22.1.1999 Official Journal of the European Communities L 17/45 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COUNCIL COUNCIL DECISION of 21 December 1998 on the promotion of European pathways in work-linked training, including apprenticeship (1999/51/EC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 127 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission ('), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (%), Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Atrticle 189¢ of the Treaty (%), (1) Whereas the Treaty gives the Community the task of implementing a vocational training policy which supports and supplements the action of Member States while fully respecting their responsibility, in particular by promoting the mobility of persons in training, but excluding any harmonisation of the laws and regulations of the Member States; (2) Whereas the Council, in its Decision 63/ 266/EEC (%), adopted the general principles and set a number of fundamental objectives for imple- menting a common vocational training policy; whereas by Decision 94/819/EC (%) it adopted the Leonardo da Vinci programme for the implementa- tion of a vocational training policy of the European Community; (") OJ C 67, 3. 3. 1998, p. 7. () Opinion delivered on 29 April 1998 (O] C 214, 10. 7. 1998, p. 63). () Opinion of the European Parliament of 30 April 1998 (OJ C 152, 18. 5. 1998, p. 48), Council Common Position of 29 June 1998 (O] C 262, 19. 8. 1998, p. 41) and Decision of the European Parliament of 5 November 1998 (O] C 359, 23. 11. 1998). (*) OJ 63, 20. 4. 1963, p. 1338/63. () OJ L 340, 29. 12. 1994, p. 8. (3) Whereas the Florence European Council asked the Commission to make a study of the role of appren- ticeship in the creation of jobs; whereas the Commission stressed the importance of apprentice- ship in its communication ‘Promoting apprentice- ship training in Europe’; (4) Whereas the Council resolution of 18 December 1979 on linked work and training for young persons (°) advocates that the Member States should encourage the development of effective links between training and work experience; (5) Whereas the Council resolution of 15 July 1996 (') calls on the Member States to promote the trans- parency of vocational training certificates; (6) Whereas the conclusions adopted by the Council on 6 May 1996 on the Commission’s White Paper ‘Teaching and learning: towards the learning soci- ety (}) stress the need for cooperation between schools and the business sector; whereas the 1998 employment guidelines (°), and the 1999 employ- ment guidelines, ask Member States to improve the employment prospects for young people by equip- ping them with skills relevant to market require- ments; whereas in that context the Council invited the Member States to set up or develop apprentice- ship training where appropriate; 3. 1. 1980, p. 1. 4, 1. 8. 1996, p. 7. 5, 6. 7. 1996, p. 1. , 28. 1. 1998, p. 1.