title: Council Recommendation of 9 June 2009 on patient safety, including the prevention and control of healthcare associated infections

text:
               3.7.2009

               EN

               Official Journal of the European Union

               C 151/1

      COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION

   of 9 June 2009
   on patient safety, including the prevention and control of healthcare associated infections
   2009/C 151/01
   THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
   Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular the second subparagraph of Article 152(4) thereof,
   Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
   Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (1),
   Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee (2),
   Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions (3),
   Whereas:

               (1)

               Article 152 of the Treaty provides that Community action, which shall complement national policies, shall be directed towards improving public health, preventing human illness and diseases, and eliminating sources of danger to human health.

               (2)

               It is estimated that in Member States between 8 % and 12 % of patients admitted to hospital suffer from adverse events whilst receiving healthcare (4).

               (3)

               The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has estimated that, on average, healthcare associated infections occur in one hospitalised patient in 20, that is to say 4,1 million patients a year in the EU, and that 37 000 deaths are caused every year as a result of such infections.

               (4)

               Poor patient safety represents both a severe public health problem and a high economic burden on limited health resources. A large proportion of adverse events, both in the hospital sector and in primary care, are preventable with systemic factors appearing to account for a majority of them.

               (5)

               This recommendation builds upon, and complements, work on patient safety carried out by the World Health Organisation (WHO) through its World Alliance for Patient Safety, the Council of Europe and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

               (6)

               The Community, through the seventh framework programme for research and development (5), supports research in health systems, in particular in the quality of healthcare provision under the Health Theme, including a focus on patient safety. The latter is also given particular attention under the Information and Communication Technology Theme.

               (7)

               The Commission, in its White Paper ‘Together for Health: A Strategic Approach for the EU 2008-2013’ of 23 October 2007, identifies patient safety as an area for action.

               (8)

               Evidence suggests that Member States are at different levels in the development and implementation of effective and comprehensive patient safety strategies (6). Therefore, this recommendation intends to create a framework to stimulate policy development and future action in and between Member States to address the key patient safety issues confronting the EU.

               (9)

               Patients should be informed and empowered by involving them in the patient safety process. They should be informed of patient safety standards, best practices and/or safety measures in place and on how they can find accessible and comprehensible information on complaints and redress systems.

               (10)

               Member States should set up, maintain or improve comprehensive reporting and learning systems so that the extent and causes of adverse events can be captured in order to develop efficient solutions and interventions. Patient safety should be embedded in the education and training of healthcare workers, as the providers of care.

               (11)

               Comparable and aggregate data should be collected at Community level to establish efficient and transparent patient safety programmes, structures and policies, and best practices should be disseminated among the Member States. To facilitate mutual learning, a common terminology for patient safety and common indicators need to be developed through cooperation between Member States and the European Commission, taking into account the work of relevant international organisations.

               (12)

               Information and communication technology tools, such as electronic health records or e-prescriptions, can contribute to improving patient safety, for instance by systematically screening for potential medicinal product interactions or allergies. Information and communication technology tools should also aim to improve the understanding of users of the medical products.

               (13)

               A national strategy, complementary to strategies targeted towards the prudent use of antimicrobial agents (7), should be developed incorporating prevention and control of healthcare associated infections into national public health objectives and aiming to reduce the risk of healthcare associated infections within healthcare institutions. It is essential that the necessary resources for implementing the components of the national strategy are allocated as part of the core funding for healthcare delivery.

               (14)

               The prevention and control of healthcare associated infections should be a long-term strategic priority for healthcare institutions. All hierarchical levels and functions should cooperate to achieve result-oriented behaviour and organisational change, by defining responsibilities at all levels, organising support facilities and local technical resources and setting up evaluation procedures.

               (15)

               Sufficient data on healthcare associated infections are not always available to allow meaningful comparisons between institutions by surveillance networks, to monitor the epidemiology of healthcare associated pathogens and to evaluate and guide policies on the prevention and control of healthcare associated infections. Therefore, surveillance systems should be established or strengthened at the level of healthcare institutions and at regional and national levels.

               (16)

               Member States should aim to reduce the number of people affected by healthcare associated infections. In order to achieve a reduction in healthcare associated infections, recruitment of health professionals specialising in infection control should be encouraged. Furthermore, Member States and their healthcare institutions should consider the use of link staff to support specialist infection control staff at the clinical level.

               (17)

               Member States should work closely with the health technology industry to encourage better design for patient safety in order to reduce the occurrence of adverse events in healthcare.

               (18)

               To achieve the patient safety objectives mentioned above, including the prevention and control of healthcare associated infections, Member States should ensure a fully comprehensive approach while considering the most appropriate elements having a real impact on the prevalence and burden of adverse events.

               (19)

               Community action in the field of public health should fully respect the responsibilities of the Member States for the organisation and delivery of health services and medical care,

         HEREBY RECOMMENDS:
   Applying the following definitions for the purpose of this recommendation:

               ‘Adverse event’ means an incident which results in harm to a patient;

               ‘Harm’ implies impairment of the structure or function of the body and/or any deleterious effect arising therefrom;

               ‘Healthcare associated infections’ means diseases or pathologies related to the presence of an infectious agent or its products in association with exposure to healthcare facilities or healthcare procedures or treatments;

               ‘Patient safety’ means freedom, for a patient, from unnecessary harm or potential harm associated with healthcare;

               ‘Process indicator’ means an indicator referring to the compliance with agreed activities such as hand hygiene, surveillance, standard operating procedures;

               ‘Structure indicator’ means an indicator referring to any resource, such as staff, an infrastructure or a committee;

         THAT MEMBER STATES:
   I.   RECOMMENDATIONS ON GENERAL PATIENT SAFETY ISSUES

               1.

               Support the establishment and development of national policies and programmes on patient safety by:

                           (a)

                           designating the competent authority or authorities or any other competent body or bodies responsible for patient safety on their territory;

                           (b)

                           embedding patient safety as a priority issue in health policies and programmes at national as well as at regional and local levels;

                           (c)

                           supporting the development of safer and user-friendly systems, processes and tools, including the use of information and communication technology;

                           (d)

                           regularly reviewing and updating safety standards and/or best practices applicable to healthcare provided on their territory;

                           (e)

                           encouraging health professional organisations to have an active role in patient safety;

                           (f)

                           including a specific approach to promote safe practices to prevent the most commonly occurring adverse events such as medication-related events, healthcare associated infections and complications during or after surgical intervention.

               2.

               Empower and inform citizens and patients by:

                           (a)

                           involving patient organisations and representatives in the development of policies and programmes on patient safety at all appropriate levels;

                           (b)

                           disseminating information to patients on:

                                       (i)

                                       patient safety standards which are in place;

                                       (ii)

                                       risk, safety measures which are in place to reduce or prevent errors and harm, including best practices, and the right to informed consent to treatment, to facilitate patient choice and decision-making;

                                       (iii)

                                       complaints procedures and available remedies and redress and the terms and conditions applicable;

                           (c)

                           considering the possibilities of development of core competencies in patient safety namely, the core knowledge, attitudes and skills required to achieve safer care, for patients.

               3.

               Support the establishment or strengthen blame-free reporting and learning systems on adverse events that:

                           (a)

                           provide information on the extent, types and causes of errors, adverse events and near misses;

                           (b)

                           encourage healthcare workers to actively report through the establishment of a reporting environment which is open, fair and non punitive; this reporting should be differentiated from Member States’ disciplinary systems and procedures for healthcare workers, and, where necessary, the legal issues surrounding the healthcare workers’ liability should be clarified;

                           (c)

                           provide, as appropriate, opportunities for patients, their relatives and other informal caregivers to report their experiences;

                           (d)

                           complement other safety reporting systems, such as those on pharmacovigilance and medical devices, whilst avoiding multiple reporting where possible.

               4.

               Promote, at the appropriate level, education and training of healthcare workers on patient safety by:

                           (a)

                           encouraging multidisciplinary patient safety education and training of all health professionals, other healthcare workers and relevant management and administrative staff in healthcare settings;

                           (b)

                           embedding patient safety in undergraduate and postgraduate education, on-the-job training and the continuing professional development of health professionals;

                           (c)

                           considering the development of core competencies in patient safety namely, the core knowledge, attitudes and skills required to achieve safer care, for dissemination to all healthcare workers and relevant management and administrative staff;

                           (d)

                           providing and disseminating information to all healthcare workers on patient safety standards, risk and safety measures in place to reduce or prevent errors and harm, including best practices, and promoting their involvement;

                           (e)

                           collaborating with organisations involved in professional education in healthcare to ensure that patient safety receives proper attention in the higher education curricula and in the ongoing education and training of health professionals, including the development of the skills needed to manage and deliver the behavioural changes necessary to improve patient safety through system change.

               5.

               Classify and measure patient safety at Community level, by working with each other and with the Commission:

                           (a)

                           to develop common definitions and terminology, taking into account international standardisation activities such as the International Classification for Patient Safety being developed by WHO and the Council of Europe's work in this area;

                           (b)

                           to develop a set of reliable and comparable indicators, to identify safety problems, to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions aimed at improving safety and to facilitate mutual learning between Member States; account should be taken of the work done at national level and of international activities such as the OECD healthcare quality indicators project and the Community Health Indicators project;

                           (c)

                           to gather and share comparable data and information on patient safety outcomes in terms of type and number to facilitate mutual learning and inform priority setting, with a view to helping Member States to share relevant indicators with the public in the future.

               6.

               Share knowledge, experience and best practice by working with each other and with the Commission and relevant European and international bodies on:

                           (a)

                           the establishment of efficient and transparent patient safety programmes, structures and policies, including reporting and learning systems, with a view to addressing adverse events in healthcare;

                           (b)

                           the effectiveness of patient safety interventions and solutions at the healthcare setting level and the evaluation of the transferability of these;

                           (c)

                           major patient safety alerts in a timely manner.

               7.

               Develop and promote research on patient safety.

         II.   ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS ON PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF HEALTHCARE ASSOCIATED INFECTIONS

               8.

               Adopt and implement a strategy at the appropriate level for the prevention and control of healthcare associated infections, pursuing the following objectives:

                           (a)

                           implement prevention and control measures at national or regional level to support the containment of healthcare associated infections and in particular:

                                       (i)

                                       to implement standard and risk-based infection prevention and control measures in all healthcare settings as appropriate;

                                       (ii)

                                       to promote consistency in, and communication of, infection prevention and control measures between healthcare providers treating or caring for a particular patient;

                                       (iii)

                                       to make guidelines and recommendations available at national level;

                                       (iv)

                                       to encourage the adherence to prevention and control measures by using structure and process indicators, as well as the results of accreditation or certification processes in place;

                           (b)

                           enhance infection prevention and control at the level of the healthcare institutions in particular by encouraging healthcare institutions to have in place:

                                       (i)

                                       an infection prevention and control programme addressing aspects such as organisational and structural arrangements, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures (for example antimicrobial stewardship), resource requirements, surveillance objectives, training and information to patients;

                                       (ii)

                                       appropriate organisational governance arrangements for the elaboration and the monitoring of the infection prevention and control programme;

                                       (iii)

                                       appropriate organisational arrangements and qualified personnel with the task of implementing the infection prevention and control programme;

                           (c)

                           establish or strengthen active surveillance systems by:

                                       (i)

                                       at national or regional level:

                                                   —

                                                   organising prevalence surveys at regular intervals, as appropriate;

                                                   —

                                                   taking into account the importance of surveillance of targeted infection types to establish national reference data, accompanied by process and structure indicators to evaluate the strategy;

                                                   —

                                                   organising the timely detection and reporting of alert healthcare associated organisms or clusters of healthcare associated infections to the relevant body as per requirements at Member State level;

                                                   —

                                                   reporting of clusters and infection types of relevance for the Community or international level in accordance with the Community legislation (8) or international regulations in place;

                                       (ii)

                                       at the level of healthcare institutions:

                                                   —

                                                   encouraging high quality microbiological documentation and patient records;

                                                   —

                                                   performing the surveillance of the incidence of targeted infection types, accompanied by process and structure indicators to evaluate the implementation of infection control measures;

                                                   —

                                                   considering the use of surveillance of particular infection types and/or particular strains of healthcare associated pathogens for the timely detection of alert healthcare associated organisms or clusters of healthcare associated infections;

                                       (iii)

                                       using, where appropriate, surveillance methods and indicators as recommended by ECDC and case definitions as agreed upon at Community level in accordance with the provisions of Decision No 2119/98/EC;

                           (d)

                           foster education and training of healthcare workers by:

                                       (i)

                                       at national or regional level, defining and implementing specialised infection control training and/or education programmes for infection control staff and strengthening education on the prevention and control of healthcare associated infections for other healthcare workers;

                                       (ii)

                                       at the level of healthcare institutions:

                                                   —

                                                   providing regular training for all healthcare personnel, including managers, on basic principles of hygiene and infection prevention and control;

                                                   —

                                                   providing regular advanced training for personnel having particular tasks related to the prevention and control of healthcare associated infections;

                           (e)

                           improve the information to the patients by healthcare institutions:

                                       (i)

                                       making available objective and understandable information about the risk of healthcare associated infections, the measures implemented by the healthcare institution to prevent them and on how patients can help to prevent those infections;

                                       (ii)

                                       providing specific information, for example on prevention and control measures, to patients colonised or infected with healthcare associated pathogens;

                           (f)

                           support research in fields such as epidemiology, the applications of nanotechnologies and nanomaterials, new preventive and therapeutic technologies and interventions and on the cost-effectiveness of infection prevention and control.

               9.

               Consider, for the coordinated implementation of the strategy referred to in (8) as well as for the purposes of information exchange and coordination with the Commission, the ECDC, the European Medicines Agency and the other Member States, the establishment, if possible by 9 June 2011, of an inter-sectoral mechanism or equivalent systems corresponding to the infrastructure in each Member State, collaborating with, or integrated into, the existing inter-sectoral mechanism as set up in accordance with Council Recommendation No 2002/77/EC of 15 November 2001 on the prudent use of antimicrobial agents in human medicine (9).

         III.   FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS

               10.

               Disseminate the content of this recommendation to healthcare organisations, professional bodies and educational institutions and encourage them to follow the approaches suggested therein so that its key elements can be put into everyday practice.

               11.

               Report to the Commission on the progress of the implementation of this recommendation by 9 June 2011 and subsequently on request by the Commission with a view to contributing to the follow-up of this recommendation at Community level,

         HEREBY INVITES THE COMMISSION TO:
   Produce, by 9 June 2012, an implementation report to the Council assessing impact of this Recommendation, on the basis of the information provided by Member States, to consider the extent to which the proposed measures are working effectively, and to consider the need for further action.

      Done at Luxembourg, 8 June 2009.

            For the Council

            The President

         Petr ŠIMERKA

      (1)  Opinion of 23 April 2009 (not yet published in the Official Journal).

      (2)  Opinion of 25 March 2009 (not yet published in the Official Journal).

      (3)  Opinion of 22 April 2009 (not yet published in the Official Journal).

      (4)  Technical report ‘Improving Patient Safety in the EU’ prepared for the European Commission, published 2008 by the RAND Cooperation.

      (5)  Decision No 1982/2006/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2006 concerning the seventh framework programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007-2013) (OJ L 412, 30.12.2006, p. 1).

      (6)  Safety improvement for Patients in Europe (SIMPATIE) project funded under the Community's Public Health Programme 2003-2008, (http://www.simpatie.org).

      (7)  For example Council conclusions on antimicrobial resistance adopted on 10 June 2008.

      (8)  For example Decision No 2119/98/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 September 1998 setting up a network for the epidemiological surveillance and control of communicable diseases in the Community and the International Health Regulations (OJ L 268, 3.10.1998, p. 1) and Regulation (EC) No 726/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 31 March 2004 laying down Community procedures for the authorisation and supervision of medicinal products for human and veterinary use and establishing a European Medicines Agency (OJ L 136, 30.4.2004, p. 1).

      (9)  OJ L 34, 5.2.2002, p. 13.


Important legal notice

|

E2001C0174

Recommendation of the EFTA Surveillance Authority No 174/01/COL of 8 June 2001 concerning a coordinated monitoring programme for 2001 to ensure compliance with maximum levels of pesticide residues in and on cereals and certain products of plant origin, including fruit and vegetables

Official Journal L 015 , 17/01/2002 P. 0042 - 0048

Recommendation of the EFTA Surveillance AuthorityNo 174/01/COLof 8 June 2001concerning a coordinated monitoring programme for 2001 to ensure compliance with maximum levels of pesticide residues in and on cereals and certain products of plant origin, including fruit and vegetablesTHE EFTA SURVEILLANCE AUTHORITY,Having regard to the EEA Agreement, and in particular Article 109 and Protocol 1 thereof,Having regard to the Surveillance and Court Agreement, and in particular Article 5(2)(b) and Protocol No 1 thereof,Having regard to the Act added in point 38 in Chapter XII of Annex II to the EEA Agreement (Council Directive 86/362/EEC of 24 July 1986 on the fixing of maximum levels for pesticide residues in and on cereals(1)), as last amended, and in particular Article 7(2)(b) thereof,Having regard to the Act added in point 54 in Chapter XII of Annex II to the EEA Agreement (Council Directive 90/64 2/EEC of 27 November 1990 on the fixing of maximum levels for pesticide residues in and on certain products of plant origin, including fruit and vegetables(2)), as last amended, and in particular Article 4(2)(b) thereof,After consulting the EFTA Foodstuffs Committee assisting the EFTA Surveillance Authority,Whereas:(1) Article 7(2)(b) of Directive 86/362/EEC and Article 4(2)(b) of Directive 90/642/EEC require the EFTA Surveillance Authority to submit to the EFTA Foodstuffs Committee assisting the EFTA Surveillance Authority by 31 December each year a recommendation setting out a coordinated monitoring programme to ensure compliance with maximum levels of pesticide residues set out in Annex II to the said Directives.(2) Experience gained in establishing, carrying out and reporting on the three previous annual coordinated monitoring programmes indicates that multi-annual programmes appear to be most effective and practical. It appears appropriate to indicate in this recommendation the framework of future programmes. Article 1(1) of Commission Regulation (EC) No 645/2000(3) provides for Commission Recommendations covering periods between one and five years.(3) The EFTA Surveillance Authority should progressively work towards a system which would permit the estimation of actual pesticide dietary exposure, as provided for in the second paragraph of Article 7(3) of Directive 86/362/EEC and the second paragraph of Article 4(3) of Directive 90/642/EEC. To facilitate examination of the feasibility of such estimations, data concerning the monitoring of residues of pesticides in a number of food products which constitute major components of European diets should be available (see Annex II). In view of the resources available at national level for pesticide residue monitoring, the EFTA States are only able to analyse samples of 10 products each year within a coordinated monitoring programme. Pesticide uses show changes within a five-year rolling programme time-scale. Each pesticide should generally be monitored in 20 to 30 food products over a series of three-year cycles.(4) The residues recommended to be monitored in 2001 will allow examination of the feasibility of using the data concerning the pesticides acephate, the benomyl group, chlorpyriphos, iprodione and methamidophos as these compounds (identified as Group A in Annex I) have already been monitored between 1996 and 2000 for estimation of actual dietary exposure. Continued monitoring facilitates recognising changes in pesticide occurrence.(5) The residues recommended to be monitored between 2001 and 2004 will allow examination of the feasibility of using the data concerning the pesticides diazinon, metalaxyl, methidathion, thiabendazole and triazophos for estimation of actual dietary exposure as these compounds (identified as Group B in Annex I) have already been monitored between 1997 and 2000.(6) The residues recommended to be monitored between 2001 and 2004 will allow examination of the feasibility of using the data concerning the pesticides chlorpyriphos-methyl, deltamethrin, endosulfan, imazalil, lambda-cyhalothrin, the maneb group, mecarbam, permethrin, pirimiphos-methyl and vinclozolin for estimation of actual dietary exposure, as these compounds (identified as Group C in Annex I) have already been monitored in 1998, 1999 and 2000.(7) The residues recommended to be monitored between 2000 and 2004 will allow examination of the feasibility of using the data concerning the pesticides azinphos-methyl, captan, chlorothalonil, dichlofluanid, dicofol, dimethoate, folpet, malathion, omethoate, procymidone, propyzamide and azoxystrobine for estimation of actual dietary exposure as these compounds, except azoxystrobine (identified as Group D in Annex I) have already been monitored in 1998, 1999 and 2000.(8) The monitoring of disulfoton, phorate, thiometon and oxydemeton-methyl is not feasible within routine monitoring multi-residue analytical methods. It is appropriate to collect data on occurrence of these residues when expected, in those EFTA States where the pesticide residues are most likely to be detected.(9) A systematic statistical approach to numbers of samples to be taken in each coordinated monitoring exercise is necessary. Such an approach has been set out by the Commission of the Codex Alimentarius(4). Based on a binomial probability distribution it can be calculated that examination of a total sample number of 459 gives a 99 % confidence of detecting 1 sample containing pesticide residues above the LOD where 1 % of products of plant origin contain residues above the LOD. At least 459 samples should therefore be taken across the European Economic Area and for the EFTA States it is recommended, on the basis of population and consumer numbers, to take a minimum of 12 samples per product and per year.(10) Draft guidelines concerning Quality Control Procedures for Pesticide Residue Analysis, published in Annex II of the monitoring recommendation for 1999, have been discussed by the experts of the EU Member States at Oeiras, Portugal on 15 and 16 September 1997 and discussed and taken note of in the Subgroup Pesticide Residues of the Working Group on Plant Health on 20 and 21 November 1997. It is agreed that these draft guidelines should be implemented as far as possible by the analytical laboratories of the EU Member States and should be reviewed in the light of this experience. The guidelines were discussed and revised by the experts of the EU Member States at Athens, Greece on 15 to 17 November 1999. The revised guidelines will be submitted to the Standing Committee on Plant Health and are to be published by the Commission(5).(11) Articles 7(2)(a) of Directive 86/362 and Article 4(2)(a) of Directive 90/642/EEC require the EFTA States to specify the criteria applied in drawing up their national inspection programmes when sending to the EFTA Surveillance Authority information on their programmes for the following calendar year. Such information should include the criteria applied in determining the numbers of samples to be taken and analyses to be carried out and the reporting levels applied and the criteria by which the reporting levels have been fixed. Details of accreditation of the laboratories carrying out analyses should be indicated (provisions on accreditation under the Act referred to in point 54n of Chapter XII of Annex II to the EEA Agreement; Directive 93/99/EC of 29 October 1993 on the subject of additional measures concerning the official control of foodstuffs(6)).(12) Information on the results of monitoring programmes is particularly appropriate for treatment, storage and transmission by electronic/informatic methods. Formats have been developed for supply of data in diskette form from the EU Member States to the Commission. The EFTA States could use the same format and should therefore be able to send their reports to the EFTA Surveillance Authority in the standard format. The further development of such a standard format is most effectively undertaken by the development of guidelines,HEREBY RECOMMENDS THE EFTA STATES TO:1. Sample and analyse for the product/pesticide residue combinations set out in Annex I, taking a minimum of 12 samples of each product and reflecting as appropriate, national, EEA and third country share of the EFTA State's market; for at least one pesticide possibly posing an acute risk, one of the products will be subjected to individual analysis of the items in the composite sample: two samples of an appropriate number of items will be taken, where possible the produce of a single producer; if in the first, composite sample a detectable level of the pesticide is found, the items of the second sample will be analysed individually; in 2001 this will include the combination phorate/potatoes and/or metidathion/apples.2. Sample products for the analysis of disulfoton, phorate, thiometon and oxydemeton-methyl in those countries where authorisations exist for the use of these pesticides on those products, on the basis of the number of samples of each product mentioned under point 1.3. By 31 August 2002, report the results for the part of the specific exercise allocated for 2001 in Annex I, indicating the analytical methods used and reporting levels achieved, in accordance with the quality control procedures set out in the Quality Control Procedures for Pesticide Residue Analysis and in a format, including the electronic format, as set out in Annex II and III to the Recommendation of the EFTA Surveillance Authority for the year 1999(7).4. By 31 August 2001, send to the EFTA Surveillance Authority and to the EEA/EFTA States all the information as required by Article 7(3) of Directive 86/362/EEC and Article 4(3) of Directive 90/642/EEC concerning the 2000 monitoring exercise to ensure, at least by check sampling, compliance with maximum pesticide residue levels including:1. the results of their national programmes concerning pesticides listed in the Annexes II of Directives 86/362/EEC and 90/642/EEC, in relation to harmonised levels and, where these have not yet been fixed at Community level, in relation to the national levels in force;2. information on their laboratories quality control procedures and, in particular, information concerning aspects of the guidelines concerning Quality Control Procedures for Pesticide Residue Analysis which they have not been able to apply or have had difficulty in applying;3. information on accreditation in accordance with the provisions of Article 3 of Directive 93/99/EC (including type of accreditation, accreditation body and copy of accreditation certificate) of the laboratories carrying out the analyses;4. information about the proficiency tests and ring tests the laboratory has participated in.5. By 30 September 2001, send to the EFTA Surveillance Authority their intended national programme for monitoring maximum pesticide residue levels fixed by Directives 90/642/EEC and 86/362/EEC for the year 2002.6. This Recommendation is addressed to Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.Done at Brussels, 8 June 2001.For the EFTA Surveillance AuthorityHannes HafsteinCollege Member(1) OJ L 221, 7.8.1986, p. 37.(2) OJ L 350, 14.12.1990, p. 71.(3) OJ L 78, 29.3.2000, p. 7.(4) Codex Alimentarius, Pesticide Residues in Foodstuffs, Rome 1994, ISBN 92-5-203271-1; Vol.2, p. 372.(5) Published in OJ L 128, 21.5.1999, p. 30. A revised version will be available in document number SANCO/3103/2000 (http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/ph_ps/pest/index_en.htm).(6) OJ L 290, 24.11.1993, p. 14.(7) OJ L 74, 23.3.2000, Annex II (Quality Control Procedures) p. 25 and Annex III (Working Document/Reporting format) p. 38.ANNEX IPesticide/product combinations to be monitored in the specific excercise set out in point 1 of the Recommendation>TABLE>(a) Apples, tomatoes, lettuce, strawberries, grapes.(b) Pears, bananas, beans (fresh or frozen), potatoes, carrots, oranges, mandarines, peaches/nectarins, spinach.(c) Cauliflower, peppers, wheat, melon, rice, cucmber, head cabbage, peas (fresh/frozen, without pod).(d) Apples, oats, tomatoes, lettuce, grape, strawberries, leek, onions, orange juice, apple juice, rye, aubergines.ANNEX IICoordinated monitoring programme of the years 1996 to 2004 with the intake estimation time windows and scope>TABLE>z Apple, strawberry, grape, tomato, lettuce.y Mandarin, pear, banana, bean, potato.x Orange, peach, carrot, spinach.w Cauliflower, pepper, wheat, melon.v Rice, cucumber, head cabbage, pea.u Onion, leek, orange juice, apple juice, rye.


Avis juridique important

|

32003H0598

Commission Recommendation of 11 August 2003 on the prevention and reduction of patulin contamination in apple juice and apple juice ingredients in other beverages (Text with EEA relevance) (notified under document number C(2003) 2866)

Official Journal L 203 , 12/08/2003 P. 0054 - 0059

Commission Recommendationof 11 August 2003on the prevention and reduction of patulin contamination in apple juice and apple juice ingredients in other beverages(notified under document number C(2003) 2866)(Text with EEA relevance)(2003/598/EC)THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular the second indent of Article 211 thereof,Whereas:(1) Commission Regulation (EC) No 1425/2003(1) establishes maximum levels for patulin for, inter alia, apple juice and apple juice ingredients in other beverages.(2) An exposure assessment of patulin by the population of EU Member States has been performed in the frame of Council Directive 1993/5/EEC of 25 February 1993 on assistance to the Commission and cooperation by the Member States in the scientific examination of questions relating to food(2) (SCOOP). It can be concluded from the assessment that the average exposure seems to be quite below the PMTDI of 0,4 μg/kg body weight. Nevertheless, taking into consideration specific groups of consumers, especially small children, and assuming worst cases the exposure to patulin is more significant but still below the PMTDI.(3) The maximum level for patulin in apple juice has been established taking into account the toxicological evaluation, the outcome of the exposure assessment and the feasibility. However, it is recognised that it is necessary that all efforts should be done to further reduce the presence of patulin in apple juice.(4) The apple processing industry should therefore be encouraged to adopt good manufacturing practices. In particular they should discard spoilt fruit from their production process, their appearance being a good indicator of the level of contamination. However, as patulin can also occur in fruits not visible damaged or spoilt at the outside surface the contamination cannot be completely eliminated by trimming away all visible damaged and spoilt fruit. The full implementation of the "Code of Practice for the prevention reduction of patulin contamination in apple juice and apple juice ingredients in other beverages" will result in a further reduction of the contamination level.(5) To ensure the efficient working of the internal market, the European Union shall apply uniformly the "Code of Practice for the prevention and reduction of patulin contamination in apple juice and apple juice ingredients in other beverages". Therefore, it is recommended that the Code of Practice shall be introduced in the European Union.(6) Commission Regulation (EC) No 466/2001(3), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 563/2002(4), provides for a revision of the maximum levels for patulin in fruit juices, concentrated fruit juices, fruit nectars, spirit drinks, cider and other fermented drinks derived from apples or containing apple juice by 30 June 2005 with the aim of reducing the maximum level taking account of the progress of scientific and technological knowledge and the implementation of "Code of practice for the prevention and reduction of patulin contamination in apple juice and apple juice ingredients in other beverages",HEREBY RECOMMENDS THAT MEMBER STATES:1. take the necessary measures so that the "Code of Practice for the prevention and reduction of patulin contamination in apple juice and apple juice ingredients in other beverages" as described in the Annex to this Recommendation, is implemented by all operators in the apple processing industry.2. ensure that all the appropriate measures, including - if necessary - corrective actions, are taken by the operators in the apple processing industry to achieve lower levels than the maximum level of 50 μg/kg for apple juices with the aim of achieving the level of 25 μg/kg patulin as target.Done at Brussels, 11 August 2003.For the CommissionDavid ByrneMember of the Commission(1) See page 1 of this Official Journal.(2) OJ L 52, 4.3.1993, p. 18.(3) OJ L 77, 16.3.2001, p. 1.(4) OJ L 86, 3.4.2002, p. 5.ANNEXCode of Practice for the reduction and prevention of patulin contamination in apple juice and apple juice ingredients in other beveragesIntroduction1. Patulin is a secondary metabolite produced by a number of fungal species in the genera Penicillium, Aspergillus and Byssochlamys of which Penicillium expansum is probably the most commonly encountered species. Patulin has been found as a contaminant in many mouldy fruits, vegetables, cereals and other foods, however, the major sources of contamination are apples and apple products.2. Alcoholic fermentation of fruit juices destroys patulin and, therefore, fermented products such as, cider and perry will not contain patulin. However, patulin has been found in fermented products to which apple juice has been added after fermentation. Ascorbic acid has been reported to cause the disappearance of patulin from apple juice, although the optimal conditions for inactivation have not been fully established. Patulin is relatively temperature stable, particularly at acid pH. High temperature (150 °C) short-term treatments have been reported to result in approximately 20 % reduction in patulin concentrations. However, thermal processing alone is not sufficient to ensure a product free of patulin.3. Patulin occurs mainly in mould-damaged fruits although the presence of mould does not necessarily mean that patulin will be present in a fruit but indicates that it may be present. In some instances, internal growth of moulds may result from insect or other invasions of otherwise healthy tissue, resulting in occurrence of patulin in fruit, which externally appears undamaged. However, it can also occur in bruised fruit after controlled atmosphere storage and exposure to ambient conditions both with and without core rot being present. Washing of fruit, or removal of mouldy tissue, immediately prior to pressing will not necessarily remove all the patulin present in the fruit since some may have diffused into apparently healthy tissue.4. Although the spores of many of the moulds capable of producing patulin will be present on fruit whilst it is still on the tree, they will generally not grow on fruit until after harvest. However, mould growth and patulin production can occur in fruit pre-harvest if the fruit becomes affected by disease or damaged by insects or where fallen fruit is gathered for processing. The condition of the fruit at harvest, the way in which the fruit is handled subsequently (especially during storage) and the extent to which storage conditions are inhibitory to the growth of moulds, will all affect the likelihood of patulin contamination of juice and other products prepared from fresh and stored fruit.5. The recommendations for reducing patulin contamination in apple juice in this code are divided into two parts:I. Recommended practices based on Good Agricultural Practice (GAP).II. Recommended practices based on Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).I. RECOMMENDED PRACTICES BASED ON GAPPreharvest6. During the dormant season cut off, remove and destroy all diseased wood and mummified fruits.7. Prune trees in line with good commercial practice producing a tree shape, which will allow good air movement through the tree and light penetration into the tree. This will also enable good spray cover to be achieved.8. Measures should be taken to control pests and diseases which directly cause fruit rots or allow entry sites for patulin-producing moulds. These include canker, eye rot (Botrytis spp and Nectria spp), codling moth, fruitlet mining tortrix moth, winter moth, fruit tree tortrix, blastobasis, sawfly and dock sawfly.9. Wet weather around the time of petal fall and of harvesting is likely to increase the risk of rot and appropriate measures, such as application of fungicide to prevent spore germination and fungal growth should be considered.10. Apples of poor mineral composition are more likely to suffer physiological disorders in store and hence are more susceptible to particular types of rot especially by Gloeosporium spp and secondary rots such as Penicillium. Consignments of apples for the fresh fruit market which do not meet the recommended mineral compositional standards, as determined by fruit analysis, should therefore be excluded from long-term storage i.e. storage for longer than three to four months.11. Where levels of minerals in the fruit for the fresh fruit market are outside optimum range, improving calcium and phosphorus levels in the fruit, particularly increasing the calcium/potassium ratio by controlled fertilizer usage, will improve cell structure, which will then reduce susceptibility to rotting.12. Records of rot levels should be kept each year for individual orchards since historical data is the best guide, at present, to potential rot levels, which will indicate the need for fungicide application and the storage potential of the fruit from that orchard.Harvesting and transportation of fruit13. Apples for processing are classified into two categories:(a) Mechanically harvested fruit14. Mechanically harvested fruit is obtained by shaking the tree and collecting the fruit from the ground with appropriate mechanical machinery.15. All fruit should be handled as gently as possible and every effort made to minimize physical damage at all stages of the harvesting and transportation procedures.16. Before shaking the trees, deteriorated fallen fruit (rotten, fleshed etc.) should be removed from the ground in order to make sure that only fresh and/or sound fruit is collected.17. Mechanically harvested fruit has to be transported to processing plants within three days after harvest.18. All containers used to transport harvested fruit should be clean, dry and free of any debris.(b) Fruit for the fresh fruit market19. Fruit from orchards with a history of high levels of rot should be harvested separately and not considered for storage.20. Ideally all fruit should be picked in dry weather conditions, when the fruit is mature, and placed in clean bins or other containers (e.g. boxes) suitable for transportation directly to store. Bins or boxes should be cleaned, ideally by hosing with clean water or preferably by scrubbing with soap and water, and fruit and leaf debris should be removed. Cleaned bins and boxes should be dried prior to use. Avoid exposure of fruit to rain.21. Adequate training and supervision should be provided to ensure good damage-free picking practice.22. All fruit in which the skin is damaged, or with the flesh exposed, as well as all diseased fruit, should be rejected in the orchard at the time of picking and fruit bruising should be minimized as far as possible.23. All soil-contaminated fruit, i.e. rain splashed fruit or fruit on the ground, should be rejected for storage purposes.24. Care must be taken to avoid the inclusion of leaves, twigs etc. in the picked fruit.25. Fruit should be placed in cold storage within 18 hours of harvest and cooled to the recommended temperatures (examples, see Table 1) within three to four days of picking.TABLE 1 Examples of recommended temperatures for storage of apples in air>TABLE>26. During transport and storage, measures should be taken to avoid soil contamination.27. Care must be taken during handling and transport of the bins or boxes in the orchard, and between the orchard and store, to avoid soil contamination of the container and the fruit and to minimize physical damage e.g. bruising of the fruit.28. Harvested fruit should not be left in the orchard overnight but moved to a hard standing area, preferably under cover.Post-harvest handling and storage practices of fruit for the fresh fruit market29. All fruit, whether for the fresh market or for later processing, should be handled as gently as possible and every effort made to minimize physical damage e.g. bruising at all stages of post-harvest handling prior to pressing.30. Apple growers, and other producers of juice who do not have controlled storage facilities, need to ensure that fruits for juicing are pressed as soon as possible after picking.31. For controlled atmosphere storage ensure that stores are checked for gas tightness, where appropriate, and that all monitoring equipment is tested before harvesting commences. Pre-cool stores thoroughly before use.32. Where appropriate post harvest fungicide treatments may be applied in accordance with the provisions of the relevant EU legislation.33. Stored apples should be examined regularly, at least once a month, for rot levels; a record of the levels should be maintained from year to year. The sampling procedure used should minimize the risk of atmospheric changes occurring in the store (see paragraph 36).34. Random samples of fruit should be placed in suitable containers (e.g. net bags) situated close to the inspection hatches to permit monitoring of fruit condition during the storage period (see paragraph 35). Samples should be examined for rots, general fruit condition and shelf life at least every month. Shorter intervals may be recommended in stores where the fruit storage conditions are less than optimum and/or the fruit has a predicted storage life of less than three months, because of adverse growth and/or harvesting conditions.35. Where samples indicate problems with fruit condition appropriate action should be taken to remove the fruit for use before extensive damage occurs.36. Mould growth normally occurs in a warm environment. Rapid cooling and maintenance of store atmosphere conditions will improve fruit condition. Ideally fruit should be loaded and cooled to less than 5 °C in three to four days and to optimum temperatures within a further two days. Controlled atmosphere conditions should be achieved within 7 to 10 days from the start of loading, and ultra-low oxygen regimes (i.e. less than 1,8 % oxygen) should be established within a further seven days.Post-storage grading of fruit for the fresh market or juice manufacture37. All rotten fruits, even those with only small areas of rot, should be eliminated as far as possible and wholesome fruit should be kept in a clean bulk container.38. When containers are removed from storage to select fruit for retail distribution, the containers of fruit remaining for juicing should be specifically marked and returned to cold store within 12 hours of sorting. The time the fruit is at ambient temperatures should be kept to a minimum. Ideally fruit for juicing should be kept at <  5 °C between withdrawal from store and juicing and should be utilized as soon as possible.39. Fruit, which is to be sent for juicing, should be utilized as soon as possible and within the normal shelf life, which would be recommended for fruit from the same store. Any bruising will encourage patulin formation hence bruising should be kept to a minimum, especially if fruit is to be stored for longer than 24 hours at ambient temperature before juicing.II. RECOMMENDED PRACTICES BASED ON GMPTransportation, checking, and pressing of fruitMechanically harvested fruit and fruit for the fresh market(a) Fruit for the fresh market40. Stored fruit should be transported from the cold store to the processor in the shortest time possible (ideally <  24 hours to pressing unless cold stored).41. Varieties with an open calyx are particularly susceptible to core rots. These varieties should be examined for internal rots by regular checks immediately prior to pressing. An appropriate random sample of apples should be preferably taken from each separate batch of fruit. Each apple is then cut across its equator and examined for signs of mycelial growth. If the frequency of core rots exceeds an agreed level the consignment should not be used for juicing. The processor should specify the maximum proportion of supplied fruit which can have any sign of rotting, taking into account the capacity of the processor to remove the rotting fruit during pre-process inspection. If this proportion is exceeded the whole consignment of fruit should be rejected.42. On arrival at the factory the fruit should be checked for quality, particularly for evidence of both external and internal mould damage (see paragraph 43).(b) Mechanically harvested fruit and fruit for the fresh market43. During processing and prior to pressing, the fruit should be sorted carefully to remove any visually mouldy fruit (check randomly and routinely for internal mould by cutting some fruit as in paragraph 41) and washed thoroughly, using potable or suitably treated water.44. Juice presses and other manufacturing equipment should be cleaned and sanitized in accordance with industry "best practices". Juice presses and other equipment will generally be washed down with pressured water hoses and sanitized by application of a suitable sanitiser, followed by a further rinse with potable cold water. In some plants, which operate almost continuously, this should preferably be a once per shift or once per day cleaning operation.45. After pressing samples of juice should be taken for analysis. A representative bulk production sample should analysed for patulin by an appropriate method in a laboratory, which is accredited to carry out such analyses.46. The juice should preferably be chilled to <  5 °C and maintained chilled as well kept under ultra-low oxygen conditions until it is concentrated, packaged or pasteurized.47. Juice should only be sent for packing on a positive release basis after patulin analysis has been confirmed as being below the maximum limit.Packaging and final processing of juice48. Moulds, which are capable of producing patulin, may occur, together with other moulds and yeasts, particularly in "Not From Concentrate (NFC)" juice. It is essential to prevent the development of such organisms during transport and storage to prevent spoilage of the product and by the same means prevent the production of patulin.49. If juice is to be held for a period prior to use the temperature should preferably be reduced to 5 °C or less, in order to reduce microbial development.50. Most juice will be heat processed to ensure destruction of enzymes and spoilage organisms. It must be recognized that whilst such processes will generally destroy fungal spores and vegetative mycelium the process conditions will not destroy any patulin which is already present.Quality assessment of juice51. Specifications for the purchase of apple juice or apple juice concentrates should include the maximum limit for patulin based on an appropriate method of analysis complying with the provisions laid down in Commission Directive 2003/78 (OJ L 203, 12.8.2003, p. 40) laying down the sampling methods and the methods of analysis for the official control of the levels of patulin in foodstuffs.52. A sampling plan should be developed for random sampling of product to assure that the finished product is within the maximum limit for patulin.53. The packer must satisfy himself that the juice supplier is able to control properly his own operations to ensure that the recommendations given above are carried out.54. Assessment of the quality of apple juice by the packer will include Brix, acidity, flavour, colour, turbidity, etc. The microbiological quality should be carefully monitored since this indicates not only the risk level of potential organisms for the production of patulin but also the hygienic aspects of the previous stages in the production cycle.55. Further checks should be carried out on the packaged product to ensure that no deterioration has taken place during the packaging stage.CONCLUSION56. This Code of Practice contains general principles for the prevention of patulin in apple juice. It is important that these general principles are given sanction by national authorities, taking into account the local varieties of apples, climate, storage facilities and production conditions, in order to make them more useful for the growers and processors.57. A post-harvest management system based on HACCP for reduction of patulin in apple juice is recommended.


title: Council Recommendation of 19 December 2016 on Upskilling Pathways: New Opportunities for Adults

text:
               24.12.2016

               EN

               Official Journal of the European Union

               C 484/1

         COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION
   of 19 December 2016
   on Upskilling Pathways: New Opportunities for Adults
   (2016/C 484/01)
   THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
   Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Articles 165 and 166 thereof,
   Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,
   Whereas:

               (1)

               In today’s society everyone needs to have a wide set of skills, knowledge and competences, including a sufficient level of literacy, numeracy and digital competence, in order to achieve his or her full potential, play an active part in society and undertake his or her social and civic responsibilities. Such skills, knowledge and competences are also crucial for accessing, and progressing in, the labour market and for engaging in further education and training.

               (2)

               Increasingly, job openings require both a higher level and a broader range of skills. In the future there will be fewer jobs of an elementary nature. Even jobs which traditionally required low-level qualifications or no qualifications at all are becoming more demanding. A large majority of jobs will require some level of digital competence, and an increasing number of elementary jobs require some core or generic skills (such as communication, problem-solving, teamwork and emotional intelligence).

               (3)

               In 2015, there were 64 million people, more than a quarter of the Union population aged 25-64, who had left initial education and training with at most a lower secondary education qualification. While there are no means to measure the basic skill levels of those people, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Survey of Adult Skills (‘PIAAC’), which tested levels of literacy, numeracy and problem-solving in technology-rich environments, indicates that similar proportions of adults aged 16 to 65 performed at the lowest level of proficiency in 20 Member States.

               (4)

               Furthermore, 2013 data from the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) highlight the significant proportion of 15-year-olds who underachieve in reading (17,8 %), maths (22,1 %) and science (16,6 %). Those results remain above the Education and Training 2020 (ET 2020) benchmark of 15 %.

               (5)

               PIAAC indicates that adults with higher proficiency in literacy, numeracy and problem-solving in technology-rich environments tend to have more success in the labour market. At the same time, 20 to 25 % of European adults aged 16 to 65 with low levels of proficiency in those skills are less likely to take part in learning or to participate fully in the digitally driven economy and society. They face a higher risk of unemployment, a higher incidence of poverty and social exclusion, higher health risks and a lower life expectancy, while their children face higher risks of educational underachievement.

               (6)

               Low-qualified people with fundamental weaknesses in basic skills may constitute a high proportion of the unemployed (in particular long-term unemployed) and other vulnerable groups, for instance older workers, economically inactive people and third-country nationals. Such weaknesses make it more difficult for them to enter or return to the labour market.

               (7)

               Member State policies to reduce early leaving from education and training in accordance with the Council Recommendation of 28 June 2011 (1) and the Council conclusions of 23 November 2015 on policies to reduce early school-leaving, based on prevention, intervention and compensation measures, are having a positive effect. In 2015, the Union average rate of early school-leaving among those aged 18 to 24 was around one percentage point below the Europe 2020 headline target of 10 %, but with wide variations across Member States. Even if the headline target were to be achieved, the remaining 10 % of people would enter adulthood facing serious problems with regard to access to sustainable employment. Moreover, there are still large numbers of people aged 25 and above who left school early, many of them third-country nationals and other people with a migrant or disadvantaged background.

               (8)

               Participation in lifelong learning by low-qualified adults remains four times lower than that by those with tertiary qualifications. Access to lifelong learning opportunities remains uneven across socioeconomic groups, and some groups of the working-age population, in particular third-country nationals, have less access. Encouraging wide and inclusive participation is therefore key to the success of upskilling measures. Efforts to reach out to individuals who need special motivation, support and lifelong guidance, especially those furthest away from the labour market or education and training, are essential.

               (9)

               The Upskilling Pathways would target adults with a low level of skills, knowledge and competences who are not eligible for support under the Youth Guarantee (2), and would provide them with flexible opportunities to improve their literacy, numeracy and digital competence and to progress towards higher European Qualifications Framework (EQF) levels relevant for the labour market and for active participation in society. This could be achieved by delivering education and training in appropriate learning settings in which qualified teachers and trainers apply adult-specific teaching methods and exploit the potential of digital learning.

               (10)

               Taking into account national legislation, circumstances and available resources, Member States may focus upskilling pathways on their identified priority target groups. They could be delivered in line with the implementing arrangements put in place by the Member States and on the basis of the individual’s commitment and interest in taking part.

               (11)

               Raising the skills and competences of adults significantly contributes to achieving the strategic objectives of Europe 2020, as reflected in the policy cycle of the European Semester.

               (12)

               The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union recognises the right to education and to access to vocational and continuing training for everyone.

               (13)

               The 2015 United Nations sustainable development goals call for action to ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy by 2030.

               (14)

               Recommendation 2006/962/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2006 on key competences for lifelong learning (3) provides a reference framework that supports Member States in ensuring that, by the end of initial education and training, young people have developed the key competences that equip them for adult life, further learning and working life. That framework also supports Member States in ensuring that adults are able to develop and update their key competences throughout their lives.

               (15)

               The European Digital Competence Framework for Citizens provides a common European reference for what it means to be digitally savvy in today’s society, and defines competences and levels of competence in five key areas.

               (16)

               The Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2008 on the establishment of the European Qualifications Framework for lifelong learning (4) created a common qualifications reference framework of eight levels, expressed in terms of learning outcomes which can be achieved through various routes of formal, non-formal and informal learning.

               (17)

               The Joint Report of the Council and the Commission on the implementation of the strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training (ET 2020) prioritised in the area of adult learning, inter alia, the provision of literacy, numeracy and digital skills and of sufficient second-chance opportunities leading to a recognised EQF qualification for those without EQF level 4. That Joint Report also includes medium-term deliverables for vocational education and training (‘VET’), including enhancing access to qualifications for all through more flexible and permeable VET systems, in particular by offering efficient and integrated guidance services and making available validation of non-formal and informal learning.

               (18)

               The Council Recommendation of 20 December 2012 on the validation of non-formal and informal learning (5) invites Member States by 2018 to set up national arrangements for the validation (identification, documentation, assessment and certification) of non-formal and informal learning. This includes possibilities for unemployed people or those at risk of unemployment to undergo a ‘skills audit’ aimed at identifying their knowledge, skills and competences.

               (19)

               The Council Recommendation of 22 April 2013 on establishing a Youth Guarantee recommends that young people under 25 years of age receive a good-quality offer of employment, continued education, an apprenticeship or a traineeship within four months of becoming unemployed or leaving formal education. It invites Member States to offer early school-leavers and low-skilled young people pathways to re-enter education and training or second-chance education programmes which provide learning environments which respond to their specific needs and enable them to obtain the qualification they have missed.

               (20)

               The Council Recommendation of 15 February 2016 on the Integration of the Long Term Unemployed into the Labour Market (6) recommends that long-term unemployed persons are offered in-depth individual assessments and guidance and a job-integration agreement comprising an individual offer and the identification of a single point of contact at the very latest when they reach 18 months of unemployment.

               (21)

               Commission Recommendation 2008/867/EC of 3 October 2008 on the active inclusion of people excluded from the labour market (7) invites Member States to expand and improve investment in human capital through inclusive education and training policies, including effective lifelong strategies, and to adapt education and training systems in response to new competence requirements and the need for digital skills.

               (22)

               The Council conclusions of 5 and 6 June 2014 on the integration of third-country nationals legally residing in the Union reaffirmed the Common Basic Principles for Immigrant Integration Policy in the EU adopted in 2004, one of which is that efforts in education are critical to preparing immigrants, and particularly their descendants, to be more successful and more active participants in society.

               (23)

               The Council Resolution of 21 November 2008 on better integrating lifelong guidance into lifelong learning strategies (8) invites the Member States to make use of four guiding principles for supporting the lifelong career transitions of citizens: encourage the lifelong acquisition of career management skills; facilitate access by all citizens to guidance services; develop the quality assurance of guidance provision; and encourage coordination and cooperation among various national, regional and local stakeholders.

               (24)

               Despite these efforts, low-qualified adults’ access to and participation in education and training opportunities remains a challenge. Active labour market policies aim to bring unemployed people into a job as fast as possible but do not always provide flexible personalised opportunities for upskilling. Few public policies address the need for upskilling those who are already in employment, leaving them at risk of skills obsolescence and job loss, while people furthest from the labour market have the greatest upskilling needs but are hardest to reach.

               (25)

               The Council and the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States invited the Commission to present the proposal for a new skills agenda for Europe addressing, inter alia, ways of boosting skills development and knowledge acquisition and acknowledging that completing upper secondary level or equivalent tends to be considered the minimum requirement for ensuring a successful transition from education to the labour market and for gaining access to further learning.

               (26)

               The knowledge base needed by policymakers and practitioners is growing but incomplete. Union bodies, in particular Eurostat, the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) and the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop), could develop further relevant research, expertise and analysis. Results of the work carried out under European cooperation in the fields of employment, education and training could contribute further to developing the knowledge base and mutual learning.

               (27)

               Employer organisations, employers, trade unions, chambers of industry, trade, commerce and crafts, national entities involved in planning, organising or promoting education and training and in migrant integration policies, employment services, education and training providers, intermediary and sectoral organisations, civil society organisations, local and regional economic actors, libraries, community services and adult learners themselves are among the key stakeholders in the concerted effort needed to reach, engage, guide, and support individuals as they progress on their upskilling pathways.

               (28)

               The diversity of the target group and the fragmentation and complexity of the policy measures in this area often result in a lack of systematic approaches to upskilling the workforce and a lack of awareness of the socio-economic benefits of doing so. Therefore, coherent policy efforts based on effective coordination and partnerships across policy fields would be welcome.

               (29)

               Since education and training systems and labour market situations differ substantially between Member States and regions, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to employability. In this context, progress towards a specific level of qualification is a means to enhance one’s employability and active participation in society, rather than an end in itself,

         HEREBY RECOMMENDS THAT MEMBER STATES,
   in accordance with national legislation, circumstances and available resources, and in close cooperation with social partners and education and training providers:

               1.

               Offer adults with a low level of skills, knowledge and competences, for example those who have left initial education or training without completing upper secondary education or equivalent, and who are not eligible for support under the Youth Guarantee, access to upskilling pathways which provide them with the opportunity, according to their individual needs, to:

                           (a)

                           acquire a minimum level of literacy, numeracy and digital competence; and/or

                           (b)

                           acquire a wider set of skills, knowledge and competences, relevant for the labour market and active participation in society, building on Recommendation 2006/962/EC on key competences for lifelong learning, by making progress towards a qualification at EQF level 3 or 4 depending on national circumstances.

               2.

               Taking into account national circumstances, available resources and existing national strategies, identify priority target groups for the delivery of upskilling pathways at national level. In doing so, take also into account the gender, diversity and various sub-groups in the targeted population.

               3.

               Where appropriate, base the design of the upskilling pathways on three steps: skills assessment; provision of a tailored, flexible and quality learning offer; and validation and recognition of skills acquired. Those steps could be facilitated by guidance and support measures as provided for in paragraphs 12 to 14 and by making best use of the potential of digital technologies, if appropriate.

         Skills assessment

               4.

               Offer adults within the priority target groups defined in accordance with paragraph 2 the opportunity to undergo an assessment, e.g. a skills audit, to identify existing skills and upskilling needs.

               5.

               Apply, where appropriate, to low-qualified adults the validation arrangements set up in accordance with the Council Recommendation of 20 December 2012 on the validation of non-formal and informal learning to identify, document, assess and/or certify existing skills.

         A tailored and flexible learning offer

               6.

               Provide an offer of education and training, in accordance with paragraph 1, meeting the needs identified by the skills assessment. For migrants from third countries, include, as appropriate, opportunities for language learning and preparation for training.

               7.

               If in line with national systems and circumstances, allow for the increased use of units of learning outcomes which can be documented, assessed and validated in order to record the progress of learners at different stages.

               8.

               Consider, as far as possible, local, regional and national labour market needs when establishing an offer in accordance with paragraph 1, and deliver it in close cooperation with relevant stakeholders, in particular social partners and local, regional and national economic actors.

         Validation and recognition

               9.

               Build on existing validation arrangements put in place in accordance with the Council Recommendation of 20 December 2012 on the validation of non-formal and informal learning to assess and certify the knowledge, skills and competences acquired, including learning at work, and encourage their certification towards a qualification, in accordance with national qualifications frameworks and systems.

               10.

               In accordance with national legislation, circumstances and available resources, base the delivery of upskilling pathways on the principles outlined in paragraphs 11 to 18.

         Coordination and partnership

               11.

               Ensure effective coordination to implement this Recommendation, and support, where appropriate, the engagement of relevant public and private actors in education and training, employment, social, cultural and other relevant policy areas, as well as the promotion of partnerships among them, including cross-border and regional cooperation.

         Outreach, guidance and support measures

               12.

               Implement motivation and outreach measures that include raising awareness on the benefits of upskilling, making available information on existing guidance, support measures, upskilling opportunities and responsible bodies, and providing incentives to those least motivated to take advantage of these.

               13.

               Provide guidance and/or mentoring services to support learners’ progression through all steps of the upskilling process.

               14.

               Consider designing and implementing support measures that address in an equitable way obstacles to participation in upskilling pathways. These could be, inter alia, direct support to learners or indirect support to employers for upskilling their employees.

               15.

               Support the initial training and continuous professional development of staff engaged in the delivery of upskilling pathways, in particular teaching professionals.

         Follow-up and evaluation

               16.

               Where possible, within one year of the adoption of this Recommendation and at the latest by mid-2018, and by building on relevant existing national arrangements and existing financial frameworks, outline appropriate measures for the implementation of this Recommendation at national level.

               17.

               Evaluate within the existing national frameworks all measures referred to in paragraph 16 and their impact on the progress of the target group towards the acquisition of literacy, numeracy and digital competences and/or towards a qualification at EQF level 3 or 4 depending on national circumstances.

               18.

               Use the results of the evaluation to inform, as appropriate, the design and delivery of upskilling pathways at national level and inform further evidence-based policies and reforms.

         HEREBY RECOMMENDS THAT THE COMMISSION:

               19.

               With the support of the Advisory Committee on Vocational Training, follow up on the implementation of this Recommendation, especially through exchanges such as mutual learning, in conjunction with relevant European coordination bodies and processes dealing with employment and education and training policies.

               20.

               Promote the use of existing relevant competence frameworks, such as the European Digital Competence Framework for Citizens, and assessment tools.

               21.

               Facilitate mutual learning among Member States and make key resources and information available on the Electronic Platform for Adult Learning in Europe (EPALE).

               22.

               Support and carry out in cooperation with Union bodies and international organisations such as the OECD or UNESCO relevant research and analysis on adult learning and skills assessments (e.g. PIAAC).

               23.

               Where appropriate, without prejudice to the negotiations for the next Multiannual Financial Framework and in line with priorities defined for the period 2014-2020, support the use of current and future European funding programmes in the area of skills development, in particular European structural and investment funds and Erasmus+, for the implementation of this Recommendation, in accordance with their legal basis.

               24.

               Take stock by 31 December 2018, in the framework of existing reporting procedures, of the implementation measures outlined by Member States.

               25.

               Assess and evaluate, in cooperation with the Member States and after consulting the stakeholders concerned, the actions taken in response to this Recommendation and, within five years from the date of its adoption, report to the Council on progress made towards raising the levels of literacy, numeracy and digital competence amongst low-qualified adults, experience gained and implications for the future.

      Done at Brussels, 19 December 2016.

            For the Council

            The President

         L. SÓLYMOS

      (1)  OJ C 191, 1.7.2011, p. 1.

      (2)  Council Recommendation of 22 April 2013 on establishing a Youth Guarantee (OJ C 120, 26.4.2013, p. 1).

      (3)  OJ L 394, 30.12.2006, p. 10.

      (4)  OJ C 111, 6.5.2008, p. 1.

      (5)  OJ C 398, 22.12.2012, p. 1.

      (6)  OJ C 67, 20.2.2016, p. 1.

      (7)  OJ L 307, 18.11.2008, p. 11.

      (8)  OJ C 319, 13.12.2008, p. 4.