Council of the EU,update

 

Education ministers met virtually to exchange on a coordinated answer to the war in Ukraine on education. Meetings Wednesday 16 March 2022   ● Council of the EU   16/03/2022 21:14 | MEETING | Main results - Informal video conference of education ministers, 16 March 2022   Education ministers met virtually to exchange on a coordinated answer to the war in Ukraine on education. Meetings Council of the EU Informal video conference of education ministers, 16 March 2022 Main results European education ministers, in the presence of Mariya Gabriel, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, attended a video conference chaired by the French Minister for National Education, Jean-Michel Blanquer, on Wednesday 16 March in order to exchange views on how the European Union can provide concrete assistance to Ukrainian pupils, teachers and education staff. Since 24 February, more than three million Ukrainians have left Ukraine, half of them children. In view of the influx of refugees, a coordinated response by education ministers is being set in motion. At the invitation of the presidency, the Ukrainian Minister for Education and Science, Sherhiy Shkarlet, opened the meeting. European education ministers expressed their solidarity with the Ukrainian people and more specifically with children and all education staff. While the European education area is being strengthened, there is a need to establish real European coordination to promote the exchange of good practices and thus provide a joint response for the schooling of Ukrainian children in the EU. Keen to foster the link between these children and their country, the 27 wish to propose tailor-made solutions in cooperation with the European Commission and the Ukrainian Ministry of Education. The member states and the Commission have discussed closer cooperation among national authorities to better coordinate initiatives in order to connect all EU ministries as soon as possible. First work strand: this focuses on the sharing and pooling of digital educational content to facilitate continuity of education in Ukraine and within the European Union. Second work strand: to ensure pupils’ wellbeing at school and support teachers taking responsibility for them in a crisis situation, countries have also agreed on the need to have common arrangements in place for welcoming Ukrainian pupils. This work strand will also cover the best educational practices for approaching the situation in Ukraine in the classroom. Third work strand: using the experience gained during the health crisis in terms of remote learning, the member states will be able to work on making best use of existing platforms. The eTwinning programme will also be used to support teachers. The ministers will meet on 5 April at the Council of education ministers in Luxembourg to discuss how they can continue to collectively support Ukraine. Meeting information Meeting n°VC-EDU-16032022 Video conference 16 March 2022 16:30 Outcome documents List of participants EU ambassadors today agreed the Council’s negotiating mandate on a proposal to amend the 2014-2020 home affairs funds and 2021-2027 asylum, migration… Press material Wednesday 16 March 2022   ● Council of the EU   16/03/2022 19:20 | Press release | Ukraine: Council adopts negotiating mandate to unlock additional support under the home affairs funds   EU ambassadors today agreed the Council’s negotiating mandate on a proposal to amend the 2014-2020 home affairs funds and 2021-2027 asylum, migration and integration fund. This amendment, put forward through a fast-track process, will provide extra resources for the reception of persons fleeing the war in Ukraine. The proposed text will extend by one year the implementation period of the 2014-2020 home affairs funds and unlock access to unspent amounts in the asylum and migration fund which had previously been earmarked for other purposes. This will enable member states to urgently use the remaining funds to help address the mass influx of persons fleeing the war and is expected to release around €420 million in additional support from unused funds. The text also provides member states and other public or private donors with the possibility to make additional financial contributions under the 2021-2027 fund as external assigned revenue. This external assigned revenue will allow to finance asylum and migration activities in member states during crises, including those arising from the invasion of Ukraine. Background On 24 February 2022, Russian armed forces launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine. As a result, substantial areas of Ukrainian territory now constitute areas of armed conflict from which thousands of persons are fleeing. On that same day, the European Council condemned Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified military aggression against Ukraine in the strongest possible terms and demanded Russia’s full respect for Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence. The EU has shown, and will continue to show, its resolute support for Ukraine and its citizens. On 4 March the Council unanimously adopted an implementing decision introducing temporary protection for persons fleeing the war. On 8 March the Commission presented, among other measures, a proposal to amend the home affairs funds to unlock extra resources for member states to ensure adequate reception facilities and effective procedures.