Lunch debates

Education-Training focused on the production: a long-term investment neglected?

The 7th lunch-debate of the cycle For a Social Market Economy: Reconciling Competitiveness with solidarity took place on

20th October 2011, From 12.30 to 2.30 pm

In Maison du Luxembourg, 1-3 rue Marie de Bourgogne, 1050 Brussels

On the theme:

Education-Training focused on the production:

a long-term investment neglected?

Philippe HERZOG and Claude FISCHER introduced the lunch-debate

with

Gilles GATEAU, Director of Skills and HR Performance, EDF
Jean-Jacques PARIS, Groupe Alpha
Leonardo SFORZA, Head Research Europe and EU Affairs, Aon Consulting
Michael TEUTSCH, Head of Unit, Lifelong Learning, DG EAC, European Commission

Debates were held both in English and French, with translation provided.

Contact: Hélène Syed Zwick: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  

ISSUES

Although we do not talk enough, the crisis shows how it is urgent to rethink all the education, training and employment policies. The unemployment rate reaches 10 percent in the European Union, with marked disparities between the Member States: high up to 20 percent in Spain, while down to 6 percent in Germany. The difficulties are increasing in the labor market for the young, low-skilled workers, older workers and migrants. Deficiencies in skills needed by companies facing the challenges of innovation are visible everywhere. Nevertheless, the results are better in countries that manage to resolve the imperatives of production and competitiveness.

How can we expect to get out of this crisis if we do not address these problems? EU2020 strategy provides the pertinent objectives and the European Commission seeks to implement. But the EU has neither the mandate nor the sufficient means to trigger domestic reforms and desirable common policies. Number of social and economic actors has been innovating education and employment, but there are the institutional and financial obstacles.

We want to make known these efforts and discuss policies to be implemented. The initiative "New Skills for Jobs" the proposals of anticipation and treatment of restructuring in companies, sectors and regions, coaching career paths and mobility to raise for education and active participation: all this needs to be known, it is still necessary that such initiatives leave the domain of experts, gain more coherence, enroll in national programs of Nation states and accompany the creation of new tools at the EU level (ESF reform, development of EURES, recognition of professional qualifications, skills certification ...).

At the same time, we advocate a revival of social dialogue with all social partners in business and employment areas, in sectors and transnational territories. Similarly, it is necessary to examine the obstacles to be overcome so that the efforts of enterprises and establishments could progress in co-responsibility.

This lunch-debate is the seventeenth meeting of our 2011 Lunch-debates cycle dedicated to the preparation of the November 2011 Symposium, organized by Confrontations Europe in partnership with Bertelsmann Stiftung and the Astrid Foundation, and with the financial support of the European Commission.

More information on the November 2011 European Economic Debates (Entretiens Economiques Européens or EEE
More information on the LUNCH DEBATE CYCLE: For a Social Market Economy: Reconciling Competitiveness with solidarity