Text tabled : A7-0320/2011

  Liam Aylward (ALDE), in writing. − (GA) I voted in favour of this important report and in favour of the rapporteur’s recommendations in relation to the mutual recognition of qualifications between the Member States of the EU, and especially between Member States and third countries.

The biggest difficulty faced by the youth of the EU is gaining recognition for qualifications conferred on them in other Member States, this happening despite the European Qualifications Framework. It is the uncertainty that exists in relation to questions such as probationary periods for teachers that is mostly a cause for those difficulties. It should be easier for graduates to move from one Member State to another for the purposes of employment and training and there should be mutual recognition of graduates’ qualifications and probationary periods between Member States, and it is up to the EU to ensure this.

Beyond that, I support the emphasis of the rapporteur on the importance of developing the relationship between the business sector and the universities and to strengthening the ‘Business-University’ relationship so that European graduates have the relevant skills and training to achieve the aims of the Europe 2020 strategy.