IT; open learning centres; encouraging learning organisations; the European accreditation of skills; guidance and support particularly for those vulnerable to exclusion, and the modernisation of public services using IT to improve citizens access. |
| The creation of a European wide learning society which recognises the need of target groups, businesses and the large mass of workers for lifelong learning and new forms of funding and time management; flexibility of accreditation and guidance. Greater co-ordination between member States should encourage a European Charter of Basic Skills. |
| Renewing the European Social Model, by creating jobs in the service sector, reversing the trend of early retirement and increasing the rate of female employment. The French presidency will be developing the European social agenda. However the Lisbon Council will be undertaking a mid term review of the European employment strategy and give priority to strengthening the synergies between adaptability and lifelong learning. |
| Modernising social protection, including examining the need to strengthen employability and adaptability on the basis of lifelong learning to prevent unemployment; promoting active ageing and combating early retirement and making working time flexible throughout working life to enable a balance of family and work responsibilities and access to training. |
The presidency recognises the need to involve many actors in this quest for co-ordination of actions, including the Social partners, the European Parliament, the committee of the regions etc. A high-level forum will be held in June, which may become an annual event. Other organisations and associations will seek a voice and the opportunity to put forward ideas, including NIACE.
Main points from the Contribution of the European Commission – An Agenda of Economic and Social Renewal for Europe
The Commissions contribution identifies the need to re-orientate policies to capture the benefits of the new knowledge based society, while economic conditions are right.
The challenge is to meet Europe’s full employment potential, which if it were to match the US, would enable an additional 30 million people to gain work.
The main features of Europe’s employment deficit are a gender gap (women are under represented), a services gap (the EU has a relatively low level of employment in the service sectors), a skills gap (particularly noticeable in IT), an age gap (low rates of unemployment in the 55 to 65 age group); regional imbalances and long term structural unemployment.
Adapting basic educational structures to new needs and extra investment in lifelong learning and training are essential for long term economic and social success.
The costs of under employment, poverty and social exclusion are estimated to be between 12% and 20% of GDP. Social inclusion must be mainstreamed in policy making.
The way forward is to integrate and operationalise economic, social and political objectives, and establish targets, dates and deadlines for action.
The two main policy strands are:
Pursuing economic reform to prepare for the knowledge economy
And
Strengthening the European social model by investing in people
The Lisbon summit provides the opportunity to identify priorities, establish targets and monitoring mechanisms, which link and co-ordinate the employment policy, structural reform and macro economic processes.
No new processes are needed but Europe must make better use of the full range of existing instruments.
The Commissions’ paper refers to lifelong learning in the section dealing with the European social model and the challenges of unemployment, poverty and exclusion.
‘The key is to put people at the centre of the Union’s policies. This means investing in people, increasing knowledge and skills; establishing lifelong learning for lifelong opportunities; ensuring full participation in society; helping the work force to become more adaptable; and making social protection more sustainable and ‘active’ to deal with an ageing population; ensuring equality of opportunity – In short enriching the European concept of public service.’
Education and training are seen as vital in preparing for the knowledge based society and there are a range of recommendations and targets for pre school, primary and secondary education, school leavers and young people. Digital literacy skills and access to lifelong training for all should be guaranteed by 2005. The share of investment in human resources as a proportion of GDP should be raised by 50% by 2010.
To combat social exclusion the Commission proposes that a comprehensive action plan for promoting inclusion in the knowledge based economy should be decided upon at the Council meeting in June 2000 and that targets to reduce the numbers of people living in poverty should be agreed.
The Commission identifies the crucial role of the social partners in this process and invites them to launch discussion later this year on all aspects of the knowledge economy including lifelong learning.
The measures outlined involve action at European, national, regional and local levels and better use of the instruments already available. At least once a year the European council should evaluate progress towards the targets.
