EU education goals: A mixed picture in Eastern Europe

EurActiv today published a new article in a series dedicated to views from various EU countries, particularly new member states,regarding the targets of the ‘Europe 2020’ strategy. The article deals with the European Union’s 2020 education targets (EU education goals: A mixed picture in Eastern Europe) and finds that while some of the EU’s Eastern member states are confident about meeting the targets, others - like Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania - may struggle to satisfy the European Commission’s expectations.

The Europe 2020 strategy defines five headline targets at EU level for the next ten years, which member states will be asked to translate into national goals reflecting their differing starting points. The education targets comprisereducing the share of early school leavers from the current 15% to under 10% of the school population and making sure that at least 40% of youngsters have a degree or diploma.

Three other targets have already been covered by the EurActiv network: 

● Reducing the number of Europeans living below the poverty line by 25% and lifting 20 million out of poverty from the current total of 80 million(Eastern Europe frowns at EU 'poverty' target; EurActiv 06/05/10).

● Raising investment in R&D to 3% of the EU's GDP (Czechs vie for top in Eastern European R&D league; EurActiv 04/06/10).

● Meeting the EU's '20/20/20' objectives on greenhouse gas emission reduction and renewable energies (Eastern Europe struggling to meet EU climate targets; EurActiv 16/07/10).

The last article from the series will be published in September, on the subject of raising the employment rate of the population aged 20-64 from the current 69% to 75%.

Media contacts:

Daniela Vincenti-Mitchener, Managing Editor, Tel. +32(0)2.788.36.69, news@euractiv.com

Frédéric Simon, Editor, Tel. +32(0)2.788.36.78, editor2@euractiv.com

Georgi Gotev, Senior Editor, Tel. +32(0)2.788.36.76, editor@euractiv.com

Note to the editor:

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