This text is about both EU policies promoting the development of European educational systems in order to face the challenges posed by the process of globalisation and the policies pursued by EU Member States in response to the solicitations at European and global level, with particular attention to Education and Vocational Training.
In particular, the text examines the policies pursued since the Lisbon Strategy was launched, in 2000, until the development of the strategy for 2020.
It was a very intense phase for the European activity in this area because, in the context of the Copenhagen process, the enhanced cooperation has taken place leading to the definition of a lifelong learning-oriented system and the creation of three important Recommendations introducing the European qualifications framework, a system of recognition of credits, and a European reference for quality assurance.
The examination of this phase also offers the opportunity to conduct a review of what has been achieved in relation to the targets set in 2000, of what are the current problems and how the European countries are acting.