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

(a)

initial vocational training means any form of initial vocational training, including technical and vocational teaching, apprenticeship and vocationally oriented education, which contributes to the achievement of a vocational qualification recognised by the competent authorities in the Member State in which it is obtained,

(b)

work-linked training means vocational training, at any level including higher education. This vocational training, recognised or certified by the competent authorities of the Member State of provenance according to its own legislation, procedures or practices, involves structured periods of training in an undertaking and, where appropriate, in a vocational training establishment or centre,

(c)

continuing vocational training means any vocational training undertaken by a worker in the Community during his or her working life,

(d)

life-long learning means the education and vocational training opportunities offered to individuals throughout their lives to enable them continually to acquire, update and adapt their knowledge, skills and competences,

(e)

open and distance vocational training means any form of flexible vocational training involving:

• the use of ICT techniques and services in traditional or modern form, and

• support in the form of individualised advice and mentoring,

(f)

European pathways for work-linked vocational training and apprenticeship means any period which is completed by a person in a Member State other than the one where his or her work-linked vocational training is based, which forms part of the work-linked vocational training,

(g)

vocational guidance means a range of activities such as counselling, information, assessment and advice, to assist people to make choices relating to initial and continuing vocational education and vocational training programmes, and to employment opportunities,

(h)

undertaking means all undertakings in the public or private sector whatever their size, legal status or the economic sector in which they operate, and all types of economic activities, including the social economy,

(i)

workers means all persons available on the labour market in accordance with national laws and practices, including the self-employed,

(j)

vocational training bodies means any type of public, semi-public or private establishment which, in accordance with national laws and/or practices design or undertake vocational training, further vocational training, refresher vocational training or retraining, irrespective of the designation given to it in the Member States,

(k)

university means any type of higher education institution, according to national legislation or practice, which offers qualifications or diplomas at that level, whatever such establishments may be called in the Member States,

(l)

students means persons registered in universities as defined in this Annex, whatever their field of study, in order to follow higher education studies leading to a degree or diploma, up to and including the level of doctorate,

(m)

social partners means, at national level, employers' and workers' organisations in conformity with national laws and/or practices and, at Community level, employers' and workers' organisations taking part in the social dialogue at Community level,

(n)

local and regional partners means any player in regional and local life — local authority, association, local chambers of commerce and associations, consortia, advisory bodies, the media — participating in local or regional cooperation activities which include vocational training,

(o)

European organisations means social partners at Community level, European employers' and trade union federations in specific sectors, and bodies and organisations with a European status or scope,

(p)

reference material means all the analyses, studies, surveys and identification of good practice which make it possible to locate, at Community level, the relative position of the various Member States and the progress made on a given subject or in a given area.