2006. vol. 1. No. 3

The paper provides a detailed examination of European education policy developments in the nineties. The evidence confirms a close link of education policy and economic and political integration processes dynamics. Drawing on the historic analysis of European education policy developments from the Rome Treaty provisions and the historical Council Decision of 2 April 1963 to the end of the nineties, the author makes a conclusion of its congruency with the four phases of economic integration and social policy development interdependence. The paper explores the dense and increasingly sophisticated legal and instrumental framework of the education cooperation integrates tools of soft law, such as Recommendations, Conclusions, Resolution, EU programmes in education;and hard law, such as Directives, the most recent example of which is the Directive 2005/36/EC on the recognition of the professional qualifications.

The presented evidence base indicates to a close link of education policy developments with the dynamics of economic and political integration processes and its congruency with the four modification phases of economic integration and social policy development interdependence. (1) End of the fifties and the sixties, construction of the Customs union and the Common market, high rate of economic growth and relatively low unemployment, nascent coordination in education. (2) The seventies, economic crisis and exchange rate volatility, deterioration of the social environment and increased unemployment bringing to disintegration tendencies and demanding introduction of active social policy and increased funding of social programmes. (3) The eighties, completion of the single market demanding measures aimed at enhancing real mobility. (4) The nineties, marked by the development and implementation of the EMU, signing of the Treaty of European Union, and the fifth accession preparations, whereas effective employment policy becomes a major social and economic objective of the EU.