The Council will be devoted to education issues, starting with the adoption of the joint report on the implementation of the strategic framework for European cooperation in the field of education and training until 2020 (ET2020), which supports and supplements the Europe 2020 strategy. The report assesses actions and developments during the first cycle of implementing "ET 2020" (2009-2011) and establishes priorities for European policy cooperation during the next cycl (2012-14). In public debate, ministers will discuss the education-related aspects of the Commission's Annual Growth Survey (17229/11+ ADD 1, ADD 2, ADD 3 and ADD 4), which launches the new six month cycle of economic policy coordination in the EU, the "European Semester". Ministers will be invited, on the basis of a presidency discussion paper (5444/12), to discuss the role of education in fostering employability, with particular emphasis on the urgent need to reduce youth unemployment, and in ensuring a smooth transition into work.
The results of the debate, which will also cover the relevant headline goals and priority measures to be taken, will be forwarded to the Spring European Council of 1-2 March and form part of the synthesis report from the sectoral Councils directly involved in Europe 2020.