31.12.2003 Official Journal of the European Union L 345(9 DECISION No 2318/2003/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 5 December 2003 adopting a multiannual programme (2004 to 2006) for the effective integration of information and communication technologies (ICT) in education and training systems in Europe (eLearning Programme) THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Com- munity, and in particular Article 149(4) and Article 150(4) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee ('), Having regard to the opinion of the Committee for the Regions (%), Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty (), Whereas: (1) The objectives of the Socrates and Leonardo da Vinci education and training programmes established by Deci- sion No 253/2000/EC (*) and Decision 1999/382/EC () respectively include the development of open and distance learning, and the use of information and communication technologies. (2)  The conclusions of the European Council meeting held in Lisbon on 23 and 24 March 2000 (the Lisbon Council), emphasised the need for adaptation of Euro- pean education and training systems to the needs of the knowledge economy, and declared the promotion of new basic skills, in particular in information technolo- gies, as one of the three main components of this new approach. (3)  The initiative ‘eLearning: designing tomorrow's educa- tion’, launched in May 2000 by the Commission in response to the Lisbon Council was endorsed by the European Council at its meeting in Feira in June 2000. At its meeting in Stockholm in March 2001, the Euro- pean Council noted the positive results of the initiative. () O] C 133, 6.6.2003, p. 33. () O] C 244, 10.10.2003, p. 42. () Opinion of the European Parliament of 8 April 2003 (not yet published in the Official Journal), Council Common Position of 16 June 2003 (O] C 233 E, 30.9.2003, p. 24) and Position of the Euro- pean Parliament of 21 October 2003 (not yet published in the Offi- cial Journal). Decision No 253/2000/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 January 2000 establishing the second phase of the Community action programme in the field of education ‘Socrates’ (O] L 28, 3.2.2000, p. 1). Decision as amended by Decision No 451/2003/EC (O] L 69, 13.3.2003, p. 6). () Council Decision 1999/382/EC of 26 April 1999 establishing the second phase of the Community vocational training action programme ‘Leonardo da Vinci’ (O] L 146, 11.6.1999, p. 33). - (4) Le o N W The ‘eLearning Action Plan’ developed the four action lines of the eLearning initiative (infrastructures and equipment, training, European quality contents and services and cooperation at all levels) in 10 key actions, bringing together the various Community programmes and instruments, for increased coherence and synergy between them and for enhanced accessibility to users. On 15 May 2001 the European Parliament adopted a Resolution (°) on both Commission Communications on the subject recognising that the eLearning initiative is helping to strengthen the idea of a ‘single European educational area’, which complements the European research area and the European single market, and calling for it to be developed independently under a new specific programme, with a clear legal basis, avoiding duplication with existing programmes and providing more visibility and added value to Community action. The Council Resolution of 13 July 2001 on eLearning () endorses this initiative, and calls upon the Commission to continue and to intensify its actions in this field. The Commission adopted, on 21 November 2001, the Communication ‘Making a European area of lifelong learning a reality’, indicating the potential of e-learning for making available and managing new educational opportunities to this end. The conclusions of the European Council meeting held in Barcelona in March 2002 called for a Europewide school-twinning action and were followed by the Commission Report on school twinnings via Internet, presented to the European Council at its meeting in Seville, as well as an Internet and computer user's certifi- cate for secondary school pupils. There is a need to address the problem of social exclu- sion resulting from the inability of some individuals to take full advantage of the benefits offered by information and communication technologies (ICT) and the Internet in the knowledge society, the so-called ‘digital divide’, which often affects young people, the disabled and elderly, and social categories who are already victims of other forms of exclusion. 4, 7.2.2002, p. 153. 04, 20.7.2001, p. 3.