Set up around the ‘Unity through balance’ motto, Estonia has assumed the six-month rotating Presidency of the European Union (EU) Council until the end of 2017.
An image of balance has been chosen as the Presidency’s symbol to express the need of finding consensus between different viewpoints.
The Estonian Presidency inaugurates the 2017-18 Trio Programme. It will be followed by Bulgaria in the first semester of 2018 and by Austria starting on 1 July 2018. Most of the Trio Programme will focus on long-term EU priorities, such as the modernisation of education and the enhancement of skills for high competitiveness and productivity in the labour market.
The key priorities of the Estonian Presidency involve innovation, security, cross-border digital public services, environmental sustainability and social inclusion. Given that an inclusive Europe is expected to support equal opportunities for all and in order to strengthen competitiveness, Estonia has vouched ‘to invest in the development of skills and to move forward with the initiatives triggered by the New skills agenda for Europe and subsequent Commission initiatives on youth and education.’
In addition, the Presidency ‘will continue to review the Europass Decision to achieve a better implementation and synergy between the digital tools designed for documenting people’s skills and qualifications, and to modernise these tools for the digital age.’
The first European guidance week will be co-organised by Cedefop and the Estonian Presidency in Tallinn in September.
For more information on the Estonian EU Presidency go to the official website.