Council Decision of 26 April 1999 establishing the second phase of the Community vocational training action programme ‘Leonardo da Vinci’ (1999/382/EC)

SECTION II: U.K. MEASURES

1. Mobility U.K.

Support for transnational mobility projects for people undergoing vocational training, especially young people, and for trainers. U.K.

Community support will be provided for the following actions:

(a)

preparation and implementation of transnational placement projects for:

• people undergoing initial vocational training (placements of normally three weeks to nine months in vocational training institutions and undertakings; these placements form an integral part of the vocational training programme for the people concerned),

• students (placements of three to twelve months in undertakings),

• young workers and recent graduates (placements of two to twelve months in vocational training institutions and undertakings);

Whenever possible, these placements should involve the validation of skills and competences acquired during the placement, according to the practices of the country of origin.

These placements may also include projects which are part of ‘European pathways for work-linked vocational training and apprenticeship’ within the meaning of Decision 1999/51/EC(1).

The transnational placement projects for people undergoing vocational training which involve SMEs and craft industry as host bodies will receive special financial support under the conditions described below.

(b)

The organisation of transnational projects of exchanges

• between undertakings, on the one hand, and vocational training organisations or universities, on the other, targeting human resources managers in the business sector, and vocational training programme planners and managers, particularly trainers, and occupational guidance specialists,

• for trainers and mentors in the area of language competences (between the business sector, on the one hand, and the specialised language vocational training establishments, including universities, or vocational training bodies on the other).

Exchanges for these target groups will last between one week and a maximum of six weeks.

(c)

Study visits for those responsible for vocational training on the themes proposed by the Commission can be provided by the cedefop.

The transnational placement and exchange projects may last up to two years. For the implementation of placement and exchange projects, measures for specific help for disabled participants are to be elaborated by the Committee referred to in Article 7 of the Decision.

Funding U.K.

The Community's financial contribution to the transnational placement and exchange projects defined under this measure may not exceed EUR 5 000 per beneficiary for a placement or an exchange - the maximum amount of this contribution corresponding to the maximum duration indicated in (a) and (b). This maximum amount may be exceeded in the case of participants with a disability.

For this measure, the Commission will allocate to each Member State an annual global grant the amount of which will be defined in accordance with the procedures described in Annex II.

Up to 10 % of this allocation will be set aside, in accordance with procedures agreed upon with the management structure concerned to help:

• SME promoters submitting their first application to the programme. The sum may not exceed EUR 500 per promoter,

• all promoters preparing the target group mentioned under (a). The sum allowed for the pedagogic, cultural and linguistic preparation of that target group, may not exceed EUR 200 per placement of less than three months duration or EUR 500 per placement of more than three months duration, with a ceiling of EUR 25 000 per promoter.

This amount is on top of that set aside for the sending organisation for the management and monitoring of transnational placement projects.

Any unused part of this allocation may be redeployed by the management structure elsewhere within this measure. The reasons for the redeployment must be communicated to the Commission.

2. Pilot projects U.K.

Support for transnational pilot projects to develop and transfer innovation and quality in vocational training, including actions aiming at the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in vocational training. U.K.

Community support is available for the design, development, testing and assessment of transnational pilot projects to develop and/or disseminate innovation in vocational training.

Such transnational pilot projects may relate to the development of quality in vocational training, to the development of new methods of vocational training and to vocational guidance in the context of lifelong learning.

Transnational pilot projects may also aim at:

• developing the use of ICT in vocational training actions and products,

• promoting access for people undergoing vocational training to new tools, services and vocational training products which use ICT,

• supporting the development of transnational open and distance vocational training networks through the use of ICT (multimedia products, WEB sites, network transmission, etc.),

• designing, testing and validating new vocational training approaches arising from new work situations (e.g. teleworking).

Community support for projects under this measure may be available for up to three years.

Thematic actions U.K.

Special support will be given to a small number of projects on themes of particular interest at Community level, for example:

• the development of new methods of promoting transparency with an emphasis on new forms of certification or accreditation of skills and expertise learned on the job,

• actions in support of Member States' policies and initiatives to equip with appropriate skills those at a disadvantage in the labour market, particularly those young people who have no qualifications or people whose qualifications need updating,

• developing European arrangements for vocational guidance, counselling and vocational training in business-related services.

Funding U.K.

The Community may contribute up to 75 % of eligible expenditure for the transnational pilot projects, with a ceiling of EUR 200 000 per year and per project. For the thematic actions, the ceiling may be raised to EUR 300 000 per year and per project, if justified by the scope of the project concerned.

3. Language competences U.K.

Support for projects to promote language and cultural competences in vocational training U.K.

Community support is available for transnational pilot projects to develop language competences in a vocational training context. Special attention will be paid to projects on less widely used and taught languages.

The point of these projects is to design, test and validate, assess and disseminate teaching material as well as innovative pedagogical methods tailored to the specific needs of each occupational area and economic sector, including through the use of language audits, and also innovatory pedagogical approaches based on language self-tuition and the dissemination of their results.

Proposals for linguistic and cultural support may also be submitted under other actions and measures, particularly in order to improve language and cultural competences amongst the trainers and mentors responsible for the pedagogic supervision of people taking part in transnational mobility programmes.

Community support is also available for transnational programmes between the business sector on the one hand and the specialised language vocational training establishments or vocational training bodies on the other.

Community support for projects under this meaure may be available for up to three years.

Funding U.K.

The Community may contribute up to 75 % of eligible expenditure, with a ceiling of EUR 200 000 per project and per year.

4. Transnational networks U.K.

Support for transnational networks of European expertise and dissemination U.K.

Community support is available for the activities of multi-player vocational training networks, bringing together in the Member States, at the regional or sectoral level, the public and private players concerned. Those players include the local authorities, local chambers of commerce, trade organisations for employers and employees, undertakings and research and vocational training centres - including universities - as providers of services, advice and information on access to validated vocational training methods and products. These activities aim at:

(i)

assembling, distilling and building on European expertise and innovatory approaches,

(ii)

improving the analysis and anticipation of skills requirements,

(iii)

disseminating the network outputs and project results throughout the Union in the appropriate circles.

Community support for transnational networks may be available for up to three years.

Funding U.K.

The Community may contribute up to 50 % of eligible expenditure for the activities of transnational networks, with a ceiling of EUR 150 000 per year and per network.

5. Reference material U.K.

Support for actions to establish, update and disseminate reference material U.K.

Community support is available for actions undertaken on a transnational basis on priority themes of common interest. Such actions shall make a contribution to:

• establishing comparable data on vocational training systems and arrangements, practices and various approaches to qualifications and competences in the Member States, or

• producing quantitative and/or qualitative information, analyses and observing best practices in support of policies and vocational training practices for lifelong learning that cannot be made available by Eurostat or Cedefop. Eurostat and Cedefop are closely associated with the production of statistical instruments within the procedures currently in place notably those defined by Council Regulation (EC) No 322/97 of 17 February 1997 on Community Statistics(2), taking into account Council Decision 99/126/EC of 22 December 1998 on the Community statistical programme 1998 to 2002(3).

Community support for projects under this measure may be available for up to three years.

The Commission and the Member States will ensure that such reference material is disseminated as widely as possible, particularly in order to make it available to public and private decision-makers in vocational training.

Funding U.K.

The Community's financial contribution will be between 50 % and 100 % of eligible expenditure, with a ceiling of EUR 200 000 per year and per project. If justified by the scope of the project proposed, this ceiling could be raised to EUR 300 000.

6. Joint actions U.K.

1. For the joint actions described in Article 6 of the Decision, Community support may be provided for joint actions with other Community actions promoting a Europe of knowledge, particularly the Community programmes in the fields of education and youth. U.K.

2. Such joint actions may be carried out by common calls for proposals for selected themes of interest in fields of activity which are not exclusively covered by one single programme. The themes for joint actions will be agreed by the committees concerned, in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 7(2), (3) and (4) of the Decision. U.K.

The common calls for proposals may also respond to new demands originating during the running of the programmes concerned.

Community support for projects under this measure may be available for up to three years.

Funding U.K.

The Community may contribute up to 75 % of eligible expenditure.

7. Accompanying measures U.K.

1. To attain the objectives set out in Article 2 of the Decision, Community support is available for: U.K.

• management, coordination, monitoring and evaluation activities by the Member States as described in Articles 5 and 13 and of the Decision and in Section 1(6) of this Annex,

• information, monitoring, assessment and dissemination activities by the Member States and the Commission to facilitate access to the programme and consolidate the transfer of methods, products and tools designed, and of the results obtained by this programme, among others through data banks accessible to a wide public,

• the transnational network of national resource centres for vocational guidance,

• cooperation activities with third countries and with relevant international organisations according to Article 11 of the Decision.

2. Community financial assistance shall be provided to support the activities of the appropriate structures set up by the Member States in accordance with Article 5 of the Decision. U.K.

3. In carrying out the programme, the Commission can have recourse to technical assistance organisations the financing of which shall be provided for within the overall envelope for the programme. It can, under the same conditions, have recourse to experts. Furthermore, the Commission will be able to organise seminars, colloquia or other meetings of experts, likely to facilitate the implementation of the programme and take forward information, publication and dissemination actions. U.K.

4. The respective roles and operational tasks of the technical assistance organisation(s) and the national management structures must be clearly defined, in accordance with Article 5. U.K.

(1)

OJ L 17, 22.1.1999, p. 45.

(2)

OJ L 52, 22.2.1997, p. 1.

(3)

OJ L 42, 16.2.1999, p. 1.