Education Council fails to reach agreement on financing of SOCRATES and Youth for Europe III programmes During the Education Council of 5 December 1994, the Council and the European Parliament failed to reach complete agreement on the SOCRATES and Youth for Europe III programmes. The aim of the meeting was to reach agreement, by means of the conciliation procedure, on the manag... During the Education Council of 5 December 1994, the Council and the European Parliament failed to reach complete agreement on the SOCRATES and Youth for Europe III programmes. The aim of the meeting was to reach agreement, by means of the conciliation procedure, on the management of the programmes (committee procedures) and their financing (inclusion in the Decisions of an amount deemed necessary for the programmes). Although the Council and Parliament reached agreement on the subject of committee procedures, they were unable to see eye to eye on the subject of the programmes' financing. The Council is in favour of including in the text of the Decisions an amount deemed necessary for the programmes, and foresees in its common positions an amount of ECU 760 million for SOCRATES and ECU 105 million for Youth for Europe III. The Parliament, however, disagrees with this position, as does the Commission, which foresees in its proposals ECU 1,005.6 million for SOCRATES and ECU 157 million for Youth for Europe III (for the period 1995-1999). The Education Council also adopted an intermediate report on the Commission's proposal for 1996 to be declared the European Year of Life-Long Education and Training. In addition, two resolutions were adopted, one on the promotion of education and training statistics in the European Union and the other on the quality of professional training. Commissioner Ruberti informed the Council on the negotiation of cooperation agreements between the European Union, the United States and Canada in the field of higher education and professional training. He also discussed the development of cooperation in this field with the associated countries of Central and Eastern Europe and Russia, as well as the implementation of the European Training Foundation which will begin work in January 1995. Prof. Ruberti also presented the Commission communication on the measures necessary for a progressive adaptation of education and training systems in the face of increasing technological, industrial and social challenges. Finally, the Council adopted a text concerning the educational aspects of a global strategy against racism and xenophobia.
