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Brussels, 7 September 2001

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Over two hundred participants will come from 20 countries. Speakers include Etienne
Davignon, President of Corporate Social Responsibility Europe and former Vice-
President of the European Commission; Domenico Lenarduzzi, former deputy
Director General for Education and Training at the Commission; and the European
Parliament rapporteurs for lifelong learning, Herman Schmid and Kathleen van
Brempt.
As part of the drive begun at the Lisbon Council of spring 2001 to make Europe the
world’s most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy, the Commission
is preparing a Communication with concrete proposals, at both national and
Community level, to make a reality of the lifelong learning concept. The conference
will provide a major contribution to this forthcoming Communication, initiated by
Education Commissioner Viviane Reding and due to be presented this autumn.
The Commission has already completed a Europe-wide consultation based on its
earlier Memorandum on lifelong learning (October 2000). The huge response to this
initiative has confirmed a clear and urgent requirement for action at all levels,
including the need for Member States to work together and build on successful
projects within the EU education, training and youth programmes. Many civil society
organisations have already made a significant contribution to the consultation
process. This conference will provide an opportunity to discuss and draw conclusions
from the feedback, as well as offer other non-governmental organisations the chance
to get involved and to discuss practical proposals for action at all levels of learning.
The conference workshops will be focused on six key issues, relating to what we
learn and where we learn it:- new basic skills; more investment in human resources;
innovation in teaching and learning; valuing learning; rethinking guidance and
counselling; and bringing learning closer to home. These place lifelong learning
firmly in the context of what individual citizens need to progress in all spheres in life.
They place the emphasis on removing obstacles to learning and on how education
and training systems must fundamentally adapt to the needs of individuals in the
knowledge economy.