With a vision for more innovative and internationally competitive European vocational education and training (VET), ministers from the EU Member States, the four candidate states, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein, as well as the social partners and representatives of European Commission will gather in Riga on 21–22 June.

In the light of new challenges and opportunities arising from the rapidly developing labor market and other socio-economic changes and their impact on the labour market, the main objective of the meeting is to further deepen the cooperation in VET all across Europe.

The first part of the ministerial meeting will be devoted to endorsement of the Riga Conclusions which represent a significant contribution to strengthening the European VET policy agenda from 2015 to 2020. The ministers will exchange views on the future of Copenhagen process launched in 2002 with a view to enhance European cooperation in VET, as well as the challenges of competitive European VET today and in the future.

With a view to boost the European Alliance for Apprenticeships (EAfA) which was established in 2013 in order to tackle youth unemployment, the second part of the meeting will focus on the role of all the stakeholders. Involvement of companies, particularly SMEs, expectations of social partners and next steps for EAfA are some of the items to be covered.

Live broadcast of the congress on 22 June will be provided on the Latvian Presidency website:

08:20-09:00

Doorsteps:

• Ms Mārīte Seile, Minister for Education and Science, Republic of Latvia
• Ms Marianne Thyssen, Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility
• Representative of Business Europe or ETUC (tbc)

Arrivals/doorsteps by Heads of Delegation; handshakes; tour-de-table

09:00-10:00

Welcoming and keynote speeches

12:00-13:00

Endorsement of the Riga Conclusions

Joint declaration of the European ministers, social partners and the European Commission supported by the European VET providers

13:00-13:10

Family photo

13:15-13:45

Press conference: Ms Mārīte Seile, Ms Marianne Thyssen, ETUC (tbc)