The EU-Commission has adopted on November 10th 2005 a proposal for a recommendation of the European Parliament and the Council on key competences for lifelong learning.

A European framework of basic skills to be provided through lifelong learning was originally requested in the Lisbon conclusions in 2000. The aim is to encourage and facilitate national reforms by providing, for the first time at the European level, a reference tool on key competences that all citizens should have for a successful life in a knowledge society.

On February 14-15th 2006 the EESC adopted an opinion on "The representativeness of European civil society organisations in civil dialogue". On April 24th was launched a consultation in order for the European civil society to let their voice heard about the guidelines and proposals set out in its opinion. The enclosure is the reply of the ACC.

Five EU MEPs from five different countries and from different political parties have presented, during April’s Parliament plenary session, a written declaration "on the statute for a European association and the promotion of an active European citizenship".

 

If this declaration collects the signatures of half of European Parliament’s representatives, it will become a Parliament official position.

 

The European Civic Forum has invited all associations and NGO’s supporting the creation of this statute to get in contact with their European deputies in order to ask them to sign this declaration.

 

ACC members all over EU have adressed their EU MEP's by the help of the enclosed model letter originally edited by the European Civic Forum.

Written reply on questionnaire / roundtable with EU-Commissioner Wallström. Friday May 19th 2006. Post- og telegrafmuseet, Copenhagen. ACC represented by Camilla Nielsen-Englyst. By the ACC Board, Berlin May 27th.

Finally, we seem to have reached the main aim of the Association for Community Colleges (ACC). We have brought the idea of developing a European public sphere by the help of European Community Colleges to one high peak of EU-power. Margot Wallström, vice-president of the EU-Commission, supports our idea!

A group of young Europeans coming from 17 different countries met for a two-week Community College on human rights at Casa Cares, Reggello (FLorence). The Europe of Rights Community College resulted in the following final declaration. The aim of this declaration is to clarify concepts and themes discussed during the lectures workshops and debates. These topics were European identity, the role of religions in human rights and new rights, specifically focusing on sexual identity and bioethics.

ACC suggests to the Danish Folk High School Association (FFD) to work for an "Invisible European Folk High School" in Denmark: A three years pilot-project aiming at proving the reason behind the eventual Action 6 revisioning of the EU-Youth Programmes and/or Socrates in general.

ACC informs the Danish Ministry of Education about the First European Community College (FECC) + informs about the suggestion to open the "Invisible European Folk High School" in Denmark as a three years pilot-project aiming at proving the reson behind the Action 6 revisioning of the EU-Youth Programmes and/or Socrates Generally

ACC's reply to the public consultation about the educational programmes of the EU. ACC presents her ideas about these programmes and suggests the implementing of an Action 6 supporting Community College Courses in the Youth Programme.

Reasoned by endeavours to create a European public sphere using the Scandinavian Folk High School format, Mjellma Mehmeti, board member of the ACC, was awarded by the Heinz-Schwartzkopf-Stiftung "Young European of the Year 2002".

Letter to the delegations to the Council of Europe Ministers of Youth and Sport meeting in Thessalonica, November 2002. Concretely it is suggested to work for a common supporting system for European Community College Exchanges or Courses (højskolekurser)

Most of the 1000 participants in the Youth2002 folk high school event decided to support the visions of the ACC of making the community college format into a model for developing a future European public realm. They demonstrated their support signing this declaration.  

The "Act" was composed as a very concrete contribution to the debate on how to allow European citizens to involve themselves in the common political matters. This through a policy on non-formal education. The autors are Andrzej Pater, Warzaw, Anna Nielsen, Ølstykke, Dainis Lasmanis, Riga, Dasa Bolcina, Trieste, Eva Valvo, Pisa, Helena Soares Silva, Espinho, Jan-Christoph Napierski, Haan, John Petersen, Aabenraa, Klara Tjernberg, Linköping, Levente Geczi, Brasov, Linda Jakobsone, Riga, Ljupco Efremov, Kratovo, Marzia Pistolesi, Ponsacco, Mjellma Mehmeti, Skopje, Orsolya Arros, Odorheiu, Peter Ciaccio, Rome, Rebecca Pavon de Paz, Collado Villalba, Sandra Salmina, Riga, Siebren de Boer, Ljouwert, and Silva Cardi, Pisa.

The ACC-board suggests to the Danish Minister of Education to link the Danish EU-Presidency in automn 2002 to promoting the European Community College format -the idea is later to emerge as Youth2002.

The letter was later published in a short version in Politiken (Danish daily newspaper). Main point is the claim, that European Community Colleges (højskoler) is the future. The ideology of such schools is elaborated through the analysis and parallel of the history of the beginning of the Danish folk high schools in mid 19th century.