Extending the European Training Foundation to the Mediterranean
The European Training Foundation for the development of vocational training systems has extended its field of action to the countries of the Mediterranean covered by the EU's MEDA programme. This follows the recent adoption of an amendment to Council Regulation (EEC) 1360/90 of October 1993 which established the Foundation. The new countries covered will be Algeria, Cyprus, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Malta, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, and the Occupied Territories of Gaza and the West Bank. This extension is seen as an important input into efforts in these countries to reform their economic and social structures through the provision of vocational training thereby ensuring adequate human resources. It will build on experience gained by the Foundation to date in supporting vocational reform in Central and Eastern Europe, the New Independent States and Mongolia. In the coming weeks the Foundation will discuss possible training activities with the Commission with a view to submitting a first proposal to the governing board in the autumn for inclusion in its 1999 work programme.