18.5.2000 Official Journal of the European Communities L117/1 (Acts whose publication is obligatory) DECISION No 1031/2000/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 13 April 2000 establishing the ‘Youth’ Community action programme THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE (3)  The extraordinary European Council on employment EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community and in particular Article 149 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission ('), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (%), Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions (3), Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty (), in the light of the joint text approved on 9 March 2000 by the Conciliation Committee, Whereas: (1)  The Treaty establishing the European Community provides that the latter's action shall, inter alia, contri- bute to the development of quality education and training. This was resolutely reiterated by the Treaty of Amsterdam signed on 2 October 1997 which states that the Community is also to promote the development of the highest possible level of knowledge for its peoples through a wide access to education and through a continuous updating of knowledge. (2) By their Decision No 818/95/EC of 14 March 1995 adopting the third phase of the Youth for Europe’ programme (°), the European Parliament and the Council set up an action programme regarding cooperation in the field of youth. It is appropriate to pursue and strengthen cooperation and Community action in that field on the basis of the experience acquired from that programme. 1 () O] C 311, 10.10.1998, p. 6. () O] C 410, 30.12.1998, p. 11. () O] C 51, 22.2.1999, p. 77. (*) Opinion of the European Parliament of 5 November 1998 (O] C 359, 23.11.1998, p. 75), Council common position of 28 June 1999 (OJ C 210, 22.7.1999, p. 1 ) and Decision of the European Parliament of 28 October 1999 (not yet published in the Official Journal). Decision of the Council of 10 April 2000 and Decision of the European Parliament of 12 April 2000 (not yet published in the Official Journal). () O] L 87, 20.4.1995, p. 1. held in Luxembourg on 20 and 21 November 1997 adopted a coordinated employment strategy in which lifelong education and training have a fundamental role to play in implementing the guidelines set out in the Council resolution of 15 December 1997 (%) for the Member States' employment policies in order to enhance employability, adaptability and the culture of entrepre- neurship and to promote equal opportunities. (4  The Commission in its communication ‘Towards a Europe of knowledge’ set out guidelines on the creation of an open and dynamic European education area capable of achieving the objective of lifelong education and training. (5)  In its White Paper ‘Teaching and learning — Towards the learning society’, the Commission stated that the emergence of the learning society entails encouraging the acquisition of new knowledge and to this end providing motivation to learn at every opportunity. In its Green Paper ‘Education, training, research: the obstacles to transnational mobility’, the Commission highlighted the advantages of mobility for people and competitiveness in the European Union. (6)  There is a need to promote active citizenship, to strengthen the links between measures pursued under this programme and to step up the fight for respect for human rights and against exclusion in all its forms, including racism and xenophobia. Special attention should be focused on removing discrimination and on promoting equal opportunities for women and men. (7)  The actions of this programme should reach young people in general and not just the initiated and/or those who belong to youth organisations. The Commission and the Member States should therefore undertake to provide an adequate flow of information and appro- priate dissemination for those actions. (9 O] C 30, 28.1.1998, p. 1.