€7 billion for lifelong learning 

The Parliament adopted , on 25 October 2006, an integrated action programme on lifelong learning for the period 2007-2013. The new programme will replace the existing four sectoral programmes on school education (Comenius ), higher education (Erasmus ), vocational training (Leonardo da Vinci ) and adult education  ( Grundtvig ) when they expire at the end of 2006. 

This new integrated programme is completed by a 'transversal programme' focusing on policy co-operation, languages and information and communication technology (eLearning). Last but not least, the Jean Monnet programme on European integration will also be put under the new programme, the budget of which will be €6.97 billion for the period 2007-2013.

The €7 billion will be used to support projects and activities that, at all ages,"foster interchange, co-operation and mobility between education and training systems within the EU so that they become a world quality reference". 

Individual targets of the four sub-programmes are: to involve at least three million pupils in joint educational activities; to achieve three million individual participants in student mobility under the present and past programmes by 2012; to increase placements in enterprises to 80,000 per year, and; to support the mobility of 7,000 individuals involved in adult education per year. 

The Decision is expected to be finalised in November and enter into force in December 2006.