O-0055/2010

2010/2705(RSP)

The Council held an exchange of views on the numerical rates of the EU headline targets within the Europe 2020 strategy, resulting in the following presidency conclusions:

- the Council agreed to propose to the European Council in June 2010 the numerical rates of the EU headline targets to improve education levels of the new strategy Europe 2020, building on the two corresponding levels of European average performance ("European benchmarks") approved in the strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training (ET 2020), that is by 2020:

the school drop-out rate should be less than 10% and, the share of population having completed tertiary or equivalent education should be at least 40%;

- in line with their responsibility for their education and training systems, the competence of the Member States regarding the setting and implementation of quantitative national targets in the area of education and training is fully maintained. The principles and working methods agreed under the strategic framework for European cooperation in this field play their full role in monitoring progress towards the EU headline targets for education.

At its spring summit, the European Council launched the Europe 2020 strategy for a competitive, sustainable and inclusive economy ( 7/10 ). It agreed on headline targets as s hared objectives guiding Member States and the EU . One of them is to improve education levels by reducing school drop-out rates and increasing the share of population having completed tertiary or equivalent education. The European Council on 17 June 2010 is due to set corresponding numerical rates.