Alfredo Antoniozzi (PPE). – (IT) Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, in 1999, with the signing of the Bologna Declaration, the European signatory countries committed to working together to create a European Higher Education Area by 2010. This target would have guaranteed academic quality, economic development and social cohesion, and employment and lifelong learning for graduates. I support Mr Berlinguer’s report because it calls for decisive and coordinated action at European level.
The recognition of degrees based on an efficient system of quality assurance constitutes a good point of departure for encouraging Member States to adopt the national framework of qualifications for lifelong learning. It is essential to implement and develop a European system of higher education that allows and encourages the free movement of knowledge. I think the measures contained in the report represent the right path to follow to make Europe more productive and competitive.