Mobility 4
Mobility 4 : For several years, mobility has played a crucial role in the strategy of cooperation at European level. The Commission first published a Green Paper on the obstacles to mobility in 1996. Now, the indications are that the achievements of the European Union (EU) programmes have prompted a general determination to open up international mobility. For example, in Spring 2000 education ministers from the G8 countries (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russian Federation, United Kingdom and United States), referring to the success of the Erasmus programme, made a commitment to doubling the mobility of students, teachers, researchers and administrative staff in the education sector by 2010. This general wish to give free rein to international mobility was reflected in a recommendation of the European Parliament and the Council, adopted in July 2001, and in an action plan on skills and mobility in February 2002 with a view to opening the European Job Mobility portal, making European labour markets accessible to all by 2005. This action plan called on the EU Member States, businesses and workers themselves to make a greater effort to meet the new requirements of the labour market and also set the European governments the short-term objective of introducing a European health insurance card. Despite the surprising results achieved (more than one million students have now taken part in the Erasmus programme), one of the major obstacles for people wanting to work or learn in another EU country, or indeed to move between different parts of the labour market, is that their qualifications and competences may not be accepted. This is further complicated by the proliferation of qualifications worldwide, the diversity of national qualification systems and education and training structures, and constant changes in these systems. To tackle these obstacles, the EU has introduced several instruments, aiming at facilitating the transfer of qualifications and competences for academic or professional purposes, as reflected in the Education and Training Programme 2010. See: Education; Professional training; Vocational training
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