FORCE, results of 1993 call for proposals
The action programme for the development of continuing vocational training in the EU, 1991-1994 (FORCE), has accepted 298 new transnational projects following the third call for proposals, published on 2 April 1993. FORCE aims to encourage, in the area of continuing vocational training, a greater and more effective investment effort and improved return, innovations in management, methodology and equipment, transnational cooperation and exchanges of information, and the development of more effective mechanisms geared to changes in the European labour market, with the aim of supporting the continuing vocational training policies and activities developed by and in the Member States. The 1993 call concerned both Strand I of the programme (Industrial Changes) and Strand II (Results of sectoral surveys and analysis of contractual policy). It sought proposals concerning: - An exchange scheme to promote the rapid dissemination of innovation in continuing vocational training and a significant improvement in access to it; - Preparatory work on the design and development of transnational or cross-frontier continuing vocational training pilot schemes, by undertakings, groups of undertakings or training bodies in various Member States with a view to promoting the transfer of information and know-how in the Community; - The exchange of experience between socio-professional organizations, workers' and employers' organizations and other parties concerned in order to encourage the dissemination of innovatory contractual agreements; - Transnational cooperation between experts to analyze and forecast trends in demands for qualifications and occupations. Under Strand I, 593 proposals were received involving a total of 4,000 partners (2,100 enterprises). After assessment, 165 projects were approved including 97 pilot projects, 58 qualifications projects and 10 exchange schemes. Strand II received 287 proposals involving 1,891 partners (875 enterprises) from which 133 projects were selected for funding. The response has permitted the Commission to focus support in the areas of industrial change and, under Strand II, on contractual policy (43 projects), and the sectors of retail sales (29 projects), automobile repair and distribution (27 projects), and the agro-food industry (43 projects). Since its implementation in 1991, FORCE has supported a total of 720 projects involving over 5,000 partners throughout the Member States. These include over 2,700 enterprises, of which 70% are individual small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) or groups of SMEs. The projects were selected on the basis of their quality, transnational nature, and relevance to FORCE objectives from more than 2,440 proposals received in response to three successive calls.