Council adopts LEONARDO DA VINCI programme The Council has adopted an action programme for the implementation of a European Community vocational training policy (Decision 94/819/EC of 6 December 1994). The action programme, called LEONARDO DA VINCI, will be implemented for the period from 1 January 1995 to 31 December... The Council has adopted an action programme for the implementation of a European Community vocational training policy (Decision 94/819/EC of 6 December 1994). The action programme, called LEONARDO DA VINCI, will be implemented for the period from 1 January 1995 to 31 December 1999. The amount deemed necessary for the implementation of the programme is ECU 620 million. The programme is implemented in order to rationalize and streamline previous Community action programmes in the vocational training field (COMETT, Eurotechnet, FORCE, PETRA, LINGUA) into a single programme. The objectives of the programme are to: - Improve the quality and innovation capacity of Member States vocational training systems; - Develop the European dimension in vocational training and vocational guidance; - Promote lifelong training; - Give all young people in the Community the possibility of vocational training after compulsory education; - Encourage specific vocational training measures for adults without adequate qualifications; - Enhance the status of vocational education and training and promote the recognition of academic diplomas and vocational qualifications; - Prepare young people for adult and working life, taking account of the requirements of society and technological change; - Encourage specific vocational training measures for disadvantaged young people without adequate training; - Support vocational training policies in such a way that all workers in the Community have access to continuing vocational training throughout their working life; - Promote equality of opportunity as regards access for men and women to vocational training. The Decision contains an annex which sets out the Community measures for the establishment of the programme. They are divided into the following four strands: - Support for the improvement of vocational training systems and arrangements in the Member States; - Support for the improvement of vocational training measures, including university/industry cooperation, concerning undertakings and workers; - Support for the development of language skills, knowledge and the dissemination of innovation in the field of vocational training; - Support measures.
