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Career Guidance in the Life Course – Structures and Services in Germany
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7. European co-operation

As one of the founding members of the European Union,
Germany has a long tradition of co-operation with other Eu-
ropean countries and stakeholders in the field of guidance
in education, career and employment, among others in the
context of EU programmes PETRA, Leonardo DaVinci and
Erasmus as well as EU programmes on lifelong learning.
7.2 European Lifelong Guidance Policy
7.1 Euroguidance and EURES networks Network (ELGPN)

Germany is also engaged in European co-operation with German experts were participants of the EU Com-
the objective of promoting mobility. Accordingly, the FEA mission’s Expert Group on Lifelong Guidance
co-operates as the National Resource Centre for Voca- (2002–2007). Subsequently, Germany actively supported
tional Guidance NRCVG in the Euroguidance network. the establishment of the European Lifelong Guidance
The Euroguidance network aims at promoting mobility, Policy Network (ELGPN), in which it has been an active
supporting the development of the European dimension of member. ELGPN represents Member States’ interests at EU
career guidance. It helps counsellors and individuals to un- level on matters concerning lifelong guidance policy and
derstand the opportunities available to them through the system development and implementation (2007–2015).
common European labour market. The German Euroguid- The network identifies lifelong guidance policy issues for
ance centre has been set up at the Central International further policy development and implementation at nation-
Placement Service of the FEA (Zentrale Auslands­ und al level and supports exchange and collaborative action at
Fachvermittlung, ZAV). EU level.

This Central International Placement Service (ZAV) of- The German delegation consists of a representative
fers guidance and counselling as well as placement for from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research BMBF,
studying, working and further education abroad with the a member designated by the Standing Conference of the
aim of promoting transnational educational and profes- Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs (KMK), a member
sional mobility and experience. It may be used not only from the Federal Employment Agency and a member from
by Germans wishing to study or work abroad but also by the National Guidance Forum nfb as a non-governmental
people looking for work or study opportunities in Germa- organization. Key issues for co-operation in the ELGPN are
ny. In order to fulfil its task, the Central Placement Service the priority areas named in the EU Guidance Resolution
co-operates with other international Public Employment 2008: promotion of the development of career manage-
Services, particularly with European Employment Services ment skills (CMS), the improvement of access to guidance
in the EURES network, and with companies abroad look- (including accreditation of prior and experimental learn-
ing for German staff. In order to fulfil its task, the Central ing and the use of Information and Communication Tech-
Placement Service co-operates with other international Pub- nologies), improvement of quality and quality assurance in
lic Employment Services, particularly within the European guidance (including evidence-based development of policy
network EURES (European Employment Services), and with and practice) and the intensification of co-operation and
companies abroad looking for German staff. co-ordination of guidance policy and systems at regional,
national and European levels.