Press Release: Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council, 24 February 2014, Brussels

Main results of the Council

The Council adopted conclusions on innovative education and training to invest in skills, in the context of the European Semester and in particular the education aspects of the 2014 Annual Growth Survey. The conclusions call for action to improve skills performance across the EU and to help protect investment in education and training as areas which can both foster and support growth.

The Council also held a policy debate on skills and employability in the light of the results of recent OCDE surveys (PIAAC and PISA). Ministers indicated some of the concrete measures that were taken or planned at national level to make education and training policies more responsive to the changing needs of the labour market and how the EU could best contribute to support those efforts through policy cooperation and funding instruments.

Minister Arvanitopoulos underlined that "member states should continue to invest in high quality education. They also need to accelerate the reform agenda in education and training to urgently address the challenge of skills mismatch which is one of the causes of young people unemployment".

Other issues

Furthermore, the Council decided not to oppose the adoption of a Commission regulation amending Regulation 1031/2010, in particular to determine the volumes of greenhouse gas emission allowances to be auctioned in 2013-2020 ("back-loading"). The measure will enable the Commission to delay the auctioning of 900 million allowances in the third trading period of the EU's emissions trading system (EU ETS) to address the surplus of emission allowances that has built up in the system, mainly as a result of the economic crisis.

ESO: Background information: Conclusions on Efficient and Innovative Education and Training to Invest in Skills - supporting the 2014 European Semester http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-conclusions-on-efficient-and-innovative-education-and-training-to-invest-in-skills-supporting-the-2014-european-semester/

ESO: Background information: Council gives green light to Commission regulation concerning greenhouse gas emission allowances to be auctioned in 2013-2020 http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-council-gives-green-light-to-commission-regulation-concerning-greenhouse-gas-emission-allowances-to-be-auctioned-in-2013-2020/

---