Mobility between European regions Regional mobility systems for the people Mobireg 2 Index Introduction: . Regional governments and citizen mobility for study and work purposes Gianfranco Simoncini, Assessore regionale, Regione Toscana 1 . Criteria for transparency in the quality of the mobility between the Regions of Europe: describers of reception services 2 . Quality in inter-regional mobility, Xavier Farriols, Departament d’Educació, Generalitat de Catalunya 3 . Examples of regional plans for using ESF for inter-regional co-operation at European level: Regional Government of Tuscany, Giacomo Gambino, Regione Toscana 4 . The regional system of trans-national mobility Region of Tuscany- Directorate-General for Cultural and Education policy 5 . Catalan Regional Platform for Mobility: Policies for inter-regional cooperation. Planning and manage ment system for inter-regional mobility 6 . Mobility for study purposes in Region Västra Götaland Annexes 1 . Memorandum of Understanding between the Regional Government and the Regional Government with regard to developing a programme of mobility in lifelong learning . 2 . Programme for stage and exchange activities between the Departament d’Educació i Universitats de la Generalitat de Catalunya and Tuscany Regional Authority concerning professional training . 3 . Plan for the implementation of the Bilateral Agreement on mobility signed by Tuscany Regional Authority and the Generalitat de Catalunya . 4 . Programme for stage and exchange activities between the Region Västra Götaland and Tuscany Regional Authority concerning professional training . 5 . .Implementation Plan of the Bilateral agreement on mobility between Regione Toscana and Region Västra Götaland . Project Mobireg, Regional Mobility, financed by the European Commission- Official Journal 2006/C 194/10 Call for Proposals – DG EAC No 45/06 – Award of grants for the establishment and development of platforms and measures to promote and support the mobility of apprentices and other young people in initial vocational training (IVT) Agreement n . 2006-4509/001-001 Project team: Regione Toscana (coordinatore) Generalitat de Catalunya Region Västra Götaland Giacomo Gambino Xavier Farriols Carina Abreu Elio Satti Àngels Font Ale Municipality Silvia Marconi Antonio Díaz Göran Fock Federica Morandi Marja-Leena Lampinen Elisa Donatini Nunziatina Pagano Paolo Federighi –Scientific Director 2008 Printed in Goteborg This project has been funded with support from the European Commission . This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein . 3 4 Introduction: Regional governments and citizen mobility for study and work purposes Gianfranco Simoncini, Councillor for education, training and work, Region of Tuscany 1. An individual right and a necessity Firstly, I would like to thank the Committee of the The mobility of workers in Europe is still limited. How- Regions and the President of the EDUC Commission, ever, there is data indicating a positive trend which recall Gerd Harms, for hosting this first seminar promoted by the commitment of public policies: Earlall which aims at developing cooperation between Regions in order to increase the opportunities for our – The steady growth of the number of “mobile” workers citizens to gain study and work experience abroad. – The growth of the propensity to mobility of Euro- Mobility within the European Union is a right of every pean citizens (57% of European citizens consider it a person, but – at the same time – it represents an important positive phenomenon and 5.5% of European citizens complement to economic and social growth for all the claim to be willing to move to another country) European countries. – An increasing number of young people and of quali- fied workers do jobs which imply the commitment to The free movement of people within the Single Euro- short periods of mobility abroad, and Eurobarometer pean Market is one of the main principles and a strategic has shown that 70% of young people are open to this aim of the European Union, an individual right which prospect. is essential for the creation of an area with no internal boundaries. Up against this reality, the commitment of regional and local governments – within the limits of their institutional At the same time, the mobility of people – for study or competences – should be oriented towards removing work purposes – is a vital tool for the creation of greater every type of barrier which may be an obstacle to the free and better work opportunities as it enhances the efficiency movement of European Union citizens and – for what we of the Single Market, benefits professional growth and the are concerned with here – towards favouring the coopera- meeting of labour supply and demand. tion between Regions so as to promote educational and formative systems which encourage people’s propensity to However, all of this must happen within a picture of mobility. greater protection and safety for people who study or work and for businesses. Guaranteeing quality conditions to mobility schemes is a task which public policies need to 3. The objectives of the cooperation between approach at all levels and in consideration of all aspects the Regions of Europe concerning law, administration, housing, family, insurance The Communication of the Commission takes on the and retirement, language barriers and the recognition of objective of “guaranteeing the political support of mobil- qualifications. ity by all the institutions at all levels” and among these it explicitly includes also regional and local Governments. It is a task which needs to be dealt with by government institutions at all levels (national, regional and local) and The issue does not concern exclusively the role which which requires close cooperation with the social parties. Regions and Municipalities may carry out at a financial level, but more in general the responsibilities which may be Here, our purpose is to focus our attention on how taken on to guarantee “fair mobility”. In this sense regional regional Governments can cooperate in order to increase Governments are committed to applying a support policy the opportunities and the propensity to mobility of our for mobility and to cooperating with each other. citizens so as to allow them to improve their training and competences, as well as take part in work experiences The role which Regions may take up with regard to this, abroad. the added value which a policy created by them concerning mobility can guarantee, regards four main areas. 2. Some elements for evaluation First of all, the Regions and their cooperation at a The Communication of the European Commission of 6th European level may increase the guarantee of safety and December 2007, which defines the working lines for a protection in favour of citizens, in particular with regard “European Job Mobility Action” for the period 2007-2010, to mutual guarantees that Regions can offer citizens in clearly illustrated the need to apply, at all institutional lev- mobility. els, a working plan to reinforce the policies which support the mobility of European citizens. Secondly, a direct commitment of the Regions can 5 ensure a greater quality level of the educational conditions first six months of 2008, 500 secondary school students and in which mobility is carried through. The role performed trainees will take part in mobility projects and this number by regional and local Governments in various European may double during the second semester including even countries allows them to guarantee to guests from other young graduates, researchers and entrepreneurs. Regions higher levels of quality in crucial aspects of mobility such as: the possibility to choose local partners However, this meeting also has another, concrete (training centres, schools, companies) which best satisfy objective. the expectations of people in mobility, supervision of the quality of training in firms which take on people for work A greater political commitment of regional Govern- experience, the guarantee of conditions offered by opera- ments also entails greater attention towards the condition tors specialized in the organization of mobility, and finally in which mobility is carried through and the results which the Regions can open their transfer and support services it can guarantee. including the certification of acquired competences. For this reason some Regions have started working Thirdly, a financial commitment of the Regions can together to guarantee transparency to the quality levels significantly increase the number of citizens which offered. approach this opportunity. The European Parliament has already approved, on Fourthly, the political commitment of Regions can 18th December 2006, a Recommendation concerning guarantee that propensity to mobility is not limited to the adoption of a European Quality Charter for mobility particular categories of the population, but becomes an (2006/961/EC). It is an important instrument and it is opportunity offered to those sectors and to those peo- particularly useful for the organizers of mobility projects ple which have to face the internalization processes of and should inspire individual actions, especially in the the economy. In other terms, the Regions can integrate training area. mobility with respect to regional development policies guaranteeing that the people who face the global market Interregional mobility actually needs a common instru-