(3) promoting technical assistance measures, in particular, in conjunction with initiatives from professional or local points of contact, local authorities, chambers of commerce, trade or craft associations.

which represent education and training courses of a total duration of at least thirteen years, including at least three years' training followed within a structured training framework, partly received in the workplace and partly provided by a vocational training establishment, and culminating in an examination, in addition to at least one year's theoretical and practical training as a master craftsman.

This proposal was underpinned academically by the work of a group of experts under the chairmanship of Etienne Davignon, and the Davignon Report was signed by trade union members and members of employer associations.

These courses have a total length of not less than 13 years, comprising nine years of compulsory education, followed by either at least three years of vocational training at a specialised school or at least three years of training in a firm and in parallel at a vocational training school ("Berufsschule"), both of which culminate in an examination, and are supplemented by successful completion of at least a one-year training course at a master school ("Meisterschule"), master classes ("Meisterklassen"), industrial master school ("Werkmeisterschule") or building craftsmen school ("Bauhandwerkerschule").

Large parts of industry operating in this sphere have already adapted their production methods and found alternatives, and yet the European organisation for this branch of industry, EUROFEU, is quite unable to see the point of the change.

- establishing or promoting technical assistance measures, especially in conjunction with initiatives from appropriate professional or local points of contact (e.g. local authorities, chambers of commerce, trade or craft associations),