Tag Archives: cult committee

Meeting MEP Verheyen, Chair of the CULT Committee: what will the future hold for lifelong learning?

Civil dialogue Education as a public good Erasmus+ EU2020 Events News - 27th November 2019

A delegation from the Lifelong Learning Platform had the pleasure to meet with the new Chair of the CULT Committee, MEP Sabine Verheyen (Germany, EPP). The meeting was a very fruitful discussion, focusing on the future of lifelong learning and the work of the Euroepan Parliament for the coming months. 

MEP Verheyen showed great interest in the activities of the LLLPlatform, including the Lifelong Learning Interest Group of the European Parliament. She praised the work of LLLP and its members for the advancement of lifelong learning policies. 

She showed a particular interest in validation and especially assessment methods. A german led organisation was brought to our attention as a successful practice of new assessment methods. We confirmed that this is a priority for us and that we are currently collecting all existing methods developed. 

While the trialogue is taking up most of the EP efforts, she confirmed that the European Parliament is following with great interest the new dossiers of the newly-elected Commission, to be ready for the legislative process when it happens. We acknowledge with delight that MEP Verheyen is calling herself for closer cooperation between DG EAC and DG EMPL when it comes to education and training: they are one soul and should not stand divided, let alone addressed in different policies. 

The meeting was fruitful and timely: the understanding of each other’s priorities remains crucial in times of uncertainty and until the new Commission takes office. The Lifelong Learning Platform hopes to be working closer and closer with MEPs in the CULT Committee, an essential partner and a precious ally for the advancement of lifelong learning. 

CULT Committee adopts report on Erasmus: strong call for LLL approach

Erasmus+ Investing in education News - 21st February 2019

In the context of the MFF negotiations, the LLLPlatform is happy to share yet another milestone achievement! The European Parliament’s CULT Committee adopted its report on the 2021-2027 Erasmus+ programme!

This report, pending the final adoption in the Plenary on 25 March, outlines the Parliament’s position ahead of the “trilogue” negotiations with the European Commission and Council of the EU for the definition of the new Erasmus+ programme.

The Lifelong Learning Platform is particularly happy because we see our advocacy efforts, as fostered in the framework of the Erasmus+ Coalition, reflected in the adopted document. So, what did we achieve?

Among other elements, the report:

  • calls for triple budget for the 2021-2027 period (against ‘only’ the double, as in the Commission’s proposal);
  • addresses the needs of people with fewer opportunities by foreseeing language training, administrative support or e-learning opportunities before and during mobility;
  • defines a more cross-sector lifelong learning approach than the EC’s original proposal by including it as a clear and specific objective;
  • envisions that all project applications by EU-wide networks should be managed at centralised level (rather than nationally in Belgium, etc.);
  • calls upon the EC to develop an inclusion strategy for the programme to act as a framework to be adapted and implemented by the National Agencies;
  • promotes more co-funding and synergies with other European programmes, as our Erasmus+ Implementation Survey Report highlighted.

The consolidated text will be available here in the coming weeks. The vote in favour of the Erasmus+ report was transversal, in that all major political groups have expressed their satisfaction with the text and its ambitious objectives. The LLLPlatform will keep on advocating for equity and social cohesion in education and training, and will continue to do so with the strength of its membership, without whom none of this would have been possible!