Education, Youth, Culture and Sports Council, 22-23 May 2018

Summary:

A meeting of the Education, Youth, Culture and Sports Council was held on 22-23 May 2018. The agenda includes the following topics:

+ Adoption of revised Recommendation on key competences for lifelong learning;

+ Adoption of Recommendation on promoting common values, inclusive education, and the European dimension of teaching;

+ Adoption of conclusions on the development of a European Education Area;

+ Discussion on the potential of universities in promoting regional growth and entrepreneurial and innovation skills;

+ Information on a series of issues, such as the role of education in addressing anti-Semitism, the European schools sport day, and the work programme of the Austrian presidency of the Council of the European Union;

+ Adoption of conclusions on the role of youth in addressing the demographic challenges and also in 'building a secure, cohesive and harmonious society';

+ Debate on the future priorities of the EU youth policy with the Community Leader of the YouthTalks Foundation, in the framework of the revision of the European Youth Strategy;

+ Information on a Declaration on the prevention of violent radicalisation and the European Youth Together initiative;

+ Exchange of views on a long term vision for the contribution of culture to the European Union after 2020;

+ Adoption of conclusions on bringing cultural heritage to the fore across policies in the European Union;

+ Information on a series of topics, ranging from the issue of illicit imports of cultural goods from archaeological sites, the European capitals of culture in 2022 and the proposal to change the VAT directive to better take account of cultural policies;

+ Discussion on the future of club and national team competitions with the President of UEFA, followed by the adoption of conclusions on promoting the common values of the EU through sports;

+ Policy debate on the commercialisation of elite sports and sustainability of the European model of sport;

+ Information on the latest meetings of the World Anti-Doping Agency and the declaration 'For a Europe of sport'.