RECOMMENDATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on key competences for lifelong learning

A Working Group on basic skills, established in 2001 in the  context of Education and Training 2010 work programme, has developed a framework of key competences needed in a knowledge society and prepared with a number of recommendations on ensuring that all citizens can acquire them. 

The 2004 Joint Interim report of the Council and the Commission on the progress of the Education and Training 2010 work programme made the case for common European references and principles to support national policies, facilitate and encourage reform, and gave priority to the key competences framework.

The Recommendation proposed here therefore presents a European reference tool for key competences and suggests how access to these competences can be ensured for all citizens through lifelong learning.

Its objectives are to:

1) Identify and define the key competences necessary for personal fulfilment,  social cohesion and employability in a knowledge society. 

2) Support Member States' work on ensuring that by the end of initial education  and training young people have developed the key competences to a level that equips them for adult life, and that adults are able to develop and update them throughout their lives. 

3) Provide a European level reference tool, the annexed Key Competences for  Lifelong Learning - a European Reference Framework5 for policy makers, education providers, employers, and learners themselves to facilitate national and European level effort towards commonly agreed objectives. 

4) Provide a framework for further action at Community level both within the  Education and Training 2010 work programme and within the Community Education and Training Programmes.